Justin Taberham - Global Environmental Careers

5 Pay attention in each role to what skills you are good at and that you enjoy using. These are the ones you will want to seek out in future roles. It's always good to be thinking about your next career step so you can be building the right skills along the way.

As a kid, I spent a lot of time playing outdoors and catching frogs and insects. This led me to develop a love of the natural world. In college, I was not sure what I wanted to do until I took a class on tropical rainforests and learned that they contained the greatest biodiversity on earth and that many rainforests were being destroyed. I decided right there in that class to dedicate my life and career to protecting endangered species.

My first job out of college was working for National Wildlife Federation giving endangered species presentations to colleges in 12 states and training students to take action to protect endangered species. I then worked on a project to protect Lake Superior. Later I served as a liaison between NWF and four state affiliates working to strengthen the state groups by strengthening the diversity of their finances and leadership. My last role at NWF was as the Program Manager for the Great Lakes Wolf program.

I then went on to lead the career services at University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability for 10 years. In 2016, I launched my own business Green Career Advisor to help people find and secure their dream green jobs.

While leading the career services for environmental students at University of Michigan, I developed a list of what I called Universal Job Skills by reviewing hundreds of green job postings across all sectors and creating a list of the most sought‐after skills by green employers:

Strong communication skills: writing and public speaking

Ability to work in multidisciplinary teams

Strong interpersonal skills

Management skills (budget management, project management, people management, change management, time management, fundraising, strategic planning/vision)

Leadership skills/showing initiative

Analytical/creative problem‐solving skills

Technical skills (software, field skills, graphic design, etc.)

Source: Lisa Yee‐Litzenberg, President, Green Career Advisor, USA, www.greencareeradvisor.com. © John Wiley & Sons.

The Climate Change Coaches provide upbeat, compassionate coaching for organisations and individuals and run training programmes on how to use coaching skills to empower and influence others. They offer confidential conversations, free from judgement and unwanted advice, to help people think clearly about climate change and then get into action to do something about it.

Their team are all coaches and come from backgrounds in leadership development, psychotherapy and change management and have worked in a broad range of fields including in sustainability, environmentalism, international development, the military, start‐ups and multinational for‐profit businesses. In addition to offering workshops and personal coaching, they share a quarterly newsletter filled with examples of positive and inspiring action for the environment, alongside thought pieces about the psychology of change.

Source: Adapted from www.climatechangecoaches.com/contact‐us, www.linkedin.com/company/climatechangecoachesTwitter: @ClimateCoaches. © John Wiley & Sons.

1 Make sure your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile are all working and working together, to help you stand out and get your next interview.

2 Create a networking strategy that helps you to build momentum and builds your confidence. The more you converse with others on a consistent basis, the more comfortable you will become, and the more you will see how much value you bring to the conversation.

3 Do not settle, figure out what you want and make a plan to get it. Create an action plan, get someone to hold you accountable to it and review your progress on it routinely.

4 Look within yourself to discover what you want to do. Asking others what you should do is like asking them to choose your meal at a restaurant; you may not like what you get and you’ll likely blame them for the bad choice.

5 Continue to map your career plan even after getting hired. People who don’t do this often find themselves feeling stuck a few years down the road.

Laura works with students, recent grads and career changers from all backgrounds who are seeking environmental careers to gain confidence in their searches by crafting sound career navigation plans. Having been a biology student and career changer and now a business owner, her coaching comes from experience, a passion for science and a commitment to the well‐being of our planet.

She is well connected across the United States in the environmental and sustainability fields through her position as past president of the Tampa Bay Association of Environmental Professionals and now serving as a board member of the National Association of Environmental Professionals. These leadership positions and her experience as a grant manager for habitat restoration projects means that she has exposure and experience in a wide variety of both public and private industries.

Laura has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology from the University of South Florida, is a certified Project Management Professional (which means she is an expert in creating actionable plans) and has walked in your shoes!

Source: Laura Thorne, aka The Environmental Career Coach, USA, www.theenvironmentalcareercoach.com. © John Wiley & Sons.

Joanne took the road less travelled. Navigating her career trajectory with five careers in a variety of industries, Joanne worked in corporations and start‐ups, non‐profit and academic institutions, as well as running her own business. Blending these experiences with her passion for imagining future possibilities and inspiring human potential Joanne honed her expertise of coaching and consulting in Leadership Development, Career Development, Workforce Development and Change Management.

Joanne is a recognised thought leader in pioneering career transition strategies and developing the concepts and practices of Career Self‐Reliance and Workforce Resilience. She is passionately dedicated to lifelong learning and developing future leaders around the world. She coaches executives, leaders and teams and facilitates Women in Leadership Group Coaching Programs.

Forecasting the profound impact of climate change and experiencing transformation of the world of work, Joanne founded and co‐developed Green 360 Career Catalyst to inspire, educate and empower young adults around the world to become contributing members of the green workforce.

Joanne is a student of life, the world her playground. Travel is her gateway to adventure: exploring the great outdoors and learning about global communities and cultures.

Know Yourself – the Whole of the Who that is YOU!

BE…

driven by Purpose

guided by Vision

ignited by Passion

directed by Mission

committed to Action

fulfilled by Impact

Define Your Best Fit Job

Begin by defining your personal characteristics and criteria

What work do you want to do?

Identify the skills, knowledge, abilities you have; the experience you want to leverage

Why do you like to work?

Identify your interests, passions, motivations, values and purpose