Get a Green Job

Lots of people are talking about “green jobs” or “green-collar jobs” these days.  What does that really mean?  How can you get a green job?  Here are some resources to get you started.

What Is a “Green Job” Anyway?

“Green” or “green-collar” jobs are those in fields associated with alternative energy and sustainable development: erecting windmills, repairing electric cars, designing environmentally friendly buildings, selling energy-efficient appliances, teaching sustainable skills, etc.

White Collar, Blue Collar, Green Collar?
Green collar jobs involve products and services that are environment-friendly. Any organization that seeks to improve upon the environment is considered “green”; and if it employs individuals to that affect, then it has created green collar jobs. Green collar jobs include any that involve the design, manufacture, installation, operation, and/or maintenance of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. And the green collar sector is booming; it is currently the fifth largest market sector in the US.

Green Jobs Are Growing!

Yes, America is in a recession (or depression, depending on how you count it), but not all fields are equally affected.  According to a new study, the green sector of the economy is growing more than twice as fast as the conventional job sector.  Anyone seeking employment should investigate areas where their skills overlap this growth.

Report: “Green” Jobs Outpacing Traditional Ones
“Green jobs” are growing nearly two and a half times as fast as traditional jobs, finds a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts. The study, released Wednesday by Pew as the first ever count of such jobs in all 50 states, concludes that the clean energy economy, while still in its infancy, “is a vital component of America’s new economic landscape.”

The “green” energy and transportation sector is emerging as a vital part of the US economy, though still small compared with oil and gas, says a new study.

Search for Green Jobs

Now that you know what to look for, where should you look?  The following websites list jobs in the fast-growing “green” sector of the economy.

“How to Find Green Jobs” offers tips on job hunting in the green-collar economy.

Read Planet Green’s advice for successful green-collar interviews.

Green Job Interview is a site that hosts virtual interviews, reducing the carbon footprint of your job search and broadening your visibility.

Jobs for Change is a subset of the activist networking site Change.org and offers many resources.  You can search for jobs by keyword or location; read the job listings section and filter results by job category, work experience, and job type; read articles by career advisors; and use the Questions & Answers service.

GreenBiz lets you search for what job you want and where you want it.

Sustainable Business has a job database searchable by city, state, country, skill level, job category, and keyword.

Environmental Career keeps a database of jobs that you can search by keyword, job category, employment type (full-time, part-time, etc.), metro area, city, and salary range.  Many of their jobs deal with plants, animals, and/or natural sciences.

EcoEmploy offers environmental jobs and careers spanning government jobs, environmental agencies, and special opportunities.  Their site also includes some resources on resume tips.

Yahoo HotJobs has a page listing green jobs.

Business for Social Responsibility has a page listing job openings, some of them green.

CleanTech has a jobs page mainly focused on technology and science.

EnergyCentral Jobs has both a database and job listing page, mainly regarding alternative energy sources.

CleanEdge offers information sortable by recent jobs, featured jobs, or categories.

Sustainable Industries lists available jobs in various fields including clean energy, green building, green marketing, and recycled markets.