1. Understand why green matters.
To those working towards sustainability, green isn’t a fad or trend—it’s a serious and critical shift in how to think about business, resources, and the planet. Study up on the origins of sustainable development; read leading books in the field like Biomimicry, Cradle to Cradle, and The Ecology of Commerce; and track the developments and trends in the industry by checking out websites like Treehugger, GreenBiz.com, and Greentech Media.
2. Get clear on your goals.
Green jobs vary widely, from climate scientists studying air quality to engineers designing solar panels to restaurateurs serving menus where all ingredients are sourced within a 100-mile radius. What do you want to do? Even within seemingly targeted areas, like clean tech, there are a wide range of subsectors—wind, solar, biofuels, battery technology, and more. Knowing the type of company, the type of work, and the customer category you want to serve will help you communicate your goals to others and make it easier to find the folks who can hire you.
3. Learn the language.
One of the requirements in any industry is to know what people are talking about. Within the world of green jobs, however, there are many languages—from green building acronyms like LEED to solar technologies like thin-film CIGS to wind industry terms like hybrid-composite. Mastering the language of the industry sector you want to join will show that you’re serious about the work.
4. Join the community.
Attend green conferences, networking events like Green Drinks and EcoTuesday, and presentations about local green initiatives. Join green groups on LinkedIn. By joining your local green community, you’ll find out about opportunities, build your knowledge about what’s going on, and come away with connections that will help you network your way to people who can hire you.
5. Build your experience.
Take classes, volunteer, and take on an internship. By getting involved, you build your skills and start to show a track record of facilitating the shift toward a greener world. You’ll also make more connections and show others in the field that you’re serious about going green.
Download the Green Career's Guide
Guest Contributor: Frank Marquardt
Frank Marquardt is the author of The Solar Job Guide and can be reached at frank@fierobooks.com. www.solarjobguide.com
I launched this Blog with one objective - to provide unique insights and practical advice for using the power of personal branding to achieve your goals. It’s dedicated to those who want to be wildly successful by maximizing what makes them unique, relevant and compelling. 
Listen to Frank Marquardt's Guest Expert Interview with William Arruda for the April 2009 Reach Personal Branding Interview Series http://www.reachpersonalbranding.com/resources/interview/
Directions: Scroll down the page to April 2009 and look for the audio link after the description.
Posted by: Susan Guarneri | November 06, 2009 at 11:56 AM