Best Ways to Find a Green Career

On February 4, 2009, thousands of people from around the country held the first official Green Jobs Advocacy Day by congregating on Capitol Hill and lobbying for good-paying green jobs.

The country is listening. Today’s job seekers will find employers in every field that are increasingly open to sustainable business models that involve waste reduction, energy efficiency, and providing their employees with a living wage. And educators are getting involved as well, with many colleges and universities now offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in Sustainability. With everyone seeing green, it’s the perfect time to plot out a green career for yourself.
Get educated. If you’re interested in a green career, consider getting ahead by becoming one of the few with a degree in sustainability. Arizona State offers a BA and a BS in Sustainability, and at their School of Sustainability you can earn an MA, an MS, or a Doctor of Philosophy in Sustainability, sure to put you at the head of the pack when searching for a green career. Of course, education backgrounds in other fields, such as engineering and science degrees, are also very valuable. As Job Defender member, you can take advantage of the Advanced Online Degree Search to find a program that’s right for you.

Make friends and influence people. Just like it is in any other career, networking is key. If you’re just starting out or financially secure enough to do it, try to find an internship. They’re great opportunities to sell yourself to coworkers in the hopes of getting a full-time job when it ends, and you’ll likely have opportunities to make contacts with people at other companies as well. Don’t turn down any invitations to hang out with your new coworkers, and stay current on new sustainability developments so that you’re able to jump into any work-related conversations that pop up. You want them to like you and see that you know your stuff.

Start seeing green… jobs. While it’s possible for just about any career to have a green aspect, or a focus on sustainability, certain ones stand out. Obvious green careers are sustainability coordinators, recycling program managers, and energy analysts. Others include architects, engineers, builders, and urban planners. If none of those sound like they fit you, consider finding a job that interests you first, then figuring out what you can do within that position to add an element of sustainability. You’d be surprised how many employers will appreciate your green efforts. Once you’ve made a list, head over to Job Defender’s Nationwide Job Board to see what positions are matches.

DIGY – Do It Green Yourself. Right now there is such an explosion of people and companies looking to go green that there are any number of opportunities out there for hard-working self-starters to carve out their own green niche. If you really can’t find an existing career that fits your personality and allows you to stay green, start thinking about what you wish you could do. Share your ideas with friends, and if one really seems to resonate, consider actually creating that business.

What’s Your Layoff Risk? Learn Your Job Security Score to Find Out.

Every day, people across the country are losing their jobs, often without warning. It’s a scary situation to be in. Understanding your layoff risk can help put your mind at ease – or get your butt in gear! But how do you figure out what your risk is?

By inputting basic information about your job on the Job Defender site, you can learn your Job Security Score. To calculate this score, the innovative system evaluates your job profile, resume, and local economic factors to determine your layoff risk. Then the Job Security Score continues to monitor changes in national and local unemployment, hiring data, layoff rates, salary averages, and your personal Job Profile, so you can track your score over time and remain aware of current trends. Are factors in your favor or heading in a negative direction?

The benefits of knowing your Job Security Score are numerous, and it only takes up a few minutes of your time.

Considering a job change? A better understanding of your local job market can help you to make an informed decision about quitting, relocating, or accepting a job offer. You’ll understand the overall picture before you take that leap.

Want to stay at your job? Even if you are satisfied with your current position, knowing your Job Security Score is valuable because you can identify ways to improve your chances of staying put. The system will direct you to areas that you can improve in order to decrease your chance of a layoff.

Looking for a loan? The factors the Job Security Score takes into consideration are many of the same factors that a bank will be scrutinizing. By getting a better picture of your financial stability from an outside perspective, you’ll be in a better position to secure a loan at a good rate.

The system is simple. You’ll be given a number which will help you determine whether your risk is very low, low, medium, high, or very high. This score takes into consideration not only your location but your specific industry, job type, and demographic, to give you a personalized view of your economic outlook. If you want to go into detail about how your risk was determined, you can read about the various factors that impacted your score. By understanding why you received that score, you can determine ways to lower your risk and also take advantage of the many resources available on the site to increase your value to your company.

How Does the Unemployment Extension Bill Affect Me?

On Thursday, July 22nd, millions of people across the country who exhausted their standard benefits breathed a sigh of relief when the House approved legislation that will restore their unemployment benefits. But what does the bill mean for you?

More weeks of unemployment checks… depending on where you live. With the average duration of unemployment at 35 weeks, coverage for only 26 weeks just isn’t sufficient. In most states across the nation, an additional 34 weeks are available. But in states with over 6% unemployment, residents will be eligible for 13 more on top of that. Those in states with an unemployment rate of 8.5% can receive an additional 6 weeks.

Restore your reduced benefits. If you’re one of the many people who took a lower-paying temp job or part-time position, you may have renewed your benefits only to find that your unemployment checks are now based on this lower salary. The new bill allows those who lost more than $100 a week or 25% of their benefits in this manner to collect full benefits after a year. Unfortunately, it will not be retroactive, but it may affect you the next time you renew.

With the average benefit at only $309 per week, even the extended benefits aren’t much comfort to those pounding the pavement to find work. You can improve your chances at landing a position by joining the Job Defender community.

You will have access to hundreds of job postings nationwide as well as an online resume builder which can help ensure a professional presentation of your skills and experience and offers the ability to track views online. If you’re considering a career change, you can take advantage of the personality test to understand where you would be happiest, and with access to everything from interview and resume advice to software training, you can work to make yourself a better candidate!

4 Top Reasons to Use Career Coaching and Advice

Due to the trouble with the economy, you might be having difficulty finding work in your chosen field, or maybe you've just been let go and are taking the opportunity to re-evaluate your career goals. What's the next step? How do you find the right fit for you? It's time to brush off those interviewing skills and get back into the job market, but the sudden change can be overwhelming. At times like these, it can be valuable to have a professional to guide you along the way.

- Practice makes perfect. If it's been a while since you've been job hunting, you may be unfamiliar with the current practices for job interviews. A career coach can help you run through different scenarios so you are prepared for anything that might come your way. He or she can also cover basic interview etiquette, proper dress, and the best way to follow up in the 21st century. By the time you get an interview, you'll be ready for anything that comes your way and make the best impression possible on your prospective employer.

- Ensure a good fit. Even though you have the right skill set for the job, you don't want to enter a workplace where you are miserable or you'll end up back on the job hunt again soon. Career coaches work with you to discover the best match, which is especially important if you are considering leaving your current position or your career field. Through personality and goal assessments as well as research into prospective careers and jobs, your career coach can help ensure that you will be happy on the other side before you take that leap.

- Think outside the box. Due to the recession, many people are finding that their skill sets just aren't needed in the current marketplace, but you may be surprised to learn where your experience and talents may be applicable. You may find that there are many unexpected career paths that are available to you. A career coach can help you learn about all the options that are available to you, as well as any training that may be required to make you even more qualified for these positions.

- Get paid what you deserve. You may be reluctant to ask for a raise or negotiate your compensation package for a new job because you feel lucky just to be employed. But you shouldn't short-change yourself. A career coach can help you to understand your value and help you to get properly paid for what you have to offer without risking your position. You can evaluate the going rate for your experience and learn the techniques you need to negotiate in this down economy.

Before hiring a career coach, visit the Career Development Association to get advice on locating a qualified professional or consider becoming a member of the Job Defender community, where you’ll have access to free career coaching and advice.

The Advantages of Using an Online Resume Builder

One of the most important tools you have to secure a job is your resume. This one-page document is the key to getting your foot in the door of your dream job, which is why the task of crafting it can be so daunting. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the task, consider the advantages of using an online resume builder, which will simplify the process for you.

Get organized quickly. Instead of slaving over the format and content, online resume builders make the process easy. Simply fill in your work history and career information, and the program does the rest. If you'd like to, you can even choose your own template. And the whole process will take you under ten minutes.

Don't leave anything out. Using a resume builder ensures that you don’t forget to include any relevant information. You’ll follow a simple step-by-step guide that will prompt you for details on your experience, skills, and qualifications. The resume builder then takes this data and organizes it for you.

Keep up with modern conventions. The formats and type of information that employers look for change over time. Several decades ago, a multiple-page format with a long, detailed work history may have been standard. Today, anything over one page (or maybe two) is not recommended, and while including your work history is important, it is done in a shorter format and often highlights achievements rather than tasks. Online resume builders stay on top of the current resume trends, so you don’t have to.

Ensure a professional presentation. You’re not a graphic designer or a layout guru, so why try to be? A resume builder takes the stress out of formatting your resume by providing professionally designed templates while still offering the same tools, such as spell-check, that Microsoft Word does. You can rest assured that you are presenting an attractive and error-free document.

Access different formats. No idea how to create a PDF, let alone create a web page? Most online resume builders offer all of the standard file formats – Word, PDF, and HTML – so you are ready for whatever the HR department requests. You can also include your personalized web address in your email signature, through your social networks, and on your business card, giving friends, family, and colleagues an easy way to recommend your qualifications for an open position.

Optimize your resume. If you’re using a web-based resume, you can track your progress by checking how many people have visited your web page. By creating multiple resumes, you can compare how they do and use that information to improve your feedback.

Automatically back-up your files. Most builders allow you to easily download your resume again if you lose it, and you’ll always have access to the information on the web page. So even if you forget your resume at home, you can always run to the nearest copy shop and print a new one!

Using a resume builder is like having your own staff working with you -- a graphic designer, a web designer, and a career coach -- all offering their expertise so you can present yourself in the best light to prospective employers. Members of Job Defender have access to the free tool available on the site. You can learn more about our online resume builder here.

Job Hunting – How to increase your chances

We’ve spoken with a lot of job hunters recently about the approach they’re using to find employment, and one thing became very clear to us… most of them are doing it wrong!

As a rule of thumb, finding a job requires a lot of work and the candidates that put in the work typically get the job. Most employers and hiring managers believe that you should put as much effort into finding a job as a good employee would put into doing the job itself. So if your approach to finding a job consists of creating a resume, blindly emailing it to every employer in your area, and then crossing your fingers and hoping for the best, your chances of landing a job are slim.

Did you know that employers and HR departments receive an average of 50 resumes for each job posting? In a real life example, Delta Air Lines said recently that it anticipates getting about 65,000 applications for its 1,000 airport job openings. That’s a ratio of 65 to 1. Not great odds. As a Job Hunter, you need to find a way to get your resume to the top of pile and get noticed by their company.

To get your resume to the top of the pile, follow some of these simple steps:
- Call the HR department after sending in your resume to make sure they received it.
- When you have them on the phone, as them if they have any questions for you right now.
- Ask them when you can expect to hear back from them to setup an interview.
- Find out who the hiring manager is for the position, and get their contact information.
- Call the hiring manager to introduce yourself and ask them if they have received a copy of your resume.
- Learn about the company. Never contact a company that you know nothing about.
- When you speak with representatives at the company, talk as if you already have the job, and offer specific suggestions that are relevant to the job.

By using some simple steps like the ones above, you’ll have a much higher chance of landing an interview, which is the first step to getting your foot in the door.

Summer Internships

At JobDefender, we are huge advocates of intern programs in general, and highly recommend internship programs for younger job applicants looking to bolster their resume and gain valuable work experience. Summer is typically the best time to find an internship as employers often make these positions available from May through September to correspond with the academic school year calendar. Here are a few tips to consider when evaluating your summer internship options:

1. Some intern positions are paid, while others are unpaid. While it may be tempting to focus your Job Search on paid internships, it may actually be more beneficial for your career to accept an un-paid internship if that position is in the same industry as your ideal job.

2. Internships can often turn into full-time positions at the end of an internship program, so make sure you treat the internship as a valuable position and always work hard.

3. If you happen to be in school, some internships actually count for academic credit and can be used to complete units as a portion of your degree. Check with your school counselor prior to accepting an internship to see what options are available.

4. Internship are for everyone, not just students. If you are not a student, don’t feel like you can’t apply for an internship. Particularly in this economy, employers understand when non-students apply for open intern positions, and often time hire those individuals are they are less likely to leave abruptly at the end of summer.

Remember, internships are a great way to gain experience and add work history to your resume. Search the JobDefender Job Board now to find internships in your area.