5 New Years' Resolutions for your Environmental Career!

Amazing that it’s almost 2014! I thought this would be a great time to make New Year’s Resolutions to jump-start your environmental career. Here they are!

-Join a new professional group
-Attend at least one local networking event
-Make business cards and set a measurable goal to distribute them
-Find at least one new mentor in your chosen field
-Commit to a career strategy in writing  

Join a New Professional Group. Seems like this would be an easy resolution, but often these groups can cost forty or more dollars to join. If you can afford it, do join them. Suggestions are the National Association of Environmental Professionals ($40/yr - student rate), National Environmental Health Association ($25/yr student rate), The Wildlife Society ($41/yr), North American Association for Environmental Education ($35/yr), and the Air and Waste Management Association ($35/yr). Some free options if your budget is limited: National Military Fish and Wildlife Association, local watershed associations (Google “watershed associations PA”, for example), and national or local environmental organizations (email subscriptions are free, membership fees vary – see http://www.nrdc.org/reference/environgroups.asp for a comprehensive list).
http://www.naep.org/
http://www.neha.org/Students/index.html 
http://wildlife.org/membership/join
http://www.naaee.net/membership/categories
http://www.awma.org/ 
http://www.nmfwa.net/  

Attend at Least One Local Networking Event. Once you’ve found a new organization to join, comb their schedule of events to find either a networking event or a volunteer activity to participate in that puts you in contact with other members. Use these contacts to learn more about job opportunities and as mentors to help you further your environmental career. You need to put yourself “out there” and this is a very positive and professional way to do it!  

Make Business Cards and Set a Measurable Goal to Distribute Them. Consider how important networking can be – and how much more leverage you gain from networking by leaving a contact/business card as you go. Even if you have a limited budget, business cards can be a close as your printer or low cost online. In addition to your contact information (email, phone number), carefully consider if you want to include a title or position under your name. One rule of thumb is to not use a title for which you are not fully qualified or one you have held. Instead, consider the following titles (if used at all on your card): Independent Environmental Researcher, Independent Environmental Consultant, Recent Environmental Graduate, or similar. In addition to or instead of a home address, you might also consider including “Willing to Relocate” on your card. Set a weekly or monthly number of cards you will distribute – the best way to accomplish something is to make it measurable and achievable. A professional card that you can leave with those you meet on a daily basis gets your name out there and certainly cannot hurt your chances of finding your dream job!  

Find at Least One New Mentor in Your Chosen Field. Sometimes you find a mentor in the most surprising places. Talk to relatives and friends about your career aspirations. Engage current or past instructors from college, high school, or other training and ask their advice on getting into a new field. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help and advice – they’ve been there and have a lot to offer and often they don’t need to be in environmental careers to assist. If they are, of course, you can get more focused advice. I think you’d be surprised at how many people you will meet that are willing to help you!  

Commit to a Career Strategy in Writing. Finally, I highly recommend following the first rule of keeping resolutions – make a plan and stick to it! This one takes some thought and a bit of time, but is a key step in entering a new career. It may be hard to get started, but take some of the suggestions here and go from there. Make sure your plan is written, contains clear goals and objectives, and includes outcomes that are measurable. Include regularly scheduled reviews of your accomplishments so that you can modify your plan as you go.

Here is a template of a career plan that will help you get started: Sample Career Plan

Best Wishes for the New Year!
Dr. Carol A. Pollio

5 Ways to Bounce Back from Career Rejection

This is a tough topic this week – how to deal with rejection in the job market. I will share with you that I’ve applied for many jobs in my 35 year career that I didn’t get. Sometimes up to 100 each time I wanted to move on. Discouraging? Yes. Hopeless? No. Here are some of my best tips for dealing with rejection:

You’re Not Alone

Follow up

Retool

Network

Consult an Expert

You’re Not Alone. Everyone fails at something. Abraham Lincoln went to war as a Captain, only to return a Private. Walt Disney was fired early in his career, because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” Stephen King’s manuscript for the book “Carrie” was rejected 30 times (and he threw it in the trash!). As mentioned earlier, I’ve seen plenty of job rejection in my time. I used to keep a file of rejection letters – some say that’s depressing, but it actually helped me past more than one self-doubting moment. When I felt rejected, I would pull out those letters and read through them. I would think about each job and the information I had learned since then. Sounds strange, but I always felt that better things were coming after reading those letters; that the best “fit” for me must still be out there. Choose to move on (mentally and emotionally), but make every effort to learn from the experience!

Follow Up. One important way to learn from the experience is to follow up. Call the Human Resources (HR) Office and ask for insight on your resume and qualifications. Identify gaps, make sure you’re applying for the right level position, ask questions about what they feel you’re missing (experience, training, etc.). If you were interviewed, call and ask the interviewer for feedback. Find out what made the selectee the “best candidate” and what you could do to improve your chances of being selected the next time. Recognize that few people like to talk in negatives, so be prepared by having some specific questions to ask. It is easier to answer a direct question, than to respond to “What did I do wrong?” If you really want to work for this agency or company in the future, the follow up call should be treated the same as a second interview – be gracious, yet purposeful in the conversation.

Retool.  Whether you’ve gained some new information or not, take time to step back and evaluate where you are in your job search. Do you need more experience? training? Are there unexplained gaps in your resume? Think about ways to address any issues. In short, retool your image. Think about finding a volunteer position in your chosen field, if you’re lacking experience. Consider taking some training – there are many online resources that offer free training courses to enhance your resume.  Join local environmental organizations. If in school, join student chapters of professional organizations. In short, find ways to fill in any gaps you’ve identified. Remember, it is a tight job market, and it may not be that you lack anything – it may be that the competition is just too stiff. In that case, you aren’t hurting anything by continuing to develop your skills and experience, so why not do it?

Network. Use your personal and professional network to find job leads. One way to do that is to completely fill out your LinkedIn profile and include the link on your resume. Believe it or not, I’ve had quite a few potential employers check my LinkedIn page – ask work and school contacts to endorse you on the site.  Join local or student chapters of professional organizations. These often have monthly meetings and periodic networking activities. Make up simple business cards that you can hand out when you meet people at these events, or when you’re out doing other errands. Go to local environmental organization or agency events. In short, make as many connections as you can. I remember reading a book about being unemployed and it said that looking for work was a full-time job – they recommended putting together a weekly “to do” list. On this list, put down how many contacts or activities you are going to do each week – and get out there and do them!

Consult an Expert. I hesitate to recommend this, only because like any good advice, one must be careful to select a trusted source for it. If you have access to a trusted source, such as a university career counselor, use it! It is in their best interest for you to get a job, so they are focused on your success, not your consulting fee. Likewise, many professional organizations offer career mentoring for free, linking you to a mentor in your field of interest. If you know someone in your career field (a friend or relative, a professor), ask their assistance. Use your resources (and your money) wisely!

I know rejection isn’t easy! I hope that these tips help you rebound and have you finding your dream job soon! 

Dr. Carol A. Pollio  

P.S. Please comment and provide me with feedback my blog!

Thanks!

6 Tips to Ace the Phone Interview

Phone interviews are very common in the environmental field. Often, this is because candidates are not local and in some cases, if there are a lot of applicants, phone interviews are used to narrow down the field of candidates. Most of my career opportunities have involved a phone interview – I’ve probably done 50 or more phone interviews, and I’ve held hundreds of them.  So what makes for a great phone interview?  Here are my tips to help you navigate through this process:

Minimize Distractions

Print it Out

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Take Your Time

Dress the Part

Smile

Minimize Distractions. Selecting a place to make the call is critical.  I once did a phone interview in a borrowed rental car at the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill – that was a challenge! If you have distractions during the call, best to mention them to the interviewer(s). In the interview I mentioned, the interviewer was very understanding. Had I not mentioned my situation, there would likely have been some awkward moments that went unexplained -- phone interviews mean that sound is important! Try to use a land line to minimize drops and static. Avoid anywhere there are pets, people, or other things that can distract you (or bark in the background). Turn off call waiting and if your computer is nearby, silence sounds, such as email notifications and other “dings.”  Personally, I prefer using either a headset or Skype, so that I can mute the call at will. And do keep a glass of water nearby, in case you need it (but no eating, chewing gum, or pacing)!

Print it Out. Whenever I have a phone interview, I set up a card table (do people still have those?) next to my computer desk. On this table, I arrange my papers for the interview. I print out the resume submitted, position announcement, any documents I submitted in the application process (cover letter, special qualifications statement, transcript, etc.), and my list of training/courses completed.  I also write down a variety of standard interview questions and any that I can think of from the job announcement and write short bullets under each as a reminder of how I intend to answer them. I spread all of these out on the table in a logical way, usually covering most of the table’s surface. That way, I can look at them without rustling papers – that would not be something the interviewer(s) should be hearing. It also eliminates forgetting your answer when you’re really nervous!

Use Technology to Your Advantage. One advantage of a phone interview is that you can do it in front of (or nearby, in my example) a computer.  Open just a few windows on your computer – one being the company or agency’s website, Google or a search engine page, and any other relevant pages. Not too many, though! Close email windows and shut down any program that is running that might be distracting. This way, you can do quick searches online if you need to! Of course, if you do this, you need to have a mute function available, so no one hears you typing!

Take Your Time.  One of the biggest mistakes in a phone interview is rushing. Take time to respond to a question – don’t rush to fill in every pause. Since you cannot read body language or get other non-verbal cues, sometimes asking a question will help you better understand what they are asking you and it buys you a little time, if you’re struggling to think of your best answer. Make sure your answers are direct and clearly spoken. Always try to give concrete examples of things that you’ve done – don’t answer with “yes” and “no” and leave it at that. Don’t (!) drone on and on – answer the question directly, and then use a verbal cue to signal when you’ve finished your answer, so the interviewer(s) know you’re done. That verbal cue can be a summary sentence, or just using tone to indicate that you are at the end of your answer. Practice doing this, if it doesn’t come naturally to you. Ending an answer well is the sign of a great (and confident) interviewee!

Dress the Part. I know this sounds a bit over-the-top, but years ago I received this advice. I tried it…and it worked! There was definitely a difference between doing a phone interview in fuzzy slippers and a nice outfit. Somehow, it put me in the right frame of mind for the interview, and it will do the same for you. Maybe a 3 piece suit is not necessary, but sweatpants are out! 

Smile.  Like dressing the part, smiling when you talk is important. Most of us know when someone we’re talking to on the phone is smiling – you can hear it in their voice. Likewise, interviewer(s) know that you are comfortable talking to them if they “hear” you smile. Remember that it’s difficult to see the human side of you on the phone, so consider how you will convey your personality, values, and work ethic to the interviewer(s). You may want to call someone you trust and do a “mock interview” on the phone. They can point out any habits that are distracting and help you put your best foot (or voice) forward!

Over the years, I’ve come to think that a phone interview can actually be easier than an in-person one, IF you are well prepared for it. While the challenge is always the lack of eye contact and body language with the interviewer(s), the plus is that you can have all of the information you need at your fingertips!

Happy interviewing!

Dr. Carol A. Pollio

My best career tips and insights are now available on Amazon.com both in print and on Kindle!

Kindle:  http://amzn.com/B00DWZZ8NY
Print copy: http://amzn.com/1480158879

Better yet, I will periodically update the links and resources so that it remains the best environmental career advice you can get!

Happy Summer!

Dr. Carol A. Pollio
Director

Finding Your Passion!

You’re here (reading this) because you have decided to pursue an environmental career. But there are many subfields within this career field, and even more important, some you may not have considered or may not want to pursue at all. For example, I remember as an undergraduate student when I finally was able to take my first course within my major, which was Environmental Science at the time.  Half the course was spent calculating bacteria present in a sewage treatment plan trickle tank. No kidding. While taking the course, we also had a field trip to the State Laboratory in Trenton, New Jersey. The lab at that time was in the basement of an old building and nuclear/bomb shelter signs were posted at all of the entrances. I fondly remember my “trip to the bomb shelter” as a turning point in my career. The course and the associated trip opened my eyes to the area of the environmental field my particular degree was focused on – and it wasn’t for me! It didn’t take me long to track down my advisor at the university and change my major – to forestry (that time) within the natural resource management program. Eventually, I found forestry not to be quite right, either, and focused on Natural Resource Management as my final choice.

I share this experience, because simply choosing the broader field of environmental science may not be enough. There are subfields that will appeal to you and those that don’t. So that brings us to the question, “How do we find our passion?”  Here are some suggestions for finding the right “fit” in this field.

Join a Club or Professional Organization. This may sound obvious, but check your local area for environmental organizations. There will likely be a lot from which to choose. Consider watershed groups, hiking clubs, “friends of” refuges or parks (known as “friends groups”), paddling groups, local chapter of a professional organization, etc. One newer option is meetup.com. This site is becoming the place to go to find local organizations or special events for people with similar interests. Clubs and professional groups provide an opportunity to learn more about the type of people you would be working with and could (as a bonus) provide you with additional networking opportunities.

Look Inside Yourself. I don’t mean this in the meditative sense, but I do mean that you should take the time to focus on how you feel and why you chose this field of study. Sit down with a pad of paper and ask yourself the following questions:

           

Why did I choose environmental science (or the specific field you chose)?

What do I see myself doing? (Literally – envision yourself doing the job and write down what it is you are doing in that scene in your mind’s eye.)

Choose a memory of a day when you were very happy and felt a sense of great accomplishment – write down the activity. Why did that make you feel good?

 Am I most happy working outdoors or in an office environment?

What hobbies or interests am I good at?

The answers to these questions can really inform your career intentions. If you grew up camping with your family and visiting national parks, that may have influenced you to want to work outdoors. Perhaps you are artistic and love to draw – this might make landscape architecture an appropriate field for you. Or you surround yourself with plants – identifying each species as you hike along a trail. That might point you in the direction of a botanist or habitat restoration specialist. I’m not sure of this, but I know I spent a lot of summers making mud pies when I was young. I ended up as an aquatic ecologist. Coincidence? Probably not!

Volunteer. This is something you will hear me repeat throughout this book – volunteer! There is no better way to find out what it is like to work in a field than to experience it first hand. Most organizations accept volunteers and the benefits are a huge boost to your job search, establishing a professional network, gaining experience to add to your resume, and, of course, finding out if the work is the right “fit” for you. I have volunteered many times throughout my career and I have always found out something new about myself when I did. Look to other chapters in this book to find out about how to go about finding volunteer opportunities – the possibilities are only limited by your creativity and imagination!

Ask Everyone! Don’t just rely on yourself to find your “bliss” – ask those around you. I will share a story about how I chose my environmental science major. In high school, I visited my guidance counselor and asked him what career fields I could enter if I were interested in science. His response was that I could be a teacher or a nurse -- keep in mind that this was a long time ago! I knew right away that neither of these choices would do, but had no idea where to start looking for other options. In a casual conversation with my oldest sister (my 2 oldest sisters were both teachers, having had the same guidance counselor!), she described a masters’ level course she was taking and how they went canoeing as a field trip. She said, “If I were you, I’d do that environmental stuff.” Had I not had that moment with her, I may not have found the field I love for many years, if ever. From that moment, I began researching the options and found that there were careers outside of teaching and nursing – thank goodness!  So ask folks around you what they would do or what advice they have to someone starting a new career or changing careers. Sometimes you may find an unexpected nugget of wisdom that completely changes your trajectory!

Be Strategic About Taking Electives. If you are still in school, use your time well. Take electives in a variety of subfields or even in other fields of interest. Take courses that teach you skills, such as how to write environmental compliance documents or how to identify plants. Look for electives that broaden your knowledge – often, we are not aware of entire career fields until we are exposed to them through our coursework. For example, I once took an elective course entitled, “Environmental Education in the School Curriculum.” Now, to be honest, I took it because someone said it was an easy course (true confession!). However, I learned that environmental education is an entire career field (who knew?) and I learned to write a lesson plan for an environmental field trip. I can’t tell you how many times I have used that knowledge! From my first job as a Park Ranger-Interpretation, to leading field trips on the college farm, to teaching at the community college -- that information paid off for me many times over the years. At that time, I didn’t realize that having credits in environmental education would help me get seasonal park ranger jobs, either. So be strategic about taking your courses to maximize your learning and exposure to new opportunities or career fields. There is wisdom in the expression, “You don’t know what you don’t know!”   

Do Your Research. Today, this is so much easier than it was back in my time! You have the internet to do your research, and the social media sites where you can actually get answers, leads, and feedback. That is a huge plus when searching for your true passion! There are lots of career questionnaires online that are free and may be of assistance to you.  Here are some interesting ideas:

http://www.princetonreview.com/signin.aspx?RDN=1 - Register to take the 5 Minute Princeton Review Career Quiz (free)

            http://www.truecolorscareer.com/quiz.asp - Carolyn Kalil’s True Colors Career 

            Aptitude Test (free)

http://www.self-directed-search.com/Default.aspx - Dr. John Holland’s (takes 30 minutes, there is a fee, however)

http://www.missouriwestern.edu/careerdevelopment/cig/ - University of Missouri Career Interest Game (free, easy)

http://www.jobhuntersbible.com/counseling/sec_page.php?sub_item=048 – The Job Hunter’s Bible – a great site filled with career insight, tests, and tips (free).

Finally, a word of caution. There are lots of unscrupulous career tests and websites out there. If you are asked to pay more than a few dollars for a career test or counseling, buyer beware! The best career advice available comes from people you know, university or other legitimate career services providers, and professionals in the field. Using trusted resources is always the best course of action.

I hope this has helped you find your true passion – the path is oft times uncertain at the outset, but we each manage to find our way!

Earth Day Service Project!

Read my latest blog post on maintaining our green roof for Earth Day:

http://apus-sustainability.com/a-special-earth-day-project-maintaining-green-roofs

Making the Most of Your Education

You’ve probably invested a lot in your education – not only the money for tuition and books, but the effort you put into your classwork and the time away from family and friends – and you definitely want to make sure that your resume highlights it in the best way possible! Here is some advice to help you do just that:

• Put the Focus on Your Coursework
• Address Required Educational Qualifications Directly
• GPA Issues and Some Solutions
• Noting Major Papers and Projects 

Focus on Your Coursework. Not all job advertisements require transcripts, but even those that do leave the reviewer in the position of translating them or worse, guessing if you have the coursework needed to be successful in that job.  Why risk it? Instead, add a section to your resume entitled, “Relevant Coursework.” Under that heading, list in paragraph form the courses that you want to highlight. This might change, depending on the job for which you are applying. For example, you may want to highlight more science courses if you are applying for an Environmental Technician position, or focus more on GIS and planning courses if you are applying for a Community Planner position. You can even highlight the same courses, but change the order of them to tailor your resume to different job titles. In listing the courses, I would not recommend including credits taken after each, just titles of the courses. If you need specific coursework for a job, see the next section for suggestions on how to present that information.

Address Required Educational Qualifications Directly.  Quite often, environmental jobs have very specific educational requirements. I have found that not addressing them directly can result in failing to make the first “cut” made by Human Resources staff.  The method I recommend to address this is to develop a “Special Qualifications Statement” that I attach to my resume or upload to the hiring website.  This statement should break out each area where credits are required as a heading and then have the specific courses listed under each one. 

For example, to qualify for a GS-486 (Wildlife Biologist) position in the federal government, a degree in wildlife management or a related field is required. Within that degree, at least 9 semester hours in such wildlife subjects as mammalogy, ornithology, animal ecology, wildlife management, or research course in the field of wildlife biology; and at least 12 semester hours in zoology in such subjects as general zoology, invertebrate zoology, vertebrate zoology, comparative anatomy, physiology, genetics, ecology, cellular biology, parasitology, entomology, or research courses in such subjects (Excess courses in wildlife biology may be used to meet the zoology requirements where appropriate.); and at least 9 semester hours in botany or the related plant sciences.

In this case, I would create the following headings: Wildlife Management (9 Credits Required), Zoology (12 Credits Required), and Botany/Plant Science (9 Credits Required).  Under each heading, I would list the Course Number and Name, University Attended and Dates of completion, and then Number of Credits.

Special Qualifications Statement – GS-0486 Wildlife Management Series

Jane Q. Willd                                    Position Applied for:  #123xyz                              

           

Wildlife Management (9 Credits Required)

Wildlife Management-BIOL611, George Mason Univ (9/2001), 3 credits

Fish and Wildlife Policy-BIOL543, American Public Univ (5/2002), 3 credits

Mammalogy-BIOL568, George Mason Univ (12/2002), 4 credits

In this way, you eliminate the need for someone to search your resume and/or transcripts to find the information, and are able to categorize the coursework appropriately. Keep in mind that a Human Resources Specialist may not have any idea that your course in Herpetology or Ichthyology is a qualifying course(s) for this series. It would be a shame to not qualify for a position because you didn’t make every effort to clarify your qualifications!

GPA Issues and Some Solutions. Although many strive to have a 4.0 GPA, in the science field, it is often difficult to do. Not having such a GPA is not the end of the world, however. If your GPA is less than a 3.0, though, it may be difficult to demonstrate your knowledge, motivation to succeed, and dedication to the field. Another approach may be to calculate your GPA in several different ways to see if you can find a way to better highlight your academic accomplishments. One way to do this is to calculate your GPA using only courses in your chosen field. A lot of us had that course or two in French Literature that didn’t go well.  As a hiring official, do I really care if you received a “D” in that subject? Not likely. So, if all of your courses in environmental science, for example, calculate to a much higher GPA, then feel free to use that one. Obviously, you must state that on your resume, but that is easy enough.  “Overall GPA: 2.75. GPA in Major Courses: 3.68.” Another calculation is to count only the courses taken in the last 2 years of a 4 year program (years meaning the last 50% of your coursework). In this case, you would note, “Overall GPA: 2.75. GPA in Junior/Senior Level Courses:  4.0.”  If asked about it, you can certainly explain why you chose to do this. Whatever you do, be honest. I am merely suggesting that you can demonstrate that at some point you took your coursework seriously and want to highlight it.  We all make mistakes or do poorly in something. I learned about this concept as a federal employee, where these alternate ways of calculating GPAs were used in the past to qualify recent graduates for Student Honor Appointments. I didn’t invent this! 

Noting Major Papers and Projects. One great idea that may set you apart from all of the rest is to include significant research papers and class projects on your resume. When you lack on-the-job experience, it’s often a challenge to put much down on your resume, so this method is a nice way to demonstrate that you have done some interesting papers and projects and are capable of more in-depth research of relevant environmental topics or issues.  I recommend creating a heading under the “Education” heading and inserting “Major Papers and Projects” under your degree. If you completed a Masters’ degree, then your thesis definitely should be included.  

   Education

       M.S., Environmental Science, George Mason University, 12/2011.

          -Major Papers and Projects: 

           =The Endangered Species Act: Recommendations for the Future, (9/08) 

           =Cap and Trade in the United States, (12/09) 

           =Community Recycling Program Adaptive Management Plan, (6/11) 

           Thesis: Red Knot Restoration: Approaches for Species Success (12/11) 

I hope that this advice is helpful in highlighting your education - best of luck on your job search!

Dr. Carol A. Pollio

5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Environmental Career!

Amazing that it’s already 2013! I thought this would be a great time to make New Year’s Resolutions to jump-start your environmental career.  Here they are! 

• Join a new professional group
• Attend at least one local networking event
• Make business cards and set a measurable goal to distribute them
• Find at least one new mentor in your chosen field
• Commit to a career strategy in writing

Join a New Professional Group. Seems like this would be an easy resolution, but often these groups can cost forty or more dollars to join. If you can afford it, do join them. Suggestions are the National Association of Environmental Professionals ($40/yr -  student rate), National Environmental Health Association ($25/yr student rate), The Wildlife Society ($41/yr), North American Association for Environmental Education ($35/yr), and the Air and Waste Management  Association ($35/yr). Some free options if your budget is limited: National Military Fish and Wildlife Association, local watershed associations (Google “watershed associations PA”, for example), and national or local environmental organizations (email subscriptions are free, membership fees vary – see http://www.nrdc.org/reference/environgroups.asp for a comprehensive list).

http://www.naep.org/

http://www.neha.org/Students/index.html

http://wildlife.org/membership/join

http://www.naaee.net/membership/categories

http://www.awma.org/

http://www.nmfwa.net/

Attend at Least One Local Networking Event.  Once you’ve found a new organization to join, comb their schedule of events to find either a networking event or a volunteer activity to participate in that puts you in contact with other members. Use these contacts to learn more about job opportunities and as mentors to help you further your environmental career. You need to put yourself “out there” and this is a very positive and professional way to do it!

Make Business Cards and Set a Measurable Goal to Distribute Them. Consider how important networking can be – and how much more leverage you gain from networking by leaving a contact/business card as you go. Even if you have a limited budget, business cards can be a close as your printer or low cost online. In addition to your contact information (email, phone number), carefully consider if you want to include a title or position under your name. One rule of thumb is to not use a title for which you are not fully qualified or one you have held. Instead, consider the following titles (if used at all on your card): Independent Environmental Researcher, Independent Environmental Consultant, Recent Environmental Graduate, or similar. In addition to or instead of a home address, you might also consider including “Willing to Relocate” on your card. Set a weekly or monthly number of cards you will distribute – the best way to accomplish something is to make it measurable and achievable. A professional card that you can leave with those you meet on a daily basis gets your name out there and certainly cannot hurt your chances of finding your dream job!

Find at Least One New Mentor in Your Chosen Field. Sometimes you find a mentor in the most surprising places. Talk to relatives and friends about your career aspirations. Engage current or past instructors from college, high school, or other training and ask their advice on getting into a new field. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help and advice – they’ve been there and have a lot to offer and often they don’t need to be in environmental careers to assist. If they are, of course, you can get more focused advice. I think you’d be surprised at how many people you will meet that are willing to help you!

Commit to a Career Strategy in Writing.  Finally, I highly recommend following the first rule of keeping resolutions – make a plan and stick to it! This one takes some thought and a bit of time, but is a key step in entering a new career. It may be hard to get started, but take some of the suggestions here and go from there. Make sure your plan is written, contains clear goals and objectives, and includes outcomes that are measurable. Include regularly scheduled reviews of your accomplishments so that you can modify your plan as you go.  

Here is a template of a career plan that will help you get started: 
Sample Career Plan

Best Wishes for the New Year!

Dr. Carol A. Pollio