EJN's Top Ten Tips
for Environmental Career Changers

Tips based on the Workshop hosted by
Environmental Jobs Network

Sunday 17th 2007 Federation Square Melbourne

1 - Create networks - Get to know and to be known within your industry of interest / get your foot in the door of unadvertised positions and opportunities.

2 - Get experience through volunteering - Get experience at the same time as building networks, getting more information about the industry, adding something specific to your CV, and finding out more about the opportunities available to you.

3 - Decide what you are really passionate about - Having a good idea of what motivates you and where your heart is will help define where you want your career to go.

4 - Evaluate and define your values and life purpose - Thinking systematically about your values and purpose will facilitate a career change and help give you direction.

5 - Do your homework - Take the time to learn more about the industry, potential employers and what opportunities are out there.

6 - Take the next step and ask for details - Whether it is speaking with a career councillor, a recruitment agency, potential employers or people in the role that you want, make sure you do some research and speak to people with knowledge.

7 - Retraining: Do you have to? And will your employer support this? - Not all environmental positions will require going back to school. Make sure you know whether it will be worthwhile for you. Be sure to also check with your employer to see whether they will pay for further training and education.

8 - Ask yourself, "Do I need an environmental job?" - A full career change may not be for you. Asking the hard questions can help you determine whether you really want to change careers or whether making your current career or lifestyle environmental would satisfy your passion.

9 - Be realistic about the steps you need to take - Changing careers is rarely easy. To do this successfully, it will take a lot of time and energy and you need to be prepared for a bumpy start.

10 - Stop working! - Take a break from work and reflect. Sometimes a bit of distance can clear your mind and help you figure out what you want from life.
EJN Top Ten Tips Workshop

On February 18, EJN hosted another exciting and successful workshop at the 2007 Sustainable Living Festival. Over 70 people attended this interactive workshop to come up with a list of Top Ten Tips for Environmental Career Changers.

Anne Mclean from Hobsons Bay City Council introduced the event and our expert Speakers: Scott White from Principal Consulting Group, Caitlin Burns from Square Peg Careers and Brendan Sydes from the Environmental Defenders Office.

At the beginning of the workshop we asked the question ‘What is an Environmental Job?’ Scott spoke about the possibility of any job being an environmental job and the range of jobs he has seen through his experience at Principal.

Caitlin Spoke of the importance of being capable of presenting yourself as an attractive employee to potential employers and recruiters, emphasising the skills and experience you already possess.
Following this, Brendan spoke of his own transition into an environmental career, using the skills he already had and taking inspiration from a bird-watching trip to move into the Environmental Industry.

After hearing from our experts, we broke up into small groups and everybody brainstormed to come up with their own top ten tips. Many interesting ideas came out, some of which didn’t make it into our final list, but were nonetheless valuable ideas for making the transition.

At the end we opened the workshop for questions. Questions ranged creating roles in people’s current workplaces, to the types of roles available.

Despite the heat on the day the workshop was successful & we came up with ten excellent tips for anybody contemplating a transition to an environmental career.

Additional Workshop Group Tips, Questions, Wishes....

  • Take time out.
  • Do a Career Self-Assessment: Look at your skills, values, career direction, employer/organization and ask what could you do differently?
  • Look at using your current skills within the environment industry.
  • Ask yourself whether you are prepared to leave your comfort zone.
  • Can you create a new position with your skills and experience?
  • Identify a realistic time committment for volunteering. Do you have the financial flexibility to carry this off and make the most of volunteer opportunities?
  • Seek professional advice. There are more specialists in environmental recruiting available these days.
  • Sell your exisiting skills in your CV.
  • Look for mentors and 'masters' in the industry to help you identify opportunities and things to work on.
  • Search for jobs. There are many specialist environmental job search sites that can help you identify all of the job opportunites out there.
  • Make an action plan. Once you know where you want to go, make sure you are realistic about it and know how you need to get there.
  • Be prepared to take a step backward financially. Often changing careers can lead to a break in work. Being prepared for this reality will prevent a lot of stress, if it happens.
  • Keep your spirits up. The job search process is rarely easy for anyone, but when you are prepared and making your own opportunities, you will eventually get there.
  • Be persistent. This can get you noticed and is a good trait in an employee. Potential employers will appreciate your drive.

 

Speakers' Biographies
SCOTT WHITE
DIRECTOR
PRINCIPALCONSULTING GROUP
As Director of Principal, Scott leads a team of specialist recruiters servicing the environmental, planning and water industries. Scott has extensive experience in assisting organisations with specialist staffing requirements and working directly with individuals to provide advice on career management. Scott has strong relationships with a vast network of contacts within the environmental, planning and water sectors.
CAITLIN BURNS
CAREERS CONSULTANT
SQUARE PEG CAREERS PTY LTD
Caitlin Burns is the Principal Careers Consultant and Director of Square Peg Careers, a boutique careers consultancy focussing on facilitating unique careers solutions for individuals. Square Peg Careers specialises in helping adults make satisfying and rewarding career choices and changes to achieve real and lasting career satisfaction.

Caitlin has a clear idea of the skills and attributes needed to be successful in today's workplace, having close to 15 years experience in Industrial Relations and Human Resources Management prior to making her own successful career transition to Square Peg Careers.

BRENDAN SYDES
PRINCIPAL SOLICITOR
THE ENVIRONMENT DEFENDERS OFFICE
Brendan Sydes is an environmental lawyer. He is employed as Principal Solicitor at the Environment Defenders Office, Victoria, an independent community legal centre specialising in environmental law. The EDO acts as legal representatives and advisers to those working to protect and enhance the environment. The EDO seeks to uphold and improve environmental laws and to inform and educate the public about those laws.

Brendan has degrees in Law and Science and is currently studying for a Masters of Environment. After graduating he worked for a number of years with one of Australia’s most prominent law firms. In 2003 Brendan quit legal practice to pursue a passion for birdwatching in the wilds of Thailand, Laos and Borneo, and he now very happily juggles a variety of interests including work at the EDO.

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