Finding Hidden Green Jobs

Our Guest Contributor today is Lorraine Russo and you can visit her website at http://undergroundjobnetwork.com.

On Monday, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis said that she believes hiring in the alternative energy industry will pick up in the next 12 months. And, “Venture capitalists increased investments in alternative energy by 73 percent over the past three months compared with the first three months of the year.” In an article at CNBC, green jobs in the US are experiencing “red hot growth.” This according to a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts. The report says that “green jobs grew at a pace nearly two-and-a-half times greater than overall jobs between 1998 and 2007, though they remain a tiny part of overall jobs.”

Click here to see the states with the biggest growth in green jobs. You’ll see which states have the highest percentage of green jobs, the most explosive green-job growth, and the highest number of green businesses. Another place to look is the Green Collar Job Board. There are 774 jobs here across the US — ranging from editor to sales to internships. Definitely worth a look! How can you use Facebook and Twitter to search for a green job? Follow the users who are specifically talking about green jobs, such as @BayAreaGreenJob, @NYGreenJobs, @ChicagoGreenJob, @DCGreenJobs, and so on. FastCompany also discusses the “Ten Best Green Jobs for the Next Decade” here. And what do they say are the best green jobs? Farmer, Forester, Solar Power Installer, Energy Efficiency Builder, Wind Turbine Fabricator, Conservation Biologist, Green MBA and Entrepreneur, Green MBA and Entrepreneur, Sustainability Systems Developer, and Urban Planner. Try Googling any of these occupations (such as “Solar Power Installer” –include the quotes) . You’ll find a ton of companies that, while not necessarily hiring (at least publicly), do hire people with these skills. Why would you Google companies that do not appear to be hiring? Because you’ve developed your elevator pitch. And you’re ready to start using it by calling or writing to these companies!

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.