Career Guidance for Climate Professionals

Starting a Career in Climate feels like being lost in the desert. To find water, you must first ignore everyone telling you this 👇 We all know the people who tell you. → If you try hard enough, it’ll work. → Just apply for more jobs → It’s a numbers game. → Next week is better. Ignore all those words. Here’s what you do instead 👇 1️⃣ Fundamentals first Look at the entire climate economy. Pick two sub-sectors. → Start with the solutions map from Climate Drift. → Use the Project Drawdown solution library to drill deeper. Learn everything you can about your 2 sectors. 2️⃣ Find your Transferable Skills Most people completely underestimate their professional skills. Write down the answer to: “What am I really good at and why?” Then find your current job within a climate company. And map your skills to that job. 👉 Share “what you’re really good at” in the comments. I will give feedback + it will inspire others + it will help you become better 💪 3️⃣ Find your Pitch Find somebody doing your “future” job in a climate company. Ask them how they do their job. Pay attention to: → How they describe their work. → What tools do they use. → What KPIs matter. Focus on their words. Learn the language of a climate company in your target sector. And then use that intel to refine your pitch. 👉 Find people to talk to here: → #OpenDoorClimate climate by Daniel Hill has many climate tech execs.  → MCJ Collective by Jason Jacobs, Yin Lu, Leone Baron is one of the best. → Work on Climate by Eugene Kirpichov, Eva Marina, Nicole Sturzenberger is equally great. 4️⃣ Think Skills-Sector Fit. Not Impact. Everyone wants to work on something with a huge CO2 impact. That’s great. BUT Don’t re-invent yourself so you can work in a “big impact” sector. Go where your skills fit best. Where you can actually move the needle. Because the best impact is the impact that happens. Not the impact you keep chasing but never materializes. Use this list to find water in the desert. And make yourself successful 🙌 —— PS. In case you’re wondering ❓Why trust my advice❓ Maybe this helps (slightly blushing as I write this 😳) → I taught 100s of students at the best universities (Harvard, etc.) → Personally helped 1,000s of people transition careers. → Built a 6-figure, 7-figure, and a 8-figure business. → Advising 10+ early stage impact companies. PPS. 👉 If you want help with your career transition? 👈  Here are two options: 👉I’m offering 50 Free 1on1 Career Mentorship sessions (I have 200+ people on the waitlist 🤯) 👉I’m running a 1-day Climate Career Transition Workshop (Links in first comment).

More layoffs. This obviously sucks, and it's a reality of the world we live in. So here's a little list reminder about working, especially in climate. 1) Rest first. You are not your job. The last one or the next one. This does not mean that it's the end. Just an opportunity to transition to something better suited. Grieve. Celebrate. Read. See Family and friends if you can. Do stuff you love. You may not have that much time and need money fast, but even taking a few mornings to yourself. 2) Research. Read Project Drawdown's list of climate solutions or job descriptions. Check out Rewiring America's policy, CEOs and Mayors for Electrification. The International Energy Agency (IEA)'s solutions. Follow Jigar Shah on the work he's doing deploying capital from the Inflation Reduction act. Follow Sophie Purdom, Nat Bullard. Read Katharine Hayhoe's "Saving us." 3) Organize. From there, look at companies and non-profits you could work at (makes it easiest if you have a directly translatable job). Check out ClimateTechList, Green Jobs Board for jobs. 3) Know yourself. What are you really good at. What makes you come alive. Map those things to the above list of companies and non-profits. 4) Map your potential paths. Make a map to those jobs and who you need to talk to. What networks are they in. Are they available on Daniel Hill's #OpenDoorClimate list. 5) Help people. Volunteer, freelance, help folks that are in jobs near yours do theirs a bit better. Because, imagine, if you're on a team, who do you want, the person who understands your issues and willing to help, right? The unfortunate truth is that it's not a straight line to the next job, but a process that will be easier for some than others. Took me a long time (much longer than I hope it'll take you, and why I love doing #opendoorclimate ) If you need, reach out to me. My door is open.

Networking is crucial for job hunting, but many have fear, get stuck, and don’t know where to begin. Here’s a proven technique that works for our climate-motivated job seekers to break into the space and create real opportunities for themselves through active job listings and accessing the "hidden job market". ➡️Step 1: Narrow Your Focus Target Specific Roles: Pick 1-2 job titles. (If you’re not looking to leave your non-climate job, Drew Wilkinson has tons of resources for you) Target Specific Climate Verticals: Use resources like Work on Climate, MCJ Collective, ClimateTechList, Climate Tech Action Network, Terra.do, OnePointFive (opf.degree), Voiz Academy, Project Drawdown and Climatescape to identify the climate solutions you're most passionate about. ➡️Step 2: Identify Companies Leverage LinkedIn: Follow relevant companies and executives. Explore Accelerators: Find innovative companies through climate-focused accelerators. Use Market Maps: Identify key players in specific climate sectors (Sightline Climate (CTVC) has lots). Climate Specific Job Boards (hey ClimateTechList, Climatebase, The Green Jobs Board - greenjobsearch.org) ➡️Step 3: Connect with the Right People Search Smart: Use job titles and keywords to find contacts. Ask for Referrals: Get introduced to relevant people. Use #OpenDoorClimate: Find professionals open to networking (s/o Daniel Hill). ➡️Step 4: Build Genuine Relationships Be Prepared: Have specific questions ready. Show Authenticity: Treat networking like building friendships. Express Gratitude: Always thank and follow up with your contacts. ➡️Step 5: Enjoy Networking Engage in Fun Activities: Network in environments you enjoy. Be Yourself: Authenticity builds stronger connections (Laurie McGinley teaches this exceptionally well). ➡️Step 6: Test and Track Outreach Experiment: Try different message templates and track their success. Stay Organized: Keep records of your outreach and analyze what works (here’s a template that can help: https://lnkd.in/eSf7TiEV) ➡️Step 7: Handle Rejections Be Proactive: Keep reaching out and participating actively. Normalize Rejections: Understand that rejections and lack of responses are part of the process. ➡️Step 8: Showcase Your Value Highlight Unique Skills: Clearly articulate what sets you apart (This is Mona Johnson, MS’s specialty). Address Challenges: Understand and solve the company's pain points. ➡️Step 9: Join Climate People's Climate Career Bootcamp! Get Practical: Our 4-hour session provides templates, resources, and confidence to enhance your job search. It’s jam-packed with actionable steps and will give you access to our network. This session is geared towards highly-motivated job seekers ready to put in the work! Learn more about the Bootcamp here! https://lnkd.in/epFH3xxx Read more of this networking advice in our most recent blog:  https://lnkd.in/eG4S3sQY