Mrim Boutla's blogshttp://www.justmeans.com/editorials/responsiblecareers/10.htmlFri, 25 May 2012 00:34:16 GMThttp://www.justmeans.com en hourly 1http://www.justmeans.com/The-William-James-Foundation---The-Catalyst-for-Future-Generations-of-Sustainable-Entrepreneurs/48546.htmlTue, 19 Apr 2011 21:36:03 GMTMrim Boutla All early stage social entrepreneurs aim at translating an idea into products and services that will render their venture financially viable while having a positive social and/or environmental impact. Unfortunately, many great ideas will not become full-fledged social businesses. This is mostly because, in their early stage of development or while growing, these budding social businesses lack access to resources and/or to quality advice and feedback by experienced social entrepreneurs.Fortunatel Read Full Article ]]> All early stage social entrepreneurs aim at translating an idea into products and services that will render their venture financially viable while having a positive social and/or environmental impact. Unfortunately, many great ideas will not become full-fledged social businesses. This is mostly because, in their early stage of development or while growing, these budding social businesses lack access to resources and/or to quality advice and feedback by experienced social entrepreneurs.Fortunately, the William James Foundation (WJF) bridges this gap. WJF works with for-profit entrepreneurs (i.e. sustainable entrepreneurs) whose social businesses that have yet to generate revenue or have been generating revenue for less than three years. WJF partners with sustainable entrepreneurs primarily via its sustainable business plan competition. As all business plan competitions, some of the WJF competition entrants are selected to receive prizes. What is really unique about the WJF competition though is that all entrants are provided with detailed feedback on their sustainable business plan. In 2010-2011, WJF leveraged 315+ social entrepreneur judges to provide over 3,500 pages of detailed feedback to 135 businesses from more than 35 countries. In addition, WJF offers ways for entrants to ask further questions directly to the judges. Furthermore, the WJF organized several conference calls for the entrants and the second round judges to connect.As part of their efforts to connect sustainable entrepreneurs with resources and quality advice, the WJF organized its 8th Annual Gathering in Washington, DC. last weekend. At the center of the gathering was the opportunity for social business finalists to get additional advice and compete for over $15,000 worth of prizes and cash. The 2011 WJF Socially Responsible Business Plan Prize was awarded to Practically Green, an online service that inspire consumers to make healthy green changes in their community, as well as at work and at home. Second place went to Runa (a socially responsible distributor of Amazonian tea products). Third place went to Preciva Incorporated (a social business that makes advanced cervical screening technology available to under-served low income women). In addition, the 2011 Affinity Lab DC Prize Winner was awarded to WeBike, an innovative bike sharing system that relies on mobile technology for community users to easily pick up and drop off bikes by locking them at any existing bike rack. The 2011 DC Prize Second place went to Legacy Therapeutic Massage, a certified B Corp that provides massage services to seniors. The 2011 DC Prize third place went to Madagascar Biodigesters, which aims at replacing wood cooking with clean, sustainable biogas cooking fuel in Madagascar.Over 100 participants also attended in a number of other sessions at the weekend gathering. These included presentations live, by skype or via video by WJF partner organizations. Also, at the 'Pitch with a Switch' session, social businesses delivered their pitch in two minutes or less to randomly selected audience members (that they have never met). These audience members later had one minute to convey that pitch to the rest of the general audience. Three businesses competed (Kwai, New Caledon, and Shifting Patterns Consulting), and the winner (voted by the audience) was Kwai, as presented by Chris Persels.Finally, the gathering included a number of valuable panels for sustainable entrepreneurs. For example, one panel focused on resources for sustainable entrepreneurs in the Washington, DC area. This panel featured Raj Aggarwal of Joint Concepts and ThinkLocalFirst DC, Paulina Migalska of DC Net Impact and the William James Foundation, Brian Weaver, DC City Council Candidate, Christina Tindale, Fabulous Women Business Owners of DC, and Philippe Chetrit, CEO of the Affinity Lab (Moderator). Another panel on "How sustainability is adapting to and changing the financial world" included thought leaders such as Amy Kincaid of Change Matters, Rob Thomas of Social(k) and Mission Markets, as well as Jordan Chazin, of B Corporation.What's next for WJF? In his welcome letter to the gathering, the WJF Executive Director, Ian Fisk wrote "We're looking for professional and financial partners to help us plug that service into other organizations that can provide more focused educational and financial support. Watch our website for a number of exciting partnerships that will be announced this summer as we work to grow the field of sustainable entrepreneurship as a whole." The WJF is very well positioned to provide a unique and much needed bridge between sustainable entrepreneurs and the resources and constructive advice they need to turn their idea into viable social business entities. To enter their next competition, qualified sustainable entrepreneurs can submit a five page executive summary by 5pm USA eastern time on November 10th, 2011.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/The-Epic-Organic-Rap-Battle-Between-Stonyfield-Farms-and-Honest-Tea-Is-On---Join-In-/48060.htmlWed, 13 Apr 2011 12:39:55 GMTMrim Boutla The way we eat and what we drink is not working. Obesity rates in children and adults continue to increase in America. A recent Cancer Panel reported that cancer rates are increasing throughout the world, and predicted that as many as 41% of Americans might one day become cancer patients. Even more sad is the research that shows that babies come pre-polluted. Studies of umbilical cord blood of newborn babies indicated that babies are born with over 300 contaminants (e.g. industrial chemicals, co Read Full Article ]]> The way we eat and what we drink is not working. Obesity rates in children and adults continue to increase in America. A recent Cancer Panel reported that cancer rates are increasing throughout the world, and predicted that as many as 41% of Americans might one day become cancer patients. Even more sad is the research that shows that babies come pre-polluted. Studies of umbilical cord blood of newborn babies indicated that babies are born with over 300 contaminants (e.g. industrial chemicals, consumer product ingredients, pesticides and pollutants from burning fossil fuels) in their blood. What we need is to change how we eat and drink, as well as how we consume our natural resources.However, change is always hard. For new patterns of behaviors to replace old patterns of behaviors, a whole host of parameters need to be overcome, not the least of which is inertia. Research and mounting evidence shows that to implement effective change, we all need arguments that appeal to our rational side, and appeal to our emotional side. This is exactly what Gary Hirshberg (Ce-Yo of Stonyfield Farms, owned by Danone), and Seth Goldman (TeaEO of Honest Tea, owned by Coca-Cola) are doing in their new Organic Rap Battle.Seth Goldman's 'Rethink What You Drink' - Unveiled at the University of Maryland Social Enterprise Symposium last Thursday, this video is all about helping us better understand than when it comes to drinks, we better go beyond what we see and taste. Did you know that while an undergraduate at Harvard, Goldman co-founded a rap band called the 'Educated Devastators'? An MBA from Yale and a multi-million honest company later, here he is, using his rap talent to send us this important message. Goldman's video is a response to Gary Hirshberg's 'Just Eat Organic' video, which, let's just say, is of a very different style. To see these videos go to http://www.justdrinkorganic.com!Their message is clear 'you are what you eat and drink'. We are all voting with every single dollar you spend. Solutions to our obesity pandemic clearly need to go beyond producing smaller soda cans (as suggested by PepsiCo). As responsible consumers, it is our responsibility to educate ourselves and others about the social and environmental consequences of what we choose to buy and consume. And it's sure easier to change when the message is as fun as what Hirshberg and Goldman have put together.These videos are only a starting point for a broader conversation and movement you can participate in. Start by directing your own video, and post it on www.justdrinkorganic.com. In the process of having fun, being creative, and promoting organic food/drinks, you can also win 1 month of free tea and yogourt! So go ahead and join this organic revolution that gets business done better!]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Gazelles-Are-Creating-Responsible-Jobs--Do-You-Know-Where-to-Find-Them/46295.htmlThu, 03 Mar 2011 13:50:20 GMTMrim Boutla Responsible careers that successfully blend financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility can be found across sectors. Whether you are interested in a career in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, social enterprises, nonprofits, or are driving change through social intrapreneurship, you have more opportunities to do well while doing good today than ever before!The question remains though, where are the jobs? In a previous post, I provided 15 responsible job bo Read Full Article ]]> Responsible careers that successfully blend financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility can be found across sectors. Whether you are interested in a career in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, social enterprises, nonprofits, or are driving change through social intrapreneurship, you have more opportunities to do well while doing good today than ever before!The question remains though, where are the jobs? In a previous post, I provided 15 responsible job boards you can select from to get started in this process. Today, let's focus on another important aspect of socio-eco innovation (or responsible) careers: What types of organizations offer jobs. As mentioned by Steve Case, CEO of Startup America, earlier this week at the DEMO Conference in Palm Springs,"With enterprises less than five years old responsible for creating all net jobs in America over the past 30 years, the importance of promoting innovation is more paramount than ever. High-growth startups are vital to the future economic growth of the country, and the Startup America Partnership will work with the private sector to ensure that startups have every best chance to succeed."To best understand what that means in terms of responsible jobs, let's use the bestiary developed by David Birch, a former MIT Professor turned business consultant who gathered and synthesized massive amounts of data related to business growth in the US. In his framework, you have really three types of organizations: The Elephants (large organizations, think Fortune 500 companies, Goodwill Industries, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, etc). These sizable organizations are highly visible and a job at these organizations comes with quite a bit of prestige (and a larger paycheck). At the other end of the spectrum are mice, which are typicallysmall startups and main street organizations). Note that over the past 30 years, mice have created about 66% of jobs in the US. Between the elephants and the mice, you will findthe gazelles. Gazelles are small companies (fewer than 50 people) who are enjoying a consistent high growth (typically 20% over 4 consecutive years from a base of $100,000 in revenue).Of course, we all know that the elephants have shed quite a few jobs between 2008 and 2010. Furthermore, and despite record profits posted in 2010, the elephants haven't hired much, contributing to the jobless recovery we are currently experiencing. In contrast, according to data from the Kaufmann Foundation, the mice (or startups that are 5 years and younger) have been responsible for most of the US job creation between 1977 and 2005. Some socio-eco innovation mice can be found through the unreasonable institute, as well as through hubs such as ashoka.org, dowser.org, change.org, as well as among the winners of the William James Foundation Social Business Plan Competition. However, these mice might seem to risky for many aspiring responsible professionals interested in pursuing responsible careers that are financially and personally rewarding.Hence your best bet is to look into socio-eco innovation gazelles. But where can you find who these are, and most importantly what jobs they are creating? I would recommend to start with the Social Venture Network, B Corporations, Net Impact, as well as with members of the Conscious Capitalism Movement, BALLE, and the American Sustainable Business Council. These hubs might have been less visible than the Fortune 500 or the Global 1000 rankings, but they include the gazelles that truly get business done better.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Responsible-Careers-in-Microlending/46201.htmlTue, 01 Mar 2011 11:40:36 GMTMrim Boutla Last night I attended an interesting event on microlending organized by several Net Impact Chapters of the DC Area. Professionals, as well as students from Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and George Washington University gathered to have a conversation on microlending with Giovanna Masci, a Yale MBA who joined KIVA.org 3 years ago and is now their Regional Director for Latin and North America.As most of you know, KIVA is a leading microlending institution. Through their website, you can review specifi Read Full Article ]]> Last night I attended an interesting event on microlending organized by several Net Impact Chapters of the DC Area. Professionals, as well as students from Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and George Washington University gathered to have a conversation on microlending with Giovanna Masci, a Yale MBA who joined KIVA.org 3 years ago and is now their Regional Director for Latin and North America.As most of you know, KIVA is a leading microlending institution. Through their website, you can review specific projects and entrepreneurs that you want to support, and agree to give money that will go to the micro-entrepreneur of your choice. Your money will not lead to any dividend for you, but will be used by a microfinance institution (MFI) to make a loan to the micro-entrepreneur (with interest rates serving to cover capital costs for the MFI in the country where the micro-entrepreneur resides). Through their website, KIVA has enabled lenders to fund over 500,000 micro-entrepreneurs in approximately 58 countries. Since their launch in 2005, KIVA has enabled over $196M in loans to be distributed through 196 KIVA field partner MFIs.Of course, KIVA, as a leader in microlending has not been spared by the critics and the sad events that have occurred in India and in Nicaragua. Suicides following the predatory lending practices used by loan sharks and MFIs have led to increased scrutiny and have further underscored the importance for MFIs and micro-lending institutions to clearly document their impact through transparent governance and social performance measures.But what are the career paths available in microlending institutions? Responsible careers in microlending institutions such as KIVA include careers in portfolio management, product management, legal and human resources, software and website design engineers, as well as opportunities in marketing and communications. At KIVA, the staff has grown from 30 people when Masci joined 3 years ago to 65 staff members today. KIVA is currently funded through tips from its lenders as well as by grants. Future trends for KIVA discussed by Giovanna Masci at the event yesterday included international expansion, student loans, and tighter social performance measures. Let's discuss the responsible career implications of each of these trends.To reach out to more lenders worldwide, KIVA is thinking about translating its website in several languages. To do so, they will need multilingual responsible professionals with a background in marketing or communications as well as work experience in their target countries. A great way for you to prepare for these opportunities might be to volunteer (e.g. Bankers Without Borders through the Grameen Foundation - http://www.bankerswithoutborders.com/). By volunteering in communications or translations within the microfinance field, you are sure to position yourself well for future responsible career opportunities in microlending.Announced last fall, the KIVA protocol of lenders funding specific micro-entrepreneurs in need will be expanded to provide students loans. The goal is here to enable students in impoverished regions to gain access to higher education. This program is currently available to students in Lebanon, Bolivia and Paraguay. This exciting new program might become a opportunity for youth to get out of poverty faster. Unfortunately, it might lead to the same crushing student loan burden that many American students and graduates are currently facing. Of course, it will be key for KIVA to make sure that their MFI partners do not charge exorbitant student loan interests or push loans to students who want to pursue careers for which they don't need a college degree. Professionals with portfolio management or product management experience will be needed to design and deliver products that will fit the needs of that new type of lender/borrower partnership.Paramount to the success of KIVA and micro-lenders in general is their ability to demonstrate that microlending is indeed key to poverty alleviation and to economic and social stability for their partners and borrowers. Measuring social impact is most difficult, and therefore, KIVA is for now focusing on measuring the financial and social performance of its partner MFIs. By adapting the CERISE Social Performance Indicator to the different countries and regions it works in, KIVA is in the process of integrating social and financial performance measures that lenders can use to make decisions about who they want to lend to. Furthermore, such measures also helps KIVA strengthen its relationships with current partner MFIs, as well as better assess future MFI partners. If you are interested in portfolio management or product management careers in microlending and microfinance, learning more about social performance indexes, including CERISE, would be a great way to assess whether you would like this type of job, and to best position yourself as a credible candidate when you apply for opportunities. In addition, reading 'Small Loans, Big Dreams' by Alex Counts can be a excellent preparation for anyone interested in learning more about microlending and social measures of poverty alleviation.Overall, the field of microlending and microfinance is in a transition period that is pregnant with opportunities for responsible professionals. As the field continues to evolve, it will need stronger regulations to prevent predatory lenders to call themselves micro-lenders. In this context, professionals witha passion for poverty alleviation and sharp analytical and communication skills will be much needed to empirically demonstrate the power of micro-lending in helping micro-entrepreneurs and students reach their goal of self-sufficiency.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/2011-Good-Jobs-Green-Jobs-Conference--Career-Insights---Part-4-Of-4/45728.htmlSun, 27 Feb 2011 21:53:38 GMTMrim Boutla The goal of the 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs conference was to facilitate a conversation between unions, corporations, nonprofits and government representatives on how to create responsible jobs for workers at all levels of the pyramid. In previous posts, we have explored the range for organizations across sectors who participated in the conference as well as some of the career insights that emerged from conversations on education and responsible business.But where are the green economy jobs being Read Full Article ]]> The goal of the 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs conference was to facilitate a conversation between unions, corporations, nonprofits and government representatives on how to create responsible jobs for workers at all levels of the pyramid. In previous posts, we have explored the range for organizations across sectors who participated in the conference as well as some of the career insights that emerged from conversations on education and responsible business.But where are the green economy jobs being created? Are these jobs available to all, or are they only being created for engineers or product managers? Are there any entry level positions that are available for young professionals? Examples of real jobs are one of the best ways to explore where green economy jobs are created. As a hub for getting business done better, our Justmeans job board provides clues that green jobs are available for professionals of all experience levels. These jobs are not only for engineers, demand is also strong for professionals that come from non-technical backgrounds. The good news is that green jobs are real and growing. 178 responsible jobs were added to the Justmeans job board since February 1, 2011. Among these jobs, here are a few that clearly shows that jobs in the green economy are available at all levels of experience and for technical and non-technical professionals:Entry Level Green Jobs:Clean Cities Program Assistant - American Lung AssociationNative Plant Nursery Manager - Save The BayPhilanthropy Associate - ClimateWorks FoundationProgram Coordinator, Green Jobs Youth Development - Solar Youth Inc.Thorne Natural Science School Teaching Assistant - Thorne Ecological InstituteMid-Level Green Jobs:Energy Efficient Project Manager - Energy SolutionsEPS Performance Specialist - Earth Advantage InstituteKey Account Manager - Paladino and CompanyMarketing Director - Bonneville Environmental FoundationOffice Manager - Chicago Gateway GreenProgram Director For Sustainable Environments Program - Surdna FoundationSales Manager - Green Living ProjectSenior Level Green Jobs:Director of Feasibility and Development (Solar PV Systems) - Panthera Search PartnersDirector of Institutional Relations - Student Conservation AssociationExecutive Director - US Green Building CouncilSenior Energy Engineer - ERS Energy and Resource SolutionsVP, Construction - Renewable Energy Solutions AmericasFrom this sample of green jobs, it is clear that green jobs are being created in the private, nonprofit and government sectors. These green jobs are available to entry-level, mid-level and senior level professionals interested in getting business done better through functional expertise such as engineering, marketing, advocacy, education, project management and relationship management. In sum, green jobs are growing, and are providing a unique opportunity for responsible professionals to create a sustainable world.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Responsible-Careers---Want-Better-Answers--Change-Your-Questions-/45491.htmlTue, 22 Feb 2011 13:38:07 GMTMrim Boutla Responsible careers are growing. These careers focus on getting business done better in terms of social equity and environmental sustainability. As emerging professionals or established professionals contemplating a career switch, you might be seeking the career that will enable you to bring your values and skills to work for a decent salary. You have heard the old saying 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' so you have done your best to network and get career advice from current or new c Read Full Article ]]> Responsible careers are growing. These careers focus on getting business done better in terms of social equity and environmental sustainability. As emerging professionals or established professionals contemplating a career switch, you might be seeking the career that will enable you to bring your values and skills to work for a decent salary. You have heard the old saying 'it's not what you know, it's who you know' so you have done your best to network and get career advice from current or new contacts. However, thus far, none of that has been helpful in helping you identify the types of careers that would be a best fit for you. What else can you do?One of the first things I would recommend is for you to revisit how you ask your questions and to whom you ask your questions. Lucky you, there is lots of help out there for you to learn how to formulate questions to get the information you need more easily and quickly. One of the best methods I have come across in my career has been developed by Dr. Marilee Adams, author of 'Change Your Questions, Change Your Life: 10 Powerful Tolls for Life and Work'. Dr. Adams also founded the Inquiry Institute and has been helping emerging and established leaders increase their productivity and career advancement through her 'question thinking' approach. This approach has been successfully used by business leaders at Fortune 100 companies, as well as by students and emerging professionals from a variety of backgrounds. Dr. Adams is currently facilitating a conversation about how teachers and educators in the US can use her 'Questions Thinking' method to reinvent K-12 education in the US. For more information about upcoming programs and discussions, see the Inquiry Institute website.Let's take an example of how Dr. Adams approach can help you with your responsible career questions: Imagine you are an MBA candidate in your last semester of business school, and you know you want to leverage your business toolbox to help people in developing countries. You meet a new contact at a Net Impact Networking Night on campus and you ask her: 'I am interested in international development, do you know anyone who works in international development?' Classic case of a question that is too broad for the good of this MBA candidate. Maybe the new contact knows nobody in international development. Or the new contact knows over 50 people who have had some international development experience as professionals or volunteers. Based on how the question is formulated through, the new contact will be hard pressed to share relevant contacts with this student. What could the student have done instead? Let's revisit his questions through some of the tools offered by Dr. Adams' 'Question Thinking' method:Question Thinking Insight #1 - Adopt a learning mindset - Consider your question from the observer's perspective. Would you be able to address it? The broader the question, the less you will be able to address it. Instead, start thinking about very specific and concrete preferences. For example: 'I have been inspired by the progress made in maternal health through the MDGs, and would love to contribute to this cause in developing countries, preferably in South Africa or in Sierra Leone, do you know any one that has experience in this field or in these countries that I could contact'? Chances are that the person might have a contact in maternal health, or a contact who worked in one of the countries you mentioned, or who works in prochoice movement for the poor in the US. No matter the first contacts you receive they will bring you closer and closer to contacts that will have all the characteristics you are seeking. By starting with a very specific and concrete aim, you will jog the memory of people you talk to in a much more productive manner, and this will lead you to better and better contacts (as well as to learn about career opportunities that you might not have considered otherwise).Question Thinking Insight #2 - Question assumptions - When making career decisions, we can all suffer from the consequences of making assumptions based on false or incomplete information. For example, we hear all the time that working for good means working paycheck to paycheck. However, in international development as in other occupations, salary will depend on the occupation you choose, the skills it requires, the size of the organization, and the location where you work. When looking at careers, be sure to ground your assumptions in facts that you gather through research (and not through what one person tells you about a career). Look at salary reports for the organization you are interested in on glassdoor.com, indeed.com or using relocation converters so that you can see what the cost of living will be in your target city before making a decision on whether a career will (or not) be a viable option given your financial obligations.Question Thinking Insight #3 - Keep your own mindset in check - It's easier to fade into inertia than to keep a disciplined approach to your responsible career search. The more you find out about other career options, the more you might be scared to switch careers because of the assumptions you might be making in terms of how that career change will negatively impact your salary, your reputation as a knowledgeable contributor, and most importantly your relationships with your loved ones. For example, you might assume that your mom is going to have a nervous breakdown if you share with her that you want to pursue a career in maternal health in Africa. But if you come to her with a clear plan on how you will do so, which salary ranges are associated with these opportunities, and who you have been in touch to make this plan a reality, she might be more amenable to support you in the next stage of your career development. Making sure to ask yourself about what you are trying to avoid and what you are afraid of will tremendously help you design and implement strategies that will lead you to overcome these assumptions and move towards a career that successfully blends financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility.Overall, Dr. Adams' Question Thinking method will help you adopt a learner mindset, questions assumptions and emerge as the committed and grit-filled professional that you will need to be to get business done better!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/2011-Good-Jobs-Green-Jobs-Conference--Career-Insights---Part-3-of-4/44900.htmlThu, 17 Feb 2011 04:00:20 GMTMrim Boutla In this series, we are focusing on the career insights that emerged from the 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference that took place last week in DC. Our first insights emerged from the vast diversity of organizations and perspectives present at the conference. Representatives from unions to nonprofits to government agencies to big and small businesses were present to share information and find common ground around creating well-paying US-bsed jobs by finding opportunities to accelerate the growth Read Full Article ]]> In this series, we are focusing on the career insights that emerged from the 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference that took place last week in DC. Our first insights emerged from the vast diversity of organizations and perspectives present at the conference. Representatives from unions to nonprofits to government agencies to big and small businesses were present to share information and find common ground around creating well-paying US-bsed jobs by finding opportunities to accelerate the growth of the Green Economy. In the second part of these series, we focused on how educators are combining classroom teaching with experiential learning for workers at all levels of the green ladder.To facilitate this conversation, the 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs Conference featured a session titled 'The Role of Business in Building a Just, Vibrant, and Sustainable Economy'. This session moderated by Richard Eidlin (from the American Sustainable Business Council) included remarks from 4 panelists from a variety of backgrounds: Jeffrey Hollender (Co-Founder of Seventh Generation), Frank Knapp (President of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce), Jill Harris (CFO of the Social Enterprise Alliance), and Vince Siciliano (President and CEO of New Resource Bank). Here are 3 career insights that emerged from the conversation:Career Insight #1 - The 'Business Community' is not monolithic - All panelists, but especially Frank Knapp were very insightful in terms of how to approach this issue. As citizens and responsible professionals, we must go beyond that the 'business community' is a single voice. Let's face it, the loudest voice of the business community is that of traditional businesses that use their deep pockets to lobby politicians into creating and maintaining the best policies for them. The US Chamber of Commerce is pretending to represent all businesses, but does little to go beyond the usual rhetoric of 'cut our taxes, we'll create jobs'. This common belief has shown to be false. Indeed, despite the highest profits on records posted by big companies for Q42010, US jobs are not being created. We must educate politicians and the public, and help them understand that the true business community, the one that truly creates jobs is that of small business owners. This point was also re-emphasized by Vince Siciliano, the CEO of New Resource Bank, which offer banking services akin to those of big banks, but lends money to values-driven entities that create a better world. The Obama administration has understood that and is trying to increase the visibility of smaller businesses through its Startup America Partnership. A key career insight here is that looking at smaller to medium size businesses seems to be a much better way to build a responsible career. See also a previous post on where to find these responsible jobs across sectors.Career Insight #2 - Wider gap between rich and poor in the US is the result of the current public policy ecosystem - Jeffrey Hollender made a strong statement about the fact that the current US policies are doing what they are supposed to be doing - Create a system that concentrate wealth and help richer people get richer. Both in business and in politics, a winner take all approach is predominant. Building upon career insight #1 about moving past the business community as a single entity, Hollender and other business leaders are contributing to the American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), a coalition of business owners that is dedicated to 'advance public policies that ensure a vibrant, just, and sustainable economy'. Even more encouraging, 35 representatives of ASBC, including partners, business supporters, and allies met with Secretary of Labor Solis and six members of her senior staff the day after the panel. These ASBC supporters that came to DC to speak to Secretary Solis included Ben Cohen, Jerry Greenfield (both of Ben & Jerry's), and Dal LaMagna (IceStone). This meeting further reinforces the idea that the Obama administration team is clearly paying attention and wants to amplify the voices of smaller businesses (i.e. the ones that are most likely to continuecreating the lion share of livable wage jobs in the US).Career Insight #3 - Social innovation transcends sectors - Jill Harris from the Social Enterprise Alliance emphasized that social innovation occurs across sectors. Indeed, whether a social enterprise is set up as a nonprofit or as a business, they all use market-driven approaches to eradicate a social issue. One of the most famous social enterprise model is microfinance. By lending money to the poorest of the poor, microfinance institutions have developed profitable entities while enabling their clients to lift themselves out of poverty. Other social enterprises that focus on building employment opportunities for vulnerable workers include, Harbor City Services in Baltimore, MD. This nonprofit organization offers fee-based services, including warehousing, shredding, & moving services to customers. They do so while creating vocational opportunities, treatments & supports for workers, who are recovering from mental illness & substance abuse. Good responsible jobs can be found in social enterprises that operate across sectors, either as businesses, nonprofits, or hybrids.Overall, this panel and the follow up meeting with Secretary of Labor Solis bring to the forefront that responsible job creation is not generated by traditional businesses. Instead, responsible job creation is fueled by small to medium size businesses, nonprofits, and hybrids that truly operate to provide services and products while creating livable wage jobs and preserving our environment. Think about that when looking for your next good job!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/2011-Good-Job-Green-Jobs-Conference--Career-Insights---Part-2-of-4/44510.htmlTue, 15 Feb 2011 04:00:19 GMTMrim Boutla The 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs (GJGJ) Conference provided a wealth of career insights for workers from all backgrounds and levels of education. These insights are applicable to all professionals, whether they are at the bottom of the American Pyramid or whether they have MBAs or PhDs.During the sessions I attended, I was amazed and inspired by the success stories I heard. There are many dedicated professionals and educators that are building (and growing) programs designed to prepare professional Read Full Article ]]> The 2011 Good Jobs Green Jobs (GJGJ) Conference provided a wealth of career insights for workers from all backgrounds and levels of education. These insights are applicable to all professionals, whether they are at the bottom of the American Pyramid or whether they have MBAs or PhDs.During the sessions I attended, I was amazed and inspired by the success stories I heard. There are many dedicated professionals and educators that are building (and growing) programs designed to prepare professionals from low-income and at-risk populations for good paying green jobs. These success stories are geared towards professionals with little education, but many of the insights shared during these sessions apply to any professionals dedicated to getting business done better:Career Insight #1: Transferable skills are a key to success - From conversations on how to train at-risk youth through apprenticeships to debates on how to combine education at community colleges with experiential learning with partner organizations, one career insight remains constant across approaches: Students need to understand that what they are learning and know how to do in one context can be transferred to another context. These transferrable knowledge and skills are key for workers to advance their careers and climb the green ladder no matter where they start. This point was made very clearly by two panelists at the 'Partnerships and Pathways: Keys to Success in Regional Green Jobs Training and Placement' (namelyCathy Melvin from the Central Arizona Area Governments, and Jan Lepore-Jentleson from the East End Community Services). These remarks were also made during a session titled 'Pathways to Somewhere: Linking Educational Pathways, Apprenticeships Pathways and Demand Creation Strategies'. Both Sammy ChuSammy Chu (Director, Long Island Green Homes Program for the Town of Babylon), andJeff Grabelsky (Director of the Cornell University Construction Industry Program) underscored the importance of transferrable skills in career advancement in the construction industry. Being able to articulate one's transferrable skills is a key to successfor graduates from a pre-apprenticeship program, community college graduates, liberal art graduates from an Ivy League school, MBA students as well as for PhD candidates that do not want to pursue an academic career. For all hiring managers, past performance predicts future performance. Hence, no matter where you come from, you must be able to translate your past experience, skills, knowledge and education into winning statements that will help you convince your future employer of the value you can add.Career Insight #2: Knowledge and practice go hand in hand - Sitting in a classroom listening to stories about how to do something is not akin to being able to do it yourself. For example, attending a course on the different welding techniques and tools will do little to guarantee that students in the course will be good welders at graduation. Similarly, sitting through an accounting course focused on different accounting techniques and regulations will do little to guarantee that students in the course will be able to enter a single accounting line when starting out at a firm. Many programs have understood this point, and are integrating practice within their curriculum to make sure that graduates are ready to add value to firms from day one. Some examples of such programs for Americans at the bottom of the Pyramid include the stackable programs offered at theLos Angeles Trade-Technical College (LATTC). Other success stories include RichmondBUILD, which receives financial support by the EPA Brownfields Job Training Program. This green job training program recruits mainly ex-gang members in LA, and teach them the knowledge and skills they need to compete for well-paying green jobs. Their placement rate is 91%, with an average starting salary of $18.33. The combination of classroom knowledge and built-in practical projects to apply that knowledge gives the best of both worlds. Of course, many MBA programs use the case method extensively, but these nice finite projects still feel quite abstract to many students who know they don't have to live the consequences of the recommendations they make during their case comp presentations. Classroom learning combined with internships, apprenticeships, or free lance work are best to help professionals get the knowledge and experience they need to be competitive on the job market (and effective once hired).Whatever level of education or background you come from, you need to be able to articulate your transferable skills, as well as combine knowledge with practice in order for you to be able to kickstart or advance in your green career trajectory. What other career insights have you gathered through the 2011 GJGJ Conference?Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/2011-Good-Job-Green-Jobs-Conference--Career-Insights---Part-1-of-4/44361.htmlThu, 10 Feb 2011 22:29:51 GMTMrim Boutla This week, lots of great responsible career insights were shared at the 3rd Good Jobs Green Jobs (GJGJ) Conference in Washington, DC. The GJGJ Conference is a unique conference created by the BlueGreen Alliance, 'a national, strategic partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the green economy'. This alliance between environmental activists and unions workers is really at the center of what the global socio-eco innov Read Full Article ]]> This week, lots of great responsible career insights were shared at the 3rd Good Jobs Green Jobs (GJGJ) Conference in Washington, DC. The GJGJ Conference is a unique conference created by the BlueGreen Alliance, 'a national, strategic partnership between labor unions and environmental organizations dedicated to expanding the number and quality of jobs in the green economy'. This alliance between environmental activists and unions workers is really at the center of what the global socio-eco innovation movement aims at accomplishing: getting business done better by advocating for the growth of jobs that pay employees livable wage (not minimal wage) while creating operational practices across sectors that are environmentally sustainable.Launched in 2008, the GJGJ Conference has grown to over 2,000 participants this year. Most amazing at this conference is the consistency of career insights coming from such a variety of participants' backgrounds. Participants and presenters came from unions, nonprofits, academia, government agencies, workforce investment boards, small businesses, social enterprises, and big companies. During the 3 day conference, concurrent sessions focused on topics that included 'Business, Investment, and New Markets, Workforce', 'Economic Development and Youth Education', 'Emerging Green Sectors: Recycling, Chemicals, Water, Agriculture, and Other Growing Industries', 'State and Local Initiatives and Partnerships', as well as 'Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency'. The goal of the conference was to facilitate the emergence of shared goals that can lead to partnerships, shared resources, and common ground among participants. These shared interests and common grounds can of course lead to collective action and pressure on legislators to change laws to create an environment that will force (big) businesses to get business done better. In the US, where wealth concentration and economic disparities are increasing, it is central to have this cross-sector dialogue taking place. But who were some of the organizations in attendance?Unions came in large numbers, including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, United Steelworkers, the Service Employees International Union, the Laborers' International Union of North America, the Union of Concerned Scientists, the Utility Workers Union of America, the American Federation of Teachers, the Amalgamated Transit Union, the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association, the United Auto Workers and the United Food and Commercial Workers. Together, these unions represent over 15 million workers in the US and globally.Nonprofits represented at the conference included the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the American Sustainable Business Council, Wider Opportunities for Women, the US Climate Action Network, the Solar Energy Industries Association, the Social Enterprise Alliance, the National Youth Employment Coalition, and theNational Wildlife Federation.Federal, state and local government agencies represented at the conference included the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Labor, the Department of Education, the Department of Transportation, the U.S. Green Building Council, the City of Philadelphia, the City of Pittsburgh, the National Association of State Energy Officials, and the DC Office of Planning.Big and small companies represented at the GJGJ Conference included Alcoa, ArcelorMittal, AT&T, Aztec Solar Power, Byrum and Fisk Communications, General Motors, Honeywell, Hydro-Stop, Phillips Lighting, and Seventh Generation.Seeing people from such varied background debate important issues of economic, social, and environmental justice is amazingly invigorating. Furthermore, the GJGJ Conference further shows that responsible careers can be found at all levels of the corporate, union, nonprofit or government career advancement ladder. Career insights were provided for workers at all levels of organizations. Examples included public/private partnerships built around programs teaching high school drop out youth to deconstruct houses, government funding projects to build high speed trains or building smart grid technology, or founders of successful socially responsible businesses advocating for changes public policy to redistribute wealth. Leveraging the well-known 'power in numbers' tool, the GJGJ Conference provides a convening event where professionals from a variety of backgrounds find common ground around social and environmental justice, and can build coalitions that can lead to real change when it comes to getting business done better.In my next posts, I will share some of the key career insights I gathered at some of the GJGJ Conference sessions!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Cure-Your-Career-Funk--Build-Your-Responsible-Career-/43979.htmlTue, 08 Feb 2011 04:00:18 GMTMrim Boutla In the last few years, the goal for many people was straightforward: Keep your job! In the toughest economic climate of our generation, securing or keeping a job with benefits was the main pre-occupation for emerging and established professionals. However, and at the same time, keeping your job came with a big cost: you were asked to do more with less again and again, with little recognition for your contributions (and probably no raises for the past couple of years). Fortunately, 2011 might mar Read Full Article ]]> In the last few years, the goal for many people was straightforward: Keep your job! In the toughest economic climate of our generation, securing or keeping a job with benefits was the main pre-occupation for emerging and established professionals. However, and at the same time, keeping your job came with a big cost: you were asked to do more with less again and again, with little recognition for your contributions (and probably no raises for the past couple of years). Fortunately, 2011 might mark the end of the employment funk at the marco level. With job growth in socially responsible businesses, social enterprises and select nonprofits raising, it might be your time to start taking steps towards aligning your values with your paycheck!Responsible careers are a growing trend: Professionals want careers that successfully blend financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility. However, as many aspiring socio-eco innovators, you might feel that you are facing the classic catch 22 of a career switch. If you want to join an existing socially responsible business (or work for a nonprofit), you might get discouraged because you feel you don't have the experience or education required on the job postings you find online.The good news is that in today's digital world, there are numerous ways to gain the experience you need to reach your responsible career goals. Here are three ways to gain experience without changing what you are currently doing to generate your income:Responsible Career Tip #1: Volunteer Your Time And Expertise - Whether your are an operations coordinator wanting to flex your marketing muscles, or a financial analyst wanting to participate in strategic planning, volunteering can provide you with the skills you need to get closer to your responsible career goals. Platforms such as the HandsOn Network, VolunteerMatch, Idealist.org or Sparked.com will provide you with opportunities to volunteer for or serve on the board of social enterprises and nonprofits that align with your values. Volunteering is key to demonstrate your passion for causes you care about. Indeed, a 2009 survey by Idealist.org shows that nonprofit hiring managers favor candidates that have been volunteering at their organizations, or at organizations that have similar goals when selecting candidates for interviews. Therefore, documenting that you have contributed your time and knowledge to make a difference in one or two causes you care about will be a tremendous asset to your future applications for both nonprofit and social enterprise jobs.Responsible Career Tip #2: Leverage Online Education - In today's digital world, you don't have to leave your job to get a quality education. In addition to part-time and weekend programs, you also have a growing set of online options that will enable you to learn the frameworks, best practices, and skills that you need to contribute to the causes you care about. This trend is confirmed by the 2009 Online Nation report issued by Sloan-C, an MIT-based consortium of institutions that measure the quality of online education. A 17% increase in students attending at least one course online was observed between the fall of 2007 and the fall of 2008. In the fall of 2008, over 4.6 million students were attending at least one online course. Importantly, this 17% growth rate in online learning participation was far beyond the 1.2% growth observed in the overall enrollment in more traditional higher education options. Certificate programs in Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainability, or nonprofit management are significantly growing as well, which means you don't have to leave your job to get the education you need to build your responsible career.Responsible Career Tip #3: Freelance Your Way to Your New Responsible Career - Surveys indicate that in 2011, companies are consideringhiring for contract work and freelance opportunities rather than for full-time positions. Indeed, surveys from Business News Daily, DominionBusinessCenter.com, and GlobeTask.com showed that 34% of employer respondents percent intended to hire temporary or contract workers in 2011. Furthermore,39 percent of respondents stated that they plan to hire their full-time employees from their pool of contract or temporary workers. Given this trend, packaging your skills and expertise to get freelance work with your social enterprises or nonprofit of interest might lead to you find your next full-time opportunity.The Post-Great Recession Era has been dubbed the 'gig' economy. In this new gig economy, it is central for you to put your time, knowledge (and money) towards causes you believe in. Through the contacts you will make and the experience you will gain, you will not only get out of your current career funk. You will also build your credibility as a responsible professional dedicated to aligning your values with your paycheck.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/State-and-Trends-of-Global-Reporting-Initiative--GRI--In-the-US/43595.htmlThu, 03 Feb 2011 14:52:24 GMTMrim Boutla This morning, professionals from international development, business, government and academia converged to a conference room at the World Bank offices in DC to discuss how to increase the penetration of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) among US-based companies. Inger Andersen (VP of Sustainability Development at the World Bank) welcomed participants to the workshop, highlighting the growing importance of GRI reporting to get business done better across sectors. Andersen also highlighted the Read Full Article ]]> This morning, professionals from international development, business, government and academia converged to a conference room at the World Bank offices in DC to discuss how to increase the penetration of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) among US-based companies. Inger Andersen (VP of Sustainability Development at the World Bank) welcomed participants to the workshop, highlighting the growing importance of GRI reporting to get business done better across sectors. Andersen also highlighted the advances the World Bank has made in terms of its own sustainability reporting. She credited GRI reporting for helping the World Bank assess its internal policies, and taking steps in 'walking the talk, including starting the process of getting their DC building LEED accredited.Most of the workshop was led by Mike Wallace (@A_M_Wallace), the Director of Focal Point US - the US-based arm of the GRI. Wallace facilitated a conversation among panelists from a wide range of perspectives and experiences: Peter DeSimone (Director of Programs at the Social Investment Forum - SIF), John Garrison (Civil Society Specialist at the World Bank), Monika Kumar (Environmental Specialist at the World Bank Corporate Responsibility Program), Gema Sacristan (Senior Investment Officer at the Inter-American Development Bank), and Kathy Torrence (VP of Corporate Sustainability and Community Partnerships at Calvert Investments). Here are some of the highlights of the conversation:Reporting leads to better performance. Both Peter DeSimone and Kathy Torrence touched upon the challenges and difficulties for smaller firms to put together their own GRI reports. Both recognized through that, as social investing entities, it is central for both SIF and Calvert to 'walk the talk' and provide a GRI report. GRI reporting enables them to reach the level of transparency and accountability that they recommend their constituents and partners adopt for themselves. Both also commented that, through the GRI reporting process, they found out about internal processes and procedures that needed to be improved or changed. Through reporting came improved performance for both entities. Andrew Essreg echoed these insights and provided examples of increased performance through reporting from his experience as Sustainability Integration Specialist at the US Postal Service.Another point of discussion was about the data showing that 45% of GRI reports come from European companies, while only 12% come from US companies. Peter DeSimone believes that both cultural and legislative reasons are behind this difference. Culturally, European companies face more scrutiny from their consumers and their investors than US companies regarding corporate transparency and sustainability. Furthermore, the European Union implemented tighter regulation than the US Government as it relates to corporate sustainability reporting and transparency in general. Both the cultural and legislative pressures have pushed European Companies to adopt the GRI reporting framework.There are signs that pressure towards transparency, and sustainability is mounting in the US. For instance, the New York Stock Exchange became a stakeholder in GRI in 2011. Furthermore, Mike Wallace has recently met with Mary Schapiro, Head of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. These meetings are encouraging as they send signals to investors and companies that momentum is building around the idea of driving greater corporate transparency and sustainability in the US. As our Co-Founder Martin Smith pointed out: "Capitalism worked because people couldn't see into the kitchen". Is the US getting ready to swing kitchen doors open?Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Startup-America-Partnership--Will-It-Get-Business-Done-Better/43291.htmlTue, 01 Feb 2011 04:00:28 GMTMrim Boutla Today, The White House announced the creation of the Startup America Partnership, a new public-private partnership around entrepreneurship that is part of President Obama's strategy to create more quality US-based jobs.The Partnership will be receiving funding from the Federal Government, the Case Foundation, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In addition, the Partnership has also received the support of a variety of organizations and firms that have made commitments to boost job creation Read Full Article ]]> Today, The White House announced the creation of the Startup America Partnership, a new public-private partnership around entrepreneurship that is part of President Obama's strategy to create more quality US-based jobs.The Partnership will be receiving funding from the Federal Government, the Case Foundation, and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. In addition, the Partnership has also received the support of a variety of organizations and firms that have made commitments to boost job creation through a variety of exciting entrepreneurship-based initiatives. These initiatives are articulated around 3 specific goals: Education, Acceleration and Scale, as well as Commercialization.In the area of Education, the Partnership will focus on initiatives designed to promote entrepreneurship education among low-income youth and entrepreneurship education in higher education. To promote entrepreneurship among low-income youth, the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) will facilitate the creation or expansion of programs designed to (1) increase entrepreneurship among young people, and (2) support entrepreneurship teachers. For instance, NFTE will set up online learning and social media platforms to scale the distribution of their curriculum and enable young entrepreneurs to connect with mentors and entrepreneurship teachers. To do so, NFTE will partner with New Markets Education Partners, the Pearson Foundation, and Google. Furthermore, to increase the visibility of their young entrepreneurs, Ernst & Young has committed to honor NFTE youth entrepreneurs at the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Award galas. To promote entrepreneurship in higher education,theBlackstone Charitable Foundation has committed $5M to replicated its LaunchPad Program. Created by the University of Miami and piloted in two Detroit colleges, the LaunchPad will be replicated in 5 distressed US regions over the next five years.In the areas of acceleration and scale, as well as commercialization, corporate support will be instrumental in providing funding, resources, and best practices. For example, senior leaders from Intel Capital will share best practices from their experiences supporting Intel portfolio companies. Furthermore, Intel Capital has committed $200M of new investment in U.S. companies. Similarly, IBM has committed $150M in investments to promote new business opportunities and entrepreneurship in the US. Through their HP LIFE initiative dedicated to leveraging technology and education to support economic growth through entrepreneurship, HP will invest $4M to support entrepreneurs and small business owners create and grow businesses. In addition,Facebook will launch Startup Days, which will consist in up to 15 events across the US that will provide entrepreneurs with access to engineers, best practices, and advice to launch and grow businesses.Although it is set up as an independent entity, the Startup America Partnership will closely collaborate with the Startup America Initiative. The Startup America Initiative is a governmental initiative aiming at launching new initiatives and incentives to encourage the private sector to invest in new startups. The Startup America Partnership will be led by Steve Case, chairman of the Case Foundation and co-founder of AOL.The lion share of job creation over the past 2 years have been occurring through new and small businesses. Therefore, it is likely that investing in new businesses and entrepreneurship might lead to an acceleration of job growth. Of course, one question remains that only time will answer: Will this initiative only breed 'traditional' businesses, or will it be instrumental in accelerating the creation of organizations that get business done better? Chime in with your predictions!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Solar-Energy-Job-Creation---Is-the-US-Competitive/43234.htmlSun, 30 Jan 2011 15:14:41 GMTMrim Boutla The international race to create solar energy jobs is alive and well. There are several reasons why solar energy jobs are increasing. One of the main reasons is that the cost of solar energy generation has significantly decreased in the past few years. For instance, Professor John O. Blackburn, a professor of economics at Duke University, along with Sam Cunningham, a Duke graduate student, published a report in 2010 demonstrating that solar energy costs have actually become lower than nuclear en Read Full Article ]]> The international race to create solar energy jobs is alive and well. There are several reasons why solar energy jobs are increasing. One of the main reasons is that the cost of solar energy generation has significantly decreased in the past few years. For instance, Professor John O. Blackburn, a professor of economics at Duke University, along with Sam Cunningham, a Duke graduate student, published a report in 2010 demonstrating that solar energy costs have actually become lower than nuclear energy costs. In their report, the authors indicate that "Solar photovoltaics have joined the ranks of lower-cost alternatives to new nuclear plants." This is of course great news for advocates of solar energy all around the world.In the US, the growth of solar energy jobs has been negatively impacted by the lack of consensus among Federal lawmakers regarding how to incentivize renewable energy use. However, this does not mean that the US is not competitive when it comes to its ability to produce and distribute solar energy to US consumers. Indeed, several states have been working hard to attract solar energy plants that create high paying (and sustainable) jobs.For example, through its Bill SB1403, Arizona has clearly indicated its intentions to become a hub for solar energy companies. The Bill, which took effect on January 1, 2010 has been credited for the creation of approximately 900 jobs and of an influx of about $119.2M in investments. These jobs and investments came from large and small solar energy companies, including Suntech, Tower Automotive, Linamar, Rio Glass, Alpha Energies, and PowerOne.Joseph Tuerff, expert in renewable energy development at Manpower Inc., told me recently that "the growth of solar energy jobs in Arizona is real and here to stay." Based on his work with solar and other renewable energy firms interested in hiring management talent, Tuerff has been able to witness first hand the significant increase in Arizona-based talent demand by solar energy firms. From his experience in Arizona, labor demand is strongest for middle and senior management talent. This demand for management talent comes in part from foreign solar energy firms entering the U.S. for the first time, as well as from domestic solar energy firms expanding to Arizona.Aligned with the CNBC report on the 2009 Top Solar Energy States, Tuerff's analyses along with his knowledge of state regulations in the solar energy industry indicate that, besides Arizona, state lawmakers in Colorado, Oregon, New Mexico, Nevada, and New Jersey have also created a climate that is likely to create solar energy jobs over the next few years.Overall, solar energy jobs are being created in the US despite the lack of legislative consensus at the Federal level. As the current uncooperative climate at the Federal level is likely to perdure until the 2012 election, I would not count on the US establishing a Federal legislative climate that would incentivize solar (and other renewable) energy firms to come to the US. However, keeping track of the progress made at the state level when investigating where solar energy jobs are being created in the US is certainly worthwhile.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/US-Universities---Are-They-Preparing-You-To-Innovate/43155.htmlFri, 28 Jan 2011 17:26:32 GMTMrim Boutla As President Obama pointed out in his State of the Union Speech earlier this week, the US is losing ground as compared to other nations in its K-12 education system. However, the US is still the envy of the world when it comes to its higher education institutions. Many American universities still attract and retain the best academic minds in the world. Under the tutelage of these stellar faculty members, students at a number of US universities have the unique chance learn from the best when it c Read Full Article ]]> As President Obama pointed out in his State of the Union Speech earlier this week, the US is losing ground as compared to other nations in its K-12 education system. However, the US is still the envy of the world when it comes to its higher education institutions. Many American universities still attract and retain the best academic minds in the world. Under the tutelage of these stellar faculty members, students at a number of US universities have the unique chance learn from the best when it comes to developing the innovative spirit and the strong implementation skills that every law maker and educator sees as central to economic and social growth in the 21st Century. Great idea, but does this actually happen?At American Universities, students indeed have a unique opportunity to really push themselves by going beyond regurgitation when writing papers or answering essay questions in exams. These students have numerous opportunities during their university education to leverage the falsification method and apply sound hypothesis testing methods to demonstrate their critical thinking and innovative thinking abilities and put forth new twists on old ideas. Overall, a rigorous university education is a unique accelerator in terms of developing both the entrepreneurial spirit and the self-discipline that are needed to compete in the 21st Century workplace. Further more, throughout this process, students also learn when to challenge the status quo versus when to conform with best practices to get things done.Unfortunately, and they offer a number of very rigorous majors that are among the best in the world to train students in entrepreneurial self-discipline, many American universities are also offering their students academic bailouts in the form of majors with minimal requirements in terms of critical thinking or academic rigor. Many students can therefore choose the path of least resistance and complete their college education without having had to demonstrate much in terms of critical thinking abilities or in terms of self-discipline. This has been recently confirmed bya new book by sociologists Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia. Their book titled "Academically Adrift: Limited Learning on College Campuses,"includes research based on 2,300 students across 24 universities that shows that as many as 45% of college sophomores (and up to 36% of college seniors) do not show any improvements in their critical thinking abilities while in college. I would love to know what majors these low-performing students have chosen.Here come the real question though, what can you do in college to get as competitive as possible after you graduate? Given the current climate at American Universities, it is pretty much your choice and responsibility to choose courses that will challenge you to think critically about complex issues you care about. Combining coursework in what you love with coursework on how to manage projects and how to effectively communicate with people different from you will pay dividends once you start your career. Furthermore, it is your responsibility to connect your coursework with the experiential learning and extra-curricular activities (e.g. volunteering, internships) that will enable you to apply your coursework to get business done better. Doing the right thing is hard. If you have a Tiger Mom, you are likely to have been well trained in the areas of resilience and self-discipline. However, due to your lack of experience or success challenging the status quo or the traditions you were brought up in, you might be struggling with the entrepreneurial part of the equation. In contrast, if you have not had to develop much self-discipline thus far, that is a tough one to tackle. Imagine that your dorm room heater just broke. If your first instinct is to call your parents to ask them to fix it for you, I am afraid that you might have a lot to learn in terms of entrepreneurial self-discipline.As a US student, you are paying a hefty price for their higher education, wouldn't it be best for you to get the best mental training you can get for that money? The recipe is easy: Demonstrate that you have learned the required materials for the class, develop a new evidence-based twist on approaching a specific issue, and turn all your papers and deliverables on time. These simple steps will go a long way in helping you develop the entrepreneurial self-discipline you will need to get business done better after you graduate.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/They-Are-The-Change---Unreasonable-Institute-Finalists-Announced/42855.htmlFri, 21 Jan 2011 10:51:33 GMTMrim Boutla The Unreasonable Institute, a growing social innovation incubator based in Boulder, Colorado, is gaining momentum in transforming social entrepreneurs from dreamers into doers. Its 2010 unreasonable summer institute enabled 21 high potential social entrepreneurs to gain insights from mentors as well as to put together business plans. Post-institute, 60% of these organizations secured the funding they were looking for!For their 2011 unreasonable summer institute, the finalists include pretty impr Read Full Article ]]> The Unreasonable Institute, a growing social innovation incubator based in Boulder, Colorado, is gaining momentum in transforming social entrepreneurs from dreamers into doers. Its 2010 unreasonable summer institute enabled 21 high potential social entrepreneurs to gain insights from mentors as well as to put together business plans. Post-institute, 60% of these organizations secured the funding they were looking for!For their 2011 unreasonable summer institute, the finalists include pretty impressive and inspiring social entrepreneurs who have decided to forego traditional careers to be the change they want to see. But to attend the 2011 summer institute, these social entrepreneurs need our help. Indeed, they now need our help to raise their tuition to attend the 2011 institute. Consider 'giving them wings' by helping them gain visibility by sharing their stories with your friends, or by sponsoring them to attend the 2011 unreasonable summer institute to help them grow their social enterprise.In total, there are 45 finalists, all offering inspiring ideas on how we can all build a better world. Some of these ideas focus on education, low cost renewable energy solutions, transportation, and poverty alleviation through micro-enterprises. Here are a few of the 2011 unreasonable institute summer finalists:Mobius Motors - Founders of this organization designed 'low cost high function vehicles built specifically for the developing world'. These cars and trucks are uniquely positioned to spur new transportation businesses across Africa. Transportation is key to economic development, and currently many communities cannot scale their growth because of the lack of low cost transportation options they have to access their markets or the commodities they need to produce goods. These uniquely designed vehicles has the potential to transform the transportation industry, which in turn could significantly alleviate poverty in Africa.OneEarth Designs - Design and manufactures environmentally friendly products that decrease health issues in poor communities around the world. Their portable and solar energy powered SolSource addresses the cooking and heating needs of many poor communities. Switching to SolSource for poor communities is key to prevent many CO2 related health issues and pollution that currently occur as a result of their use of coal-based cooking and heating devices. OneEarth started distributing SolSource in West China, and has received inquiries to distribute its products in Pakistan and Haiti.Solidarium - Their goal is to alleviate poverty by connecting producers of goods in poor communities in Brazil with opportunities to produce goods that are then distributed through major retailers (e.g. Walmart, Lojas Renner - JC Penney). Hard working poor producers are unable to break the vicious circle of poverty on their own. Having the opportunity to produce goods that are sold in big name retailers helps them scale their operations and increase their margins, leading to more income and poverty alleviation for some of the 39 million Brazilians that live on less than $2 a day.Boond - By creating a network of micro-enterprises in rural India, Boond is aiming at closing the 'access' gap existing lighting, clean water & pest control products and the consumers and communities that need them most. They will create local distribution centers and agents that will sell these much needed products on credit. The agents will earn a small commission through peer-to-peer sales.Malo Traders LLC - This organization aims at building a rice mill and packaging facility in Sgou (Mali). This rice mill and packaging facility will lead to produce local fortified rice that can be distributed throughout the country. This locally produced rice could significantly lower the need for imported rice. Importantly, this rice mill will inspire young Malians to become rice growers, and lead to economic growth for the region and the country. Most importantly, through this mill, poor communities in Mali could switch from the non-fortified rice they currently consumer to fortified rice. Better nutrition of course leads to higher health outcomes, which in turn would increase school attendance, and potentially lead to stronger economic growth.BLISS - By paying parents to keep their girls in school, BLISS found a creative way todirectly battle the opportunity cost of education for girls. While their parents receive money to have them attend school, girls learn business skills and get training to launch and manage community-owned social businesses. These businesses will fund the short-term schooling and boost earning potential in the long term.Arohana Dairy Pvt. Ltd. - By forming a cooperative-inspired model for famers in Tamil Nadu (India), Arohana is creating hope across 14 villages. Arohana is playing a critical role in empowering farmers to keep their farms instead of going to cities. Arohana helps farmers learn how to increase milk production,facilitates self help groups for over 250 women, and is building the project for credit access through an established Microfinance Institute (MFI).One cannot help to get excited and inspired by these ideas that get business done better all around the world! For more information about the other finalists see the Unreasonable Institute website athttp://marketplace.unreasonableinstitute.org/ or follow them on twitter via #givewings.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/From-Campus-To-Career---3-Job-Hunting-Tips-For-2011-Graduates/42809.htmlThu, 20 Jan 2011 12:03:47 GMTMrim Boutla For many college seniors, January often signifies the start of the job hunting season. Or rather the start of the anxiety related to having to think about what they can do with that degree or major. Many college seniors (and don't worry plenty of students who will complete graduate programs) have no idea of what careers are available to them. The current job market conditions do not help. According to the latest NACE employment survey, only 36% of the class of 2010 graduates that applied for job Read Full Article ]]> For many college seniors, January often signifies the start of the job hunting season. Or rather the start of the anxiety related to having to think about what they can do with that degree or major. Many college seniors (and don't worry plenty of students who will complete graduate programs) have no idea of what careers are available to them. The current job market conditions do not help. According to the latest NACE employment survey, only 36% of the class of 2010 graduates that applied for jobs before graduation had an offer by graduation. For the class of 2007, this number was 50%.With this jobless recovery, it might be very tempting to avoid thinking about careers by going to graduate school. Beware though, as a graduate degree is in fact a specialization. As such, a graduate degree will indeed open doors to more specialized roles, while simultaneously closing a number of other professional doors. Furthermore, the cost of graduate school loans will further shrink your professional options post-graduation. Indeed, the more loan obligations you have, the more money you will have to make to pay them back, and the less job options you will have.So what can 2011 graduating students do to build their own bridge from campus to career? First, remember that people get hired everyday. Second, know that responsible career options are growing, which means that there are more options now to align your values and your paycheck than ever before! Over the next 5 years, 10 million green jobs are projected to be created globally (including an estimated 5 million green jobs in the US). Fueled by responsible consumer demand, the number of career opportunities in responsible businesses across industries is also growing. So what can you do to secure a job that will enable you to get business done better?Job Hunting Tip #1 - Know what you like to do, for now - The hardest part by far in your career and job search is to be able to articulate clearly and succinctly what you would like to do professionally. Learn more about the number of growing careers in responsible marketing, responsible finance, ethical operations, and transparent communications. Get curious about the variety of responsible career options available in education, healthcare, sustainable food and agriculture, and renewable energy. The more you read job descriptions, the more you will get a feel for what makes you tick and what would be a good fit for you. According to statistics from the US Department of Labor, emerging professionals are likely to have an average of 10-14 careers by the age of 38. Therefore, go and pick something that you like for now, it is likely not to be a long-term commitment anyway. Furthermore, through this first experience, you will learn what you like and don't like to do, which will in turn inform your next career move.Job Hunting Tip #2 - Don't go at it alone - Make an appointment with your career center staff, attend workshops, or take the time to explore the valuable (and often free) resources available to you online and through your library. You might be shocked to learn that you are not the first graduating student freaking out about what to do next in a tough economy. Many of those who have been in a similar situation have paid it forward, providing great resources to support future students that have to launch careers in a tough economy. Leverage these resources to go from anxiety to confidence as you turn your values into a career that is both financially and personally rewarding. The new 'Be Bold' campaign by Echoing Green, and the Idealist.org to nonprofit careers for first time job seekers are great starting points to help you narrow down your preferences, and design a job search plan within or across a variety of sectors.Job Hunting Tip #3 - Feel you are not qualified for a job? Apply anyway! - If you fulfill all but one or two of the requirements, and have most of the preferred skills and experiences listed in the job description, apply for the job. Many times, hiring managers are posting job descriptions that are more wish lists than realistic descriptions of possible candidates. Therefore, when sending your tailored cover letter and resume, highlight your most relevant experiences and education to emphasize how close your profile is to that of the ideal candidate described in the job posting.What other job huntings tips to you have for 2011 graduates?Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/How-Green-Jobs-Are-Fueling-The-Recovery/42509.htmlSun, 16 Jan 2011 15:24:07 GMTMrim Boutla Creating new well-paying jobs to spur the economic recovery remains a central concern globally and in the US. The Great Recession has left many professionals and their families struggling to make ends meet for over two years. This jobless recovery is likely to be the longest recovery since the Great Depression. Furthermore, the convergence of automation and globalization have resulted in permanent changes in jobs across many industries. For instance, manufacturing and construction jobs are today Read Full Article ]]> Creating new well-paying jobs to spur the economic recovery remains a central concern globally and in the US. The Great Recession has left many professionals and their families struggling to make ends meet for over two years. This jobless recovery is likely to be the longest recovery since the Great Depression. Furthermore, the convergence of automation and globalization have resulted in permanent changes in jobs across many industries. For instance, manufacturing and construction jobs are today more technical and requiring more education than 20 years ago. Due to the same pressure of automation and globalization, middle management jobs are also disappearing.Most importantly, these lost jobs are likely not to come back as the economy recovers. Larry Summers, who recently stepped down as the White House top economic adviser, made this point very clearly today during his interview on Fareed Zakaria's GPS on CNN: "Some of the jobs that were lost aren't going to come back, but some of the jobs are going to come in new places," Summers said.The good news for responsible professionals and socio-eco innovators is that green jobs are likely to fuel the recovery both globally and in the US. Globally, research from the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) has shown that a shift to a a low-carbon and sustainable economy can create millions of green jobs across many sectors of the economy. Similarly, the employment outlook from the US Department of Labor for job growth between 2008-2018 indicated a significant growth of green jobs this. Of course, this prediction is largely based on President Obama's pledge to invest $150 billion to create 5 million green jobs in the US over the next 10 years. The focus on green jobs is tremendously important not only to create jobs, but also to have a tremendous positive impact on our environment.But what are the sectors that will most benefit from these green jobs investments?From the UNEP report, the industries that will enjoy a green job growth include the Renewable Energy Industry (e.g. Solar, Wind, Biofuels), the Buildings and Construction Industry (e.g. energy efficiency, retrofitting, green building), the Transportation Industry (e.g. Aviation, Road Transportation, Cars, Public Transportation, Rail), the Food and Agriculture Industry (e.g. Environmental Footprint, Agro-Industrial Food), Commodities (e.g. Iron & Steel, Cement, Pulp and Paper, Aluminium, Recycling), and Forestry (e.g. Avoiding Further Deforestation, Reforestation, Agro-Forestry, Sustainable Forestry Management).In line with these global projections, the US Department of Labor turn green to gold program is focusing on creating green jobs in a wide range of industries, including renewable energy jobs (e.g. solar, wind, electric grid upgrade), and buildings and construction jobs (e.g. energy efficiency, retrofitting, green building), and manufacturing.From challenges come opportunities. Learning more about the jobs and careers opportunities in the green job industries highlighted above can help you create a career that successfully blends financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Career-Advice-From-The-Social-Entrepreneur-Empowerment-Series/42430.htmlTue, 11 Jan 2011 13:53:26 GMTMrim Boutla One of the biggest benefits of the digital world is to be able to connect with like minded professionals at minimal expense. For socio-eco innovators (SEIs), online events are invaluable to get career advice relevant to turning their values into value across sectors.In the private sector, career advice for SEIs include examples of professionals working in corporate social responsibility for traditional companies, as well as professionals who work at socially responsible businesses, or social ent Read Full Article ]]> One of the biggest benefits of the digital world is to be able to connect with like minded professionals at minimal expense. For socio-eco innovators (SEIs), online events are invaluable to get career advice relevant to turning their values into value across sectors.In the private sector, career advice for SEIs include examples of professionals working in corporate social responsibility for traditional companies, as well as professionals who work at socially responsible businesses, or social enterprises. Career opportunities that enable professionals to bring their values to work are growing in the private sector. In the nonprofit sector, traditional charities and nonprofits along with new models or social enterprises also offer management level career opportunities that successfully combine financial rewards with social impact and environmental responsibility. Finally, in the public sector, federal, state, and local government agencies offer a wide range of career opportunities for those who want to have a positive impact in the US and beyond.Given the diversity of these opportunities to get business done better, you want access to career advice and best practices from experienced leaders that have a proven track record of getting business done better. Where can you find such career advice? Of course hubs such as justmeans, along with Ashoka, Net Impact, and Echoing Green provide valuable best practices, resources, and contacts that can help you learn more about how to contribute your skills to an organization you can believe in (e.g. B Corps, L3Cs, or social intrapreneurship). All these hubs also provide information on how to create a new organization to focus on addressing need you have identified.Lucky you, a new series, called the Social Entrepreneur Empowerment Series, is launching two waves of interviews that can tremendously help accelerate your learning by giving you access to interviews with top social entrepreneurs. The first wave of interviews started today with Bill Drayton (Founder of Ashoka). Drayton provided key insights into the trends in social entrepreneurship and changemaking. His main messages included making sure that every young people gets the skills needed to become a changemaker (e.g. empathy, internal locus of control, positive impact on those around them). Today, there will also be an interview with Lynn Twist, who will provide insights into money psychology. Finally, John Robbins who will conclude today's interviews by focusing on helping you ask yourself the right questions, as well as doing business with purpose and integrity. The first wave of interviews will continue until 1/20/2011 with a stellar list of speakers, including Miriam Williamson, Stephen Dinan, Bruce Lipton, and Saniel Bonder. The second wave of interviews will take place from February 8 - 11, 2011, with speakers including Ali Brown, Jeffrey Howard, and Mari Smith.Overall, the Social Entrepreneur Empowerment Series is a great source of career advice to move from intention to action, and find your way to bet business done better. To listen to the interviews live (or to a recording of past interviews), see their website at www.socialentrepreneurempowerment.com/schedule.Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/2011-Career-Choices-in-Clean-Tech/42278.htmlSun, 09 Jan 2011 21:05:31 GMTMrim Boutla Central to your career success and satisfaction is your ability to best position yourself to successfully compete for career choices that fit your values and aspirations. Responsible career choices can be found in all industries, but several indicators suggest that responsible career choices in clean tech are likely to be growing in 2011. For example, venture capital investments in clean tech increased by 43% in 2010 over 2009. According to redfishtech.com, these VC investments were primarily fo Read Full Article ]]> Central to your career success and satisfaction is your ability to best position yourself to successfully compete for career choices that fit your values and aspirations. Responsible career choices can be found in all industries, but several indicators suggest that responsible career choices in clean tech are likely to be growing in 2011. For example, venture capital investments in clean tech increased by 43% in 2010 over 2009. According to redfishtech.com, these VC investments were primarily focused on solar energy, energy efficiency, biofuels, smart grid, and transportation. In addition, a recent trends report published by CleanEdge provides valuable information that will help you design and implement a career planning strategy to best compete for future Clean Tech Jobs in the US and globally. According to this report, the best spots for a clean tech career in the US remain in California, including the Bay Area (1), Los Angeles (2), Greater San Diego (7), as well as the Sacramento area (15). On the east coast, clean tech hot spots include the Boston area (3), as well as the New York-New Jersey region (4). The fifth spot went to the Denver area. Of course, a growing number of clean tech career opportunities are available throughout Europe (most notably in Scotland, Denmark, and Germany), as well as in China and the Middle East.What can you do to best position yourself to best compete for these attractive career choices?Career Tip #1 - Articulate your strengths and preferences. The more specific you are in terms of your career goals, the more specific the advice, contacts, and information you will receive in return. Instead of stating 'I would love advice on how to get started in building a career in clean tech', go further in providing specifics about what your preferences, skills, and interests are. For instance, say 'I am really interested in contributing my marketing and sales experience to increase the visibility and penetration of solar energy in the US Southwest. What conferences, contacts, or events to you suggest that I attend to learn more about this field?' The more specific you are in your elevator pitch, the better advice you will receive moving forward.Career Tip #2 - Stay informed. Professional associations, online groups through social media and networking websites provide easy ways for you to gain faster access to relevant information, as well as to connect with like minded professionals that you can both learn from and share information with moving forward. In addition, I would recommend that you stay focused on consistently following the top 3 main outlets for your clean tech career choices of interest. This will enable you to learn more about trends and topics that are most relevant to you.Career Tip #3 - Get out there. Whether by adding your interests and expertise areas on your LinkedIn profile, or by blogging on your subjects of interest, or by retweeting information that is aligned with your values and the type of contribution you want to make to our world, you will build your visibility as a knowledgeable and competent professional that is worth watching and following both in person and online. Of course, beyond your online activities, it is central to your success that you dedicate time to build your in-person network by attending informal events or in-person conferences. The more visible you are as an emerging or established professional dedicated to get business done better, the easier it will be for opportunities to come to you. For ideas on conferences and job boards that might be of interest to you, see our previous posts here and here.By combining your ability to articulate your goals with staying informed and getting out there, you can emerge as a top candidate for the clean tech career choices that will become available in 2011. As always, I look forward to reading your comments and questions in the comment section below!Photo Credit.]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Job-Hunting-Tips-for-your-New-Year-s-Resolutions---Career-Centers/42105.htmlTue, 04 Jan 2011 22:44:35 GMTMrim Boutla In this tough job market, job seekers are eagerly looking for job hunting tips that will make their job search easier and hopefully faster. In my previous posts in this series, I provided job hunting tips that you can use for a reactive job search (i.e. browsing job postings online). I also provided job hunting tips that you can integrate into your proactive job search (i.e. when pursuing specific employers you are interested in). Overall, leveraging proactive job search strategies will help you Read Full Article ]]> In this tough job market, job seekers are eagerly looking for job hunting tips that will make their job search easier and hopefully faster. In my previous posts in this series, I provided job hunting tips that you can use for a reactive job search (i.e. browsing job postings online). I also provided job hunting tips that you can integrate into your proactive job search (i.e. when pursuing specific employers you are interested in). Overall, leveraging proactive job search strategies will help you learn and compete for the 70% of jobs that are never advertised (and therefore filled through connections).Speaking about connections, one of the best connections you can leverage when you are looking for a job is your university or college career center. If you are a student from an undergraduate or a graduate program, it is likely that your career center will have a wide selection of services to help you transition from campus to career. Furthermore, and contrary to popular belief, recruiting through your career center occurs year round. Instead, many employers will continue conducting interviews for full-time positions in the spring. They might not come to campus to do so, but they will advertise positions through your career center and are likely to interview candidates over the phone or video conference. Therefore, as a current student, be sure to leverage your career center this spring. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), one of the largest professional associations for career services professionals and college recruiters conducted a job outlook survey for 2011 which indicated that many recruiters anticipate to hire 13% more college graduates this year than last year. This trend is encouraging, and knowing that many of these recruiters will hire through your career center should be enough motivation for you to visit your career center website and find out more about how to best partner with a career counselor to define your goals and best compete for career opportunities that align with your goals.If you have graduated, you might think that your university has no services available that can help you. However, your alma mater is in fact very likely to offer a number of valuable tools and resources that will help you with your job search. Given the high cost of higher education, you have paid the price to get these resources, so why not take advantage of them? Here are a few job hunting tips that you can use when leveraging your university (and its career center):Job Hunting Tip #1 - Leverage your alumni services - Many universities offer a range of services to their alumni. Of course, they organize cocktail parties and class reunions both for their alumni to stay connected and for the alumni services staff to keep track of alumni that could become potential donors. As part of their services to their alumni, many universities offer a number of career related services. First, some universities offer a job board on which alumni and recruiters interested in your university's graduates will post their opportunities. Many of these opportunities are first advertised through universities and then on more general job boards, so looking first at your university's job board for alumni and current students might become a great advantage for you on the job market. Second, some universities offer career coaching services to their alumni. These career coaching services are quite varied depending on the university and can include general career guidance, self-assessments, career exploration, as well as resume and interview preparation. Some of these services might be free or available at a low cost to alumni. Call your career center or visit your alma mater website to find out what services and resources are available to you. Third, your university is likely to maintain an alumni directory that, as an alum, you can access. Conducting searches on this directory by major, class year or other criteria might help you explore career options and learn about the myriad of career options open to people with the major you graduated with.Job Hunting Tip #2 -Connect with alumni online - Of course, in the internet age, social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and twitter make it a lot easier to identify alumni from your university that have built a career in your function or industry of interest. The new LinkedIn Career Explorer, launched this fall, can be of tremendous help for you to find other alumni that have built careers based on interests similar to yours. Beyond this new tool, joining your university's LinkedIn group(s) to connect with new people that you share an alma mater with might lead to interesting connections and possible future mentors.Job Hunting Tip #3 - Show up at events - Whether you live close by or not to your university, check to find out if they have local events that you can attend. Whether it is a day of service or an opportunity to have a drink at a new hot spot in town, you never know what can happen when you engage with people from your alma mater. In addition, these events are sometimes organized with a career focus or with the participation of career services staff. I have witnessed and heard countless success stories about alumni who showed up at alumni events without really knowing what would happen and left with new insights and new contacts that were later helpful to their careers. All of these success stories have one thing in common: All these alumni when to alumni events with one specific goal - enjoying the process of meeting new people and finding ways to be helpful to these new contacts. Making the event about being of help to others will not only put the pressure off of you and will help you enjoy the event even more.Whether you are a current student or an alum, leveraging the online or in-person resources offered through your alma mater career center or getting involved through your local alumni chapter can help you to feel energized about your career and job search. Furthermore, through each interaction, you are likely to learn more about new job hunting tips that will certainly make your job search easier and faster. I look forward to reading your job hunting tips through the comment box below!Photo Credit.]]>