The Top 5 Green Jobs For 2011 in America

According to the United Nations Environment Program, a green job, or a green-collar job is one that helps protect and preserve biodiversity and ecosystems. Green workers reduce materials, water consumption, and energy by increasing resource efficiency. These jobs are minimize pollution and all forms of waste.

Below are the top five Green jobs available in America today.

1. Farmer - Do you know the shocking truth about farmers in America? There are only 2 million, and their average age is 55. This market is screaming for more workers on the local and small scale, particularly for young farmers who know organic production methods and avoid the use of pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizer. The U.S. Job market has capacity for ten million farmers. However, the job is not as easy at it might seem to some. Modern farmers must be skilled businesspersons knowledgeable in heirloom genetics and marketing.

2. Energy Efficiency Builder - In the US, buildings actually account for 48% of greenhouse emissions and energy use. We are way behind the rest of the world in this. Switzerland and Germany, for instance, use 75% to 95% less heat energy than a building built to environmental code in the U.S.

There is a huge opportunity here for one of the major green building certifications today. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) has given accreditation to more then 43,000 professionals. When the U.S. standards get stricter, the country will need a workforce of retrofitters to go with its millions of engineers and architects.

3. Urban Planners - The linchpin of America's campaign to lower its carbon footprint. Urban planners will help us reduce our use of cars and encourage the utilization of bicycles. They will also strengthen mass transit, limit sprawl, and help us plan for heat wave, garbage creep, and flooding contingencies.

4. Recycling Professional - More than 1 million recycling jobs are available in America. A shocking number of people engaged in this area have been continuing to grow. This is primarily because recycling still continues to be the most economical alternative to high disposal fees. Hiring in this sector will always be active.

5. Solar Power Installer - There are 770, 000 jobs worldwide for installing and making solar power systems. Opportunities for this work are still relatively high and high paying too. In fact at the present, 3,400 companies are still employing power installers--some as many as 35,000 workers in one company! This job will definitely promote the welfare of the environment and the economic sectors, and the job prospects of its skilled workers.

While we continue to face a recession and our young adults decide which jobs will be available when they graduate from college, green jobs are looking more attractive all the time.

Jeff Deutsch

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Keeping it Real - WAHM - Part-Time Working Mums

So you have heard of all the benefits of being a WAHM (Work at home mum) or opting for flexible work options, but before you take the plunge, make sure you have your 'realistic glasses' on. Such work-family friendly options are not without limitations.

Take a quiz and see if Work-from-home options/ Part-time work options are meant for you:

1) Are you expected to contribute to more than 60% of the monthly household income?

2) Is being able to mingle with colleagues and spending lunch hours with your co-workers and important part of your 'office experience'?

3) Do you hope to get a promotion after working for a year?

4) Are you expecting to earn an income equivalent to at least 70% of your last drawn monthly income?

5) Although you work from home, are you able to seek child-care help (such as child-care, nanny, domestic help) during certain working hours?

6) Are you comfortable with the possibility of experiencing negative reactions from coworkers and clients?

7) Are you a disciplined person who sets monthly or week goals for yourself?

8) If a part-time job/ freelance work is not as "high-leveled" as previous positions, will you still do it?

If you answer 'YES' to more than 4 of the above mentioned questions, then you might seriously want to reconsider taking on part-time work.

The truth is: Part-time work will never be able to generate the same income as a full-time job. For many mothers, this is actually a huge problem - and one that we need to discuss with the other family members before making a decision.

Realistically, most part-time positions (even if they are Professional or Executive level) are not high-ranking positions. You are not likely to manage staff or take up assignments that require much time-commitment.

Working part-time or from home can also cause some unhappiness amongst your colleagues, who might deem your arrangement as being unfair. Not being in the office throughout the day also means less 'bonding time' with your co-workers. It's probably less likely you can build strong friendships in such working conditions, and such isolation can result in loneliness. (As one WAHM told me, she feels starved for adult conversation 5 days a week!)

Working from home does not solve your childcare problem. As any mother knows, children need undivided attention at times. So unless you are prepared to multi-task (and do it well), it's going to be a challenge to meet your deadlines and complete your household duties. WAHM or Part-time Working mums need to be very organized and plan their day-to-day activities. Time becomes even more of a challenge to manage.

Singapore (and most of Asia) is still not very new in setting up Work-from-home / Part-time Work arrangements for mothers. This can result in employers not being able to clearly come up with distinct, clear working arrangements when making decisions about (i) workload (ii) compensation (iii) promotional opportunities. Part-timers/ WAHM can sometimes be passed over for advancement opportunities. Occasionally you might also meet employers who form the misconception that part-timers are less committed or not as valuable. Workload can often be too much for a part-timer (who is actually doing a full-timer's work)

Having said all that, it is undeniable that work-from-home arrangements or part-time work options are still the best ways of getting work-family balance. So the question is: Are you ready to take the plunge?

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Video Resumes - The Time Is Now!

During this awful economy, there are so many applicants and so few jobs. Why would an employer choose you rather than resume #1177? Within that the flood of resumes are many that are impressive. So how do you break through and win?

Not by obsessing about the beautiful font, luxurious paper and chronological order of your printed resume. Or thinking you didn't get "that job" because you went to a state university rather than Harvard?

The differentiator is you! Not the "you" on paper or the raves you received from your previous employers, but the "you" who looks at the camera and has a sense of humor, is comfortable with the camera, has a winning smile-someone an employer would like to see on staff each morning.

While your impressive background and previous successes are essential, video resumes are now opening doors. In fact, polls show 89 percent of employers have said they would view a video resume. These potential employers also indicate that job candidates gain the edge when their "actions speak louder than words."

So how do you create a video resume? Numerous websites say all you need is a handicam to make a video. While that is true, your "on-camera" performance is equally important. If your "time in the spotlight" is limited to waving at the handicam, here are a few important tips in conveying "likeable" and "expert."

• Keep it short: Two minutes or under is optimum according to 78% of employers.

• Know your audience: Tailor your video to your target industry.

• Talk to me: Don't read. This is your opportunity to establish a relationship.

Or, click, it is on to the next candidate.

That's why Executive Speak/Write helps clients define their "best you," and capture that essence on tape. We encourage them to determine:

• Are you relating directly to the camera, but not staring?

• Is the information you're giving in such a short time the best way to present yourself?

• Are you unforgettable-from wardrobe to charm to confidence? Packaging is essential.

Job applicants are appropriately obsessive about being immaculate in print. They ask friends and experts to make sure resume format and wording are perfect. Shouldn't you have the same sense of being "immaculate" when the prospective employer sees you on tape? You must be trained and supervised to guarantee your two minutes is strong enough to convince a prospective boss you're the best choice for the job.

Steve Clements

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How McDonald's Big Mac Can Help You Find a Job

Every year McDonald's sells 560 million Big Macs a year. That's crazy! Over half a billion. It would take you almost 16 years to count that high. What's so special about the Big Mac? Is it the largest burger in the world? No. According to the Guinness Book of World Records that distinction belongs to Mallie's Sports Bar and Grill in Southgate, MI. Is the Big Mac the best tasting burger? No. According to Zagat's Fast Food Survey In-N-Out Burger holds that title. Was it the first of its kind? Nope. The whole Big Mac concept is a direct ripoff of the Bob's Big Boy burger. So what is it?

"Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame bun. "

It's gotta be the sauce, right?

What's so special about the special sauce? Other than calling Thousand Island dressing "special sauce," absolutely nothing. What the special sauce did was allow McDonald's to take another restaurant's idea and wrap it in a super effective marketing campaign. That marketing campaign is the reason you (and I) can still sing the ingredients by heart easily 10 years after the last time I can remember hearing it on TV. And I don't even like McDonald's. That is special.

What you can learn from the Big Mac

If you can take anything from the story of the Big Mac it should be that you don't have to be the biggest or the best or revolutionary to be the most successful.What you do need is a good marketing campaign to get your message out. And the most effective marketing in the world is....word of mouth. Word of mouth is just another way to say networking. I like using word of mouth advertising better than networking because people grimace less when they hear it. That's because most people are career networking horribly wrong. As a matter of fact what many people consider "career networking" is nothing more than begging.

Quick and easy guide to start career networking

The bad news is without some type of career networking you will never be as successful as you could and should be by career networking properly. The good news is you already know and do everything you need to get started. Keep in contact with as many of the people you were laid off with as possible. They will play a key role in building your networking team. Get their email addresses and place them into a mailing group. Many of the jobs you'll come across during your job search won't be right for you. Don't just skip by them.

Most job search websites allow you to email job openings to people. Email every job you're not applying to but might fit someone else's skill set to your email group. This works best if you send specific job openings to specific people but don't worry about that starting out. After a couple of weeks you will start to see that some of the people you have been sending those emails to will start sending you emails with jobs you might be interested in. If you are not interested in those jobs then send those openings back out to your career networking group.

Soon you will notice that you are becoming a resource for people who are in the same boat as you. In return you will have created a team of people who will directly and indirectly increase your chance of finding a job. It's a baby step but a step in the right direction, and infinitely better than no step at all. Congratulations you're career networking!

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Tips to Starting a Small Business

Before starting a business it is wise to take the time to plan. A business plan is the most important document you will compose and it should be well thought out. Your plan may change over time, but the basics will keep you on the right track to making your business a success. You may have the passion to start a business and that passion and vision are only a part of what it takes.

1. Write a business plan that addresses your resources, capital needs, marketing plan, budget and how to differentiate you firm from others.

2. Do a competitive analysis. Where are the competitors? Are you better and what is the value proposition that makes you faster, cheaper or state of the art?

3. When businesses fail they fail in part because of a lack of planning. Run scenarios and use different assumptions on sales and expenses to ensure you have staying power

4. Use a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats ) to help you assess the business strategy and its pitfalls.

5. Do a PEST analysis to stay abreast of how or what the Political, Economic, Social and Technological environments can affect your business. Example: Is there a local ordinance or law that you have to comply with? Do you understand all the regulations regarding your business such as sales tax, business license, and how your firm's ownership structure can impact your compliance with taxes?

6. Remember you are not alone...seek an experienced and certified coach to help you unlock your potential, be a sounding board to your ideas, and keep a positive perspective.

Key Pointe Coaching works with companies to unlock the potential of their greatest asset, their employees. We offer coaching to all management and executive levels as well as leadership training courses.

Candice Shehorn

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Jobs Are Back, Search for Headhunters, First!

True, the phrase jobs are back is the new buzz across nations and continents. The indication is certainly towards the fateful economic downturn that rattled major economies of the world. As an obvious consequence of the economic downturn the jobs almost vanished but the good news is that all the major economies are showing promising signs of recovery and optimum positive response is the reappearance of thousand of jobs that sank during the recession.

In the present world scenario employment search is a whole new concept is no where near what it used to be. One would not bet against the fact that like many of other aspects it is the interference of the internet that has revolutionized the methodology of searching for jobs.

The methodology for searching jobs-

If you are a job seeker then you will certainly find a true friend in the form of job sites that have thousands of jobs enlisted in their catalogues. You just need to perform a few concrete steps and as fruit of your toil you will certainly find yourself launched successfully for your dream job. This holds equally true for fresher and experienced job seekers. The fresher can search for jobs that suit the best with their educational qualification, aptitude and preferences. If you are fresher then it is almost religion to register yourself with the leading job sites and make yourself visible for the leading corporate requites. The experienced candidates aim for better profiles or salary hikes, constant up gradation of resume proves to be of great aid for this purpose. Finally, your aim should appear distinctly through your resume. At this point one should note that your resume is all that what speak for you, so, it is of prime importance that your resume should make an impression and should stand apart among millions. There are thousands of jobs sites that provide with expert made resume formats. Thus, there are people ready to assist you in your endeavour to search for jobs.

For the Corporate recruiters-

The job sites are made to assist both the ends of the job seekers and that of the corporate recruiters. The corporate recruiters employ different methods in order to find a suitable candidate, among these job consultancies and internet job sites are favoured choices. They are the best place to find a head hunter for any kind of company profiles.

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