Driven By Impact: What People in Climate Jobs Know

Driven By Impact 🌱

Edition 34: December 7, 2023

What People in Climate Jobs Know

Advice From People in Climate Careers

The climate industry is a dynamic and evolving field. If you've recently embarked on your journey to secure a climate job, you'll quickly realize that it's a whole new ballgame compared to conventional job hunting. It involves building relationships, gaining in-depth knowledge of the sector, and crafting an influential reputation. For climate career novices, this might seem like a tall order. But it's doable, here are five insider tips from climate professionals that can help you navigate this unique industry. Apply these strategies to your job search, and you'll be well on your way to landing a job in this space!

1) Ignite Your Climate Passion

• Hiring managers in the climate space often expect candidates to demonstrate a robust understanding of the industry. If your experience isn't rooted in climate, don't worry. You can make up for this by immersing yourself in the sector and absorbing as much knowledge as possible. Climate is vast, so we suggest identifying three climate solutions that fascinate you and diving deep into those areas. In this blog on the "Hidden Job Market" we've detailed a three-step process that will help you map out your sector (here's some more advice on conducting a climate sector market map), articulate your impact, and leverage these insights during networking conversations.

2) Networking: Your Key to Success

• To secure a climate job, you need to stand out. Most climate jobs aren't publicly advertised; they're filled through connections. Becoming one of these connections significantly boosts your chances of landing a job. The golden rule of networking is reciprocity - aim to assist others as much as they are helping you. Identify their challenges and offer solutions where possible. If you can't provide immediate solutions, take time to think about how you can be of assistance. It could be as simple as sharing a relevant news article or LinkedIn post in a follow-up email. It's crucial to nurture these relationships beyond a single conversation. Keep detailed notes about your discussions to ensure effective follow-ups. We've designed a networking tracking template to help you document these conversations, brainstorm questions, get follow-up reminders, and note key discussion points. We're also hosting a networking Mini-Series with Laurie McGinley starting in January '24, register for free here.

3) Never Stop Learning

• The climate sector is constantly changing, so it's essential to keep your skills and knowledge up-to-date. Stay informed about the latest innovations in your areas of interest. Subscribing to newsletters like CTVC, Climate Draft, Driven by Impact, and others is an excellent way to stay in the loop. There are also numerous cohort options like Terra.do, Voiz, Climate Vine, OPF, Climatebase, and more that can enhance your understanding.

4) Leverage Your Transferable Skills

• Transitioning into the climate sector from a different industry might seem daunting. However, your past experience can be a goldmine of transferable skills that can make you a valuable asset in the climate industry. For instance, project management, problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills are highly sought after in this field. To effectively leverage these skills, you need to understand how they apply in the context of climate jobs.

• Start by reviewing job descriptions and identifying the skills that are consistently required across different roles. Next, reflect on your past experiences and identify instances where you've demonstrated these skills. When communicating your abilities, use concrete examples to show how you've used these skills to generate positive outcomes. This approach will demonstrate your potential value to prospective employers and set you apart from other candidates.

5) There is Demand For You

• With the escalating global climate crisis, the demand for professionals in the climate sector is at an all-time high. This surge in demand presents an incredible opportunity for those willing to step up and join the fight against climate change. Companies and organizations across the world are looking for diverse talent to fill a myriad of roles, from policy advocacy to renewable energy engineering.

However, breaking into the climate sector requires more than just a passion for the cause. It's about demonstrating your unique value proposition and showing how you can contribute to the organization's mission. This involves keeping on top of industry trends, continuously learning and upskilling, and networking with key industry players. By doing so, you will not only increase your chances of securing a climate job but also make a meaningful impact on our planet.

We've compiled all these insights and more in our comprehensive Climate Job Seeker Playbook. Harness these tips, and you'll be well-prepared to make your mark in the climate industry.

→ Natalie and Brendan go live every Thursday at 3 pm EST. Join us for an open Q&A session next week! Send any questions you want answered to [email protected].

→ Climate People and MCJ’s monthly “Climate Career Accelerator” meetup is next week, 12/13 at 12 pm EST. We’re thrilled to host networking expert and author of “Your Invisible Network,” Michael Melcher. Register for the session here.

→ Have you gotten your hands on a copy of our newly released Climate Job Seeker Playbook? It’s a 30-page guide that will help you best position yourself and increase your chances of landing a job in climate. Check it out!

→ Missed last week’s edition? It was a jam-packed one! Check it out here.

→ Natalie will be speaking on a careers panel with OnePointFive on 12/15. Interested in attending similar events? Learn more about their upcoming cohorts here.

→ Struggling to keep track of all your networking conversations? We put together a Notion board CRM template where you can take notes, tag profiles, and get reminders for when it’s time to follow back up with a connection. Get your copy here!

→ Have you been given the advice to “just network,” but don’t know how to start? This blog is designed for you! Learn how to scale up your marketing and make genuine connections in the climate space.

SUSTAINABLE AVIATION FUELS

The aviation industry, responsible for a significant portion of transport-specific emissions, faces an urgent need to reduce its carbon footprint. Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAFs), either biofuels or synfuels, have emerged as a promising solution in the pursuit of sustainability. With the potential to revolutionize the sector, SAFs can be used without modifying existing aircraft, offering a short-term solution that could significantly reduce emissions. However, the challenge lies in the current production levels of SAFs, which, despite tripling from 2021 to 2022, still account for less than 0.1% of total global aviation fuel.

Companies like World Energy, Neste, Alder Renewables, SkyNRG, LanzaJet, and Fulcrum are leading the way in investing and contributing to SAF production, addressing challenges around availability and scalability. Despite the high costs of SAFs compared to conventional jet fuel, experts predict their dominance in long-haul flights by 2040-2050. As consumers, supporting airlines that invest in SAF usage is crucial, and it's clear that investment in SAF technology is key to creating a sustainable future for the aviation industry.

🪴 HEAD OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
➵ Our client, a global consultancy that helps companies secure large-scale grant funding for high-impact, climate-related ventures, is looking for a Business Development leader. The company has found its product-market fit and is in a phase of accelerating growth. The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing sales strategies, maintaining the sales pipeline, collaborating with business operations for performance improvements, and supporting business development initiatives. The candidate should have a 'builder' mentality, be analytically inclined, and possess innovative problem-solving abilities. They must have 4+ years of consultative sales experience, 2+ years in a closing role for $20k-100k deal sizes, and 1+ years of people management experience.

🪴 FUNDING RESEARCH LEAD
➵ A global consultancy firm is seeking a Funding Research Lead with at least 3 years of experience in grants identification, writing, and management. The candidate will be responsible for the initial stages of the grants lifecycle, including identifying and assessing funding opportunities. They will also lead the Funding Ecosystem Map process, manage the work of Funding Research Analysts, handle client relationships during individual projects, and assist in developing policies to streamline the Ecosystem Mapping process. The ideal candidate should have a technical or scientific background in climate, energy, or life sciences, with experience in the private sector and international grants. Excellent attention to detail, writing, communication, organization, and execution skills are required.

🪴 TECHNICAL PRODUCT MANAGER
➵ We're partnering with a successful, remote climate tech startup that's developed a software platform for renewable energy projects. We need a Technical Product Manager to lead new product development, work directly with users, and ideate features. You'll collaborate with the CTO on new features and product plans, launch new market features, and build MVPs for new products. Ideal candidates should have 2+ years experience in technical SaaS products, be product-minded, comfortable in ambiguity, and possess skills in Figma, Agile, product research, prototyping, UX, A/B Testing, and Data Analysis. Experience in the utility industry is a plus.

🪴 FULL STACK ENGINEER - FRONT END LEANING
➵ We're seeking a remote Full-Stack Engineer to lead new product initiatives. This role involves user interaction, feature ideation, design feedback, and hands-on development. You'll work directly with the CTO on projects like launching new features in US markets and building MVPs for potential expansions. Ideal candidates have 2+ years of product-oriented software engineering experience and proficiency in React, TypeScript, and Python. Experience in the utility industry is a plus.

🪴 CONTENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER
➵ Our client is championing the fight against climate change by quantifying greenhouse gas gains and losses related to land management. Their groundbreaking GHG data-model integration software is a game-changer for investors, policymakers, advocates, climate scientists, and land managers in the FALU sector. In this role, you'll spearhead integrated marketing plans, conduct market research, manage website content, create press releases, and organize industry events. If you have 5+ years of experience in marketing content and social media, a passion for climate and sustainability, a self-starter attitude, and a knack for simplifying complex information, this could be your opportunity to join a trust-based team committed to making a real impact.

🪴 SALES DEVELOPMENT REPRESENTATIVE
➵ Our client, a leading global technology and climate impact organization, is seeking a talented individual to join their team. Specializing in quantifying greenhouse gas (GHG) gains and losses related to land management, they provide GHG data-model integration software that is used by various stakeholders in the FALU sector. The candidate will work with the Head of Business Development to formulate strategies that identify and convert prospects. This includes being the first point of contact, overseeing customer development, building pipelines across key segments, and experimenting with outbound strategies. The ideal candidate should have 1-3+ years of experience in sales or sales development, a passion for climate and sustainability, and the ability to take extreme ownership of customer's first impressions. They should be diligent, focused, adaptable, and bring a growth mindset every day.

That's all for this edition! Stay tuned for next month's roundup. Thanks for doing your part in mobilizing a workforce transition to work on climate!