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Within the green economy, your network is not only your best bet for hearing about job openings, it is also the best way to stay on top of trends in your target industry, options for enhancing your green education, and developments in companies in your local region.

How strong is your green network? Have you found a way to connect with the people in your region that care about the issues and know about the green business climate? Although sometimes hard to tap into, gaining access to the local green network is essential to your green career.

The good news is that people who care about the community and the environment are likely to be a fairly close knit group. So your immediate task is to figure out how to develop connections within this group.

No matter where you are in your green job search or your green career, create time in your weekly (or monthly) schedule to start building your bridge into the green network. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

1. Volunteer with a non profit that matches your values.
   Non profits always welcome volunteers. Research your local area to find a couple of organizations that meet your needs. Before you jump into a full volunteer schedule, check out the organization to make sure it will meet your needs.
   
   
2. Local green initiatives.
   Pay attention to communications from local organizations you are already involved with. Your child’s school or your place of worship may already have a green initiative that you can help them with. If you aren’t able to find an
   initiative, consider taking a leadership role to get a green initiative in place.
   
   
3. Green team.
   Your local city or region may have a team of volunteers who are actively working to move the community toward greener policies and actions. Some green teams are sanctioned by the city government; others have more of a grass roots flavor. Watch your local paper, pay attention to the city calendar, ask at your city offices. If you are interested in an activist model, check out the map at www.coolcities.us for a Cool Cities Team in your area.
   
   
4. Green networking group.
   Keep your ears open for green networking groups that meet in your area. Green business owners or green professionals may already be meeting and you just don’t know about it yet. One source for green networking groups around the world is Green Drinks (www.greendrinks.org).
   
   
5. Green festivals or fairs.
   Do you remember seeing advertisements about green festivals in your region? Perhaps an Earth Day event or an event around Arbor Day? If so, do a little research to find out who sponsors the event in your area. Ask to become a volunteer. If you have the time and want to get the biggest bang for your time, offer to take on a leadership role for the upcoming event.

One of the best parts of building your green network is that you often collect valuable experiences, accomplishments, and affiliations to add to your resume.

Bottom Line

Find ways to engage in your local area to build your green network and add to your resume. You never know how the first connections you make in the green world will lead to critical connections later in your job search.

© Copyright, 2010, Carol McClelland. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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Carol McClelland, PhD, is the author of Green Careers For Dummies and the Founder and Executive Director of Green Career Central, a full-service online resource center dedicated to providing career guidance, coaching, and resources to clarify the ever-evolving world of green career possibilities for professionals, students, and career counselors. For more information, visit Green Career Central.