Profession and Purpose http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1 Resources for MBA careers in sustainability Sat, 28 Apr 2012 11:44:02 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 Dr. Stephanie Gripne joins efforts with Katie Kross http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/30/dr-stephanie-gripne-joins-efforts-with-katie-kross/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/30/dr-stephanie-gripne-joins-efforts-with-katie-kross/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 22:33:11 +0000 sgripne http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=542 Stephanie Gripne, PhD — career coach, speaker, and sustainable business expert — has teamed up with Katie Kross to provide career coaching services to MBA students and professionals.  Stephanie’s particular coaching expertise is in helping clients:

  • Identify their short and long-term passions and associated career goals;
  • Develop an action plan to achieve those goals;
  • Provide support implementing the action plan.

She writes: “One of my single greatest passions is helping individuals figure out their passions and developing a plan and providing the support for them to figure out their dreams.  There are those people who network for the sake of self-promotion, and then there are those who connect because they truly love meeting and understanding people and making connections between them and other people they should meet that make the world a better place.  I think you will find that both Katie and I are people who love connecting.”

If you would like to learn more about career coaching opportunities with Stephanie, please contact her directly by email.  You can read more about her background and find her on Twitter at @CompatVentures.

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/30/dr-stephanie-gripne-joins-efforts-with-katie-kross/feed/ 0 What to look for in an MBA internship in sustainability http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/01/what-to-look-for-in-an-mba-internship-in-sustainability/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/01/what-to-look-for-in-an-mba-internship-in-sustainability/#comments Thu, 01 Mar 2012 14:49:57 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=534 This is the time of year when first-year MBA students are making internship decisions, and I’m often asked what factors are most important in choosing a sustainability internship.  For students who are career changers with little or no previous sustainability work experience on their resume, the summer internship is a crucial opportunity to build one’s resume.

Here are the three most important things to look for in your summer internship decision (notice that summer salary is not one of them):

1. Experience that fills a gap on your resume. Always begin with the end in mind– not what do you want to do this summer, but what do you want to do after graduation?  Start by making a list of the attributes that would make you an outstanding candidate for that post-MBA job.  Then look at your past work experience.  Which of those attributes can you check off and which are you missing?  Use your internship to fill as many gaps as possible.  Attributes might be specific skills (eg, “I need some applied marketing experience”), industry-specific expertise (“I’ve never worked in the energy industry before”), or sector experience (“My pre-MBA work in nonprofits is great but I need a private-sector name on my resume.”)

Every student will have different gaps to fill with his/her summer; there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.  Focus on what will make you the best candidate next year for your dream job.  Informational interviews with alumni or industry professionals are great ways to identify what your list of attributes should be; ask them straight out: “If I want to work in a CSR role for your company some day, what would make me a strong candidate?”

2. A meaningful and weighty project that you can see through to completion. Imagine yourself in a job interview next fall.  What kind of story will you have to tell the recruiter about your summer?  You’ll undoubtedly talk about doing research or analysis work, but ideally, you also want to be able to talk about the business results of the work you did and any leadership role you played. A summer internship that gives you the opportunity to take a project from start to completion, with something tangible (a report, a presentation to senior managers, a cost-benefit analysis model) at the end makes for a more compelling interview story.

3. Door-opening opportunities. Will the internship give you a chance to interact with senior managers in the company/organization?  Will it open doors for you to network with others in the industry by sending you to industry events or requiring cross-sector research?  Will you be working for a manager who will make introductions for you?  At the end of the summer, you want your network to be larger—literally, more names in your Outlook Contacts folder.  Sometimes, your internship employer will facilitate this directly; other times, the internship itself puts you in the right place to accomplish your own networking.  For instance, if you go to school in Michigan but you want to work in San Francisco after graduation, take a summer internship in the Bay Area and spend your evenings attending networking events in the area to meet as many local executives as possible.

These three outcomes are the most important things you can accomplish with your summer.  If you’re not finding a way to achieve them through the internships coming across campus, work on creating an internship for yourself that will. Pitch a project to a company you’re interested in, work for free, or create a second internship for yourself (part-time in the summer or during the school year).  Don’t settle for less-than-ideal internship just to have “something.”  In the big picture that is your career, what’s important is getting you to your post-MBA dream job, and your internship is a critical stepping stone to that dream job.

 

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/03/01/what-to-look-for-in-an-mba-internship-in-sustainability/feed/ 0 Jobs & internship postings via Twitter http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/01/02/jobs-internship-postings/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/01/02/jobs-internship-postings/#comments Mon, 02 Jan 2012 20:42:59 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=516 Check out @Katie_Kross on Twitter for recent job openings and internships.  Here are just a few…

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2012/01/02/jobs-internship-postings/feed/ 0 Career advice at Net Impact Conference in Portland http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/10/20/career-advice-at-net-impact-conference-in-portland/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/10/20/career-advice-at-net-impact-conference-in-portland/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:20:53 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=482 If you’re attending the Net Impact Conference in Portland on Oct. 27-29, don’t miss the many great sessions in the “Career and Professional Development” conference track.  You can join me at two of them:

“Work for Good in Environmental Sustainability: Creating a Career with Impact” – Friday, Oct. 28 at 4:15pm

and

“The Insider’s Guide to the Sustainability Job Search” – Saturday, Oct. 29 at 11:15am

Hope to see you there!

 

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/10/20/career-advice-at-net-impact-conference-in-portland/feed/ 0 Attending Net Impact 2011? Join me for “Making the Most of the Net Impact Conference for Your Career” http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/29/attending-net-impact-2011-join-me-for-making-the-most-of-the-net-impact-conference-for-your-career/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/29/attending-net-impact-2011-join-me-for-making-the-most-of-the-net-impact-conference-for-your-career/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 13:30:34 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=478 On Oct., I’ll join Violetta Muselli (Net Impact) and Jonathan Harris (MBA Student and Net Impact Member) for a Net Impact “Issues in Depth” call to talk about “Making the Most of the Net Impact Conference for Your Career”.

Join us for the call if you can!  Weds., Oct. 5, 12:00-1:00pm EST

Link to details and registration (free)

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/29/attending-net-impact-2011-join-me-for-making-the-most-of-the-net-impact-conference-for-your-career/feed/ 0 Recent openings in sustainability, CSR, clean energy http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/16/recent-openings-in-sustainability-csr-clean-energy/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/16/recent-openings-in-sustainability-csr-clean-energy/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 13:18:19 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=474 Adidas – Director of Reebok Social Purpose (Canton, MA)

Alcoa – Director, Product & Market Strategy – Sustainability (Req # 8483) (Pittsburgh, PA)

Apex Wind Energy – Financial Analyst (Charlottesville, VA)

Arup – Senior Sustainability Consultant (Boston)

BASF – Clean Energy Market Development Analyst-1101238 (Florham Park, NJ)

Black & Veatch – multiple openings for Solar Project Manager (engineering + MBA) (CA, CO, MI, KS)

Blu Skye – Senior Consultant (San Francisco, CA)

Burlington Coat Factory – Manager of Waste Management & Sustainability (Burlington, NJ)

Chiquita Brands Intl – Regional Manager Corporate Social Responsibility (Costa Rica)

City of Cambridge – Sustainability Planner (Cambridge, MA)

Clean Energy Group – Project Director (Montpelier, VT location preferred but not req’d)

Coca-Cola - Project Manager Sustainability/CRS (Atlanta, GA)

Davidson College – Director of Sustainability (Davidson, NC)

Earthwatch Institute – Intl Director of Corporate Partnerships (Oxford, UK or Boston, USA)

Ecos Consulting – Account Executive (San Francisco)

Ernst & Young – Manager – Climate Change & Sustainability (Houston, TX)

Global Partnerships – Director of Marketing & Communications (Seattle, WA)

Google – Green Team Design and Construction Lead (Mountain View, CA)

Kinetix LLC – Senior Strategist, Corporate Sustainability (New York)

Land O’Lakes – Director, Sustainability (Shoreview, MN)

Las Vegas Sands/The Venetian – Manager, Sustainability (Las Vegas, NV)

Lenovo – Global Procurement Sustainability Program Manager (Raleigh, NC)

Lowe’s Companies – Manager Renewable Energy (Mooresville, NC)

McGraw Hill Companies/JD Powers – Account Director, Green Practice-21389 (Westlake Village, CA)

PetSmart – Director of Sustainability (Phoenix, AZ)

Rare – Manager, Business Analytics (Arlington, VA)

Real Goods Solar – Marketing Director (San Rafael, CA)

Rio Tinto – Environmental Manager (U.K.)

Sharp – Sr Manager Corporate Environmental Affairs (Mahwah, NJ)

Sodexo – Project Manager (sustainability) (Gaithersburg, MD)

Tiffany’s - Intern, Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility (Masters completed or in progress) (New York)

Unilever – Manager, Sustainability & Partner Communications (Englewood Cliffs, NJ)

University of Pennsylvania – Director, Sustainability (Philadelphia, PA)

Walmart – Sr Manager Sustainability (Bentonville, AR)

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/09/16/recent-openings-in-sustainability-csr-clean-energy/feed/ 0 Recent job openings in sustainability, CSR, green building http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/26/recent-job-openings-in-sustainability-csr-green-building/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/26/recent-job-openings-in-sustainability-csr-green-building/#comments Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:36:14 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=467 Annie’s Organics – Marketing Communications Director (Berkeley, CA) and Associate Brand Manager (Berkeley, CA)

APCO Worldwide - Manager/Sr. Associate – Corporate Responsibility Practice (Washington, DC)

Blu Skye - Senior Consultant and Associate Consultant positions (San Francisco)

Coinstar, Inc. – Sustainability Manager (Bellevue, WA)

Conservation International – Sr. Vice President, Ctr for Environ Leadership in Business (Arlington, VA)

Delhaize Group – Corporate Responsibility Data Analyst (Masters degree required) (Brussels)

District of Columbia Sustainable Energy Utility – Marketing Manager (Washington DC) and Managing Director (Washington DC)

Earth Advantage Institute - Commercial Program Manager (Portland, OR)

eBay - Director, Operational Sustainability (San Jose, CA)

Echoing Green - Social Investment Council Manager (New York)

ecojiva, LLC (solar integrator) – New Business Development Mgr (Rochester Hills, MI)

EnerNOC – multiple business development and marketing positions (Boston, MA)

Environ Defense Fund – Dir of Marketing Communications, Corp. Partnerships Program (Wash DC or Boston)

FTSE – Associate, Responsible Investment (London)

Fujitsu – Principal, Green IT and Sustainability Consulting (Location flexible)

Global Buildings Performance Network – US Program Director, Institute for Market Transformation (Washington DC)

Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) - Manager External Relations (New York)

Global Social Competitiveness Index Initiative - Communications Director (Durham, NC)

Hyundai Motor America – Asst Manager, Corporate Responsibility (Job Code: CM 1101) (Costa Mesa, CA)

Intuit - Staff Project Manager, Sustainability Initiatives (Mountain View, CA)

JC Penney - International Social & Environmental Affairs Director (Job ID: 311375) (Texas)

London Sustainability Exchange – Delivery Program Director (London, UK)

MGM Resorts International - Director of Sustainability Operations (Las Vegas, NV)

Microsoft - Citizenship Senior Manager

Pepsico - Associate Manager, Sustainability Analysis (Purchase, NY)

PG&E – Energy Policy & Planning Analyst, Sr (San Francisco)

Stanford University – Sustainability Coordinator (Job ID 43830) (Palo Alto, CA)

T Rowe Price – Mgr, Sustainability & Volunteerism, Corp Marketing & Communications-01553 (Baltimore, MD)

Unilever – Global Advocacy Manager – International Development (London)

Vermont Energy Investment Corporation – Community Small Business Outreach Manager (Columbus, OH)

Walt Disney – Director Supplier Diversity & Sustainability (Burbank, CA)

Warner Bros. Entertainment – Director, Community Affairs (Burbank, CA)

Waste Management - Project Manager – WM Sustainability Services (Narrows, VA)

Weir SPM – Sustainability Manager (Ft. Worth, TX)

World Centric (green social enterprise) – Director of Marketing (Palo Alto, CA)

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/26/recent-job-openings-in-sustainability-csr-green-building/feed/ 0 Be my guest at Net Impact 2011 http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/09/be-my-guest-at-net-impact-2011/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/09/be-my-guest-at-net-impact-2011/#comments Tue, 09 Aug 2011 23:55:55 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=465 Interested in attending the Net Impact 2011 Conference Oct. 27-29 in Portland, OR?  Because I’ll be speaking at the conference, I’m invited to bring one guest at 50% off the professional registration rate.  Want to join me?  Send me an email and tell me why it should be you in 200 words or less.  Hope to see you there!

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/08/09/be-my-guest-at-net-impact-2011/feed/ 0 Recent MBA level job openings in sustainability http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/28/recent-mba-level-job-openings-in-sustainability-2/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/28/recent-mba-level-job-openings-in-sustainability-2/#comments Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:22:19 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=455 Business Earth – Director of Sustainability (Austin, Texas)

Carters – Social Responsibility Senior Manager/Director (Atlanta, GA)

Conservation International - Manager Operations and Finance (Brussels, Belgium)

E+Co - Business Development Associate and Assistant to the CEO (Bloomfield, NJ)

eBay – Manager, eBay Green and Sustainability (San Jose, CA)

eBay – Director, Operational Sustainability (San Jose, CA)

EGG-energy – EGG-energy Fellows (locations vary)

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) – Director, Sustainable Fisheries Project (Mexico)

Ernst & Young – several openings for Manager – Climate Change & Sustainability Services (New York, Houston & Chicago)

Global Footprint Network – Chief Operating Officer (Oakland, CA)

ING Bank – Sustainability Issue Manager (Amsterdam)

Jet Blue – Manager Corporate Social Responsibility (Forest Hills, NY)

Lime Energy – Business Development Manager (Northwest)

Nike – Finance Manager, Sustainable Business & Innovation-056286 (Beaverton, OR)

Opportunity Green – Project Manager (MBA Target) (Los Angeles, CA)

POET (ethanol producer) – Product Strategy & Market Specialist (MBA preferred) (Sioux Falls, SD)

Power-One – Business Development Manager – Renewable Energy Products (Valdarno, Italy)

Queen City Forward – Executive Director (Charlotte, NC)

Sargento Foods – Sustainability Program Manager (Sheboygan, WI)

Self Help - Special Projects Assistant to California Managing Director (Oakland, CA)

Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance - Utility Director (Atlanta, GA)

Sustainable Sandhills – Executive Director (Fayetteville, NC)

The Walt Disney Company – Manager, Global External Engagement (Burbank, CA)

Wal-Mart – Senior Manager, Corporate Sustainability (Bentonville, AR)

Xerox – Manager Environmental Sustainability Strategy (Rochester, New York)

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/28/recent-mba-level-job-openings-in-sustainability-2/feed/ 0 WSJ: Job Postings in ‘Sustainability’ Have Quadrupled in Two Years http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/11/wsj-job-postings-in-%e2%80%98sustainability%e2%80%99-have-quadrupled-in-two-years/ http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/11/wsj-job-postings-in-%e2%80%98sustainability%e2%80%99-have-quadrupled-in-two-years/#comments Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:17:32 +0000 Administrator http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/?p=451 Today’s Wall Street Journal ‘s article, “Sustainability Jobs Get Green Light at Large Firms”, highlights the growth in jobs in sustainability, wind, and solar in the last two  years, saying: “Though most employers aren’t adding jobs at a quick pace, positions tied to sustainability and renewable energy might be a bright spot.”

]]> http://professionandpurpose.com/blog1/2011/07/11/wsj-job-postings-in-%e2%80%98sustainability%e2%80%99-have-quadrupled-in-two-years/feed/ 0