Five Secrets to Greening Your Resume

Are you hoping to transition to a green career or in the process of searching for a green job? Green career expert Carol McClelland recently shared five tips for greening your resume.

Without a focus and a description of the position you are targeting, it's impossible to develop a compelling resume. Sure, you can piece together a description of your history and experience, but without customizing the language, accomplishments, and emphasized skills, the resume will not do its intended job of getting you an interview.

2. Incorporate appropriate industry-relevant terminology into your resume.

Given the high likelihood that you are making a transition to a new industry within the green economy, it's critical that you frame your accomplishments in a way that aligns with your new industry rather than your original industry. To do this effectively you must have a working knowledge of the industry your transitioning into.

3. Embed evidence of the training you have taken.

You can weave what you know about your field into the language of your resume or a list of your education achievements. Don't forget your cover letter as another way to stress what you've learned through your formal and informal education.

As you act on opportunities to enhance your credibility and experience level, update your resume to highlight your new skills. Pay attention to the results you achieve, including quantifiable ways to measure your results. Practice talking about your achievements so that you feel comfortable sharing your story to contacts and in interviews.

5. Be sure your resume reflects your values.

Employers are looking for evidence that you have sustainable values. As they read your resume, make sure they see evidence of your values in action through your associations, volunteer work, course work, and the roles you take in these organizations.