Careers advice

A green career can be extremely rewarding, providing you with both purpose and passion every day. There are green, sustainability and environmental jobs across all sectors, and in the future, we hope that everybody will have the relevant skills and knowledge to make their job greener.

Whether you’re just starting out on the career ladder, returning to work, seeking promotion, or thinking about a career change, we’ve got useful tips and hints to help you with your next steps to a sustainable career.

Woman and man talking in an office building

Green skills are in demand

New green, sustainability and environmental jobs will be created, and existing jobs will need to be done in a greener way to ensure that all businesses are operating sustainably. Every single individual will need to develop green skills. We believe that everybody has a role to play in our green future, and that green knowledge and skills must be brought into every role. Alongside this, you might also want to develop your career in a specific area, for example, working on renewable energy, actively working outdoors to protect the natural environment, or working on new green technologies.

It is widely acknowledged that there is a growing demand across all jobs for candidates with green skills. We need to train individuals and plug the green gaps for future generations, to prevent demand outstripping supply. In 2024, LinkedIn reported that, “By 2050, there will be twice as many jobs requiring green skills as people qualified to fill them if today’s trends continue…. Job seekers with green skills or titles see a 54.6% higher hiring rate than the workforce overall.”

Discover how IEMA can support your sustainability or environmental job

What is important to you?

Here are some key questions to consider when thinking about the next stage in your sustainable career, either through a promotion or a completely new role.

Why

Who

What

Where

If you aren’t sure what you want to do next, but know you need something different, don’t panic. It’s worth taking the time to think about what your sustainable career could look like. You could talk to your current employer about how you can gain exposure to different areas of your business. This could be in the form of shadowing or taking on new projects to develop your skills. Or branch out and get involved in event speaking, mentoring or coaching, or undertake training in a new area.

Supporting flexible working

Flexible working is important to different people for various reasons, which can include:

A need to work non-typical hours
Support for working with a disability
Juggling caring responsibilities
Working more than one job.

Although some jobs are advertised as part-time, we’d also recommend having a conversation with prospective employers about the potential for a role to be part-time, even if it isn’t advertised as such. Flexible arrangements can often be made, depending on the role and needs of the organisation.

The importance of networking

Networking, either in-person or online, is important at any stage of your career. It can help you find opportunities; many people find jobs through word-of-mouth or personal referrals. It helps enhance your profile and career progression through developing knowledge and skills, and providing access to advice or mentorship.

Networking tips: