Volunteering, Solar, and Mai Tai's
As your strategies for landing an internship develop while in your green training, I want you to try to avoid limiting yourself with the possibilities of where you will find your opportunities. Try to get away from relying on traditional methods such as general job boards and unlock doors through your research and volunteering. I'll start with the latter.
The key to volunteering is ensuring that the position creates a foundation for your career. This means that the duties of the volunteer position must provide the basic skills required for your goal. If you don't have a goal yet, skip right down to the "research" section. Now, although it's important, let's just put aside the rewards you reap spiritually when volunteering to help others and realize that as a job seeker, you have a mission to develop and sell yourself to your future employer. Therefore treat your volunteer efforts as the defining point of your career. If you treat the volunteer portion of your career path with indifference, then don't expect to go far.
One of the greatest suggestions was to volunteer at an organization called GRID Alternatives. Aside from the organization's support of industry growth and the assistance provided for low-income homeowners, GRID Alternatives offers their volunteers free training in solar installation which also includes team lead development programs. This is the type of volunteer opportunity that must be included in your professional growth.
For those of you still trying to determine your goal, simplifying your research within your industry just may be the ticket. Start with keeping up with the news. You don't have to spend hours searching archives when you should be listening to what the industry is handing you daily. Take for example an article from the NASDAQ OMX, that describes the how Uni-Solar laminates were used on the Royal Caribbean's latest cruise ship, the Allure of the Sea. The fact that solar has now moved on to cruise ships opens up your options.
Now sit back and imagine that you are the person in charge of maintenance of the ship's photovoltaic system while on a 10-day cruise out at sea.
Ah yes, solar and Mai-Tai's... (Just leave the drinks off the resume)
Now make your move.
~Michael
The key to volunteering is ensuring that the position creates a foundation for your career. This means that the duties of the volunteer position must provide the basic skills required for your goal. If you don't have a goal yet, skip right down to the "research" section. Now, although it's important, let's just put aside the rewards you reap spiritually when volunteering to help others and realize that as a job seeker, you have a mission to develop and sell yourself to your future employer. Therefore treat your volunteer efforts as the defining point of your career. If you treat the volunteer portion of your career path with indifference, then don't expect to go far.
One of the greatest suggestions was to volunteer at an organization called GRID Alternatives. Aside from the organization's support of industry growth and the assistance provided for low-income homeowners, GRID Alternatives offers their volunteers free training in solar installation which also includes team lead development programs. This is the type of volunteer opportunity that must be included in your professional growth.
For those of you still trying to determine your goal, simplifying your research within your industry just may be the ticket. Start with keeping up with the news. You don't have to spend hours searching archives when you should be listening to what the industry is handing you daily. Take for example an article from the NASDAQ OMX, that describes the how Uni-Solar laminates were used on the Royal Caribbean's latest cruise ship, the Allure of the Sea. The fact that solar has now moved on to cruise ships opens up your options.
Now sit back and imagine that you are the person in charge of maintenance of the ship's photovoltaic system while on a 10-day cruise out at sea.
Ah yes, solar and Mai-Tai's... (Just leave the drinks off the resume)
Now make your move.
~Michael
Comments
Post a Comment