Environmental Studies Jobs in Education and Academics: Strategy for Finding the Job
Those graduates seeking traditional classroom environmental education jobs will use a different strategy than those seeking nontraditional education jobs. Strategies are outlined for middle and high school educators, college and university educators, and nontraditional educators.
Middle and High Schools
If your employment goal is to teach middle or high school students and you want to include environmental issues in some of your classes, the road to a successful job hunt includes several steps. You’ll want to establish a credentials file at your college or university, utilize the network your professors and advisers have established, review job advertisements, attend job fairs, and con tact schools where you’d like to work.
Establish a Credentials File. Some college and university education departments or career offices administer credential files for their education majors. Files can include résumés, letters of recommendation, transcripts, writing samples, and limited portfolios. The use of these files reduces demands on professors in terms of having to write multiple letters of recommendation for their students and demands on the college’s transcription of office. Generally, all a student needs to do is complete paperwork that details where the file should be mailed and pay a fee to cover processing and mailing costs. Be sure to find out whether your institution offers this service.
Use Established Networks. Often your professors and career office professionals are well established at the institution and they have developed a wide network of contacts in the community, the city, and throughout the state. If you have earned the respect of your professors and have taken the time to work with the career professionals at your school, you will find that they are more than willing to provide contact names and insights into the schools that have posted job advertisements.
Review job Advertisements. Jobs at the middle and high school level are widely advertised, so you shouldn’t have any problem identifying current openings. Check local and regional newspapers. Don’t forget, many of these openings can be accessed via the Internet by searching the websites for news papers published in the area where you’d like to work.
Attend job Fairs. Your college or university may organize job fairs for education majors. These events bring together potential employers and the students who are looking for teaching jobs. Every school hiring official tries to identify candidates who will be a “good fit” for their school. Job fairs offer these officials an opportunity to informally meet with potential interviewees and develop lists of people who they’d like to know more about. Check with your career office and don’t overlook the importance of attending this kind of event.
Contact Schools Directly. As you finish your degree program you’ll have heard about various schools and school districts in your region and state, and you may have made some decisions about where you’d like to work. Don’t hesitate to contact these districts and schools directly to find out how you should go about applying for current and future positions.
Higher Education
The primary audience for the Great Jobs series includes those people who are going to or who have recently attained a bachelor’s degree. Nearly every teaching job in higher education requires a doctorate, so we won’t go into great detail here on the strategy for finding collegiate-level teaching positions. Note that three important tasks include networking at regional and national professional meetings held for your specific environmental discipline, utilizing contacts your adviser and committee may refer you to, and reviewing job listings in appropriate publications, including The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Government
As you might expect, a well-defined process is in place for federal, state, and local government employment. The Internet can be a valuable tool for helping you gain employment in the public sector. But don’t overlook the importance of networking. Review Section 4 as you think about seeking employment in the public sector.
Understand How the System Works. The federal government and each state and local government have a system in place that guides how new employees are evaluated and hired. Be sure you understand the system for the governmental unit in which you’d like to work.
Complete All Necessary Paperwork with Care. Part of the system mentioned above involves an application process that can oftentimes be completed online. Be sure to carefully read all instructions and follow them to a “T”; otherwise your application may be discarded.
Gather All the Required Supporting Documents. Be sure that transcripts and letters of support have been mailed, and check that others who must provide information needed to complete your application have done so.
Follow Up. Government employers are just like any other employer. They are interested in hiring people who want to work for them. So follow up on your government applications the same way you would if applying in the private sector.
Nonprofit Organizations
If you are interested in working in the nonprofit world, undertake these three essential activities: customizing your résumé for each job, highlighting relevant specialized skills you possess, and personalizing your interest in the organization’s mission. The following three sections describe the needed efforts.
Customize Your Résumé for Each job. Employers want to know that you read the job description that they crafted and paid to advertise. Don’t let your résumé look like it could have been written for any old job. Customize your objective statement, craft your work history to highlight the relevant experience you have obtained, and list course work that is directly linked to the job you will be performing.
Highlight Relevant Specialized Skills. In either your cover letter or your résumé be sure to describe any special skills you would bring to the job. You might be able to detail your ability to use spreadsheets and databases, or your knowledge of GIS, or your weekend use of a GPS as you hiked local trails. Don’t miss the opportunity to highlight your skills.
Personalize Your Interest in the Organization’s Mission. Many people choose to work in the nonprofit sector because they deeply believe in a cause and want to spend their life’s work furthering it. Your cover letter presents a good opportunity to express the feelings you have about helping others learn about the environment. Craft your letters carefully and see what a positive impact it will have on your job search.