Q. I didn't major in anything related to green. Can I apply for jobs in those industries?

Haven’t had too many jobs yet? Don’t worry! Work experience can include almost anything; it might be a student job, internship, research, class, student club, sport etc.

Over the course of your time in college, you have already learned skills that will be relevant to most jobs. Some common examples include: researching, organizing projects, improving your ability to work as part of a team, communicating with others and juggling tasks. Take a look at a few job postings and you will usually find these listed under the qualifications section. It is generally understood that once you have these skills, it is easy to transfer them from job to job. Employers can teach you the specifics of a particular position but may be less interested in teaching you how to manage multiple deadlines, for example.

After your skills inventory, it is time to perform a people inventory. More people secure their first job through connections and networking than any other source, including the Internet. Get organized with a spread sheet to list your contacts and start talking to everyone you know; they may not work in a green career, but chances are they know someone who does. Don’t forget to check your college career center; they often can give you access to alumni who would be thrilled to give you some advice.

A few quick networking tips: when you contact them, don’t ask them for a job! Do ask for career advice, how they got started in the field themselves and, if it is going pretty well, feedback on your resume and cover letter. The relationship you build with them through this informational interviewing process can serve as a valuable tool for getting connected with key jobs that might not be advertised publicly.

Green careers cover a broad swath of jobs and sectors. This work will be found in the private, public (government) and non-profit sectors, so you should be broad based with your Internet search approach to find the right types of positions for you.

The process may seem daunting, especially in this economy, but there is hope! Green careers have been identified as one of the few industries that are still hiring and growing right now. Students often ask me which approach they should take when looking for a job, and I answer “All of them!” This doesn’t happen overnight, but with hard work and persistence, that dream job could be yours!

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Joanna Adler currently serves as the Associate Director for the Career Development Center at Mount Holyoke College, a women's liberal arts college in Western, Mass. In that role, she focuses on student preparation through individualized counseling, as well as overseeing the internship and student employment programs for the college.