Here are four questions to ask yourself if you’re a student about to start searching for a post-graduate job or internship:
- What do you like to do?
- How do you like to work?
- What sort of environment do you best work in?
- What things will you most value in a job? Financial security, prestige, helping others, working independently?
That advice came from Rebecca Schnall, associate director at the Center for Career Education, who spoke recently to more than 25 students in the undergraduate programs and schools of Columbia University at a brown bag lunch, one of a series held by the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development.
Schnall outlined the various paths students with a background in environmental and sustainable development could take, such as working in environmental consulting, sustainable development-focused marketing and communications, government environmental policy or carbon trading for a commercial bank.
She encouraged students to start taking steps while they are still at Columbia, including getting involved with campus groups, taking advantage of reduced student rates at conferences and joining listservs of organizations they find interesting. They should also track online job search engines sites such as www.greenjobsearch.org, www.goodfoodjobs.com, and www.sustainablebusiness.com.
For more information on the Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development’s brownbag series, please visit our events page or contact Jessica Crespo at jcrespo@ei.columbia.edu.
