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More people than ever are interested in finding careers that contribute to the greater good. In fact, Deloitte recently published its Human Capital Trends report which shows that 77% of workers are expecting their companies to increase their social impact.
This means two things if you’re looking to find a corporate responsibility or sustainability career: First, there will be more opportunities, but not where you might expect them. And second, there will be more competition for those jobs.
In this guide, we’ve partnered with our friends at the MovingWorlds Institute who run a Global Fellowship to help people find more fulfilling job in a career path that will make the world better. And if you like what you’re reading, they have a free eGuide that provides helpful templates and how-to’s on the tips below.
Figure out what makes you come alive and write it out. Use assessments, friends, and professional colleagues to find the things that strengthen you, and try and stay away from things that you might be good at, but suck the life out of you. One exercise we recommend is called peaks and valleys: think back on your career. When did you love it the most, and what were you doing during that time? When were you most depleted at work, and what was happening at that time?
Purpose is not a cause — it’s what gives you energy while you work. Read The Purpose Economy, use the tools and research created by Imperative, and do a self-audit on the type of work that makes you feel a deep sense of fulfillment and belonging.
Some of us care about one cause while many of us are passionate about multiple causes. Shortlist the ones you care the most about and write down how and where you want to make a difference in the world, regardless of what your next job is. Not sure which one to look at the? The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals provide you a roadmap on the different goals that need your help to make a most just and sustainable planet.
You can find purposeful work and make the world better in any sector (here’s a guide to doing less harm and more good regardless of where you work). The goal for you now is to figure out what type of environment works best for you: Nonprofit? Social enterprise? Public sector? To find out more about each type, research things like Glassdoor Reviews, annual reports, and potential second or third degree connections in your network who might be willing to sit down for a coffee chat with you. Once you have more information about the different options and your own working style, you can figure out where you can do your best work.
Some of us like to work on teams in a startup incubator. Some prefer open office plans. Some don’t care, and others want to work remote. Which will sustain you? Similar to step 4 above, you need to go see different places to identify which will be best for you.
Search for the type of organizations that lie at the intersection of your strengths, purpose, and causes. Get creative and think about organizations in different sectors, sizes, and locations to find the best match.
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