How to Build a “Green” Resume: Highlighting Your Sustainability Credentials
Create a sustainability-focused resume with 7 easy steps
The world is changing in many ways. Indeed, our planet is being driven by technological advances, globalization, demographic shifts, and of course environmental change. This is hardly a surprise. Before I ramble on about the perils of climate change and the catastrophic effects we are seeing on our planet (I am trying to keep it light…), let us not forget that we are changing too.
Yes, in fact, as stated by the World Economic Forum [1]: “LinkedIn reports that between 2022 and 2023, the share of talent with the skills to help address the climate crisis grew by 12.3%.” In fact, job seekers with green skills 29% more likely to be hired than the workforce average.
Now, more than ever, finding a job linked to sustainability or shifting one’s professional interest to environmentally-friendly endeavours, is key. You may not want to shift to a role entirely dedicated to environmental issues, but how can you incorporate some green practices into your job? You might already be exercising many sustainable habits at work, but how can you showcase the eco-friendly initiatives beyond the day job?
How can you build a “green” resume, truly highlight your sustainability credentials, and make this shift in the workplace?
Here’s a list of the steps to help you along the way:
1. Integrate Sustainability into Your Objective Statement 📍
Detail a clear objective statement at the top of your resume that details your interest and dedication to sustainability. For example:
“Motivated and dynamic Project Manager with 10 years of experience in the healthcare industry, specializing in sustainability and life-cycle assessment projects. Seeking a position where I can apply my expertise, strong organizational and leadership skills to manage complex environmentally-friendly initiatives and contribute to ESG business goals.”
This introduction should set the tone for the rest of your CV!
2. Detail Relevant Experience on Sustainability 🌍
Expand on your work experience to emphasize roles and responsibilities that involved sustainability efforts. Be clear and concise about what you (yourself) contributed as an individual and quantify the results you have obtained. For example:
- Managed and executed life-cycle assessment analyses for >10 products resulting in a total 10% carbon footprint reduction across the portfolio
- Introduced reusable packaging strategies across the supply chain, minimizing waste of transport boxes up to 20% per project.
- Developed and implemented sustainability trainings across the organisation, upskilling 25% of the Engineering workforce in eco-design methodologies.
3. Showcase Contributions to Sustainable Initiatives: 🚀
As much as it is important to identify within the day job what green skills you have developed, it is also impactful to recognize these competencies outside the workplace. For example:
- Volunteer Work: Participation in community clean-ups, sustainability advocacy groups, or environmental organizations. In fact, research events or organizations in your area, not just to add it to your CV!
- Awareness: Completion of educational workshop on sustainable practices. My favorite one is Climate Fresk! Check it out in the Reference section [2].
- Personal: Development of personal or group projects focused on sustainability, such as a community garden initiative.
4. List Your Key Sustainability Skills 🔑
Green skills are becoming increasingly prevalent among various industries. With growing demand in the workforce, listing your competencies pertinent to sustainability is essential. Be specific and use action-oriented language. For example:
- Experienced in life-cycle assessment and environmental impact analysis (tools: SimaPro, openLCA).
- Proficient in ESG and sustainability reporting (TCFD, CDP, and GRI) and data analysis.
- Skilled in renewable energy systems and technologies.
5. Clarify Sustainability-Focused Projects 🔨
Instead of using vague buzzwords like “green” or “eco-friendly”, provide specific examples of your contributions. For example:
Instead of saying, “Implemented a car-sharing scheme”, say, “Implemented a car-sharing scheme in the organization reducing CO2 emissions by 20% within 1 year”.
6. Display Education and Certifications 🎓
Evidently, as part of any CV, education, certifications and qualifications are an essential element. It is important to not only include but also highlight the credentials that are relevant to sustainability. This can range from formal education (courses, degrees), to certifications, to online trainings or workshops (e.g. Climate Fresk!). For example:
- Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
- LEED Accredited Professional (Green Business Certification Inc.)
- Course on Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies
You can also show your commitment to continuous learning and development by including ongoing education or professional development related to sustainability:
- Currently enrolled in a Sustainability Management course (University name, expected date of completion)
- Regular attendee of industry conferences and seminars on renewable energy strategies within the sector (example 1, example 2).
7. If you must…Use Eco-Friendly Keywords 🍃
Try not to fill your entire resume with buzzwords related to sustainability, but incorporate a few keywords that will enhance your detailed experience. This can stand out to both recruiters and applicant tracking systems (ATS). Tip: If you have a specific role in mind, try to use (wherever possible) the same words they use in the job description!
Glossary:
If you are interested in a glossary of sustainability definitions, I recommend the following list from the CDP: List of Sustainability Definitions by CDP.
Take Care:
Try not to use vague, unclear “green” buzzwords words. If you write “green solutions”, “eco-friendly initiatives”, “planet safe products”, what do you mean exactly? Be specific and precise. (Also, yes, I am fully aware that the title of this article includes the word “green”. Hence the inverted commas. I hope the article is clear enough about what I mean with “green”😀)
In Conclusion: ✨
Experts conclude that, in recent years, skills to combat climate change are becoming increasingly significant in the workforce.
I hope this list is helpful for you to stand out to employees who are seeking to expand their teams with sustainability-focused candidates who want to make a positive impact on the environment.
By strategically highlighting your sustainability experience, quantifying your environmentally-friendly results, and identifying transferrable green skills, you can land the sustainability role of your dreams!
References:
[1]: World Economic Forum. Green job vacancies are on the rise — but workers with green skills are in short supply. February 2024. [Accessed: 07.05.24]
[2]: Climate Fresk. Take Part in a Workshop. [Accessed: 07.05.24]
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