Stability, in these economically troubling times, is probably the most important aspect of many peoples’ careers. Sticking with a job to keep money coming in is a sensible strategy at a time when bills are increasing and the housing market is suffering from alternating panic and shock.
Switching careers, however, does not have to be a painful financial experience if handled properly. As long as you are well-prepared, knowing if there will be a change in the amount of money you bring home, and when you will be paid, you need not suffer any cashflow problems. With money worries dealt with, the time has come to ask yourself; are you itching to get into a green job or switch to an ethical career? Check your own behaviour against these signs to find out!
- You can’t walk past the waste bins without twitching with rage: Poor waste management and recycling systems are becoming a major issue for many people when looking for a good working environment. Many employees weigh up how green their workplace is as part of making the decision to work there. If you have been trying to reform the way your company throws things away, with no success, maybe it’s time you turned that energy into something more constructive and switched to an environmental career.
- You love the products your company makes, but you can’t abide the way they are produced: sweatshop labour has been called modern day slavery, and for good reason. Many people do not realise that hundreds of the products we use in the UK, such as food and clothing, are produced for next to nothing by some of the world’s poorest people, under the worst conditions. Some people can turn a blind eye to their company’s use of sweatshop labour, as it all happens so far away and so “is nothing to do with my job”. Maybe, however, you feel that if you are not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem; in that case, start looking for ethical career options today.
- You have made it big in the private sector, but making bonuses and meeting production/sales targets just isn’t satisfying anymore: The private sector has been seen as the most exciting place to work. You can shoot up the career ladder, make piles of money, access plenty of top quality training, and put away a great pension for the future. Many people, however, need a little more than that for job satisfaction; they want to see a more tangible affect on society from their work. If this sounds like you, public sector jobs might be the answer. Pay is excellent, pensions are the best available, and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that your work can make a huge positive impact on the way people live. There are hundreds of ethical public sector jobs out there; why not start looking at them?
Does any of this sound like you? If so, maybe the green and ethical bug has bitten you too. Despite stereotypes, green careers do not have to be unprofessional, ethical jobs do not have to involve volunteering, and public sector jobs are not all marked by slow career progression and poor pay. To make the first step in switching your career, check the job listings on JuicyJobs.biz now!
Author and resource box
Rachel Charman, a writer for Juicyjobs.biz Ethical Jobs UK – an environmentally friendly green job search board which offers free job listings to Environmental, NGO’s, NFP’s and ethical companies promoting green, fair trade services and support sustainable living. For job seekers Juicyjobs can help you find the ideal ethical jobs in London.
