As you hear about green job opportunities while searching the web career sites or talking with contacts, do you say:

"I could do that" "That wouldn't be so bad" "That might work for me"

If you do, you are on a slippery slope of settling for a job that falls in your lap rather than choosing the job you really want.

"The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it." - Michelangelo

Most people look outside themselves for career ideas because they don't know how to approach a career change in a proactive, systematic way.

• Do you know what steps to take to achieve your dream of having a green career?
• Do you know the order in which to take those steps?

What's Your Strategy?

Review the questions below to assess your approach to your career change.

If you are hoping you'll run into something that will work for you, your career search probably looks something like this. You:

• Talk to people you meet about their careers, trying to find something that will work for you.
• Troll job boards to see if there's something that will work for you.
• Apply for jobs when you hear about them, even when you don't know what the job entails.

If you want to take a proactive role in your quest for a green career, your journey will look something like this. You will:

• Identify your passions and interests to identify a career that's a good fit for you. On the Green Career Central site we call this finding your Green Niche. (See our new What's Your Green Niche ebook)
• Investigate your target careers and industries to strengthen your understanding of the field.
• Target contacts who can help you gain up-to-date information about your target career.
• Apply for jobs when they fit your needs.

Benefits of Reaching for What You Really Want

Rather than settle for something that "might" work for you, set your sights on what you really want.

Holding an ideal vision of what you want allows you to open your mind to possibilities. You'll be more creative. You'll spot more networking opportunities. You'll make better decisions when you evaluate possible job options.

Although the proactive process may look more time-consuming at first, you'll find each step you take gives you a stronger foundation for the next step.

In the end you are in a job or business that truly works for you, rather than in a quick fix position that loses its appeal within the first few weeks or months.