|
Careers that Matter
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, sustainability and social value
creation are becoming core components of organizational strategy. The Center for
Social Value Creation prepares students with the resources, opportunities and contacts
they need to be successful in their career goals.
“Every single social and global issue of our day is a business opportunity in
disguise.” ― Peter F. Drucker
Jobs in the social value creation space tend to be forward-looking and may not
follow typical on-campus recruitment paths. Job seekers need to be creative, proactive
and start early in their search. Knowing where you want to go and building a targeted
knowledge base is essential to success.
Here are some tips to get you on track:
Narrow your search.
Experts at More than Money Careers have put their knowledge to work in
developing a career matrix to help job seekers focus their job scope. :: show more
The career matrix below developed by More than Money Careers can help you get
a handle on the range of job options and decide where in the spectrum you best fit.
Consider also picking up a copy of “Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for
MBA Careers in Sustainability”, by Katie Kross.
| |
Government |
Traditional Nonprofit |
Nonprofit Generating
Revenue |
For-Profit Social
Enterprise |
Sustainable Business |
Business Practicing CSR |
| Examples of Organizations |
US Dept. of Education
VA Dept. of Business Assistance
Detroit Economic Growth Corp. |
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Kiva.org
Global Impact Investing Network
LA Regional Food Bank |
Goodwill Industries
Echoing Green
FSG
State Employee Credit Union |
TOMs Shoes
Harbour City Svcs
Mission Measurement
New Resource Bank |
Stonyfield Farm
Eileen Fisher
Seventh Generation
Calvert Social Investment Fund |
Campbell Soup
General Electric
Sodexo
State St Bank |
| Resources to Find
Organizations in the US |
Agency Directory
State Government Directory
Local Government Directory |
Foundation Center
Idealist.org
Yahoo Directory |
iuMap
SEA
Social Capitalists
Draper Richards Kaplan Fdn Directory |
US SIF
Draper Richards Kaplan Fdn Directory
GiveToGet Jobs Database
L3Cs |
Inc500 | 5000
CCI List
SVN Directory
B Corp Directory |
Inc500 | 5000
BSR Directory
GRI US |
| Resources to Find
Organizations Abroad |
Opportunities Abroad for US
Citizen
Check Your Country’s Department of Foreign Affairs |
Idealis.org
WANGO
Directory of Development Organizations |
Idealist.org
Think Tank Directory
HigherEdJobs |
ClearlySo
Draper Richards Kaplan Fdn Directory
Ashoka Directory
Microfinance Gateway |
Lifeworth
EcoBusiness Directory
EVPA Directory |
CoinGlobal
Lifeworth
GRI |
Stay current on trends. Read everything you can get your hands on including
books, articles, research reports, and blogs. The center maintains a resource
library with many of the leading books and publications in these fields, and can
refer interested job seekers to numerous other resources as well. :: show more
|
Here are a few resources to get you started:
|
And some organizations to keep an eye on:
|
Join clubs. Build professional and peer networks, and gain
valuable leadership opportunities. :: show more
In addition to the
student clubs offered at Smith and across the UMD campus there are a variety
of professional groups in the D.C. area including:
Net Impact D.C.
Professional Chapter
At the crossroads of business, public policy and sustainability, the D.C. Professional
Chapter works to inspire, educate and equip professionals to use the power of business
to make the vision of a more socially and environmentally responsible world a reality.
HUB DC
HUB DC aims to bring together diverse communities within Washington, D.C., for
greater impact, bridging sectorial and cultural divides to promote creativity, build
stronger communities, and support initiatives that address the world’s critical
social, economic, and environmental issues by connecting world class resources to
bottom-up ideas and movements.
#SocEnDC
#SocEntDC, a monthly happy hour series for the DC social enterprise community
to connect, collaborate, and get to know one another.
NetSquared DC
NetSquared DC exists at the intersection of social change and technology. Part
of a global NetSquared movement, the group is focused on creating impact through
combining a hunger for change with powerful new technologies.
Attend conferences. Conferences are a great way to develop
industry knowledge and open up opportunities for internships and job interviews.
The Center for Social Value Creation hosts one of the largest on-campus
conferences each spring, the Social Enterprise Symposium. :: show more
The symposium brings together professionals and thought leaders from a range
of sectors and industries. Students coordinators that help plan symposium content
earn the added benefit of resume-enhancing involvement and a direct connection to
industry experts, often resulting in jobs or internships. This and a sampling of
other conferences are listed below to get you started.
Use job boards and social networking. Leveraging job
boards and social networking can mean a world of opportunity for job seekers
willing to do their homework. :: show more
Websites like Net Impact, Idealist and JustMeans enable job
seekers to connect with others and browse posted job opportunities. In today’s
world though that may not be enough. Using LinkedIn for your job search enables
you to brand your best attributes and market your skills to recruiters,
companies and industry professionals in a network more than 150 million strong.
Check out “Link
In to That Dream Gig: Everything You Need to Know About How to Use LinkedIn”
for a rundown of what college students should know about using this resource.
Meet with a career coach. Whether undergraduate or
graduate, the Smith School’s Office of Career Services has a complete set of
professional development programs and tools available. :: show more
Additionally, the center is helping the Office of Career Services integrate social
value considerations across all industries. For assistance, contact Kasandra Gunter
Robinson, expert industry advisor, at 301-405-8234.
Get hands-on experience. The classroom is essential, but
hands-on experience sets you apart and can add significant value to your resume
while still in school. :: show more
The center offers a number of experiential learning opportunities for students
to explore their interests, including the Social Venture Consulting Program, global
field projects, the Terp Changemaker team, Social Enterprise Symposium, and more.
Review Programs and Clubs and Extracurriculars for more
information.
| 
