How do I transition to working in climate?

OnePointFive’s Expert Network brings talented minds together to accelerate a wide range of global climate and sustainability solutions. We’re sharing their answers to your burning climate questions here in our ‘Ask A Climate Expert’ column!

Question: “How do I transition to working in climate?”

Answer: As with any career, no two people head down the same exact path. Yet millions of people have moved into climate work, built their own careers in the climate space, or even started their careers off working for climate organizations.

Whatever you’re passionate about, skilled in, and love to do, you can very likely translate it into a climate career.

But to give you practical and concrete advice, we asked several of our experts who carved their paths into the industry. Here’s what they had to say.

Ashley Bowen: “If you're a marketing mind at any stage of your career, there's no better place to flex those creative muscles than climate. Avoid the greenwashing trap by educating yourself on the science behind climate and sustainability solutions - there are incredible resources out there from top Universities and platforms like Climatebase. Figure out what climate verticals personally resonate with you (I grew up near the ocean so blue economy and wind energy are high on my list). Go deeper in amazing Slack communities like My Climate Journey and Women Climate to connect with like-minded peers, founders, and established orgs (many of whom are looking for marketers to help responsibly grow their reach). Mentor climate startups and founders to support their marketing efforts - you'll get to prove your expertise and have climate-focused work to add to your portfolio!”

Ilushya Kapila: “My first piece of advice to someone looking to work in climate would be to immerse yourself in anything climate and sustainability based. By that I mean read articles, follow news channels, read blogs, listen to podcasts (there are so many out there), talk to friends and those around you and do your own research. The climate industry is huge and with that comes a lot of information, some of which can be trusted and might spark an interest and some of which can be a whole lot of greenwashing and may seem rather boring.

Secondly, finding a career in climate is about finding where your purpose is. Where do you want to have an impact? Most things nowadays need to be "sustainable" and so don't worry if you don't know where to start, where you belong or what to focus on. I am not even sure I know and I have been studying and working in climate for nearly 4 years!

By having an interest in a climate career you are already starting your climate journey. So try not to put too much pressure on trying to have it figured out because even the experts in the industry don't have all the solutions. By making a choice to have an impact-focused career, you are already helping to fight the good fight!"

Jacob Simon: “My first step into the puddle was some freelance writing I did. I specifically looked for climate companies that I thought were doing cool things, showed them some work I had done for other industries, and explained how I could help them out. Once I got my foot in the door, I wanted to learn more so I enrolled in the Climatebase Fellowship to get a crash course in a bunch of environmental topics. There I talked to as many people as I could, exploring how I could help them and vice versa. I built up my industry confidence and I worked on improving my writing and content creation until I knew I could help leaders in the space spread and amplify their mission and message.”

Denise Devlyn: “The best advice I’ve received about getting into climate work came from an old manager of mine. I’ve sometimes found it overwhelming thinking about all the work that needs to be done and thinking about how I, personally, can make the most impact. She told me to take a look at Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s Climate Action Van Diagram. It helped me ask myself: What am I good at? What is the work that needs doing? And what brings me joy and satisfaction? The intersection of these points is where I have learned I can best contribute to the movement! There’s a space for everyone in climate, and this diagram helps highlight where that space can be for you.”

Abigail Dateo: “If you are still in school, take advantage of the sustainability courses and clubs that are available. I took a business-sustainability seminar course at Cornell and met many speakers from different industries all working on climate. I also joined Voiz, a Gen-Z student sustainability organization, as well as the OnePointFive Expert Network to get involved in sustainability projects and connected to those in the industry. Sustainability people love to connect, so don't be shy to reach out!”

There are also plenty of public-facing sustainability clubs at Universities that the general public can get involved with! A great way to make industry connections, mentor students, and meet like-minded individuals.

Our team of Experts all came from different backgrounds and now dedicate their time and skills to helping brands on their sustainability journeys.

They’d love to help you do the same. Leave a comment on this post and let us know what advice we can help you with!