Energy and Environmental Consulting - A Hot New Career Path

With the focus on the environment, a hot newexperience and a track record that proves you know
career opportunity awaits those with expertise inyour stuff. So if you're aspiring to be the next big
energy efficiency or environmental topics. Beingenvironmental consultant for big business, you'll need
environmentally friendly is a trend among big businessto gain some experience working for someone else
right now. Not only does it make a company lookbefore breaking out on your own.
better in their marketing efforts, but it saves themIf you're an expert in any area relating to
money too. This emphasis on being "green" meansenvironmental concerns or energy management, and
that career opportunities for environmental andyou already have several years experience and a
energy consultants will continue to explode over theproven track record of improving processes, reducing
next decade or so.waste, and saving money, you're in a great position
Energy consultants provide expertise and adviseto start your own consulting business. If your
companies how to cut costs by becoming moreexperience lies in a specific area, you may have an
energy efficient. As an energy consultant, you mayadded advantage over your competition because
analyze your clients' utility bills to track patterns inyou'll be considered a specialist.
energy usage. You may also help them devise theConsider the following things when deciding whether
most energy efficient means by which to run theira career in energy or environmental consulting is right
factory, heat their office buildings, or run theirfor you:o Are you an adept researcher?o Do you
equipment.have relationships with potential clients?o Are you
Environmental consulting is a broader area.comfortable both in the field and in a business suit,
Environmental consultants may deal with energygiving a presentation to a group of senior level
consumption, but can also advise businesses on areasexecutives?o Are you a problem solver?o Are you
where they can cut back on consumption, reduceable to take complex information and break it down
waste and shrink their overall environmental footprint.into easily understandable terminology for laypeople?o
Environmental consultants could be specialists in aAre you a skilled communicator?o Do you have
number of different areas, including waste reduction,specialized knowledge in the energy and/or
natural resource management, wildlife preservation,environmental industries that could help businesses
water pollution, and air or land contamination.improve their processes, save money, and reduce
To become an energy and environmental consultant,waste?o Are you comfortable networking, building up
you should have a degree in engineering or geology.a list of contacts and marketing your own services
An advanced degree in engineering, geology, orto organizations?o Do you constantly stay abreast of
business would put you ahead of your competition atnew developments in your field?
the start. You should also have the ability toIf you've answered yes to most of the above
communicate with upper level executives and decisionquestions, you're probably very well-suited to
makers comfortably, because these are the peopleindependent consulting. Take advantage of your
you will be dealing with on a day-to-day basis.expertise, and start owning your own talent. You're
To be successful as a consultant, education aloneready to embark on the hottest new career path in
won't be enough. You'll need real-world, hands-onindependent consulting!