Building Green Professionals

Friday, February 11, 2011

Working in the Solar Panel Industry

The field of renewable energy can offer an exciting and very rewarding career. In recent years, the number of jobs in this category has increased significantly because of the high level of interest and emphasis governments and individuals are placing on resources for generations. The Solar Panel Industry is one field that has a great need for skilled professionals who know what they are doing and are efficient at doing it. Those who are considering Working in the Solar Panel Industry should have some relevant education.

There are a number of fields within the solar panel industry. For instance, there is a great need for those who know how to design and construct the solar panels themselves. Many times, businesses or individuals want to implement these products into their energy plan, but they have no idea how to construct them, and even if they did, they probably would not have the time or desire. There are a lot of people willing to pay big money to a contractor who can effectively install these panels for them.

There are also higher level jobs available for those with more education and know how. For instance, much research is needed to biomass energy production. Engineers are greatly needed with a deep understanding of physics, chemistry, and material science, who can take the lead in creating more innovative products and furthering research and development.

Editor's Note: In the green energy field, you can specialize in one or two fields and still be a valuable asset to your organization. In fact, if you're a specialist with a BPI certification or building analyst training, you could easily use these skills to help a company that specializes in solar panel installation.

Solar panels are continually improving, but they need to be made even more cost efficient for the average consumer so that they can be more widely implemented. And many of the types that are currently on the market are simply not as reliable as people would like. There are often a lot of complications requiring an engineer's help to come and fix them.

Within the field of renewable energy, there is a great need for those who can help further this industry. The world is constantly seeking to become a safer place for its inhabitants to live in, and when you work in a field like this, you have the opportunity to be a part of this great cause.

Obtaining a good education will go a long way toward giving you the knowledge and expertise to contribute effectively. Employers are currently looking for those who understand modern software programs and an ever changing world.

Created for CleanEdison, Inc. CleanEdison serves federal, state and local governments, building design and construction firms, owners, operators, and real estate investors. We have educated hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals in green building practices both through customized training and the largest open enrollment green training program in the nation. CleanEdison has courses in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BPI (Building Performance Institute) Certification, Energy Auditing, Solar, Wind and Renewable Energy. CleanEdison has also developed numerous customized training programs specific to a business or organization's needs. Click here to learn more about CleanEdison, BPI Certification & BPI Training

What You Should Know About Evaluating a Job Offer

If you receive an offer, it is important that you spend time carefully evaluating a job offer before you decide whether to take it or not. You do not want to be hasty in making your decision as you do not want to regret having taken the job later on down the road. Be sure to consider the entire package including the benefits, any perks you might receive, and the environment you will be working in, and so on. You have to think about more than just the paycheck.

While it is true, money is not the only thing that matters, it is an important one. No one gets up and goes to work every day because they do not need the money! Make sure that if the offer is not as good as you thought it would be that it is at least a salary that you can live with. If it is not enough to cover your bills and you are not being paid what you are really worth, then you should not accept the offer.

Benefits and perks are another important factor. It is okay to ask for clarification of the details of any benefits that you are offered. Benefits can be as important as salary to some people, especially those with chronic medical conditions or families that they want to cover with health insurance. Even vacation time is an important perk that must be considered.

Other important factors include the hours and the schedule that you will be working. For example, if you are used to working a 40 hour week and you need that full paycheck to pay your bills, then a job that is only offering 30 hours may not cover all of your expenses.

Taking the time and evaluating a job offer before you accept is not only good for you, but will be appreciated by the potential employer as well. In almost every case, the employer would rather continue searching for the right employee than to have to start over to fill a job if you decide shortly after starting that the job was not for you.

This article was written for CleanEdison, Inc. CleanEdison serves federal, state and local governments, building design and construction firms, owners, operators, and real estate investors. We have educated hundreds of companies and thousands of individuals in green building practices both through customized training and the largest open enrollment green training program in the nation. CleanEdison has courses in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), BPI (Building Performance Institute) Certification, Energy Auditing, Solar, Wind and Renewable Energy. CleanEdison has also developed numerous customized training programs specific to a business or organization's needs. Call CleanEdison for more information about BPI certification, LEED certification, and other courses near you.

What Are Ways of Handling Stress at Work

Stress at work is not pretty and it also can have an impact on so many factors of your life and leave your body feeling at a loss, there are ways to go about handling stress at work, here are a few useful tips.

Being fully rested is very important when dealing with anything. You want to make sure that you are getting at least eight hours of sleep each night. A steady sleeping routine can improve how you function. Go to sleep every night and wake up at the same time.

Relax while you’re commuting to work. Whether you take public transportation or driving yourself to work, making sure that you remain calm. Listening to your favorite music can put you in a good mood, which is a great way to start your work during the day.

Fear of losing your job can also have a big impact. In the current economy, you never know if it is going to get better or worse. Try not to think about losing your job and focus on how you are doing it now. Take the pressure of yourself and see how things improve. Talking about what is bothering you can help, letting it out to a friend or family member can be a good way to improve.

Try a little bit of exercise can go a long way. Find a way to get a few minutes to yourself and make it useful by stretching or doing a little jogging. Anything to get the heart pumping can make you feel better afterwards. During your lunch break, take a stroll around the block or take the stairs.

Any type of stress can cause serious health problems if not handled correctly. Don't let the environments of your workplace takes a toll on you and your personal life. Knowing the ways of handling stress at work is important and good for your health.

Useful Tips for Balancing Work and Home

Balancing work and home can be difficult if you have a job with a heavy workload. Most people do their best to balance the responsibilities of their work and life at home. For individuals feeling stressed about this, there are some useful tips that can be used to avoid burnout.

Especially for people who are married and have kids, it can be hard to balance home and work. If home life and work life encroach with each other, this may cause problems both at home and at work. But there are some great ways to avoid this from happening.

By making a schedule and sticking to it, it can be possible to get things to run smoothly. Being organized can help a person do what he needs to do at the job and also get things done at home. It will be clear when to do what and this will make life a lot easier. Each activity will have its own time frame.

It can be overwhelming if one spouse needs to handle most responsibilities. Sharing responsibilities is a solution to this problem. Giving the children some responsibilities at home can also be very helpful. This way the family will have more time available to spend with each other.

Try not to take work home. It is easy to do this if the job is very demanding and things always need to be done as soon as possible. But this will make it even more difficult to balance work and home. When one is at home, it is better to dedicate that time to home activities and to the family.

The weekend or days off are great times to focus only on family and home activities. Schedule these days to do things with spouse and children and try to forget about work. Just feel free and enjoy the day.

By making a plan, balancing work and home can become a simple task. It is difficult for many people to do this. But having a plan and working to follow that plan are great steps towards a balanced life.

Tips on How to Dress For the Interview

Once you have landed an interview for a potential job, you want to dress to impress to ensure that you are being considered for hired. Here are some tips on how to dress for the interview which gives a better chance to land that job.

For any job interview, how you dress can determine if you will get the job. First impression says a lot, you do not have to look like you rolled out of bed and went to be interviewed. Dress to impress is a must for any type of job interview no matter what the position is.

If you do not have the proper attire, buy something nice and simple to wear. Make sure that it fits; you do not want to wear something that is too loose or too tight. You will need to cover up as much as possible and make sure that there are no visible tattoo and piercings.

Clothing attire for men could be slacks, a long sleeve shirt and tie, and dark colored shoes. A suit is always a good way to go if you have one. If wearing cologne, make sure it is not too overpowering and best to put less than usual. A fresh hair cut and shave goes a long way.

Women's attire for job interview suggestions could be a knee or below length skirt with a light long sleeve collared shirt. A nice little jacket to match is optional and heels should be a decent size, not too high. Nice hair style and clean nails, as you are being interviewed, these can be noticed.

Always remember that how you dress will also be an important evaluation for any company looking to hire. Once you learn how to dress for the interview, you have already passed that part and have a great chance in landing that job.

Working in the Geo-Thermal Industry

A career in the geo-thermal industry has an excellent future potential. Not only is this sort of work important in the sense that it is providing energy for societies to consume, it is doing so in a reasonable and thoughtful manner. This is an industry that certainly has an edge on the competition.

And as far as the jobs related to it are concerned, they are very diverse and can include any sort of work that one may be interested in. Some aspects of this exciting job would include everything from running an office to working out in the fields. The industry has much in common with oil drilling and the like, but it is an important step away from relying on fossil fuels.

As a result, the needs of the business are vast. While many positions may require an advanced scientific degree, others may be available to anyone with a strong back and an open mind. Like any business anywhere, this one needs people who can commit to a vision. And the vision of renewable energy resources has become a vital component in this growing market.

Editor's Note: Regardless of your ultimate career goals in the geo-thermal field, your objective will be to deliver this renewable energy efficiently to homes and businesses. You could easily enhance your existing skill sets by acquiring a BPI certification from a training center near your city. The building analyst training allows you to help the home owners by making their homes more energy efficient. With this new skill set, you can broaden your knowledge and see geo-thermal implementation on broader perspective.

As economies tend to fluctuate, sometimes wildly, finding a career with a sense of stability becomes quite important. Ultimately, finding and creating energy is a field that has shown tremendous staying power, and with that tremendous earning potentials. Finding a way to fit in to that research and development may be a wise investment of time and effort.

Begin by simply researching the field, which is done easily enough online. Try and find a few contacts that are willing to discuss things with you, and reach out to them in a friendly and professional manner. All industries are interested in those who are interested in them; so showing enthusiasm may be the one thing necessary for creating an opportunity for you.

Finding meaningful employment is usually high on the list of most individuals. For those who are looking for a secure future, while providing an extremely important service for others, working in the geo-thermal industry may be a good fit. Do some research, and talk to qualified professionals, and see if geo-thermal is the field for you.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Tips for Balancing Full-Time Work and School

Balancing full-time work and school is not easy to do. However, for many people this is completely necessary, since the cost of college and living is very expensive. If you are looking for some useful tips to help you successfully balance all of your responsibilities, this article can help.

Before you decide that you should be taking on a job while you are in the process of studying, you should assess your finances. Some people may find that it may not be necessary to take on a job or they may be able to take on a job with fewer hours instead. Be sure to exhaust all of your financial resources, like grants, scholarships, and financial aid before making the commitment to a job with long hours.

If you do need to work long hours, consider taking only a few courses or only taking the minimum allotment of classes that are required in order to be considered a full-time student. Decreasing the amount of studying you need to do will help you be more successful in your classes.

Try to take as many classes through distance learning as possible. You can now take courses through the Internet and through TV courses. This is a great way to increase your flexibility and improve the way that you study.

Make sure that your job does not have really strict hours that leave you feeling tired every single day. If this happens, you will not be able to get through your lectures or study for tests. In this case, you may end up wasting your tuition money altogether since you may end up getting bad grades.

Balancing full-time work and school is possible, but it is not for everyone, nor is it advised. Try to get a job that does not ask for too much of a commitment, and if possible, attend college online since there is more flexibility.

Are you looking for a career change? If you answered "yes", then you may be eligible to receive a grant for training. BPI Certification is a highly valued certification in the energy efficiency industry, and you can train to help home owners make their homes more energy efficient. Thomas B. Chuong is currently writing articles related to career development for BPI Certification

Tips for Finding Paid Internships after College

Finding paid internships after college is a great way to get your foot in the door and earn money. However, many interns do not get paid, but with these tips, you may be able to find a salaried position.

If you are planning on interning once you finish school, there are some things that you should keep in mind about the application process. For example, many organizations and corporations will only hire people who have completed certain degrees, so you should only apply for positions that accept people with the type of degree that you have. Another restriction that is commonly found is that you must have graduated very recently. Do not wait too long after graduating to apply for intern jobs.

Since many companies like to take on free laborers, it can be hard to get a salaried position, but they do exist. As you search for jobs, you will need to be very patient and you should treat your search like a full-time job.

If you've exhausted all of your resources and you cannot find a job, consider switching careers. BPI certification may be your best alternative because now almost every company that is involved in the building analyst industry is looking for qualified BPI professionals.

And if you're residing in New Jersey or Maryland, there may be grants available for your employer to send you to school for free. Check out websites such as www.bpi.org or www.cleanedison.com for more information about this booming green economy.

You can find intern jobs easily on the Internet. Today, they are listed in the online classifieds, on company websites, online job boards, and on sites that are just for people who are looking to be interns. Oftentimes, the job posts will tell you if the position offers a payment or not. If the posting does not contain this information, contact the hiring division before you spend hours on applying.

You may find a number of positions saying that there is no salary or hourly wage. However, they may offer something called a stipend. This is a fixed amount of money that is given to you for all of the work that you do. Make sure that the stipend is acceptable for the amount of work you are being asked to do.

Finding paid internships after college will be tough to do. Be sure to exhaust all of your resources, network, and apply early to help get your foot in the door.

Tips for Communicating Effectively At Work

Communicating effectively at work is a trait that any good manager needs to have. It is essential to keeping a line of open communication with your employees and making them know that you can be trusted when it is the most important. Effective communication also helps ensure your employees are compliant with the rules and that they are working as productively as is expected.

One important element of your job as a manager is to take the time to get to know your employees. Not only does this help you to gain their trust, but it also helps you to achieve a setting that includes high morale and teamwork. Take the time to learn things such as ways that they were successful in the past, how they best learn, and what type of feedback they like, and so on.

Communication is a two way street. When you talk to your employees, greet them personally, use their first name, when you ask them how they are, listen to their answers. Learn to be aware of the body language and voice tones of other people. Learn to become an active listener. When you communicate with your employees, make sure it is a process of give and take.

When you evaluate and provide feedback to your employees, always provide timely and specific feedback. Just telling them they are doing a job is nice, but not specific enough. Make sure to provide facts and details. Do not just give them your personal opinions or conclusions.

When communicating effectively at work, it is important to also remember that some things are better discussed in private. The biggest thing to keep in mind is that you may eventually be faced with an employee that has a personal emergency situation. It is very important to keep anything that you are told in confidence. By following a few tips, you can not only be an excellent communicator at work, but a manager that is well respected.

The Importance of Finding a Career Doing What You Love

In order to obtain the things that we need and want it becomes necessary for most of us to spend the majority of our lives in the work force. We may be forced to hold positions at times that are not to our liking, but the long-term goal should be to find the perfect balance between financial need and happiness. Just as the princess who had to kiss several frogs to find a prince, it may be necessary to try out several positions while finding a career doing what you love.

Many people go through high school and then even begin college with a specific major in mind. On many occasions the major is changed when the person is exposed to other things arriving at college, and develops skills or a new attachment to a particular field of study. This is a perfect opportunity to spend the time experimenting with different areas and developing different skills.

By experimenting with different jobs, you may find a liking to certain position in a company. Most importantly, the job must somehow harmonize with your personality or you will find yourself changing jobs frequently.

For example, if you like improving the conditions of our planet, you may be suited for a career as a BPI building analyst. Basically, you're entering into a career as an energy auditor, and by training to be a BPI professional, you're helping home owners save money on their utility bills.

Part-time jobs can be a good way to experiment with a couple of different professions at one time while still providing a worthwhile income. This will allow for ample time to see how you really feel about the work and can provide a good reference for a resume should you need it later. Also, a part-time position is also a good way to continue education until you have made a final decision.

Working for temporary agencies is another way to be exposed to many different types of employment and may be especially helpful if you have no idea what you want to do. They have connections in almost every area of business to allow you to try out nearly everything that you qualify for. It is possible for you to find something that really makes you happy and can be quite a substantial living permanently.

Some students volunteer at particular businesses that they are interested in while attending classes to see if they really like it before actually plunging into the field. Making the correct decision is important, as this will be a place that you will have to be nearly every day for the biggest part of your life. Whatever decision you make, remember it will be much more important to enjoy doing it and less important how wealthy you are.