Career Advice - The Voice of Job Seekers

Why are Green Accounting Careers so Hot?

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If you’re interested in having an impact on the environment, and you like accounting, maybe green accounting careers are interesting enough for some of you.

The show today is another collaboration with DeVry University (@devryuniv) to broaden your future career options. My guest is Professor Joyce Barden, CPA, who teaches at DeVry University and the Keller Graduate School of Management in Phoenix, Arizona. Thanks again to DeVry University for choose this podcast to promote green accounting careers!

I would love to know if green accounting would be a major you would seriously consider? Here’s how you can share that with me:

1) Leave a voice mail or text message at 708-365-9822. Let me know if I can share it on future shows

2) Email me: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com
3) Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com and press the “Send Voicemail” button to leave a message online

As always, career professionals that leave feedback please let me know if it’s OK to read your responses during the show, and I will include a link in the show notes to your site.

Here are some highlights of our conversation:

Professor Barden explains the differences between traditional accounting (she calls it the language of business) and green accounting
Those aspiring to green accountant careers must advise his or her clients or employers on sustainability and the environmental impact of what their decisions are based on
Green accounting careers are likely to be found where the sun prominently appears like Arizona, California, and New Mexico
Green accountant specialists work with a wide range of teams and team members just like most accountants
Cost reduction as it impacts the environment is a main focus of the job
Students with a desire for green accounting careers must offer value to employers, able to advise employers or clients how to be environmental effective, and not just a number cruncher. Successful job candidate needs to approach potential employers as a consultant and business advisor
State governments and fraud and forensics agencies could be a great source for internships and green accounting careers
Professor Barden recommends working part-time at first
Adaptability, flexibility, and writing are in-demand soft skills, ones that CEO’s are demanding
Companies are looking for diversity, consider the role and skills companies want. Can you solve the puzzle since there are so many collaborative partners, and put together input from everyone?
Employers looking for candidates in green accounting careers want to see more passion with the value he or she brings to the table. The successful candidate has to “run their own race.”

Have you subscribed to this show on iTunes? If you haven’t, please do so. iTunes is a great place to write an honest review, and increase the show’s visibility. Enjoy listening to the show. Let us know what you think.

Do you need help with resume writing or career direction? Do you need coaching or instruction?I can help.

Also, join our Linkedin community! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Choose a Career Path Not a Job with Ryan Porter

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I found a site in the last year that exclusively promotes career paths for those who decide not to pursue post-secondary education. The site was eye-catching, attractive, and hyper-functional for the users as an energetic experience. The founder, Ryan Porter, epitomizes energy and synergy when I talked to him. Any time that a site, an idea, technology or person can positively engage a job seeker to clarity and simplicity, I’m interested in featuring it on the podcast.

Has a lack of a college degree hindered you from career choices? Would a site that had more compatible choices for you help your job search? I would love to hear what you think. There are three ways to let me know what you think:

1) Leave a voicemail or text message at 708-365-9822. Let me know if I can share it on future shows
2) Email me: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com
3) Go to TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com and press the “Send Voicemail” button to leave a message online

1. At 21, while hating college, quit his job and college and moved to Tokyo. Eventually moved to Canada and the U.S. and went around the country speaking to schools around the country (more than 900,000 students). He also wrote Make Your Own Lunch: How to Live an Epically Epic Life before founding “Raise Your Flag.”

2. Ryan reflects on a book that influenced his thinking written by Samuel Halprin, The Forgotten Half: Pathways to Success for America’s Youth and Young Families. The book address that half of high school graduates do not go on to postsecondary education and nothing was being done for them. More than 30 years later, that statistic has not changed. 70% of working Americans have less than a Bachelor’s degree.

3. Ryan observed how the discussion about education was about having a college degree or be like Bill Gates. It’s rare when the discussion addresses the majority of people who are in-between.

4. What sets “Raise Your Flag” apart from other sites that every posting has a career path. You click on the career and a path to the next career upward is shown.

5. Ryan believes those who choose their jobs are on a career path and deserve to have the confidence of their career trajectory as a college graduate does.

6. College students are likely to describe his or her retail job as “JUST” a sales associate – when for others it is the launching of a career in retail.

7. Learning and development are essential for many careers but only need a SkillShare class to enhance their skills. Ryan says that employers will drive the shift from emphasizing college to MOOCs (Massive Online Open Courses) as colleges are deemed to implode through its current business model.

8. Ryan says that what is missing from learning is the context of learning. “Are you learning this to get a good grade or is it useful for you to apply?” It takes two years of college to get the context of why you’re there.

9. Many of the volunteer projects and campaigns have the context of learning that it takes two years of college to receive, if not better.

10. “Meaningful work experiences is the true currency of the world of work.”

I encourage you to follow them on their Facebook page that has five million members and growing!

Have you subscribed to this show on iTunes? If you haven’t, please do so. This is also a great place to write an honest review. Enjoy listening to the show. Let us know what you think.

Do you need help with resume writing or career direction? Do you need coaching or instruction?I can help.

Also, join our community on Linkedin! You’ll enjoy some of the insights shared by community members and other career pros!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

2 More Career Podcasts to Help Your Job Search

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This week, I wanted to share my MUST LISTEN TO career podcasts and hosts. Both are career practitioners but from different perspectives, and bring quality job search advice to their audiences. I hope that you will go and subscribe to their podcasts in iTunes, and engage their content as you see fit. Podcasts are the new talk show, and additionally in this show, we present two career podcasts that are educational in their approach for job seekers.

If you are a college student, a recent graduate or a neophyte professional, then you must subscribe and listen to Dayvon Goddard (@ItsDayD2y), the host and Career Strategist of Secrets of the Hire podcast and blog. Those who are more seasoned would not only benefit Dayvon’s show, but also find more relevant content through Chris Russell’s (@ChrisRussell) Career Cloud Radio podcast. Both podcasts offer substantial value to your proverbial job search advice toolbox.

I like to hear your thoughts and feedback about today’s show in one of three ways:

Blog: TheVoiceofJobSeekers.com (Use the send voicemail feature)

Email: mark@thevoiceofjobseekers.com

Voicemail: 708.365.9822

Soon-to-be-graduates, are you taking the whole holiday break off from your job search. Why? There is much work to get done! Dayvon will share five strategies he performed during his school breaks and while classes were in session. Now, Dayvon works for the government, but previously had an accounting position in New York City. He graduated more than two years ago, so he shares what has worked for him so that you can apply it too!

Here are highlights from our discussion:

Start 3:37…

Dayvon shares 5 job search strategies soon-to-be graduates:

Internships. Since your college is a business, ask if you can intern for free. Yes, your university will help you with 5-10 hours weekly for experience.
Leverage Networking with Campus Leadership. Use the down time between classes to talk with the deans and executive leadership on campus. The relationship may result in a reference or a commendation letter. Dayvon also stated that it was important to be consistent.
Network with Social organizations. Not only join social organizations on campus but also take leadership positions that increase your exposure and responsibilities. These can often translate into work experience in an interview. When an interviewer asks, “Tell me about the time you led a team,” you can refer to that experience.
Utilize Career Services. It is an under-utilize resource in everything job search. Their resources are often limitless and also access to people, especially Alumni.
Utilize LinkedIn Now!!! 1) 300 million users 2) Employers are looking for you (70% of employers to recruit) 3) Recent graduates are NOT there (16% of college graduates) 4) Connect as many as you can (Dayvon received four job offers without applying to anything!)

Chris Russell is the founder of Career Cloud Radio career podcast at CareerCloud.com, in addition to his day job as a recruiter. Career Cloud is a site where you can utilize several tools for your job search built around social media. He considers himself as the “Mad Scientist of Online Recruiting.”

On his site you’ll find job postings, membership, and also houses the InstaJob and Talent Xray apps for your smartphone. His podcast is a top 25 business podcast in ALL OF iTunes as it’s downloaded more than 2,000 times daily. I found it originally back in 2008 or 2009 as the “Secrets of the Job Hunt (you can still find it under that name using the TuneIn Radio app).”

Here are some highlights from our discussion:

Start 27:13…

On his site, you can build a “social resume” which is a single page snapshot of all of your social media activity no matter what social media site it is. His tool, “jobs with friends,” connects all of your social media contacts to one database with job leads that potentially leads to referrals through those contacts

Not enough recruiters and employers are not taking advantage of Twitter and LinkedIn by interacting, and giving job search advice such as how to get a job at the company. Although statistics may say that more than 95% of recruiters are using LinkedIn doesn’t speak to the volume of activity and usage to find candidates
Chris explains how recruiters and employers are attractive to a candidate. He suggests using sharing links, writing a blog and showing your enthusiasm or expertise through discussions. As a recruiter, if he has two candidates and one is active on social media, and the other one isn’t, he will likely look at the socially active one first
We discuss the difference between 2009 and now that LinkedIn is currently a true personal website now that blogging is accessible to many of its users. Back in 2009 it was more of a place to house your resume
I asked Chris his opinion on how much someone should share on LinkedIn. Some share as much as they do Twitter, others share sparingly. Listen to his answer as there is much discussion in the career space on what is too much
We discuss the value of the local groups and becoming active on the relevant ones and your industry in general. Jobs are being posted in those groups and sometimes uncover unposted jobs

If you haven’t heard yet, we have a group on LinkedIn where you can join in on active discussion and lend your job search experience. I will post the latest shows there in addition to unpublished job search advice on the blog or our career podcasts. Let me know if you need to know more, use the contact information at the beginning of this post.

Again, check out and subscribe to these career podcasts as they fit your job search needs. Of course, subscribe to this one as your primary way to create the voice that employers will hear and hire.