Trying to guide your studying somewhere useful? Or already languishing in a job you don’t feel good about at parties? Help is at hand!
There’s increasing evidence to back up your yearning. Purposeful work can enhance your wellbeing, reduce stress and improve workplace success. And doing right by the environment and the people around you is good for everyone. That makes working on it feel good too.
We can’t all be firefighters, doctors or world leaders, but we can all find a do-good niche whatever our skillset.
Here are the steps. Get a vocation. Don't just yearn for your next vacation.
Step 1: Find your purpose and values
Before scanning the job ads, identify your “why.”
What environmental or social issues attract your attention and interest? Did you spend your childhood in front of animal documentaries? Are you a habitual litter picker and tree planter? Or have you always wanted to help those less fortunate?
Unsure? Check out some leading NGOs like WWF, Greenpeace or Oxfam for inspiration. Or explore your local community for the issues and challenges you would most like to address. Think first about what you would do for free, before you start to convert that to something you can get paid for.
Consider the passions that drive you to watch read, or listen to certain content. What would it be like to be immersed in these things as your nine-to-five?
Step 2: Get some skills
Got a feel for your “why”? Then it’s time for the “how”!
Still at school? Consider the subjects that best match your direction of travel. Talk about them to your teachers. Ask anyone you know who has travelled in that direction. But keep things reasonably broad. That will keep your options open.
Already working, and have bills to pay? Night classes and online learning can help fill some gaps.
Ready to invest a bit more time and money? Tertiary education now has many subjects tuned to meaningful vocations. Social work and social change. Development studies. Ecology. Conservation. Environmental management. Human Rights Law. Sustainability studies. Renewable energy engineering. Indigenous studies. And many more. Even if you can’t commit to a full three years, there are often related open events or short courses on offer.
Also attend workshops and training with local networking organisations for sustainable business or social enterprises. You can learn a lot without spending a lot, and make great connections.
Step 3: Get your foot in the door
There’s no substitute for experience.
Volunteering is the easiest form to access if you have the time. Getting placements or internships can be highly competitive, and still don’t pay.
But if you have skills that overlap, you can dip into your chosen sector as a freelance side hustle.
Find out what your chosen job is like for real, especially on the days when you don’t feel like it.
Meet the kind of people you are going to work with and see if you fit in and feel at home.
Step 4: Research the purposeful job market
The good news? Purposeful roles are popping up all over!
There are also specialist recruiters for key areas like NGO fundraising, contracting and more.
Be sure to read up on potential employers. Check out the relevant sections of their website. Look out for sections on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), sustainability and community engagement. Follow up the company's known suppliers and any relevant subsidiaries. That should show up anything untoward or especially great they have done recently.
Get to know the terminology, both for what it’s supposed to mean and what it tends to mean in practice. Understand the landscape.
If you’re looking for purpose, ensure the employers you are going to target are demonstrating it to you.
Step 5: Network, network, network!
It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.
Some great opportunities aren’t advertised. They come through personal connections.
Build your network of people involved in the area of work you’re interested in. They can give you the inside scoop. What's it really like working for some of these organisations? What are the potential pitfalls? They can even open the right doors for you.
But remember, relationship building takes time. It's not just wandering around conferences telling people you want a job, although that can help! Invest in great conversations. Get to know people. Remember their names and where they work. Offer to do things for them, before expecting them to do anything for you.
There’s no substitute for face-to-face networking. But sites like LinkedIn and X can also help you reach out to key people. Curate and cultivate your professional profile and connections. Use key terms and insights people recognise in your chosen career path. Comment and post politely and thoughtfully. Promote and support the experts you admire. Imagine that every time you're online you're speaking in a room full of the people you want to work with.
Even direct messages and calls can work if done sensitively and politely. But be sure to have a clear idea of what you can offer the person on the other end of the line to justify their time.
Step 6: Interview with impact
Purposeful job interviews work both ways.
You want to land the gig. There’s no decision to be made until you have secured an offer. But that decision also depends on them impressing you with their credentials.
So again, do your homework. Research any organisation you're applying to thoroughly. Investigate further if you get an interview. Don’t be shy! You can directly request information and answers from them before the big day.
Demonstrate your skills, experience, commitment, interest and friendly ability to fit in. If you’ve followed these steps, that'll include concrete examples of what you’ve learned, work you’ve done and people you’ve worked with.
At the same time, you’re assessing their commitment to the values you care about. Be direct and open about that. Give them a chance to respond. Prepare key questions in advance that are specific to their organisation and sector.
For example: “What are the biggest environmental challenges your company faces?” or “How do you measure the impact of your social responsibility initiatives?”
Follow up with enthusiasm. Send a thank you email. Reiterate your interest. Highlight key points from the interview or anything you think you missed or misspoke. Express your genuine excitement about the chance to join their team.
Step 7: Keep developing
This process doesn’t end.
You need to keep at it. That first job might be just a stepping stone to something greater.
The world of the purposeful professional is dynamic, and evolving rapidly. The sustainability and social impact landscape is constantly evolving. To stay on top of your game, you’ll need to stay informed and in with the right groups and individuals.
Follow key thinkers and organisations on social media. Look out for useful blogs and YouTube channels. Keep attending webinars and workshops. Stay up-to-date on the latest trends and research.
Join professional communities and networks relevant to your chosen era. Especially in smaller markets, you’ll find the same people moving all over the employment map. This gives you the chance to learn from them, or even follow them.
And perhaps most importantly, enjoy the satisfaction from doing work that truly matters!
Bonus tips!
Don’t get distracted. A lot of jobs that might not soothe your soul may fill your wallet faster, especially at the start. Believe in yourself. Stick to your plan, even when temptation arises. These things take time. You may have to do more than you expected to earn your place.
Don’t panic if you think you're ‘off-course’. There are surprisingly nourishing niches in all sorts of sectors and careers. You may find your path to the perfect career takes more twists and turns than you imagined. As long as you stay true to your values and purpose, you’ll get where you need to go.
Andy Kenworthy has been in purposeful employment for more than 20 years. Starting out as a local newspaper reporter, he has worked for global NGOs, including WWF, Greenpeace and Oxfam as well as similar organisations around the globe. He is currently senior communications advisor with the Sustainable Business Network in Aotearoa New Zealand.