Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for MBA Careers in Sustainability [Paperback]

Katie Kross (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

The opportunity for MBAs to make a real difference in the world through careers in sustainability is tremendous. Profession and Purpose is an essential resource for connecting MBA students and graduates with careers that will literally reinvent the way business is done in the future.

--Hunter Lovins, co-author of Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution; Founding Faculty, Presidio Graduate School

Now, more than ever, we need smart MBA graduates working on the front lines of sustainability. In all industry sectors, in all company departments, we need professionals working to make business greener, smarter, and more innovative. Profession and Purpose maps out specific sustainability career options and offers practical advice on getting there. It is a great resource for MBAs who want to marry business acumen with their commitment to the environment.

--Andrew Winston, MBA, author of Green Recovery and co-author of Green to Gold

There is no such thing as a typical career path in sustainability. For MBA students, who increasingly want a career that reflects their values, Profession and Purpose will be an essential resource. It addresses the complexity of the field through a concise yet comprehensive how-to-do-it approach that should lead many future leaders to key roles in responsible business.

--Liz Maw, Executive Director, Net Impact

Product Description

Sustainability holds the promise of an exciting new approach to business - one in which business goals are aligned with social and environmental goals. Multinational corporations are recognizing that we live in an increasingly resource-constrained world, and that more accountability for corporate social and environmental impacts will accrue to them. More importantly, forward-thinking executives understand that sustainability can present new opportunities for competitive advantage - whether that is by reducing costs, minimizing risk, appealing to increasingly conscientious customers, or reaching new markets entirely. With the growth of this field comes a host of interesting new career opportunities for MBAs. As companies are grappling with challenges like how to develop social return on investment (SROI) metrics or understand the potential impact of corporate carbon footprints on stock prices, there are new opportunities for the next generation of managers - managers who are not only trained in traditional MBA fundamentals but also grounded in an understanding of the multifaceted social and environmental challenges facing 21st-century global business leaders. Entirely new career paths are opening to MBAs interested in sustainability: sustainable venture capital, green marketing, corporate social responsibility management, carbon credit trading, and sustainability consulting, to name a few. Perhaps even more than corporate executives, MBA students understand this trend. The next generation of managers can see that the future of business will require a new set of skills and responsibilities. Between 2003 and 2008, membership in Net Impact, the global organization for MBAs and business professionals interested in sustainability, increased more than fourfold. By March 2009, over 130 business schools had a Net Impact chapter. Around the world, MBA students realize that a different model will be required for businesses in the coming decades. The career paths that fall under the broad umbrella of 'sustainability' are as diverse as the MBA students themselves. One student may be interested in social entrepreneurship in West Africa, and the next will be seeking advice about clean-tech venture capital careers in Silicon Valley; a third will be interested in greening global supply chains. Corporate social responsibility, sustainable product marketing, microfinance, green real estate development, renewable energy, and other interests all likewise fall under the sustainability umbrella at times. Because of this diversity, it is often hard for business schools' career management centers to address sustainability-related career options in a comprehensive way. Many sustainability-related companies and nonprofits are not accustomed to on-campus recruiting. Others have not historically hired MBAs at all. MBA students and alumni interested in sustainability careers are often left to navigate their own internship and job search paths. And, often, they struggle. "Profession and Purpose" has been written to address this urgent need. Whether you are focused on an off-campus search or participating in the on-campus recruiting process, there are a host of sustainability-specific career resources you should know about. You'll need to be well versed in sustainability news and trends, and network at the right events, conferences, and company presentations. You also need to know about industry- and discipline-specific websites that post sustainability jobs for positions with titles like Corporate Social Responsibility Manager, Socially Responsible Investing Analyst, and Renewable Energy Market Analyst. Through hundreds of conversations with MBA students, professionals, and recruiters, as well as her own personal experience, the author has compiled the key job search resources and tips for MBAs interested in sustainability careers.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Greenleaf Publishing (September 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1906093296
• ISBN-13: 978-1906093297
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #779,587 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comparable to What Color is Your Parachute for those in the Sustainability/CSR space, November 20, 2009

By	Karen P. Katz "Career Strategist, (CAN)" (Philadelphia suburbs) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for MBA Careers in Sustainability (Paperback)

How did I come across Katie Kross' book, Profession and Purpose? As a career coach with clients interested in working in the Sustainability and CSR space, the book has been on my radar screen since the summer, but it was not yet available through Amazon.com. So I was thrilled to see that Katie would be moderating a session at the 2009 Net Impact Conference - I stalked her session and was not disappointed. (Look for more about the session on my blog, [...].

Here's the real deal about this new book and the author you may know as Katie, the outstanding and modest Associate Director of the Corporate Sustainability Initiative (CSI) at Duke University.

* The book is compact and easy to read; even the font is easy on the eyes.
* In Part 1, Katie does a great job of explaining what Sustainability means - from the perspective of a student, a professional working in the field, and from the perspective of a company incorporating Sustainability into its strategic plan. Katie offers some reasons why those who wish to land internships and professional jobs may need to become "green cows."
* Part 2 offers excellent information about 9+ tracks that are currently available in the Sustainability space. Readers will relate to the sidebar profiles of successful incumbents, who share information about their jobs, how they landed them, and some personal job search tips.
* Part 3 is chock-full of outstanding resources, including a suggested timeline for career management; a list of relevant events; a reading list for those new to the topic; a list of websites that post sustainability-related internships and jobs; and, a list of companies and investment funds that are known for their involvement in this space.

I guess the highest compliment I can offer is to admit that I wish I had written this book. My prediction is that Profession and Purpose will become as useful to its target audience as What Color is Your Parachute was for its audience, back in the day... For the first time, I feel like a groupie, but no cool musician or hot actor for me. The object of my admiration is a down-to-earth mom, administrator, and author of a book about job search in the Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) space.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Must-Have for Graduates and Career Changers, June 7, 2010

By	Sustainability Professor "Sustainability Prof... (Chapel Hill, NC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for MBA Careers in Sustainability (Paperback)

I am so glad this book is finally available! As a professor who teaches in the sustainability topic area, I am constantly asked about how to combine "profession and purpose." The question comes from soon-to-be graduates and from established professionals who want something more from their careers. With the current economy, Katie's resources and tips are on-target and timely for both audiences. I can and do recommend this book every chance I get because it offers a nice mix of how to identify your strengths and how to find a (paid) home for them. I also recommend this as pre-reading before consulting with anyone about matching their interests with their skills. Katie Kross has put together the ultimate guidebook- she knows her audience and she knows her topic. This book will not disappoint.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Go-to-guide for anyone interested in a career in sustainabillity, December 1, 2009

By	Mrim Boutla (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Profession and Purpose: A Resource Guide for MBA Careers in Sustainability (Paperback)

Katie's book is a 'tour de force', a clear roadmap of the field of sustainability and of the resources currently available to those interested in futher investigating or pursuing careers in sustainability. Clear, concise, and organized by the traditional MBA functions business professionals will readily recognize, this book is on its way to become a milestone in sustainability careers!

As a career coach for MBAs with 5 years experience in coaching professionals interested in blending financial return with social impact and environmental responsibility, I am referring back to 'Profession and Purpose' daily! This has become my go-to-guide that enables me to connect students and alumni with resources faster.

'Profession and Purpose' is a unique resource to accelerate students' and alumni's learning as they design and implement strategies to reach their career goals within the field of sustainability across the private, public and non-profit sectors.

Thank you Katie for this amazing book!