Nobody with a job in climate change took the same route into the sector, and OG’s staff are no exception. Whether it’s law, operations, policy, or comms, everyone has a part to play in climate action. But getting a foot in the door towards environmental jobs can be tough. Here are some top tips from OG staff about how to break into a sector that has few early career possibilities but that you are almost certainly passionate about!

*The OG team at our May 2024 strategy day.*

Aoife O’Leary – CEO & Founder

I got my foothold in climate through an unpaid internship at ClientEarth, but that was after qualifying as a lawyer so I already had some work under my belt. At Opportunity Green we don’t offer unpaid internships because they can be a factor in maintaining the status quo of the lack of people of colour working on climate. (As a quick aside, I don’t know if ClientEarth still offers internships and/or whether they are paid but I was not aware of the issues around unpaid internships when I took mine and am grateful for learning of the issues with them since). So if OG doesn’t offer unpaid internships, what are my best tips for getting into the climate space?

Transferrable skills are super important. Even if that means working for Shell for a year or two (beyond that length of time we would definitely have questions about your motives!), if you can then tell us how your skills are directly transferable to the job we have advertised then amazing! So don’t be too worried about starting in climate from the get-go.

Volunteering work is valuable work – if you assisted in organising a group to rewild your local forgotten spaces or wrote climate articles for your university paper it is all great experience that shows your passion so don’t be afraid to talk it up. If you’ve had an impact, in any role, paid or unpaid, tell us about it!

If you get to the stage of applying for the job, the number one thing I will look for is someone who can tell me what they will bring to Opportunity Green. I understand that you are passionate about climate change, and maybe OG is your dream job (it is for me!) but, fortunately for us, there are loads of people for who that is true. Never waiver from the focus of any application: why you are exactly the right person to solve whatever skills shortage OG is currently looking to fill!

Kirsty Mitchell – Legal Manager

In the legal sector, there are various paths you could take to a job in climate change. During my legal traineeship, I had the opportunity to focus on renewable energy projects, and after qualifying I broadened my experience to advise on environmental law. Of course, any direct experience you can get in climate law – whether at university, during legal training, or other work experience – will be helpful if you want to develop a career in this area. But it’s definitely not all about that! I’d also recommend:

Getting involved in extra-curricular activities and volunteering – whether that’s driving forward a climate-related workplace or university initiative, writing blog articles or supporting a local charity. These experiences not only demonstrate your passion when applying for training and job opportunities, but also enable you to learn new skills while making a positive impact.

Seeking learning opportunities and building your community. Consider joining initiatives like Legal Voices for the Future or Junior UKELA, or have a look at upcoming events or training courses on topics you’re interested in (for example, UNEP offers several free introductory online courses on environmental law).

Highlighting your unique skills and experience. The great thing about a legal career is that there are many areas of law you can specialise in – and most, if not all, will be relevant to climate change. For example, experience working with corporate clients will be helpful to understand the commercial practicalities and drivers of taking climate action, or public law experience would be beneficial for working on a climate-related judicial review.

Sabrina Khan-Dighe – Project Assistant

There are so many jobs that combat climate change – it doesn’t have to be at a charity or NGO. From banking to architecture to medicine to IT, there are silos in every single industry which minimise the impacts of the climate crisis, so definitely explore this. As my colleagues have mentioned, exploring what you are truly passionate about is crucial – it will then naturally shine through in your application. I also back the volunteering point. It doesn’t have to be at the ‘big names’ – and any experience is valuable, as long as you relate it back to climate change!

Specifically for people of colour, if you feel comfortable sharing, bring your heritage into your application and/interview! As POC, we have unique and valuable perspectives that can be traced back to our ancestors – from community-based climate change solutions to simple storytelling, our perspectives are key in the fight against climate change, and they are our strength!

Olivia Moyle – Legal Assistant

Unconventionally, I came to Opportunity Green through Charityworks, a non-profit scheme which places graduates in brilliant charities. There aren’t many programs like this out there (and I wish I had heard about them sooner). This has been my leg up into a job in climate change and helped me overcome the challenge of job descriptions demanding 2+ years of working experience for entry level roles!

I was driven by social justice during my legal studies and realised I wanted to direct that passion to tackling the climate crisis during my master’s degree in human rights. I also learnt that when applying for jobs, you need to show you’re passionate about making a change beyond words on paper. So, whether you commit your extra time to volunteering for an environmental NGO, or seek other opportunities like pro bono work, column writing or getting involved in societies whose causes you resonate with, university can be a great place to take part in meaningful projects before entering the working world. Being at OG has taught me good employers will value any of your endeavours if you can show why they make you a great addition to the climate space.

Zuzka Majcova – People and Culture Manager

My first job working on climate change was as an Executive Coordinator at Global Canopy, a jack of all trades role that included everything from being a personal assistant to supporting events, fundraising, comms and good governance. I wish someone had told the career-anxious 23-year-old me that you don’t have to be a climate scientist or a researcher to meaningfully contribute to the cause. Accountants, communications professionals and administrators are also needed. I found my interest in the people side of charity operations, and I am proud to use my skills and knowledge to support the brilliant team here at Opportunity Green. My top tips for getting a job in the climate sector would be:

Think broadly and don’t fixate on jobs with climate in the title.

Play to your strengths. If you enjoy organising and planning, consider looking at project support / assistant / operations /administrative roles.

In the thousands of CVs and applications I’ve reviewed in the last five years, motivation and passion always shine through.

If you can, consider volunteering for an environmental organisation – that could be a campaign with Greenpeace or supporting a local community allotment group. Anything that demonstrates you are serious about wanting to work in climate will be noticed and have more weight than pretty words.

If you are currently in work, is there anything you can do or advocate for that would improve the sustainability / environmental impact of your employer? Action is needed in every industry.

Gill Johnson – Chief Operating Officer

Like many, I started out as a volunteer – on an HIV/AIDS awareness programme in South Africa. I then spent over a decade working in the development and humanitarian sector in various roles (fundraising, humanitarian operations and change management) before meeting an Arctic explorer who wanted to start a charity educating primary school children about climate change. I ended up setting up and running the charity for the next six years, and that was my first job in climate change!

I loved the curiosity and hopefulness of working with kids age 4-11 years, but also wanted to do something that would make a more systemic change. So, when the opportunity came up to be Global Fundraising Director at CDP (who run the largest environmental disclosure data system) I jumped at it. From there, it seemed a natural next step to combine all the roles I’d had into the brilliant COO role here at OG which covers finance, ops, governance, IT and more, building on existing skills but also a hugely exciting new challenge and learning opportunity. My tops tips on working in an environmental job:

It can take time to get to where you want to eventually end up. Don’t be afraid to take roles that might not be perfect, but that you will enjoy while learning new skills / about a new area, or to try something completely new.

What are your transferable skills? Sometimes a sideways move to a similar role, but in a new subject area or sector can be great.

Embrace the unexpected and change opportunities – you never know where they may lead!

Not all climate and environment roles are ‘front line’. Playing a more behind-the-scenes role such as in operations may be where you can have the biggest impact.

Aqila Kiani Indra – Project Assistant, Climate Diplomacy

I first came to the climate sector through grassroots volunteering projects including live-in programs with rural communities, empowering youth and women groups through ecopreneurship, coordinating events, and sitting on committees. Most importantly this work taught me that every individual’s voice has value in the climate sector, since climate change affects all of us, albeit in different ways. My top tips for getting into an environmental job are:

Even if you haven’t got any formal experience in climate jobs, there are still ways to show your passion in the field— talk about a specific issue you're particularly interested in, what are some example articles/news you've read on it? Books? Events/seminars you've joined?

Any experience you have, however small, can still have the potential to shine. Put in any work or activity you think can support your application, whether it's volunteering or even a personal project. Share your experiences in working with other people or communities, and let your personality glow.

Share how you feel climate change has impacted you, especially if you come from a country or background that's directly facing the effects of the climate crisis. No need to shy away from having your voice heard!

Have confidence. Believe in yourself that you have every right to earn a place in this field, and that the position you’re going for is worth striving for.

Interviewers completely understand if you’re nervous. If you want to redo your answer to a question, don’t be shy to tell us! We aren’t looking for perfection, we’re looking for the person that best fits the team and with the capacity to grow.

Leona Kadijevic – Multimedia Content Producer

My journey as a creative entering the climate sector started with freelance environmental jobs at small NGOs, where I demonstrated genuine eagerness to dive into that sector. I always wanted to use visual storytelling as a means of nudging audiences to think more deeply about some important home truths. As a creative, the sector’s offered me the perfect blend of applying my creativity to a topic I am deeply passionate about and ample opportunity to learn. Showing and knowing what your genuine interests are about the problem you’re seeking to address professionally, will always lead you to finding the right way to joining them and thriving further.

In a creative role, the interview process often involves a task where you are asked to create content for the organisation you're applying to. The most important thing is showing you really understand the specific audiences the organisation is trying to reach and that you can distil their message accordingly. Don't be afraid to ask questions during this process – it shows initiative and enables you to produce content that fits the brief.

Emma Fenton – Senior Director, Climate Diplomacy

My journey into working full time on climate wasn’t as straightforward as I had expected. I got a relevant degree, relevant work experience and went on to a Masters thinking I had everything figured out. Since then, I have had to take a number of tangential (often diagonal) steps to get where I am today. From the rainforests of Cameroon and Indonesia to office jobs in London, every job I’ve had has contributed to where I am now and I offer a few top tips from along the way:

You don’t have to be ‘doing climate’ to be working on climate change. There are so many jobs that are absolutely essential to driving change that don’t intuitively seem linked – one of the most passionate people I’ve had the privilege to work with was an NGO finance officer. She used her accountancy skills to make a huge difference.

Whoever is interviewing you is just as desperate as you are that it goes well. If you aren’t sure what a question means, just ask. They will gladly take the time to reframe or repeat themselves to give you the best possible chance to answer.