Cross-posted from The Green Suits:

Season's greetings! We hope you are enjoying the run up to Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or whatever it is that you celebrate.

And we keep good thoughts that 2012 will bring lots of career success to us all.

But our great good fortune will not come as a result of good luck, alone. Instead, the success we enjoy in work and career will result from forethought and scrupulous planning.

For those who seek success as The Green Suit, we offer these important process points:

• Establish a value proposition. What is it that makes you...you? Or more important, what is it that makes you successful on the job? Develop a buttoned-up one or two sentence description of you--the successful careerist.
• Acquire education and training. Your bachelor's or master's degree was only the beginning; to achieve success at The Green Suit you must commit yourself to continual education and training. Whether that means certification by way of a professional sustainability program or an advanced degree in environmental science, your future success will be tied to the recency and frequency of your education and training in sustainability, social responsibility, and related fields.
• Build a professional network. Who you know matters. Who you know who can help you succeed as The Green Suit MATTERS MOST. Carefully cultivate connections--on LinkedIn and face-to-face at business events--to empower your career and help you achieve success in the New Green Economy.
• Rework and revise the résumé (CV). Make sure you stand out by posting a compelling value proposition, key accomplishments, and truly great metrics. A distracted hiring manager may take only fifteen seconds to read your résumé, so make sure that it communicates your considerable value (or else, go unnoticed).
• Turn your current job green. Obvious green jobs don't get offered to executives who do not possess lack requisite knowledge, training, or experience in sustainability. That is why we counsel executives eager to pivot into the green economy to turn their current jobs green. Create a business plan for your boss or senior management which identifies areas where your company or organization could achieve efficiency through sustainability improvements directed by you. And, in very short order, you could become your company's official sustainability manager or green officer--ready to consider sustainability executive roles at other companies and organizations!
• And, think positive. We've all been held back by stagnation in the economy. But a great attitude is infectious. Through all of your daily interactions, enthusiastically show people the benefits of embracing triple bottom-line thinking: improved profitability, empowered people, and a cared-for planet.

As I've said to audiences of eager soon-to-be college graduates I'll say to you: our best days lie ahead.Together, let's work towards building a strong and reliable New Green Economy and assuring that we  all become successful green business careerists--The Green Suits.

Happy Holidays!