Sustainability Specialists
Overview
Demand
Core Tasks
Technology Skills
Tools Used
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Top 10 Skills
Top 10 Abilities
Top 10 Work Activities
Detailed Work Activities
Work Context
Education
Majors
Interests
Top 10 Work Styles
Work Values
Overview
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include real estate brokers, sales managers, database administrators, graphic designers, chemists, art directors, and cost estimators.
Address organizational sustainability issues, such as waste stream management, green building practices, and green procurement plans.
Demand
Core Tasks
Develop sustainability project goals, objectives, initiatives, or strategies in collaboration with other sustainability professionals.
Monitor or track sustainability indicators, such as energy usage, natural resource usage, waste generation, and recycling.
Assess or propose sustainability initiatives, considering factors such as cost effectiveness, technical feasibility, and acceptance.
Create or maintain plans or other documents related to sustainability projects.
Develop reports or presentations to communicate the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives.
Provide technical or administrative support for sustainability programs or issues.
Review and revise sustainability proposals or policies.
Collect information about waste stream management or green building practices to inform decision makers.
Identify or investigate violations of natural resources, waste management, recycling, or other environmental policies.
Research or review regulatory, technical, or market issues related to sustainability.
Identify or create new sustainability indicators.
Create marketing or outreach media, such as brochures or Web sites, to communicate sustainability issues, procedures, or objectives.
Identify or procure needed resources to implement sustainability programs or projects.
Write grant applications, rebate applications, or project proposals to secure funding for sustainability projects.
Technology Skills
Technology
Example
Hot Technology
Tools Used
Tool
Example
Top 10 Knowledge Required
Administration and Management
75%
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Law and Government
71%
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
Education and Training
70%
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
English Language
70%
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Building and Construction
68%
Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
Customer and Personal Service
64%
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
Communications and Media
62%
Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Engineering and Technology
61%
Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
Design
60%
Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
Clerical
59%
Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
Top 10 Skills
Reading Comprehension
80%
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking
80%
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing
80%
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening
78%
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Critical Thinking
78%
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving
73%
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Judgment and Decision Making
73%
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Monitoring
70%
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Active Learning
65%
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Coordination
65%
Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Top 10 Abilities
Written Comprehension
80%
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Written Expression
80%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Oral Comprehension
78%
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Oral Expression
78%
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Deductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Inductive Reasoning
75%
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity
73%
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
Speech Clarity
73%
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Information Ordering
70%
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Originality
70%
The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
Top 10 Work Activities
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
92%
Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
Getting Information
91%
Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
Developing Objectives and Strategies
87%
Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
87%
Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
Analyzing Data or Information
86%
Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
Making Decisions and Solving Problems
86%
Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
85%
Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
Interacting With Computers
84%
Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
Processing Information
81%
Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
Provide Consultation and Advice to Others
81%
Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
Detailed Work Activities
Develop sustainable business strategies or practices.
Monitor business indicators.
Assess the cost effectiveness of products, projects, or services.
Advise others on business or operational matters.
Establish organizational guidelines or policies.
Prepare operational reports.
Prepare financial documents.
Research issues related to the environment or sustainable business practices.
Investigate legal issues.
Create marketing materials.
Obtain information about goods or services.
Purchase products or services.
Prepare proposal documents.
Work Context
Electronic Mail
How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
Face-to-Face Discussions
How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
Contact With Others
How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
Work With Work Group or Team
How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
Structured versus Unstructured Work
To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
Spend Time Sitting
How much does this job require sitting?
Letters and Memos
How often does the job require written letters and memos?
Coordinate or Lead Others
How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
Education
Majors based on the broader career Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Major
Interests
Enterprising
81%
Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Investigative
62%
Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
Artistic
53%
Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
Conventional
43%
Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social
34%
Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Realistic
24%
Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
Top 10 Work Styles
Initiative
90%
Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
Cooperation
89%
Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Persistence
86%
Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
Analytical Thinking
85%
Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
Integrity
84%
Job requires being honest and ethical.
Leadership
84%
Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
Attention to Detail
82%
Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability
81%
Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Achievement/Effort
80%
Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
Adaptability/Flexibility
80%
Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
Work Values
Achievement
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
Independence
77%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
Working Conditions
74%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.
Relationships
62%
Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
Recognition
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
Support
58%
Occupations that satisfy this work value offer supportive management that stands behind employees. Corresponding needs are Company Policies, Supervision: Human Relations and Supervision: Technical.