I was in Boise this past weekend for a wedding, and noticed signs all over town for the Idaho Green Expo. It reminded me, yet again, of the breadth of opportunities in the green sector. Let’s start with the list of 150 Exhibitors, divided into nine categories, from greening your home and garden to arts and culture. Carpet cleaners, solar-powered lawn care, energy efficiency building materials companies, investment companies, and advocacy organizations are all attending. Some 80 Seminars cover everything from business recycling and sustainable investing to chlorine-free swimming pools and water conservation.
If you’re looking for a green career, events like these bring together an optimum combination of experts and small and large businesses. You can learn about what’s happening locally, network with experts, see new models of green businesses that may fuel your own entrepreneurial brainstorming, and meet people who, very possibly, are doing the job they one day would like to do (or can connect them with somebody who is). They are great places to do informal informational interviews, as well as meet people you can follow up with for more in-depth information interviewing once the event has ended. Here’s a quick list of three ways to make the most of a green expo:
1. Study the program before you attend. Figure out what booths you want to stop in at and what seminars you want to see. If there’s somebody at one of these booths, or leading a session, who you’d like to get to know, carefully think of a couple of questions to help get information you want and start a conversation.
2. Expos tend to be exhausting for those who attend, so when you talk to people, get a card and ask if you can follow up with questions after the event ends. Often, people will say sure, and you’ll be able to leave the event with a dozen or more people to follow up with for future informational interviewing.
3. Get involved. Green Expos, including the Green Festivals (which are the largest), tend to offer abundant opportunities for people to volunteer. By getting involved, you’ll have a chance to get to know others who are similarly committed to sustainability, build your resume, and get a deeper education about what’s going on in the sustainability arena locally than you might simply be attending.
0 Responses to “Making the Most of Green Expos”