5 Must See Impact Careers Workshops for Job Seekers at the 2014 Net Impact Conference

It’s time again for annual Net Impact Conference, and I’m very sorry to be missing it this year. Not only does the lineup of speakers, panels, workshops keep getting stronger, but this event has also become an invaluable networking opportunity for impact jobseekers. If you can’t attend this year, Net Impact has added the option to live stream many of the sessions and impact workshops from anywhere.

If you are attending, here are a few sessions focused on career, professional development and corporate impact that you should be sure not to miss.

Friday

Session 1: Careers Up-Close: Conversations with Speakers on Paths to "Dream Jobs

10:30 AM - 11:45 AM, November 7 2014

Speakers:

Corey Brinkema – President, Forest Sterwardship Council
Kellee James – Founder & CEO, Mercaris
Cecily Joseph – VP, Corporate Responsibility, Symantec Corporation
Tricia Napor – Direcor, Campus Parnerships & Foundation Programs, Alcoa Inc.
Jaques-Philippe Piverger – Co-founder & CEO, MPOWERD
John Tran – Procurement CSR & Sustainability Lead, Campbell Soup Company

A resume or LinkedIn profile can give you the facts about how speakers landed their dream jobs, but not the intangibles: What options did they weigh at each job transition, and why’d they make the choices they did? What do they wish they’d known when they were starting out? Back by popular demand, this signature networking salon gives you the rare opportunity to have intimate conversations with speakers about their impact careers. In small groups, you’ll learn about the twists and turns in speakers’ career paths and gain invaluable advice on entering your field, finding success, and making an impact.

Session 2: What Impact Employers Want: Understanding the Sustainability Jobs Marketplace – this was my workshop that I have run for the past two years but fortunately Katie Kross and Liz Maw have offered to step in in my absence this year

3:00 PM - 4:15 PM, November 7 2014

Speakers:

Dana Hagenbuch – VP, Commongood Careers
Katie Kross – Managing Director, EDGE Center, Duke University
Liz Maw – CEO, Net Impact
Dave Stangis – VP, Public Affairs & Corporate Responsibility, Campbell Soup Company

Does landing an interview with your dream impact employer seem about as likely as winning the lottery? Are you wondering which of your skills and experiences will make hiring managers swoon? In this panel, we’ll hear from sustainability career experts and hiring managers on the impact jobs landscape and what skills and experiences are most in-demand. You’ll leave understanding how to target the best opportunities and organizations for your goals, and how to position yourself at the front of the crowd of applicants looking to break into the impact space.

Saturday

Session 3: Four Characteristics of Radically Effective Impact Leaders

10:30 AM - 12:00 PM, November 8 2014

Speakers:

Kate Ahern – VP, Social Innovation, The Case Foundation
Paulette Frank – VP, Sustainability, Johnson & Johnson
Mary Gentile – Director, Giving Voice to Values, Babson College
Vincent Robinson – Managing Partner, The 360 Group
Steve Schein – Professor, Southern Oregon University

What does it take to deliver huge impact? Innovative technical solutions and deep financial resources can be game-changing, but it’s often a leader’s soft skills that make or break their endeavor’s success. In this session, hear from thought leaders and practitioners across sectors about the essential characteristics that enable individuals to lead radical change: thinking systemically, acting fearlessly, voicing values, and more. Whether you lead an entire organization or a small project, tackle social issues or environmental challenges, join this thought-provoking session that will challenge how you see yourself as a leader.

Session 4: *Featured* Will the Real CSR Change Agent Please Stand Up?

1:00 PM - 2:15 PM, November 8 2014

Speakers:
Christine Bader – Author, The Evolution of a Corporate Idealist
Steven Brunn – Senior Group Manager, Responsible Sourcing, Target
John Tran – Procurement CSR & Sustainability Lead, Campbell Soup Company

Within the past decade, corporate social responsibility has graduated from being a fringe department of “green” businesses to a key tenet of the world’s biggest corporations. Today, CSR practitioners entering the field can choose from a number of different approaches to impact – ranging from legal to procurement and community relations. In this candid session, get the inside scoop from leaders who hold different roles along the CSR spectrum, and learn how they can (or cannot) drive change from their seat within their companies.

Session 5: Sharktank for Intrapraneurs: How to Drive Change from the Inside

3:00 PM - 4:30 PM, November 8 2014

Speakers:

Cheryl Kiser – Executive Director, Lewis Institute and Babson Social Innovation Lab, Babson College
Lynnette McIntire – CEO, Silver Birch Communications

It’s official: we’ve entered the age of intrapreneurship, where employees have the potential to make a BIG impact from within. But being a changemaker isn’t always easy, and getting your company on board can be frustrating. This fast-paced, interactive workshop will teach you how to convince your leadership team that “change the world” projects, whether internal or externally facing, can be good for business. Bring your game-changing idea to present to your peers, and you’ll walk away with a solid pitch to prove that your project is worthy of the investment and support of your team.

Enjoy the weekend everyone! And see you next year for sure.