What does a career in sustainability look like? There are countless possible approaches and directions to follow, which might make gaining orientation a bit of a challenge. That is why, after our Thematic Event on Careers in Sustainability, we followed up with our guest speakers and asked them about their experiences as a sustainability professional. Today, read what Erik Gloerfeld from Yova has to say about working in sustainability!
What were your initial career aspirations? How do they tie in with what you do now?
I always wanted to find joy in what I do. Co-founding and being the CPO at Yova is by far the most joyful activity I’ve done in my career. I truly love what I’m doing as a job the vast majority of the time – which is everything I could wish for.
Do you remember a specific pivotal moment or inspirational person that guided you towards sustainability?
I can recall a few moments, but none of them stands out enough. It was much more of a slow process and a sequence of steps in the right direction. I encourage everyone to not wait until some kind of epiphany strikes you. Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – I found this to be true for my career as for most things in life.
What piece of advice would you have liked to receive at the beginning of your career?
Don’t worry so much about your grades/CV/paycheck/career, worry about finding something that you really enjoy doing. You might need to try a few things to find it – don’t become frustrated, enjoy the process!