• What are your qualifications and experience?
Once you have a few years of experience in the field, acquire a credential. A credential shows that you are a subject matter expert and have acquired the knowledge and experience to perform your work (NEHA, 2023b). The Registered Environmental Health Specialist/ Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS) creden- tial is the standard in environmental health (NEHA, 2023c), but there are other creden- tials that you can obtain. NEHA has several credentials related to food safety but there are many other credentials available from dier- ent organizations. Volunteer your time with NEHA and/ or your state affiliate. This endeavor will help you network with new and seasoned environmental health professionals. Attend conferences to learn from others. Take it a step further and present at conferences to share your knowledge and experience. Learning new skills, such as grant writing, new technology, and computer systems, can increase your value to employers. Expand your network beyond environmental health to include related fields (e.g., epidemiology, laboratory science, medicine, etc.). Under- stand the legal constructs at the federal, state, and local levels that you work under. Work with leaders in your community to understand its culture. Know that NEHA—in its mission to build, sustain, and empower an eective environ- mental health workforce—and the Ameri- can Academy of Sanitarians—in its comple- mentary focus of improving the practice and advancing the professional proficiency of
environmental health professionals—work to provide thought leadership and opportunities to forward your career. Together, we provide opportunities for strategic professional devel- opment; networking with peers, mentors, and leaders; and sharing ideas and experiences to further environmental health and you. Acknowledgement: Thank you to Michéle Samarya-Timm and Eric Bradley for their contributions to this column. Corresponding Author: Vince Radke, Chair, American Academy of Sanitarians. Email: vradke@bellsouth.net. References Gerding, J.A., Landeen, E., Kelly, K.R., White- head, S., Dyjack, D.T., Sarisky, J., & Brooks, B.W. (2019). Uncovering environmental health: An initial assessment of the pro- fession’s health department workforce and practice. Journal of Environmental Health , 81 (10), 24–33. https://www.neha.org/Images/ resources/JEH6.19-Feature-Uncovering- EH.pdf National Environmental Health Association. (2023a). About: Defining environmental health . https://www.neha.org/about National Environmental Health Association. (2023b). Credentials . https://www.neha.org/ credentials National Environmental Health Association. (2023c). Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian credential . https://www.neha.org/rehs-rs-credential
• What are your key strengths and skills? • What are your biggest accomplishments to date? • What are your areas for development? 3.Set your direction: How am I going to get there? • Think about what industries or roles you belong in. » The broad industries that really appeal to you. » The types of roles that suit you best. 4.Achievement: How will I define success? • Prioritize what you want to accomplish. • Set goals. • Get a mentor. • Make milestones for the next 6, 12, and 60 months. • Identify how to achieve your training and education plan. • Identify how to expand your network. • Celebrate successes. 5.Keep learning and exploring: How can I stay curious? • Leverage internet platforms. • Find and access resources. • Identify productivity tools. • Explore communication methods (e.g., abstracts and articles, report writing, public speaking). » The skills your need to develop. • Assess impediments and potential remedies. • Stay current with technology. • Update your résumé.
Stand out in the crowd. Show the world you are the environmental health expert you know you are with a credential. You might even earn more or get promoted. neha.org/credentials
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