The Level Green Culture Blog

Behind the scenes and insider information for landscaping careers and green industry jobs.

When you graduate from college tightly gripping that horticulture degree, you want to celebrate with a great new job.

But what are the best job opportunities in horticulture careers?

You’re in luck — there are plenty of them.

When you hear about another company that pays a dollar more an hour than your current job, or offers a few more hours a week, it’s tempting to duck out the door for that “better” opportunity.

When the snow starts to fly and the temperature drops, an indoor job sounds a lot better than shoveling snow.

We understand your instincts. But you’re missing out.

Stay at the same company for a while, and there are lots of benefits that frequent job hoppers don't get.

Let’s take a look.

If you’re drawn to a job in the landscaping industry, chances are you love working outdoors, know your way around a mower and don't mind getting dirty.

What other skills are we looking for in a new employee?

You might be surprised.

We’ll start off with a couple actual landscaping skills we love to see. But the rest have less to do with edging and mulching and more to do with persistence and organization.

See yourself in this list of skills? We’d love to meet you.

Are you tired of dead-end jobs where you don’t feel appreciated? Unfortunately, there are a lot of those out there.

They promise you the world in the beginning, but normally all you get is stress and the desire to find something else.

If you’re looking for a new job that’s as rewarding as it is enjoyable, see what the six best landscaping companies hiring in Washington DC have to offer.

Do you know where you want to be in your career in the next year or two? What about five years?

Those can be difficult questions, especially if you don’t know what industry you want to be in or if your goals are even attainable.

Whether you’re looking to just get a foot in the door or you already have some industry experience, there are several career paths and job options in a landscaping company.

Here are three examples of green industry career pathways our employees have taken to give you an idea of your opportunities.

You never truly know what a job will be like until you’ve spent at least a day in the role. To make sure it’s a good fit before you start, you need to do your homework on the job — because it doesn’t look good if you are constantly changing jobs.

One growing industry you should consider is the landscaping field. And within that sector are two main options: commercial or residential landscaping jobs.

Some companies offer both services, but even those will have dedicated crews for each property type. Although residential and commercial landscapes have similarities, they are two very different animals.

So before you decide what’s the right job for you, make sure you understand the specific ins and outs of each — and what’s best for you.

Not everyone is content working behind a desk.

If you want to spend time outside working with your hands, a general labor job might be the best fit for your skills. Luckily, there are several good options in and around Washington DC.

We compared a variety of general labor jobs and looked at their salaries, advancement opportunities, amount of experience needed and what all they entailed. And there were five that really stood out.

Washington DC had higher average annual salaries for every job on our list, compared to the national average. With the metro area’s cost of living on the rise, that trend is set to continue.

So, if you’re looking for a job, check out the five best general labor jobs in Washington DC.