The Green and the Black (er, Block)

It's never too early to be thinking about tax season (groan). But if you're an out-of-work tax accountant (or someone elsewhere in the field) you will love the fact that H&R Block is looking to hire up to 15,000 preparers starting late this year. Keep an eye out for the company's Income Tax Course (a prerequisite), which it will present in many metro areas the week of August 29 (cost is $299; further details here).

And for something perhaps 180 degrees away from that, you may want to consider the growing slate of green jobs out there. If you haven't heard much about them yet, just wait -- you will. Both consumer awareness and regulation are creating opportunities that are tied to solar power, sustainable practices, environmental law and green design and production, to name a few. For job listings, visit sites like sustainablebusiness.com, idealist.org, environmentalcareer.com and jobs.treehugger.com.

(See amNY for more information on how to better position yourself for an environmentally focused flip of the switch.)

--Posted by Todd Obolsky, Vault Staff Writer