[Highland Damsel]

Yeah it takes an employer to take a leap and give good graduates a go. It is worth sticking in there though.

I started doing voluntary conservation work when i was thirteen and was told several things about the profession i decided was what i wanted to do. The rangers i knew said that it was a way of life, not just a job, getting a job was hard and sometimes it was about being in the right place at the right time and also who you knew to hear about things coming up and that rangers were usually 25 and over for their life experience. I'm not sure about the last bit but the rest was pretty spot on. I volunteered for four years, whilst at school and college (inc a GCSE in Environmental science) studied countryside for two years and then couldn't get a job so about six bad jobs later became the next best thing, a gardener, working outdoors with plants. Did that for lots of years studied again but made sure it linked back to coutryside and eventually found out about a job locally by knocking on the door of the local rangers office and then introducing myself to the boss at an event. Said boss chose me from other applicants because of my mix of practical and academic experience - it took 15 years to get the job i had wanted since i was thirteen. That is not lucky that is perseverance and not letting go completely but still gettin on with life. Hang in there but don't give up it can happen