Career change advice - A long term plan!

[Wileykit]

Thanks for all the advice. Brushing up my accountancy skills (as I'm currently doing performance/strategy consultancy) for charity work is an option. However, reducing my hours in my current job to fit in more time to volunteer just isn't practical (or possible - e.g. my Xmas leave is currently hanging in the balance - noooo).

Also take your point - moving careers at the moment is just not a good idea, unless you're going into something secure (i.e. not conservation!) It's something to ponder on when the sun is shining again.

Why don't people take all these super talented conservationist/environment people more seriously and pay them what they deserve!?!?

[coasty]

Originally Posted by Wileykit

Why don't people take all these super talented conservationist/environment people more seriously and pay them what they deserve!?!?

Easy.... supply and demand it was the same with geology grads in the 70s loads of people did degrees in that at the time trendy science sadly not enough jobs... For the last 20 years computing grads have had the same issues there have been threads on here about that. Enviromental sciences are interesting and nice degrees to do but sadly the truth is that there are simply are simply not enough related jobs.

Its interesting that in my industry Quantity Surveyors have managed to maintain their decent salary levels and there really doesn`t seem to be any any over supply of grads In fact there is usually a slight undersupply. The reason . Simple the RICS the professional body for the industry only ratifies a certain number of degree courses and therefore controls the number of grads...

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Wileykit

Why don't people take all these super talented conservationist/environment people more seriously and pay them what they deserve!?!?

ah the eternal question

in addition to supply and demand as coasty said, its also because we dont make money.

if you do your job well , then presumably your client makes or saves money (sorry - what i know about accountancy could be written on a very small post card ) and some of that comes to you.

If a site manager does his job well then the wildlife on his reserve will increase and benefit - plus his visitor numbers might rise but the ammount of money the reserve makes will not increase spectacularly and thus the money simply isnt there to pay him what he is "worth"

thats why its a vocational career - e do it because we love it (most of the time) not for the pay cheque.

[Wileykit]

I agree re: environment jobs not having an income generating role, but to play devil's advocate for a second, (as I'm at work waiting for an email so have time to kill), surely with all the trends at the moment about putting a monetary value on biodiversity/Quality of life/anything which lives/breaths/eats etc, then there are bound to be some studies which show that saving the planet saves money. If not, then I have found my niche

Er, sorry, gone off on a tangent there, but you get my drift (hopefully!)! None of which helps in the no jobs saga!

Of course money isn't the sole driving force for something like conservation (which is a good job, as you say Eeyore!) - bring on that rosy glow of knowing you've achieved something worthwhile with your day!!

I just want to spend my days outdoors taking pics of fluffy animals. Now all I need is someone to pay me to do it...simple huh!?

[Vectisbirder]

Originally Posted by Wileykit

I just want to spend my days outdoors taking pics of fluffy animals. Now all I need is someone to pay me to do it...simple huh!?

You and me both mate...

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Vectisbirder

You and me both mate...

you'll be lucky - the best you can hope for is someone to pay you a pittance to spend your days carrying out hard physical labour , and dealing with the idiot minority, and picking up litter, and dealing with vandalism, flytipping and other "gifts" from the "intellectual elite" while you are out in the beuatiful outdoors (frequently in the rain , freezing cold , or highwinds) surrounded by fluffy animals.

then when you get promoted to management you get to earn a half decent wage but spend half or more of your time in an office wrestling with budgets, grant applications, HR procedures, risk assesment etc etc

oh yeah its a great job but I'd still rather do what i do than be an accountant. (no offence to those who are)

[Vectisbirder]

Originally Posted by eeyore

you'll be lucky - the best you can hope for is someone to pay you a pittance to spend your days carrying out hard physical labour , and dealing with the idiot minority,

Sounds like my old job at a large well-known DIY chain...

No, despite the hardships and grief, I would still want to do a job with wildlife because I am not really motivated by money or career progression (I leave that to the more competitive types), more by job satisfaction - even though it may be hard.

Anyway, it's not something I can look into until 2010 at the earliest, as I am off travelling in Australia and south-east Asia before then.

[earthdragon64]

Maybe not an obvious or easy step in the current climate, but what about self-employment in your current field?

Even though you often feel like you end up working twice as hard as you would if you were working for a pay cheque, to a large extent you can set your own hours.

I'm self-employed in the online retail sector, and if it's a nice day and I fancy getting out and about, then I've got the flexibility to be able to do that.

I'm sure that with good pre-planning and not being tied to set times in an office, you could probably get more out of both your accountancy career, and any voluntary work with wildlife, either for personal enjoyment, or as a step towards an eventual career change.

[vegetablevn]

Originally Posted by earthdragon64

Maybe not an obvious or easy step in the current climate, but what about self-employment in your current field?

Even though you often feel like you end up working twice as hard as you would if you were working for a pay cheque, to a large extent you can set your own hours.

I'm self-employed in the online retail sector, and if it's a nice day and I fancy getting out and about, then I've got the flexibility to be able to do that.

I'm sure that with good pre-planning and not being tied to set times in an office, you could probably get more out of both your accountancy career, and any voluntary work with wildlife, either for personal enjoyment, or as a step towards an eventual career change.

Hi,

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.


Tks again and pls keep posting.

[vegetablevn]

Originally Posted by vegetablevn

Hi,

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.


Tks again and pls keep posting.

This link below can show more info, you can find them at: Career change