Advice wanted!

[Amy Harris]

Hey

I am currently working in London, have a rather boring job and am looking to get out next year and do a masters in Ecology but know I need to get experience before I have any hope of getting jobs after that!

Does anyone have any advice about where i can get weekend/after work experience or where I can even start looking?

Any advice would be really welcome

Amy x

[John]

Originally Posted by Amy Harris

Hey

I am currently working in London, have a rather boring job and am looking to get out next year and do a masters in Ecology but know I need to get experience before I have any hope of getting jobs after that!

Does anyone have any advice about where i can get weekend/after work experience or where I can even start looking?

Any advice would be really welcome

Amy x

Hi Amy

A warm welcome to WAB from me. I hope you both enjoy your time on here and also get the advice you need.

Regarding the advice. I can't help you but I'm sure there are a few that can. One name that comes to mind is eeyore (Pete). He is away this weekend but I'm sure if he sees this thread he will help.

John

[Tursiops2]

Hi Amy

If you're interested in practical conservation work then contact BTCV London:
BTCV - BTCV London

If you're looking to do surveys etc., London Wildlife Trust may be able to advise:
Wild London

ATB
Tursiops

[ripplingwave]

Hey

Not sure where you are in London but volunteering with these guys may help....plenty of practical work to do!

Lee Valley Park

[aeshna5]

If you want to improve your field skills look at the programme of the London Natural History Society which has field meetings virtually every weekend, mostly in + just beyond the London area (their recording area is a 20 mile radius of St. Pauls, so includes some fairly rural areas) as well as 6 coach trips a year further afield in the Ornithology section, though we don't ignore other wildlife on these. For instance in June we are going to Strumpshaw Fen where in addition to the birds such as Hobby + Marsh Harrier, we may see Chinese Water Deer, outside chance of Otter, Grass Snake, Swallowtails, Norfolk Hawker dragonfly + a rich fenland flora.

You would be very welcome if you wanted to turn up on any of our events.

[nightshade]

I have noticed that the general advice is get stuck in
and give yourself a background in wildlife trust work or
as Aeshna suggests the LNHS
This way you make contacts and useful friends

[Kymba]

You might like to give these a go as a Volunteer

Wild London

Oh and welcome to WAB

[Amy Harris]

Thank you to everyone's responses - they've been awesome!

I am planning on going to one of the London Natural History Society meets in the next couple of weeks to see how it goes and will follow up on the other links too.

Thank you!!

Amy

[gardnerbr]

I graduated with an environmental science degree 3 years ago. To be honest it would seem that a masters is not needed to get work. By all means if you enjoy education then go ahead but when it comes to a job you will not be given preferrential treatment over those without a masters. Experience is the key, some places will take on people that don't have huge amounts of experience, but obviously that is reflected in the pay but just keep perservering and you will climb the ladder.

My best possible advice is that flood the market with your cv, join employment agencies, professional bodies and call in all the favours you might be owed. Don't be nervous to ask just get out there and speak to everyone you can no matter whether you think your qualified or not.

its a common mistake that you have to work for free/volunteer to break into the ecology industry, perserverance is the key. Send your cv to companies, follow up with a telephone call a week later to check its recieved and show your enthusiasm for working for them, if called to interview no matter the post your going for dress to impress, chat to everyone including even the receptionist as quite often they are asked what they thought of you. Dont let the interviewer work to hard, talk to them dont wait to be questioned/prompted.

If all else fails then buy a lottery ticket and keep your fingers crossed

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by gardnerbr

Iits a common mistake that you have to work for free/volunteer to break into the ecology industry, perserverance is the key. Send your cv to companies, follow up with a telephone call a week later to check its recieved and show your enthusiasm for working for them,

My experience is more in the practical conservation field but in my opinion it is not a mistake to volunteer at all - you can tout your CV arround as much as you like but if you dont have the minimum required experience (which is often a year or so) then you will get nothing except letters of rejection

you must get the experience and if you cant get a job then the only route open to you is to volunteer - incidentally volunteering with a good organisation is not about "working for nothing" it should be a mutually beneficial experience where in return for your work you get valuable skills , experience , training and a reference when you apply for your first paid job. It is also a valuable networking opportunity that not only helps you get a job but helps you make contacts which will advance your career later too

I am at work at present but when I get home tonight I will send amy some a more comprehensive answer to her orgininal question.