Why are wildlife jobs so COMPETITIVE & how to beat the system 

I get excited about the volunteer work and the journey to get the job but I don't know how I would survive financially in the process

My 2 cents as a fellow wildlife biologist... these 2 cents are in no particular order. Competitive, yes, very. Undergrad programs are producing environmental science graduates at a staggering rate for what is really a pretty niche field. Few jobs, boatloads of graduates. Too many graduates. Colleges are being a bit irresponsible about this to be honest. Definitely agree with video creator on this. Furthermore, people have unrealistic expectations of what they're getting in to. Being a wildlife biologist is not holding baby bears, watching wolves, tracking elephants, etc. Entry-level field jobs are probably counting piles of poop in the woods, monkeying with trail cameras all day, etc. And once you've "made it" into a higher level stable wildlife biologist job, you're likely in a desk or in meetings most of the time. Your job is to be good communicating with and working with other PEOPLE, doing mundane tasks most of the time, and occasionally... you have a unique experience that resets your perspective and makes you love your job more than anything else. A note on working with charismatic species... as she noted, very hard to do. If you do manage to get a position working with a particularly high-profile and charismatic species, you are probably not getting paid, getting paid very little, or in some occasions, you will even have to pay for the opportunity to work with a project. For example, if you want to work with tigers, yeah, you're probably going to have to pay for yourself to travel to the field site and then you're doing volunteer hours. Early on in my career progression, I had a field job with wolves in Minnesota and was paid a stipend of $450/month. You can't live on that, but I got to do something few people do and it was absolutely worth my time and effort. But if you ever want to accumulate any savings, you maybe get 1 or 2 jobs like this and the rest of the time, you need to be more flexible and be mindful of your needs and what you can realistically live on. Another thing I will mention, many agencies are going to hire someone within the system already, but they are required to advertise and interview outsiders. The state government agency that I work for, for example, is required to interview any internal applicants for jobs within the agency. Meaning if a position opens up in my agency that interests me, I am going to get an interview, I am going to know the people interviewing me, and I am going to already know a lot of what they're looking for. This would give me a big edge over outsider applicants unless they are uniquely and over qualified. It's not all doom and gloom if this is your career path, but just know that it *probably* won't be easy. Some people make great connections and fall butt-backwards into cushy positions. It happens. More commonly, I think, people scrap by and by and by until they make it, or they drop out and pursue something more practical, such as accounting. The world will always need millions of cash counters; the world only needs a handful of wildlife biologists in comparison. That said, I made it and am in the exact position I wanted to be in since I was a kid. Our video creator made it. Many others made it. You can too. Just make sure you understand what the job is really going to be like when you "make it" and be sure that's what you want and that it's worth struggling towards.

OMG. "if you are passionate about animals and wildlife, you're going to enjoy that much more than if you stuck yourself in a lab 'cause you were too afraid to go towards a wildlife career". You literally read my mind! I had "settled" on my Major being Microbiology for that reason. But my passion is animals, plants & nature. Now I'm all fired up and ready to pursue this instead. Thank you :D

I have little to no experience in wildlife after having graduated in geography. Then I kinda found my way into this field through my internship where I could use many geography skills. Now I've gotten a seasonal job as fisheries technician and super excited

Everything was perfectly explained. Thanks and keep it great

Thanks for this! Realistically I don't think I'll be able to start working towards my degree or another year or two, but I think I'll go ahead and jump on volunteering to start gaining experience!

I stumbled upon your channel when I went back to school for environmental science and your tips REALLY INSPIRE ME! Thank you for creating quality content for us with questions in the field

I genuinely appreciate your insights, knowledge, and advice. Thank you so much for these videos!

Accurate. Thank you for laying it out there. I all of us that have a wildlife degree come to these realizations eventually.

Every time I wait for your videos, your work is mind-blowing.

I’m getting my bachelors in environmental science atm. This video got me pumped up

My dreams keep getting crushed everyday 😭 Yet I really want to be a wildlife biologist

Hey Kristina, I'm graduating from my MSc this upcoming September and I have done a bunch of Volunteering, Internships, paid animal related work, consultancy work, research ecology work and more. I was wondering if you could potentially make a video on how to adequately build a resume. My school has resources for that, but I think it would be helpful to have the perspective of someone in the field that has interviewed and or hired individuals to entry-level jobs. (Just an idea, great video!!! thanks)

I like that you talked about us working class and lower income students. Its already hard to balance multiple jobs, going to school full time, and volunteering(not enough wildlife volunteer opportunities outside of the University in my area). You just have to go outside the area which is time and money and those University positions are highly coveted by graduate students. Its hard when you don't have the money or the resources but you have all the passion. I will still keep searching and connecting with my Biology professors because usually they have the connections you need if you live in a University town in the middle of nowhere. Which i think you should mention in your video or suggest people consider larger institutions vs smaller and big cities vs college towns(towns built around and dependant on University economics) and how this also plays a role in internship and volunteer opportunities when in and after college. Like my town has soooi many medical field, public health, and business opportunities but few none University(graduates only) environmental science and wild life biology opportunities. Which i didn't realize until i switched to environmental science from public health, but is definitely a consideration prior to applying to a University. I will definitely checkout your paid internship video tho

I know you’ve done a resume builder video but I would love to see how you put your resume and cover letter together and how you job hunt. I have experience getting jobs and doing interviews but I feel like getting a job that requires a degree and those that don’t are very different. Thanks for giving us so many awesome videos Kristina!

Subbed and liked thanks for the info!

I’m going to be taking next spring semester off before I transfer to a university to try and get a volunteer position during then:)

Hello Kristina, I know You aren't a botanist, but if you know any advice from fellow classmates about job oportunities for botanists. I would really apreciate it. Thanks and great vídeo!

I love Saltspring Island!!!

Happy Memorial Day (USA) Kristina Lynn! I suspect wildlife biology careers will increase in the coming years. I know in my area (SE USA) it is not uncommon to encounter coyote, bobcat, fox, deer and even black bear in suburban areas. Raccoons, opossums and snakes are commonly found in the city, while hawks, falcons, owls and even bald eagles nest in or near urban areas. We need experts to help wildlife and people co-exist in close proximity. Since you mentioned cougars. My brother hit a large cat last year that ran in front of his pickup, on a country road roughly an hour from Atlanta, GA. The cat ran off but two homeowners nearby saw it and swore it was a cougar. My brother collected a fur sample from the bumper of his truck and sent it to a university wildlife biologist. The fur collected turned out to be from a bobcat. My brother and the witnesses think it was almost three feet tall (1 meter) Hunters and farmers report cougar sightings every year in Georgia, but I don't think a cougar has ever been verified. Cheers!

Hey Kristina, do you happen to know if the competitiveness for wildlife jobs also translates into jobs having to do with insects? like field entomology or forest entomology.

It seems to me, that all Degree 's make people COMPETE for jobs, not only biology. COMPETITION is everywhere.

Found you after researching animal biology, as I am wondering whether I should pursue animal based work or human psychiatry/ology etc. Hmmm... Thank you for making such informative videos that I can take into consideration! 😊

So Ive been wanting to work with wildlife for a while now. Finally started to look at online courses to get some good understanding. Volunteering etc. Never really knew what I wanted to do career wise as I’ve been working as a manager in a pub for about 4 years. Just wondering is it too late to get the necessary education and experience at 26 years old?

I know this video was posted a while ago but I hope you can still answer! I’m wondering how much harder it is to start a career in wildlife (or any science really) when you’re older? I’m already 27 and only recently did I really start considering shifting to a science career (coming from the creative/art industry) particularly with animals. I love art but recently I’ve been feeling a bit purposeless, like I want to do something bigger than myself and contribute to the world around me in a more direct way. I always loved animals and I am passionate about the environment, but only recently did I think about doing that as a career. With the whole pandemic and also me hoping to get into an international school (I hope to migrate to Canada) I’ll probably be almost 30 when I actually start applying for universities... do I even have a chance? Lol. Looking forward to hearing from you 🙏

Hi! Planning to change career and study abroad. Thank you for your videos they were eye opener. I think it was not for me. With all the physical demands of the job i think i couldn't do it.😅😓 I'll check sustainability jobs or whatever you call it. Thank you!

Thanks for the video!, what if you graduate from a institute that teaches you how to be practical in the field, are the odds of finding a job easier?>

Hi Kristina! I see a lot of animal rights activists that are against zoos/aquariums and the people who work there, but have a lot of the same goals as people who do support zoos/aquariums. Would it be possible for you to make a video discussing that dynamic?

HI Kristina i just happened to find your channel... i am happy so happy I did. I haven't found any other youtubers that talk about wildlife. I am an online student at Oregon State. My major is natural resources with a specialization in natural resource education. i do have a question but i will message you through Instagram. Can you do a video on ecotourism and finding a volunteer experience abroad and how you were able to afford to do that as an unpaid experience

Hey you said something about Edmonton on one of your other vids is that where you are from? Reason I ask is I was watching a couple of your vids no idea why the YT algorithim put your vid in front of me but anyway you looked familiar and I couldn’t figure out why then I remembered seeing a girl and I think another guy on a quad out in the mountains near Cadomin Alberta. I was out on my side by side with another work mate and we ran into two wildlife bioligists from the UofA I think it was. They said they were doing work about the grizzly bears and I remember the girl (you?) saying they had a very healthy bear population on the mine site ( where i was working) and how there was a massive Grizzly bear in the area. That would have been about 2013/14 Was that by any chance you? And damn you are pretty as heck! Just had to say it lol.

Can veterinary technician work count as experience? I work at a vet clinic and I want to know if this could be beneficial for my career. Thank you!

What kind of volunteering can I do as someone who is still in high school in Canada?

Hey Kristina, if i were to go to a smaller college to study wildlife and conservation, would that affect my chances at getting a future job in wildlife?

Your videos are great! I'm glad I found a channel like yours! I'm also seeking advice to become a wildlife biologist. I work as an environmental specialist right now for an engineering firm. I've been there 1 year and a half already. What could I do now that could prepare me for a career in wildlife conservation biology? That's my dream career!

Looking to move half way across the country for this dream of mine. Please, PLEASE, if you have a bachelors or higher please tell me what should actually be expected and what you wished you had known prior!

I've considered volunteering with some local wildlife/parks/general outdoor agencies near me, but it's tough to find time while working a full time job. I guess I just need to make time if I'm really going to make this career change!

Hey, Just discovered your channel. I'm a non traditional in the sense that i'm 28 and changing careers... Is it too late to try and start in wildlife biology/ecology? I've always been big on biology and animals and the environment, and now more than ever it just feels like a necessity to get into it given the state of the world. But, I assume that would mean a whole new degree (4 years..).. any advice or input?

What kind of realistic job titles exist in ecology/conservation biology for someone married with kids? (So minimal travel, more reliable hours)

Saludos desde Guatemala 🇬🇹 And nice video

I'm good into my senior year and don't plan to have kids. I don't really like the idea of going into ecology. I'm taking AP biology next year and I want to research animals because I love animals. I like the idea of traveling and I want to be flexible with what I research but I really want to try to work with reptiles and amphibians if I can. But I want to be flexible. I don't really have a lot of animal work places near me but I'm trying to apply to a local pet store.

Hello kristina! I'm in my last year of my undergraduate degree, I'm majored in Botany and planning to take MS in fish wildlife and conservation management. What will I be able to do as a job with these degrees? am I going to be considered a General Biologist? I really want to study animals and work with them, I also want to help regrow ecosystems, will these majors help me to do so? I don't mind doing a lot of volunteer work.

Could you do a video on dealing with student loans, please?

Same here! I'm turning 23 soon and have a Degree in Business Management and wish I could go back to science and be passion driven than money driven. And now I think I'm too old to persue another degree in Marine Biology :')

I want to skip highschool so I can go to university to become a wildlife biologist also is working with reptiles too picky

With you, it'll be ok

Would you say that the non-field jobs are also competitive, or is it much easier to find a job in that sort of work?

Is it possible for someone to be a wildlife biologist with an environmental science degree?

How do you wildlife biologists balance having a home life with your career? I am willing to live in a tiny house so I can travel the continent if needed, but I want to have a spouse and a few pets. Those are the only things I am unwilling to compromise in my life and I’m it entirely sire how that would work with this path, but I want to be a biologist and am in it for the long haul.

very inpiring

I just want to travel the world and study animals in their natural environments but I don’t know what to do

Haha good video and unexpectedly funny

Hey are you active on Instagram to dm? I need advice on my course and I'm hoping I'd have a private conversation with you if that's ok?

I’m finding it hard to find volunteering places with wildlife in more exotic countries than the UK. All the ‘volunteering’ schemes that I’ve seen in Africa, South America, Asia etc are ridiculously expensive, the price of a good holiday for just one week. They seem to be more of a tourist trap than actually being able to volunteer in the conservation of wildlife. I’m also kind of wary of those schemes that advertise ‘cuddling baby lions’ etc as part of the volunteering. I read in a book that these kind of places weren’t even proper wildlife sanctuaries, but breeders were breeding these cubs and posing as sanctuaries to attract tourists. I wonder is there a specific way to search for volunteering places that don’t actually cost a lot of money, and that are legitimate? Could you make a video on how to find these places or if you know of any? Thank you

I’m planning to go to Oregon Stats University, to study Wildlife and fisheries major/ degree

I recognize this is an older video but I'd like to still throw out a line... So I'm coming up really quickly on needing to find and internship and then graduating with a degree in conservation biology... I think I want to recycle glass on a large scale. I'd want to gather and recycle anything, plastic in particular, but glass seems the most approachable. I want to reduce the human impact and I want to reduce pollution and help us work towards a circular economy... I have no clue where to go or where to start or if my degree was a mistake because I realized traveling and wildlife jobs weren't a realistic option too late and that graduate school was too much. I think my roots in conservation and environmental remediation are in the right place but the jobs simply aren't.

Hi, I hope I am able to get a response back, so I graduated in 2019 with a journalism and communication degree, but realised thats not what i want to do at all. I realized much to late that my true passion is wildlife and conservation and providing a service, and watching your video made me more aware of how much I want to do it. Im just stuck tbh on how to find a job that will accept me at all with my background and credentials. Im trying hard almost crying trying to find a no degree required job and cant find one, I would like some serious help to help me put my foot in the door if thats possible

Is it relatively easy to get a wildlife job with a PhD? Or do people tend to give jobs to other people who have been searching for opportunities? Thanks so much

Polar bear researcher... in Antarctica?

Omg the zoboomafoo reference🤣🤣🤣

Is wildlife biology male dominated? What is it like working with your co workers? Please tell me your co workers don't have toxic masculinity. :o

Where is your mug from please??

Hello

OH MY GOD ZOOMBOOMAFOO

Why did RU-vid recommend this

And then covid occurs. Good luck w those internships required for getting a job lol

step 1 - Be a woman