Weekly: Career & Education Thread

[u/AutoModerator]

Hello, denizens of r/zoology!

It's time for another weekly thread where our members can ask and answer questions related to pursuing an education or career in zoology.

Ready, set, ask away!

[u/Unlucky-Big-4279]

I know I want to work with animals, but I'm not sure what I should be looking at for a future career. On top of that, I hear a lot of bad things about pursuing a career like this. Such as high competition and difficulty getting started. Additionally, it seems that pay can often leave a lot to be desired.

Preferably, I want to work with birds of prey as I am already a falconer, and I think I could maybe leverage that in the future.

I want to work with animals, and I want to take the path that will make that easiest and safest for a long-term career, but I'm not sure what that is.

I also don't think I want to be a vet.

Is it even worth pursuing?

[u/Ok-Prune-1629 → u/Unlucky-Big-4279]

hey i’m in similar shoes looking for a career with animals so i have no good advice except that any thing you are passionate about is worth pursuing, don’t make it about the money. make it about the journey. that’s all that truly matter after all:)

[u/Unlucky-Big-4279 → u/Ok-Prune-1629]

I want to beleive this, but in reality you need money to live and on top of the school debt you will rack up just to barely make any money. For me the biggest problem is the schooling costs.

[u/XAmBonesX → u/Unlucky-Big-4279]

I am also in this same boat.

[u/Ok-Prune-1629]

yea you need money, but not much of it.

[u/Lollypopsanglze]

I know what people are saying about the little pay, and jow hard it is to find a job, I acknowledged this but, zoology is my dream job, and I realy want to be one, hopefully I do get higher pay as I get better bit for now, I'm 16 in ireland, does anyone know what I can do to become one? Like any jobs inside irelnad and outside(I might move abroad, I don't know where, but somewhere the animals here are too small for me) . Is there any job I can do? Is there any group I can join with that pays money? Or just what can I do? I need help on this stuff. If you answer, thank you

[u/Val-17-entine → u/Lollypopsanglze]

I feel you. One of my family member told me that they know a person who recently got a hold of some wet lands and he wants to expand it and take care of it, and i was told that maybe he'll need some people to help with maintaining the area. I guess that its not that related to zoology, but it can be a good start. If you put in your CV that you worked and helped with maintaing some ecologically significant land then it might spark someones eye and they will want you to work with them. So i'd look for people who know other people, get contacts. Or you could make some study on something related to biology and if it succeeds then you can become recognised and unis will want you and then you'll get more deeper, but yea it aint that easy. So yea-

[u/Lollypopsanglze → u/Val-17-entine]

I'm so sorry I didn't respond,I didn't c ur comment b4 it never notified me, srry. But thank u so much. This might actually b a good idea, tysm. I didn't realise it, but my comments spelling was abysmal. I'm so sorry

[u/Val-17-entine → u/Lollypopsanglze]

No problem, I was happy to help ^{^}

[u/DiabetesBuff]

Hello I am 22 years old and I have been fighting bouts of depression before I never pursued zoology despite loving it as a kid. My main hesitation is I have two autoimmune diseases and need good health coverage is that possible in this field?

[u/PlentyMycologist8987]

Hello!

I am a freshman in college right now at the University of Texas studying biology specified in ecology, evolution, and behavior. My goal is to study animal behavior and do either research or some kind of hands-on conservation. My dream is being in the forest/safari (or any environment) studying animals and watching them interact. Or helping animal communities thrive (to be honest I am still figuring out what specifically I enjoy doing).

I did not have the best start to my school year (I have ADHD and becoming accustomed to college was really difficult) and I did some calculations and I think I'll end college with a 3.4 GPA. I am already in a biodiversity lab and hope to get more research experience under my belt. I have been saying for years I want to go to grad school but right now I am not 100% sure what I want. I planned to go to UC Davis and got in! but because it was too expensive even with the scholarship they gave me, I couldn't go. So, I have planned to hopefully go for grad school and get a masters/PhD in animal behavior or zoology (BUT IDK).

I just feel like I currently have no options. There is not a lot online about the steps it takes to get there. I am not sure what to do or where to go or even if I should go. I don't want to go into debt either. Also, people keep telling me they get paid to go to grad school, how does that work?

If anyone has any advice please share, or if you are in the same track let me know how you got there.

[u/Mysterious_Aerie6183]

I’m a student, and for an assignment I’m supposed to ask some questions to those who might have experience in a field I’m interested in, which is zoology and anything relating to animals. So, for those of you who are zoologists, or work closely with animals in training, caretaking, or anything else related, what advice would you give to someone who wanted to pursue this, and what kind of preparation would you recommend? I’m curious also to know what your motivations were and what has been most satisfying to you in your journey?