Have you always dreamt of a career working with animals?
Perhaps you want to work as a conservationist, dog groomer, zoologist or vet assistant! Whatever you’re looking to do, choosing a career working with animals can be an extremely rewarding career path, however, it can be daunting to know where to start. We know there is lots to consider when thinking about a new career with animals, so here we have compiled a list of our 5 best tips to get you working in the animal world!
1. Make a Career List
The world of animal jobs is vast. An excellent first step is to determine what animals you are mainly interested in working with. Once you’ve done this, try and identify and investigate the potential career options related to those animals. It’s always a good idea to do your research, you never know what courses and opportunities are available to you in your area. You may like to explore our e-book guide and learn about the many different career options working with animals. It has over 600 pages with all the advice you need to kick-start your career working with animals.
Also, don’t dismiss careers that are animal related but do not involve hands-on contact with them. These can include zoo administrator, jobs in pet insurance, writers or veterinary pharmaceutical sales representatives. If you are interested in the animal care sector and want a slightly different job, these positions are out there.
2. Education
Education such as the wide range of courses that we offer here at Animal Courses Direct are crucial to your next step towards a career working with animals. We offer affordable and fully accredited animal care courses, from dog training and dog behaviour courses to marine biology courses, you can never be over-educated, so take a look at the full list of courses available on our website today! A course is a method of studying that is not externally checked or validated, while a qualification is a regulated and accredited course which is recognised by an awarding body. Qualifications will appear stronger on your CV and may be required over courses for some animal professions, so it is worth checking what the right requirements are for your dream role. All Ofqual regulated qualifications are listed on the Ofqual register on their website and will have their codes.
We also offer practical placements throughout the UK and worldwide to get you the perfect practical training alongside your theory.
3. Evaluate Your Skills and Strengths
It’s a good idea to make a list of all your strengths, and where your weaknesses lie. If you have any previous experience working with animals then be sure to list them as strengths, these will be highly favourable by employers.
If you feel you lack the skills or knowledge, why not try to obtain work experience, internship or a volunteer position? Although these can be less well-paid, they all provide solid experience of working in your chosen field. Animal courses, training and qualifications are also hugely important when seeking a job with animals as there is often fierce competition for animal jobs. You may like to consider volunteering as a way of building up your practical skills in an area. For volunteering opportunities available through Animal Courses Direct click here. For information on volunteering available through Animal Courses Direct click here.
4. Gain Experience
Gaining experience is essential! Not only do employers look upon this favourably, but it will also solidify in your mind what you really want to do in your career. Hands-on experience is a must as even if you decide the job isn’t quite for you, it could land you some amazing contacts and you may fall into the job of your dreams unwittingly. Also, you may like to enquire about shadowing a more senior member of a team in your chosen field, if the opportunity is there then take it! Internships and volunteering are another great way to gain work experience, as experiences like these in addition to our courses will enhance your CV. Animal Courses Direct offers many practical placements throughout the UK and abroad to complement your theory learning; these are a superb way to build up your practical knowledge whilst learning.
Most animal care employers will look for a CV that demonstrates a suitable mix of relevant, accredited animal courses and hands-on practical experience. Make sure that your CV is one that stands out!
5. Salary Scale and Pay
An important factor in a successful career in working with animals is pay. It’s essential to be honest with yourself in determining what salary level you’d be happy with. Some animal-related careers such as entry-level positions and assistant roles can have a relatively low starting wage. However, don’t let that put you off, as you progress in your chosen field, and gain more and more experience, your salary will grow and match that.
It all comes down to having the passion and drive to make a success of a career working with animals. If you have the passion, then that’s a great place to start.
Many animal careers will require at least some level of qualification, and it’s worth bearing in mind that the more qualified you are, the higher salary you are likely to be on. For more information on the qualifications we have available and for career advice with one of our online professionals, visit our website.
We hope that you’ve found these tips useful in getting a better idea about what is required for a career in the animal world. To have a look at animal careers currently available, take a look at our Jobs Board to keep up with the latest jobs out there!
Also, if you adore animals, you can keep track of all upcoming animal awareness days and events with our FREE calendar! Download it here.
