# Career help!!! please. i need!



## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

Whilst studying for a National Diploma in animal management, i got 'stitched over' by my college (maybe not, but thats how i feel) and can no longer return for the second year.
I can only imagine myself with in a career with reptiles, i always wanted to be steve irwin :blush: lol
But now i have to be more realistic and take any job thats going just for money. Is there anything I could do so as to remain in the herpetology side of things?
All i can imagine myself doing is working in a reptile shop, however theres none nearby and no reptile shop is ever going to consider me i dont think, merely because of the lack of qualification
I cant go back to college as im 19 now and it will cost me shitloads.
What can i do?
For those who work in reptile shops, how did you get there?
Have i ruined my chances of the career i want?
Please, this is a rambling thread but im panicking, i dont know what to do for the first time in my life i feel that ive ran headlong into a brick wall. A brick wall in the shape of myself


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## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

Please


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## sundia (May 28, 2009)

okay calm down 

il pm ya


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## Kloy (Aug 4, 2009)

Zoo Jobs

Worth keeping your eyes on; ZSL advertised 2 perm keeper vacancies in the rep house on here


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## TCReptile (Sep 9, 2008)

Why would a reptile shop not touch you because of no qualifications? All the owners themselves need is to go on a short 2 day course for animal handling (which covers all pet animals) within the first two years and away they go. This probably explains why soooo many other shops decide to move onto selling reps without a :censor: clue.

If you have experiance with reptiles, want to expand your knowledge and are keen and hard working then I don't see why not. Even if there are no jobs at the local rep shops, perhaps volunteer one day a week to get your foot in, and start building up your knowledge and confidence.


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## Sarah1340 (Sep 14, 2008)

The MOST important thing in animal-related jobs is experience. Why not just get a part-time or full-time job and volunteer at your local pet shop or animal centre on a weekend? Save up some money, finish your course at another college (I think this is possible, I know other people who have done this with a-levels?) and then look at getting a full-time job with reps? Just a suggestion, I know it will take ages but it's my plan haha!


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## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

Ok, thanks people
Just needed reassuring that its still possible lol
I'll be emailing and visiting the most local shops possible


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## kirstyink (Mar 6, 2009)

ive done the nd too 

if you wanna work in a zoo this isnt gonna help you any better.

if you want a job in a zoo you need know someone that works there or be related and then you can get a job.

but for the rest of us we have to do a years volunteer work then work our way up

i also work in a rep shop and i go in by doing my work experience for college there then just stayed on.


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

kirstyink said:


> ive done the nd too
> 
> if you wanna work in a zoo this isnt gonna help you any better.
> 
> ...


Not quite true.

A relevant qualification will certainly stand you in good stead, but a wealth of experience is what it takes.

If you want to work in a zoo, you'll need less of a sense that "oh it's who you know not what you know!" rather than a strong ambition to do everything it takes to reach your goal, for pure passion.

To work in a good institution you will need qualifications and lots of varied experience.
To work somewhere worth working, you'll need a lot more than a relative who works there already!


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## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

This is all good info cheers
I was thinking of starting out small and working my way up to whatever i can
shame theres not a website with reptile-specific jobs 
how would i gain experience by the way? most places ive asked already have said i need working experience with reptiles, not just a hobby experience. I agreed but figured how am i ever going to get the working experience if im no longer at college and cant do work exp and also cant get a job in a reptile shop?
Perhaps volunteering? but where? lol
so many questions!?!?!


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

zoo jobs and zoo keeper jobs

ZooNewsDigest blogspot for jobs
Zoo Jobs

BIAZA Zoo vacancies
BIAZA Public Access

Info about careers in zoos and how to.
BIAZA Public Access

BIAZA directory of volunteer, work experience and studentship placements
http://www.biaza.org.uk/public/images/jobs/BCOWE.pdf


And for anyone in a position to apply 
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust | Get Involved | Recruitment


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## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

legend.


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

TCReptile said:


> Why would a reptile shop not touch you because of no qualifications? All the owners themselves need is to go on a short 2 day course for animal handling (which covers all pet animals) within the first two years and away they go. This probably explains why soooo many other shops decide to move onto selling reps without a :censor: clue.


I think he was asking about working in a specialist reptile shop rather than a pet shop (there is a big difference in my eyes). Working in a specialist shop, depending on position, requires a broad knowledge of as many different species of herptile as possible - you will be asked on a daily basis many questions on a wide variety of herps not just the few that may particularly interest you (there's no google or online helpdesk at work , not at mine anyway!) - however don't think you have to 'knowitall', as no one does! The great thing is that you will learn new things about herps daily, not just from your own experiences but from customers too (i'm trying to learn more about morphs and genetics at the moment). You would also ideally be able to deal with people in a confident manner (should you be part of the team that gives advice), and be able to relay sometimes tricky information to customers at a grass roots level to those who are just starting out (What the f$*£ is a 'thermal gradient'?! etc). A hardworking nature is obviously important, the animals won't open their own tub of crickets and dust them in Nutrobal, and although you may of planned what you're going to do for the day, animals and customers have a funny habit of throwing more than the odd spanner in the works so you should always be prepared to expect the unexpected!. Other than that you'll need a few tattoos... i'm still lacking in this department but am working on it.

Work with as many species as you possibly can at home, time served will always give you a greater chance of getting that dream job than an animal care qualification, unless you're working in a zoo like Lotte (Saedcantas) where you'll probably be required to hold a degree in Zoology or the equivalent. I worked at Banham Zoo in Norfolk for a short time around 14 years ago but didn't have a degree, so anythings possible... follow your dream and good luck!


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## TCReptile (Sep 9, 2008)

Alex M said:


> I think he was asking about working in a specialist reptile shop rather than a pet shop (there is a big difference in my eyes). Working in a specialist shop, depending on position, requires a broad knowledge of as many different species of herptile as possible - you will be asked on a daily basis many questions on a wide variety of herps not just the few that may particularly interest you (there's no google or online helpdesk at work , not at mine anyway!) - however don't think you have to 'knowitall', as no one does! The great thing is that you will learn new things about herps daily, not just from your own experiences but from customers too (i'm trying to learn more about morphs and genetics at the moment). You would also ideally be able to deal with people in a confident manner (should you be part of the team that gives advice), and be able to relay sometimes tricky information to customers at a grass roots level to those who are just starting out (What the f$*£ is a 'thermal gradient'?! etc). A hardworking nature is obviously important, the animals won't open their own tub of crickets and dust them in Nutrobal, and although you may of planned what you're going to do for the day, animals and customers have a funny habit of throwing more than the odd spanner in the works so you should always be prepared to expect the unexpected!. Other than that you'll need a few tattoos... i'm still lacking in this department but am working on it.
> 
> Work with as many species as you possibly can at home, time served will always give you a greater chance of getting that dream job than an animal care qualification, unless you're working in a zoo like Lotte (Saedcantas) where you'll probably be required to hold a degree in Zoology or the equivalent. I worked at Banham Zoo in Norfolk for a short time around 14 years ago but didn't have a degree, so anythings possible... follow your dream and good luck!


I think you may have explained what I ment a bit better. I didn't mean you don't need to know anything to work in a shop selling reptiles, what I ment was that there is no reason why reptile shops (specialist or otherwise) wouldn't touch someone just because they don't have the right qualifications. As long as someone shows the normal skills needed working wih the public (good time management, good customer relations etc) and have a willingness to learn and the abilty to do this quickly then there is know reason why not. Experience is going to be a big bonus, whether it's from keeping your own variety of animals, helping out with friends collections and/or volunteering at a shop would all help towards the end goal.
Hope that doesn't sound like a rant lol. Just trying to explain what I said a bit better.


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

:lol2:

i know this feeling exactly...

atleast you didn't complete Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry A-Levels, with a deffered offer from Cambridge to study Natural Sciences, then work for Shell in the labs for a year... only to discover there's no physical way you could do a job in physics/chemistry... :whistling2:
...or any job in an office or lab environment for that matter... or any job with a boss :whistling2:


Then be sat here now thinking "omg, what am I going to do with my life"

I sympathise with you. And going back through college or sixth form isn't really an option when your poor and would have to pay 

:2thumb:


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

Danbellini said:


> A brick wall in the shape of myself


so soooo sorry but this made me giggle, brilliant sentance


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## Danbellini (Sep 29, 2008)

lol thankyou
but it wont be all bad, so long as i keep them as a hobby at least then ill get my herp fix lol


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## Tehanu (Nov 12, 2006)

moonstruck said:


> And going back through college or sixth form isn't really an option when your poor and would have to pay
> 
> :2thumb:


Where there is a will, there will always be a way 


If you want something badly enough (and you are for all intents and purposes able bodied and minded to achieve it) you can make a way.
It might mean working an ordinary job for 4 years in order to save enough to restart, but imagine being able to do your dream job even as far away as 10 years time, if you suffer a little now, rather than accepting your lot and working a rubbish job that you resent for your entire life?

Plenty of the students that come to do work exp. with us are older, our last student worked as a mechanic until he was 25 and hated it, he's now at Reaseheath doing animal management and 28yrs


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## Robbie (Dec 4, 2006)

Speculate to accumulate I say.
I really don't want to be poor and I dislike being thought of as a student type but I'm going to haul myself through 4 years of a Chemistry degree. Afterwards I'm pretty much able to move elsewhere as I know a few fields of research are in dire need of research chemists. Smiles all round.

If you want to do _something _in animal care then try and find out what it is you would like to do more specifically, and research what you might need to hold to get involved


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Locally to you are Eurorep and Reptech, both of which are wholesale reptile suppliers. Could be worth trying them to see if they have, or are likely to have, any vacancies.


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## Akua_Ko_Nalu (Feb 15, 2007)

This is something I've been thinking about for some time, I could potentially offer a part-time position with my collection. Drop me a PM if you're interested.


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## TCReptile (Sep 9, 2008)

ian14 said:


> Locally to you are Eurorep and Reptech, both of which are wholesale reptile suppliers. Could be worth trying them to see if they have, or are likely to have, any vacancies.


I heard on the grapevine that eurorep where looking for staff at the moment aswell :2thumb:


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## Alex M (May 28, 2008)

TCReptile said:


> I heard on the grapevine that eurorep where looking for staff at the moment aswell :2thumb:


This is/was true, not sure if it's still available though...


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## moonstruck (Aug 10, 2008)

Saedcantas said:


> Where there is a will, there will always be a way
> 
> 
> If you want something badly enough *(and you are for all intents and purposes able bodied and minded to achieve it)* you can make a way.
> ...


thanks hun

but yep... as you seem to have quite righlty presumed, i'm erm, not in a position where i can work at the moment... or even go out the house on my own (balance problems/dizzyness/memory loss/fall down/drop things)

i've sort of accepted i just have to sit in limbo at the moment...
i was totally freaking out at first when everything started going wrong, but i've learnt that freaking out just makes it worse :whistling2: 

it's done me a lot of good actually :lol2: just let everything happen and see what turns up...

i mean (refferring to the op) we're only young, it doesn't really matter if we don't go to uni right now, it's doing no good at all for a lot of people with the way jobs are at the moment, they're just all ending up in debt. Doesn't really matter if we don't start right off in our dream job... just as long as your doing something you like (or can atleast tolerate) whilst working for where you'd really like to be...

...or you could just go with whatever comes up and see where it takes you
(i sound like a hippy)


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## sparkle (Mar 21, 2007)

Just to lighten things up... and give you options..

you asked,

"Career help!!! please, i need!"


I would say with that thread title you would make an excellent Yoda, not sure if there are many positions for this line of work where you stay, but you never know when they may need a small weird green Jedi at the local corner shop!
: victory:


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