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It pays to get paid: Factors influencing wildlife‐related employment success
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2022
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Source: Wildlife Society Bulletin, 46(1)
[PDF-671.52 KB]
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Journal Title:Wildlife Society Bulletin
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Description:Individuals who are interested in wildlife-related careers take unpaid positions to gain experience and remain competitive in the job market. However, unpaid positions may not provide the same training, skills acquisition, or long-term success as paid positions. We surveyed 796 graduates of wildlife-related bachelor's degree programs from accredited U.S. universities to assess how experiences and skills gained in paid and unpaid positions affected long-term employment or educational success. We found that respondents with more paid employment experience were more likely to obtain full-time employment in a wildlife-related field than those who had worked more unpaid positions. Further, respondents reported gaining more skills associated with long-term success from paid positions than unpaid positions. Our results highlight the importance of both paid work and experiences that provide valuable skills training for success in wildlife-related fields. We urge wildlife-related employers to offer more paid positions in lieu of unpaid opportunities. We further suggest that job-seeking, early-career scientists carefully consider the skills they will gain from particular jobs, and critically scrutinize the potential for long-term benefits before accepting an unpaid position.
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Source:Wildlife Society Bulletin, 46(1)
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DOI:
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ISSN:2328-5540;2328-5540;
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Rights Information:Other
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Compliance:Submitted
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