Written by
May 29, 2025

Where do you fit in conservation?

Before you read further, you should know this: we can’t tell you where you fit in conservation. And that’s a good thing.

If you’re stepping into the messy unknown of starting – or switching into – a career in conservation, it’s natural to crave clarity and assurance. You want to know you’re on the right track. That there’s a place you belong.

That’s why most of us scroll job boards, or take career quizzes. We ask career experts (or anyone) to tell us where we fit.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

No one else has that answer.

And if they did? You might not like what they told you.

Because your ideal conservation career isn’t hiding in your CV or resume. It’s hiding in you.

And the best part? You don’t have to find the ‘right’ path. You get to create one that fits.

We can’t tell you where you fit in conservation. But we can support you to create your own path.

4 hidden assumptions (that might be holding you back)

We hear this question all the time:

“Can you look at my CV and tell me where I fit in conservation?”

Beneath this seemingly simple question are four assumptions worth unpacking.

Assumption #1: Your past should dictate your future

Sure, your CV or resume is a tidy little history of where you’ve been.

But you? You’re heading into the future. 

And if you wanted your future to look just like your past, you probably wouldn’t be reading this.

Instead, you might choose to carry forward the skills and experiences that energise you – and leave behind the ones that no longer fit.

The past can offer clues for your future – but it doesn’t get to decide. You do.

Assumption #2: There’s a ‘right’ way to do your career

As if a magical conservation Sorting Hat could declare your destiny:

“You shall be… a marine policy analyst!” 

(And if that Sorting Hat does exist, let us know.)

We’re conditioned to believe there’s a way things should be, a correct path. And that our job is to find it – and avoid getting it ‘wrong’.

But you’re not a formula. You’re a human being – full of creativity, complexity and choice.

And your career isn’t a mathematical problem with one right solution. It’s a story being written – by you.

Assumption #3: Someone else knows what’s best for you

Would you ask a stranger (or even a friend, colleague or family member) to choose your next hobby, city or life partner?

No?

Then why let them choose your career?

Sure, we could look at your CV and match you with roles based on your skills and experience.

But if you’ve ever found yourself stuck in a job you were good at but left you feeling empty (or worse) inside, you already know the danger.

Only you know what lights you up: Your dreams. Your favourite skills. The people and environments that energise you. The causes that make you leap out of bed.

What lights you up?

Assumption #4: Your options are limited

Consider a real-life career question:

“Could you look at my CV to see whether my current skills might be a good fit for any roles in the sector?”

Sounds reasonable – but can you see that it quietly assumes that some career paths are off-limits – because they seem unrealistic or impossible?

Sure, becoming a wildlife vet won’t happen overnight.

But you’d be surprised how many people discount their dreams before even exploring them.

Many people never explore their dreams because they seem unrealistic or impossible.

The (hidden) cost of not trusting yourself 

“Thinking for ourselves is still seen as quite a radical act,” wrote Nancy Kline.

We’re rarely taught – or given permission – to think for ourselves, especially about something as big as our careers.

We’re encouraged to follow the “safe” path, the expected path. To rely on institutions and advisors to show us the way.

And stepping off that map into the unknown? Trusting yourself to have the answers?
That can feel terrifying.

But here’s the danger: when we hand over our decision-making power, we often end up living someone else’s version of success.

We take jobs we don’t love.
We stay stuck for years.
We put off what we really want – sometimes forever.

Have you paused to check where your ‘career ladder’ is heading?

What if you already know?

Here’s the plot twist:

What if your ideal conservation career is already inside you, trying to get your attention?

What if your dreams, values, skills and curiosities are already pointing you in a direction?

What if your job isn’t to figure out where you “fit”…
 …but to build a career that fits you?

Designing a conservation career from the inside out

Let’s pause. 

Have you been trying to squeeze yourself into a box?
Or looking out there for someone to point the way?

Most of us are taught to build careers from the outside in: Scan job boards. Tweak CVs/resumes. Chase what’s in demand. 

But what if you started with you – your values, interests, curiosities and strengths – and let your career grow outward from there?

It’s less “check the boxes” and more “choose your own adventure”. 

And that’s where the magic happens.

Need a co-pilot on your journey? We’ve got you.

Explore more with these resources:

Ready to stop outsourcing your future – and start designing it?

Let’s go exploring.

 

Author Profile | Kristi Foster

Kristi Foster is the Head of Programmes at Conservation Careers and has a Master’s in Conservation Biology. From 2011 to 2019, her conservation work led to Africa, UK, Australia and Latin America in everything from field work and communications to environmental education and ecotourism. She has worked for Fauna & Flora International, the World Agroforestry Centre (Kenya) and Ecotourism Australia. Since joining Conservation Careers, she has coached over 100 conservationists in career direction and fulfilment, and consulted in job applications, interviews and more. Learn more.

 

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