Tomorrow, Sir David Attenborough turns 100 years old. As conservationists, it’s hard to imagine anyone who has done more to reveal the beauty, wonder, fragility, and importance of the natural world to humanity than Sir David. For generations of us, his voice has become intertwined with our connection to nature itself. He didn’t just document
Almost 20 years ago, I remember sitting outside my in-laws’ house on a summer’s evening, listening to the soft, rhythmic churring of a Turtle Dove calling from an old ash tree at the end of the field. It was just part of the background. Something you expected to be there. And then one year, it wasn’t. Not gradually. Just… gone.
Applications are one of the hardest parts of landing a conservation job. But what role is AI starting to play in this process for people in this sector?
I came across something this week that stopped me in my tracks. It wasn’t an article or a big idea. Just a simple visual that quietly changes how you see time, work, and the way we spend our lives.
The pace of recovery can be startling, and the unpredictability — exhilarating. Rewilding has taken the world of conservation by storm. Over the past decade, interest in it has grown more than tenfold — and it’s easy to see why. Across the globe, a powerful movement is taking root. From the rolling landscapes of Knepp
Every now and then, it’s worth pausing to celebrate. This month, Conservation Careers reached two huge milestones that we couldn’t have dreamt of when we started out 13 years ago. We’ve just published our 100,000th conservation job (100,172 to be exact), and we’ve also passed 200,000 followers on LinkedIn (205,834 and counting). When we started
People often say to me, “Nick, how do you get so much done?” From the outside it can look like I’m spinning lots of plates at once. But the truth is, I’m not working longer or harder than anyone else – I’ve just learned to work a bit smarter. For me, that boils down to
There’s a saying that’s always stuck with me: “You make your luck.” It’s often discussed in career circles, especially when someone lands a dream job or has a significant breakthrough. And while I think there’s truth in that, I also think it’s a bit more nuanced, especially in the conservation world. Yes, luck matters. But
There’s a common trap in our working lives—and I’ve fallen into it many times: believing that more effort always equals more impact. But that’s not always true. In fact, often it’s not true at all. Over the years, I’ve become increasingly drawn to the Pareto Principle—the idea that roughly 80% of results come from just
Most of the time, when people come to us looking for answers. However, the real magic happens when we shift from seeking answers to asking questions.
In nature conservation, rewilding has shown us the power of letting ecosystems flourish naturally. At Conservation Careers, we’ve experienced a similar shift in how we guide career paths. Initially, we viewed careers as a linear process, much like traditional conservation targets: a series of steps leading to a specific goal. However, we’ve come to realize
I’ve spent a lot of my career rushing. I used to start each day with a long to-do list, determined to tick off as many tasks as possible. But in my eagerness to move quickly, I often found myself making mistakes, redoing work, or getting stuck in cycles of inefficiency. If I didn’t accomplish enough
Leadership isn’t something you earn when you get a fancy job title. It doesn’t begin the day you become a manager. Leadership starts the moment you decide to take responsibility—for yourself, for your work, and for those around you. We believe everyone is a leader and that leadership skills are just as important to young
What are the ethical implications of using AI in applications? Should AI be banned in application processes? Or should we embrace it cautiously?
Last week, I had the immense pleasure of speaking with one of the most influential conservationists of our time, Dr Tony Juniper CBE. After an inspiring podcast recording, I asked Tony, “Are you optimistic about the future?” His response has stayed with me ever since: “Do you know what? I’ve given up being optimistic, and
As conservationists, we all want to know that our efforts are making a difference. We want to feel confident that our work is helping to save species and restore habitats. In the early stages of our conservation careers, this sense of purpose often drives us. It’s usually easy to see a direct link between our
I’ve worked for many conservation organisations during my career, and they’ve all had mission, vision and value statements. Based on these, long-term strategies were developed and programmes were created. The problem was, at the time, I failed to see the relevance of most of it. I felt so much time was being wasted on these
Despite the growth and professionalisation in conservation charities – with improved marketing, communications, project management and fundraising activities – we need other sectors to quickly join the race to save the planet. And they better have deeper pockets and be able to act fast. So who is the likely candidate for impact expansion? For me,
Earlier this week we ran a training event for 400+ people on how to apply for conservation jobs. During the live event, we walked through our tried and tested approach to crafting CVs, Resumes and cover letters which significantly increase the chances of landing an interview. We chose to run the event for three reasons:
I often wonder how the conservation sector can get more bang for our buck. When time and money are both highly limited – and wildlife in sharp decline globally – what could be wasting these precious resources? Gnawing away at our ability to help conserve nature at the scale and pace we urgently require? I
