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It’s not difficult to find work in the outdoors. What can be very difficult is landing an outdoor job or career that pays a living wage - especially if one has sights set on a career that involves wildlife or outdoor recreation. Here are some tips for those determined to work under the open skies.
 | | A climbing guide |
- Look for volunteer work. A volunteer experience with an outdoors business can tell you a good deal about yourself and what your real goals are – before you invest a lot of money and time in education, training, and dreaming.
- Seasonal jobs are also a great way to see if a certain pathway is for you, and they are also a way to get a foot in a career door. Outdoors operations usually have most openings in the summer months, but areas such as ski resorts shine in the winter. Or, consider a winter job in a sunny climate to the south.
- Except for laborer positions, most outdoor jobs require considerable experience, expertise, or training, if not a college education. Professional wildlife managers, foresters, and park supervisors jobs almost always require at least a four-year college degree.
- Talk to those who are now doing your dream job. Learn what it took to get them where they are now. But remember: Those who have been in a position for a number of years may have landed their job when the career entry rules were different than they are now.
- Outdoor recreation career and job ideas: resorts, camps, zoos, wilderness guides, fishing guides, hunting guides, guest ranches, helicopter tours, climbing guides, and canoe trip outfitters.
- There are more opportunities for outdoor careers than just working with wildlife, parks, and recreation. Consider these solid careers: right of way clearing services, landscaping, tree services, logging, road construction, grain farming, pilot services, livestock farming, vegetable farming, orchard farming, and tree planting services.
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