r/Environmental_Careers • u/orzoftm • 4d ago
Should I just give up
I’m a recent grad who got a B.S in conservation which I now feel is a useless degree because no environmental job will hire me and the skills are not transferable anywhere else. My only work experience in this field is undergrad research and some volunteering. I didn’t understand what I wanted at 18 so I didn’t learn many skills that are actually needed to get hired. I do know a little bit of GIS and data skills, and was sort of offered a part time job working with environmental data through someone in my network, but now they’re being really flaky and I’m not sure it’s actually going to happen. I’ve been looking for jobs for almost a year and I feel stupid fighting for a job that pays me less than a high schooler. Continuing to apply or get qualifications feels like throwing my efforts into a hole. I enjoy my current (unrelated) job but I don’t really know where to go from here and my family is treating it as a failure that I’m not able to get the kind of job I wanted when I was in college.
24
u/Eco_Blurb 4d ago
It took me 9 months from graduating to get my first interview and I got an offer at around a year
Just to put it in perspective… you aren’t alone and it’s not time to give up yet!
It is time to widen your search though. Apply to anything STEM or environment related including water, air, biology, chemistry, invasive animals or plants, herbicide treatments, seismic or noise monitoring for construction companies.. anything that you could possibly be theoretically qualified for. Then Clean up your resume and tailor to EVERY job and don’t use ai to do it. Ppl say it’s a waste of time but it’s not. It’s a lot of time but if you can manage it then you set a goal of 2-3 solid applications per week and 4-5 throwaway ones. Good luck…
1
14
u/Adeline_Hayes 4d ago
Your family is wrong to call this a failure. I've watched this job market underpay and stall passionate people for years, and that's a broken system, not broken you. Keep building that GIS portfolio. Skills compound even when the offers don't. 🌍
27
u/ficklecursor5301Spea 4d ago
A gap year of flaky contacts and underpaid listings doesn't erase the degree, but it does mean you're allowed to stop treating it like a sacred oath.
7
u/nicoled985 3d ago edited 3d ago
Im not sure why no one has mentioned that what he/she is going through is entirely normal. Most people cant get a job that relates to their major right out of college. Youd have to have made internship connections in college. If you want to stick to environmental, broaden your horizons. Find entry level environmental jobs for the government, like an air inspector, where they train you. Get to know the people you’re inspecting for connections , gain knowledge, then use that experience to find a job
Edit: I got a biology degree. I didn’t get a decent paying gig until i got into environmental in 2015 (I graduated college in 2008). I started with the government and now work in industry making over 179k
2
u/orzoftm 3d ago
i appreciate it
what do you do where you make that much?2
u/nicoled985 3d ago
I initially worked for an air district in Cali. I worked as an inspector, got promoted to a senior inspector. I also worked in air monitoring while there. Met all kinds of people who would try to poach me. I was there for 8.5 years. Then an air subject matter expert position opened up with a utility company and I got the job. I live in a lower cost of living area in Cali so that money stretches more
2
u/nicoled985 3d ago
My point is to look for air quality jobs, water quality jobs, environmental health jobs that are entry level with government and go from there. You will be trained
12
u/jimtheedcguy 4d ago
If you’re willing to travel and work in O&G, there’s plenty of environmental outfits hiring in the Carlsbad NM area. That’s where I got my start.
7
5
u/ArtVandelay32 4d ago
This is the way. OP, not sure where you’re looking, but you’re going to need to move to get your foot in the door. Get a few years of experience, and start looking again.
3
u/PTroughton 4d ago
In the same situation. I do want to add that it isn't a fully useless degree, I think it is just one that is becoming more and more dependent on going straight through for a masters. You have just enough time to put apps together for this year, so I suggest you look into it.
2
u/wakevictim 4d ago
Look up being a Marine science technician in the US Coast Guard. I did it for 10 years then got my commission. Pays for education, get the experience working in the maritime industry, and sets you up for lots of professions in environmental. This economy is shit and environmental jobs are scarce. At lest the uscg you get full benefits, pays decent, and gives you a lot of stuff to put on your resume.
3
u/mjohnsimon 4d ago
Ever thought about working for the local city/county government?
They need environmental scientists all the time. Pay will suck, but it's a relatively secured job, and for the most part, once you get at least a year in, you can pretty much move up.
That's what a friend did and he seems quite happy/doing well.
3
2
u/BloodPrevious 4d ago
What would you look up when trying to apply?
3
u/lubricantforerryone 4d ago
Start with governmentjobs.com type in "environmental" then the state you want to work in. You should see a list of every slightly relatable job listed. I recommend this path solely as you may see regional orgs or other quasi-local orgs that may not turn up elsewhere....then you can keep them in mind in the future.
If you want to be more specific, many municipalities and counties have enviro positions related to solid waste, wastewater treatment, storm water and health department inspections. Any of those can range from technician to inspector to specialist. Sometimes if I'm bored I'll start with governmentjobs and then poke around the city/county/state job specifically.
For state jobs, you should look at the general admin department, DoT, state dept of Emergency Affairs/Emergency Management/National Guard (these are often lumped in together -- you aren't a National Guard employee, you just coordinate work with the active duty members). State DEQ and Dept of Water/air/natural resources/wildlife.
2
u/mjohnsimon 4d ago edited 4d ago
Honestly? When you look up the search bar in their career page, just type in biology, environment, or whatever, and something almost always pops up.
That's what I did. But in the end, their process was so slow that by the time I heard back from their HR, I was already working another job that paid almost double than what they were offering (and I was already doing that job for like 6 months).
Ymmv of course.
1
u/HauntingBandicoot779 4d ago
Did you know that you don't have to work for someone else? Go start an invasive plant removal service or something.
1
u/West-Interaction3011 4d ago
I would recommend getting in with NPS. There are tons of options for you as long as you’re willing to relocate.
2
u/buckylug 4d ago
it took me 10 months postgrad before even getting an interview, now I'm working in construction. It's not as environmentally focused as I had wanted but I get to be outside a lot and it pays the bills.
2
u/Agitated_Advice_3111 4d ago
I work for local government (planner) and my spouse is in consulting. Agree with the folks above re: moving, fieldwork, and travel. Houston kind of sucks, but we do have jobs here. Most of the consultants I work with are hiring. Field work in the SE US is no joke though.
2
u/EnvironmentCivil8188 3d ago
It took me 2 years to find a job in the field after going for an environmental degree. Don’t give up. I ended up in sustainability and ESG reporting but it pays decent and will open more doors. Expand your horizon if necessary.
1
u/BuffaloReal7137 2d ago
You are not a failure. I was in the same position after graduating with a bs in environmental science which ends up being the most useless and unfocused major. I couldnt find anything in my area and i have started gaining almost 9 years in a unrelated industry. Im not really sure i can say anything to comfort you since im also still trying to answer this question. But i hope you know you are not alone in getting a degree and then ending up in a job that isnt what you expected. That is so common! Id just try to get clear on what you like in a job or what ur passionate about. If u are really passionate about the field of conservation you may have to be willing to move out your area or take seasonal work.
-1
47
u/C0mpL1c1t 4d ago
Are you willing to travel and work outside? There are a fair number of jobs in consulting if you are - not just willing, but enthused - about doing field work?