How do you get yourself ready for a conservation role?

    Quick answer

    Before you apply for a conservation role, identify the competencies the role requires, assess where you currently stand against each one, and build a plan to close the gaps that matter most. The quicker you do this, the earlier you can apply. If you wait until you see a role advertised before thinking about your competencies, it will often be too late to address the gaps before the application deadline closes. Getting yourself ready is not something you do once before your first application. It is an ongoing process that should run alongside your search throughout your career.

    Conservation employers are not simply looking for enthusiasm. They are looking for evidence that you can do the work. Understanding what that evidence looks like, and building it systematically before you apply, is what separates candidates who get interviews from those who do not.

    Source: WildTeam. (2026). Launching Your Career in Wildlife Conservation v1. WildTeam UK, Cumbria, UK.

    You can access this best practice as part of the Launching Your Career in Wildlife Conservation course.

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    Contents

    • What is a competency?
    • How to identify the competencies your target role requires
    • How to assess your current competencies
    • How to strengthen your competencies
    • How to distinguish good experience from poor experience
    • How to build a development plan
    • FAQ

      What is a competency?

      A competency is a specific capability, made up of knowledge, skills, and attitude, that a person needs in order to perform effectively in a role.
      Knowledge is what you understand. Skills are what you can do with that understanding. Attitude shapes how you apply both. A field researcher who understands survey methodology, can operate a camera trap, and approaches data collection with precision and care is demonstrating a competency. The same person, with the knowledge but not the field practice, or with the practice but a careless attitude to data quality, is not.
      Competencies are either essential or desirable for a given role. Essential competencies are the minimum required to perform. Desirable ones strengthen a candidate's profile but are not required to be considered. When you assess your readiness for a role, start with the essential competencies. These are the ones an employer will use to determine whether your application is competitive.

      Competency requirements vary significantly by work area and level. Some competencies are common across many areas: computer skills, writing skills, and the ability to manage your own work and time are required in research, fundraising, project management, and administration alike. Others are specific: the competencies needed in community engagement are distinct from those required in law enforcement, and the expectations at manager level are substantially different from those at officer level within the same work area. The WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet maps competencies by work area and role level, distinguishing between essential and desirable for each.

        How to identify the competencies your target role requires

        Start with the work area and level you have selected. Think through what the role involves day to day, and what knowledge, skills, and attitudes would be needed to perform it competently. This gives you a baseline picture before you look at specific job descriptions.

        When a vacancy appears that interests you, read the job description carefully and extract every criterion the employer has listed, distinguishing between those described as essential and those described as desirable. These criteria are the employer's translation of competency requirements into specific language. Some will map directly to the competencies you have already identified for the work area. Others will be specific to the role, the organisation, or the context: a particular software package, a language, a technical qualification, or experience of a specific landscape or community context.

        The WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet provides a structured framework for mapping role competencies and recording your assessment of each one.

          How to assess your current competencies

          Once you have identified the competencies your target role requires, score yourself against each one using the following scale.

          • Advanced. You apply this competency confidently across a wide range of situations, including complex or demanding ones.
          • Competent. You can apply this competency reliably and independently in familiar situations.
          • Developing. You have some awareness or limited experience of this competency.
          • None. You have no meaningful ability or exposure to this competency.

          For each competency you score, record the specific evidence that supports your rating. Evidence might include a qualification, a piece of work you produced, a responsibility you held, or a situation in which you applied the skill under pressure. The discipline here is to refer back to evidence rather than to a general sense of your capability. A score without evidence is an opinion. A score with evidence is a position you can defend in an interview.

          For example, a candidate assessing their project management competency for an officer-level role might note: "Has coordinated a biodiversity monitoring project from planning through to report submission, though not at the scale or complexity of a typical officer-level workload." That is a Developing score with an evidence base.

          The goal is not to achieve the highest possible score but to build a clear picture of where you currently stand. Overrating yourself leads to applications for roles you are not ready for and interviews that expose gaps you have not addressed. Underrating yourself leads to passing over roles you could perform well in. Neither serves you.

          The WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet (available with the best practice) provides a structured table for recording your evidence and scores by competency.

            How to strengthen your competencies

            Once you have scored yourself, look at the pattern. Concentrate your development effort on closing the gaps most likely to affect your ability to get and perform in the role, starting with essential competencies scored as developing or none.

            There are two main ways to strengthen competencies: taking courses and acquiring experience. The most effective development combines both.

            Taking courses
            Structured training helps you build competencies quickly, particularly where you lack foundational knowledge or need to develop specific skills in a short period. When choosing a course, look for training that fills the specific competency gap you have identified, provides a qualification or certificate, and is recognised within the conservation sector.

            WildTeam's training platform at training.wildteam.org.uk offers courses designed specifically for conservation practitioners. For candidates targeting project management roles at officer or manager level, Project Management for Wildlife Conservation and Project Planning for Wildlife Conservation directly address two of the competencies most commonly identified as developing in candidates entering this work area. For those targeting fundraising, community engagement, or capacity building roles, Grant Writing for Wildlife Conservation and Stakeholder Engagement for Wildlife Conservation address equivalent gaps.

            Acquiring experience through internships
            Internships place you within a team with defined responsibilities, regular supervision, and exposure to the internal workings of a conservation organisation. Even short-term placements can provide meaningful evidence of your ability to work professionally, and they often open doors to further opportunities within the same organisation or network.

            Not all internships are worth taking. Many are unpaid or offer only a modest stipend, and a placement you cannot financially sustain, or one that offers little learning, can cost you significantly in time and resources for limited return. Before accepting, look for roles that have a clear purpose and defined scope, involve planning, decision-making, and problem-solving rather than only routine tasks, offer genuine exposure to professional staff and organisational life, and provide a named supervisor who can speak to your performance. These are the characteristics of experience that will carry weight with future employers.

            Acquiring experience through volunteering
            Volunteering is widely available and ranges from practical fieldwork to communications, administration, and project support. It is particularly useful for building foundational knowledge and demonstrating commitment to the sector.
            A common mistake is accumulating many short, disconnected stints rather than sustained roles with real responsibility. Three weeks here and a weekend there does not build the kind of evidence an employer is looking for. A sustained placement of three to six months with a defined role, a named contact, and documented outcomes is far more valuable than a scrapbook of brief engagements.
            Acquiring experience through self-led projects

            Self-led projects give you control over your development when formal opportunities are limited, or when you want to build a competency that internships and volunteering do not offer. Examples include conducting a biodiversity survey in a local area, analysing a publicly available ecological dataset, producing a written report on a conservation issue, or developing training materials for a community group.

            From the outset of any self-led project, keep a record of what you planned, what you did, what decisions you made, and what you learned. Where possible, seek external touchpoints, such as presenting findings to a local group or collaborating with an established organisation, as these give your work a degree of external recognition that makes it easier to present credibly to a potential employer.

            Whichever route you pursue, the WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet includes a development plan template for recording your target competencies, current scores, planned actions, and timeline.

              How to distinguish good experience from poor experience

              Not all experience opportunities are equal, and it is worth evaluating any opportunity before committing to it. Good experience opportunities share certain characteristics. They have a clear purpose, scope, and defined outcome. They involve planning, decision-making, and problem-solving. They offer exposure to professional staff and organisational life. They have a named supervisor or external contact who can speak to your performance. They are financially and practically sustainable for your circumstances. They are documented throughout so you can reflect and report on them. And they represent a sustained commitment that demonstrates investment in your development.

              Poor experience opportunities tend to be vague in scope, limit you to routine or physical tasks without decision-making, keep you separate from the core team or any meaningful structure, offer no supervisor or reference, require financial sacrifice you cannot sustain, and leave you with nothing concrete to show or explain to a future employer.

              If an opportunity does not meet at least the majority of the characteristics of a good experience, it is worth looking for one that does.

                How to build a development plan

                A development plan is a simple document recording where you are now, where you need to get to, and how you are going to close the gap. It does not need to be complex. For each competency scored as developing or none against an essential criterion, record the competency, your current score, what you plan to do to address it, and when you plan to do it by.
                For example, a candidate targeting a project management officer role whose self-assessment shows project management and AI skills as developing might plan: enrol in WildTeam's Project Management for Wildlife Conservation course within the next four weeks; identify a volunteer project coordinator role to apply learning in a real context; and complete a short online AI fundamentals course alongside.

                The WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet includes a development plan table for recording this in a structured format.
                The plan should be treated as a working document rather than a fixed schedule. As you build competencies and apply for roles, new gaps will become visible. Updating your plan regularly keeps your development effort pointed at what matters most at each stage of your search.
                If a role scores possible on growth potential, think about what you would need to create development for yourself within it: whether there are projects you could take on, skills you could build alongside the role, or relationships you could cultivate that would compensate for what the role itself does not offer.
                If a role scores possible on fulfilment, think about what else in your life or work connects you to a sense of purpose, and whether the role gives you enough proximity to outcomes that matter to you to sustain your commitment.
                If a role scores possible on intrinsic motivation, consider whether the aspects of the work that do engage you are substantial enough to carry you through the ones that do not. No role is uniformly absorbing, and workable fit on motivation is often more sustainable than it sounds in theory.
                The assessment is a thinking tool, not a decision rule. Use it to make a considered choice rather than to avoid making one.

                  UNLOCK OUR FULL BEST PRACTICES AND GET CERTIFIED CONSERVATION SKILLS

                  Ready to go deeper? Build practical skills for wildlife conservation by exploring our expert-led courses designed to help you apply what you’ve learned in real-world contexts. From career development to technical conservation tools, our training is built to support your next step.

                  FAQ

                  How do I find out what competencies are expected at the level I am targeting?

                  Reading a range of job descriptions for roles at your target level is the most direct route. Look across multiple organisations and geographies rather than a single advert, as the language employers use varies but the underlying requirements tend to be consistent within a work area and level. Talking to people already working at that level, through informational conversations arranged via LinkedIn, professional body networks, or sector events, gives you a richer picture of what the role actually requires beyond the formal criteria.

                  What if I have relevant experience but no formal qualifications to show for it?

                  Evidence of competency does not have to be academic. Field experience, professional responsibilities, self-directed projects, and structured volunteering all constitute evidence. The key is to be specific: name the context, describe what you did, and explain what it demonstrates. An employer assessing your application is looking for confidence that you can do the work. A well-evidenced practical record often carries more weight than a qualification without supporting experience.

                  How long should building missing competencies take before I start applying?

                  This depends on how significant the gaps are and how quickly you can close them. For developing-scored competencies, a structured course combined with practical application can build a credible evidence base within two to three months. For none-scored essential competencies, the timeline is longer and depends on whether a qualification is required. The risk of waiting too long to apply is as real as the risk of applying before you are ready. In a sector where positions are filled quickly and many roles are not re-advertised, being broadly ready and applying with clear evidence of what you are building is often better than waiting for perfection.

                  Is it worth applying for a role where I am developing in one essential competency?

                  It depends on the severity of the gap and how it sits alongside your overall profile. A developing score against one essential competency in a strong overall application, where all other essentials are competent or advanced, may still produce an interview, particularly if you can demonstrate that you are actively addressing the gap. A developing score against multiple essential competencies is harder to overcome. The decision also depends on the competency itself: a developing score in project management is a different matter from a developing score in a technical qualification that the employer has listed as non-negotiable

                  How do I evaluate an internship or volunteer opportunity before committing to it?

                  Ask specific questions before you accept. What are the defined responsibilities of the role? Who would supervise you and how frequently? What would a typical week look like? Would you be involved in planning, decision-making, or problem-solving, or primarily in task execution? Is there a named person who would be prepared to act as a reference? And is the financial arrangement, whether paid, unpaid, or expenses-covered, something you can sustain for the full duration? A placement that cannot answer these questions clearly is worth approaching with caution.

                  Should I keep my development plan separate from my job search records?

                  Keeping them together is more useful. Your development plan and your job search records are connected: the competency gaps you identify in your self-assessment should directly inform where you invest development time, and the gaps you discover when assessing specific job descriptions should feed back into your development plan. The WildTeam Wildlife Conservation Job Worksheet is designed to hold both in a single document so that your search and your development remain aligned rather than running in parallel.

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