Sometimes, when you think the worst happens, it can actually be the best thing. For wildlife biologist Jamie Bowles of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, losing her job in the medical field launched her wildlife career…
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I met Jamie through LinkedIn. She has been so supportive of my posts, and I quickly recognized that, like me, she prioritized and loved mentoring. With her ample and sage advice about getting into wildlife careers, I knew she would be the perfect guest for the podcast.
Throughout this interview, Jamie calls herself lucky. I don’t think she’s lucky at all. Rather, she did the RIGHT things to set herself up so that when opportunities were available, they were GIVEN to her. As the Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” Jamie set herself up for success.
Now having worked at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife for nine years, Jamie has held a multitude of different jobs. She started out working in fish, but later moved on to work on everything from habitat, to wolves, to now porcupines, and working with the public. She also did this while being a mom of four!
As you’ll find out from our interview, Jamie had children when she was 18 and went to college after she became a mom. In her wildlife career, she was always going to school and working towards getting this career while balancing it with motherhood, and she has some amazing wisdom about how she did it.
" Don't make yourself forgettable. Be an unforgettable person, work hard, be willing to go out of your way to go and do the dirty work, and just show that enthusiasm."
I have worked with hundreds of students, sharing my over 20 years of knowledge as a wildlife biologist to help them land permanent careers in this field, and I know for a FACT that you don’t need luck to land your dream job – you make it happen.
Jamie’s hard work has led her all over Oregon, working with numerous species of wildlife. From backpacking up the mountains as an intern with fish in bags (yes, fish in bags!), to managing wolf-human relationships, to launching a community science project to document North American porcupine presence, Jamie Bowles has truly done it all! I can’t wait for you to listen to this episode and hear all about the exciting, fun, and crazy stories she has to tell.
Jamie also recognizes that success is not a path that is walked alone. She stresses the importance of mentorship, and we talk all about how to find a mentor, what you can gain from mentorship, and the role it played in her career. Once a mentee, and now a mentor herself, check out Jamie Bowles’ LinkedIn for great advice about wildlife careers!
If you’re interested in wildlife biology, especially as a non-traditional student or career switcher, you will be left inspired following along with Jamie Bowles’ journey and how she got to where she is today. Her resilience will motivate you, and her wisdom will leave you feeling like you, too, can conquer not only the challenges that this field presents but whatever personal obstacles you’re facing as well.
You will learn that Jamie put herself out there, that she was actively networking, and she made opportunities happen for her.
“It's one thing to ask about opportunities. It's another to be given the opportunity and follow through on it, showing up and being a part of the community–that can lead to the next thing.”
Specifically, I go over:
- Jamie Bowles’ experience working in wildlife biology at the state level and how she landed her first jobs
- What it’s like to work in different types of positions within a state agency, and what it takes to get jobs like those
- The competitive nature of wildlife careers
- The importance of networking and finding good mentors
- How experience and education help you land a permanent position in wildlife careers
- Crazy experiences she’s had while on the job
- What it’s like working with wolves
- Her experiences working in wildlife biology as a mom of four
- And MORE!
“If I could do it, and I have four kids, and I've been pregnant through school – you just make it happen. I even have it written on my planner, 'Work hard and make it happen.'”
Resources and Sources in Launching a Successful Wildlife Career After Losing Your Job:
This episode was prepared and edited by Christina Weber.
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