A big part of my mission as a wildlife biologist is to empower and prepare aspiring and entry-level wildlife professionals so that they can secure good jobs in this competitive career and carry out their life’s purpose. As a result, I offer a variety of programs for those who want to work with me and take charge of their career. Here, you’ll learn about the successes of my students so that you can be inspired and see what is truly possible for you when you have clarity, strategy, and a competitive job application.
Abigail Vukanovich is a recent graduate with big dreams in the wildlife field. Before joining the Successful Wildlife Professional, her goal was to eventually attend graduate school and conduct research on either wolves, a highly competitive and sought-after study species, mesocarnivores, or seabirds. Despite her passion, she was struggling to get accepted to the entry-level jobs that could provide her with the experience she needed for the permanent jobs she dreamed about. She was also unsure of the path to get one of those jobs, and felt she needed a clearer picture of what she wanted to do professionally, given her different research interests.
Abigail joined the Successful Wildlife Professional to help with this clarity and her next steps. She wanted to narrow down her career goal, sketch out a path to obtain a job like the ones she was envisioning, and start getting some entry-level positions to gain the experience she needed to set up her future success. She also struggled with “imposter syndrome,” or the feeling that you are inadequate.
Since enrolling in the Successful Wildlife Professional, she learned what she could do to better her chances at getting jobs and has been making steps to secure her dream job. She landed a technician position in Minnesota for the Voyageurs Wolf Project, where she had the incredible experience of seeing a wolf in the wild. Through this experience, Abigail is gaining skills in fieldwork, networking, and knows that she is no longer inadequate. Now she has a clearer path to graduate school and the permanent position she dreams of. She is well on her way!
Meet Abigail:
I am a nature enthusiast from Oregon who enjoys too many hobbies, whether it be drawing, gaming, or birding.
Where are you currently in your wildlife career?
Quite early still, only having got a bachelor’s degree in 2023 at Oregon State University. I have done several seasonal jobs and am thinking about graduate school and/or a permanent position within the next several years. I am currently a technician in Minnesota for the Voyageurs Wolf Project.
What's your dream job?
Become a wolf biologist or an ecologist specialzing in polar climates.
What is a hardship you have overcome in your career?
“Imposter syndrome,” or feeling like you are inadequate.
What kind of impact do you want to have in your career?
I want to make a postive impact on ecosystems and showcase how our species is not so different from those around us.
"Before you can convince employers that you are up for the job, you need to believe in yourself first. You got this!"
How did you know you wanted to go into this field?
Nature documentaries drew me in from a young age. I would see the close encounters with wildlife from the cameramen’s point-of-view. These documentaries also made me wonder both about the day-to-day lives of these animals and why some species are hated more than others by the general public.
What's a moment of success you've had in your career?
After a long day trudging through forests and bogs off-trail, my colleague and I saw a wolf. It looked at us and bounded off. It was breathtaking.
What is the biggest takeaway or most important lesson you have learned so far from the Successful Wildlife Professional?
Before you can convince employers that you are up for the job, you need to believe in yourself first. You got this!
Why did you join the Successful Wildlife Professional?
I felt stuck with a lack of seasonal or permanent positions in the wildlife field for months on end and wondered what I could be doing to better my chances and get my name out there.
"I narrowed my focus and applied to less jobs with more time and effort towards those positions I was better-qualified for...I am gaining fieldwork skills and networking...I feel like I have a clearer path to graduate school and/or a permanent position someday."
What was your life/career like before the Successful Wildlife Professional? What was it like after?
I was lucky to have one seasonal technician job before the Successful Wildlife Professional, but felt stuck after the job ended. I was applying to many places, but most of them were beyond my skill set. After the course, I narrowed my focus and applied to less jobs with more time and effort towards those positions I was better-qualified for. Though my current job is still seasonal, I am gaining fieldwork skills and networking with people in the Voyageurs Wolf Project. I feel like I have a clearer path to graduate school and/or a permanent position someday.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about joining the Successful Wildlife Professional, but is on the fence?
You won’t be alone. There are other people, just like you, who make the leap and are glad they did.
"You won't be alone. There are other people, just like you, who make the leap and are glad they did."
Programs Abigail enrolled in:
Continue to follow Abigail’s success and adventures by following her on LinkedIn.
If you’re ready to get results like these and go after your dream career in wildlife, then I’d love to meet you! Check out my programs page to see how can work together.
Stephanie Manka
Stephanie Manka, Ph.D. is a wildlife biologist with 20 years of experience in mammal ecology and conservation, education, and outreach. Read her story to find out how she went from the daughter of a jeweler to a Ph.D. in wildlife biology.
Abigail Vukanovich Alum Profile: From Impostor Syndrome to Working with Wolves
Nichole Wohlstein Alum Profile: Building Confidence to a Permanent Wildlife Job
Abbie Heimowitz Alum Profile: Preparing to Lead in Wildlife Conservation
