Most of ocean conservation jobs have
never been posted publicly.
So how are people
actually getting those jobs?
Because if you've been applying online,
sending resumes and hearing nothing back,
you're not doing it wrong.
You're just playing the wrong game.
This is the How to Protect the Ocean
podcast, your weekday ocean news and
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right now because this week,
we're going to be talking about how to
get jobs in marine science and
conservation for the
next five episode Friday.
I'm going to be talking about something
that happened recently to me,
but a new job change
is going to be exciting.
I'm looking forward to doing it and I use
a lot of the skills.
I've used a lot of the skills that we
talked about here and a lot of the
strategies we talk about this week.
So don't forget to hit that follow button
so you can tune into this week's, all of
this week's episodes.
All right, so here's the truth that most
people won't tell you about jobs.
A huge percentage of the jobs in ocean
conservation are filled
before they're ever even posted.
Not because it's unfair,
but it's because it's easier.
Think about it from a
hiring manager's perspective.
If you already know someone, you've
worked with them in the field,
you met them at a conference or you see
you've seen how they
think or communicate.
Why would you sort through 200 cold
applications or probably more these days
like 800 cold applications?
You wouldn't you would just write.
You'd rather just reach out and say, hey,
are you available to work this job?
And that's that's the hidden job market.
It's built on referrals,
collaborations and relationships.
And this is why cold applications feel
like they disappear into a void because
most of the real
opportunities never make it that far.
I have been applying for jobs for the
last probably two decades and a lot of
the times there was a while where I was
getting interviews and stuff.
But lately it the game has changed folks.
You know, people are getting, you know,
three, four hundred, five hundred, six
hundred up to 800
resumes for one job posting.
Most people don't even apply, like don't
even qualify for the position, but
they're still applying and that just
makes it even more
difficult for people to get through.
And the right candidate to get through.
So doesn't mean that you don't qualify
for that position and you
don't deserve that position.
It just means you're not being seen.
And because sometimes when the job is
posted, there's already somebody that
they have in mind for it.
They just have to post it.
So it's working against you in a way just
to post to those resumes.
So we're going to talk
more about that today.
Now, here's where, you know, people get
networking completely wrong because
networking is a big, a big part of this.
They think it means, hey, can you help me
get a job or can you get me a job?
Do you know if there's a job available?
That stuff doesn't work.
Networking is not asking for something.
It's about becoming
someone people recognize.
It's about
familiarity, trust, consistency.
And when your name comes up, someone
thinks, yeah, I know them.
They're pretty solid.
They'd be good at this position or they'd
be good at that or I know them.
They're really good.
That's networking.
And it doesn't happen in one message.
It happens over time.
You have to invest that time.
So where does this actually
happen in ocean conservation?
There's a few key places.
If you get to conferences, this is still
one of the biggest ones that like biggest
means of getting that type of
relationship or building
those link those relationships.
Even small regional ones would really
help because the people there, they're
the ones that are the ones that are going
to doing the work, right?
They're the ones who
are the hiring managers.
They're the ones who are doing the work.
They're the ones who are going out and
saying, hey, you know what?
Like I know of this person is looking for
someone or hey, I'd like to get to know
what you do all that kind of stuff.
So conferences are still one
of the best places to do that.
They can be far and
they can be expensive.
I know that but if you can get yourself
to a conference, that's the best way to
do it, especially if it's
local webinars and virtual events.
Probably underrated.
But people show up consistently ask good
questions and get noticed.
If you if you've always noticed anytime
you're on a webinar, you probably see the
same people that come over, especially if
it's part of the same group that those
people stand out and eventually build
those help build those relationship.
It's like your way into those
relationship and LinkedIn is still one of
the best social media tools if you use it
properly, not for cold pitching like hey,
I'm looking for a job.
It's for commenting sharing ideas and
showing you understand the space.
So don't forget about LinkedIn.
Like, you know, one of the things that I
noticed about LinkedIn, a lot of science
people on there, there's a lot of
conservation people in the oceans on
there and like like CEOs and presidents
and things like that.
Those are probably not the ones you're
looking to get job, but you can still
build a name out for yourself through
there, not only by commenting, but by
posting your own stuff, you know, looking
at how you feel about certain aspects of
the business or certain aspects of a
project or study that you either put out
or paper that you've put out or even just
like what people what you've seen and
commented on what
you've seen that's come out.
And of course, as you know,
I'm a big fan of podcasts.
So I would say podcast is another one and
this is where you
have an unfair advantage.
You don't need permission to reach out to
someone and say, hey, I'd love to feature
your work on my podcast.
That's not networking.
It's value and it builds relationships
faster than almost anything else.
And I'll tell you why as someone who's
run a podcast for the last 11 years, I
would say I've my
network has increased in value.
Because of the podcast because when I
interview someone, I'm not just
interviewing them for the hour 45 minutes
to an hour that I have
them on the on the show.
I'm actually talking to them talking to
them maybe in a pre interview.
So for another hour before that or half
hour before that or like 15 minutes
before the interview, but the after
interview is really where things kind of
pop off in terms of deepening the value
of the relationship.
That's where now they feel comfortable.
You they know what the interviews like.
They're not as nervous to do the
interview and the guests are like, hey,
like what do you how
often do you do this?
A lot of times I talk about the podcast,
the success of it where like when I'm
going to post it, but also like, oh, that
project you mentioned in the interview.
That's really cool.
Can you just tell me a
little bit more about it?
And and we've had really great
conversations up to like three hours, you
know, in conversations
after an episode of that.
So I think it's really good to look at
doing your own podcast.
We're going to talk about that tomorrow.
So don't forget to follow because you're
going to want to hear tomorrow's episode.
But let's be honest, like
reaching out can be awkward.
So let's make this practical.
Here's what not to do.
Hey, I'm looking for a job.
Can you help me?
Do not do that.
Please do not do that, especially for
people who are not in the
position of hiring, right?
And even if you're hiring some of that
stuff, not the first
thing you want to say.
It puts pressure on someone
who has no idea who you are.
Instead, do this.
First example, comment on their podcast.
Comment on their post or
something that they've put up.
Find a post and say something thoughtful.
It's like, hey, really interesting point
about enforcement of MPAs.
Let's just say I hadn't thought about how
staffing levels impact
outcomes that directly.
Now they've seen your name.
They're going to look especially if not a
lot of people are commenting on it.
Even if they are just comment, you'll get
there and if you start doing it enough
and you have valuable comments, people
are like that person's insightful.
I'm going to keep my
eye out on that person.
Not stay for a job, but they're just
like, oh, this person asked really
insightful questions.
Then of course, is the follow up message.
You can say like, hey, I saw
your post on MPA enforcement.
Really appreciated the perspective.
I'm trying to learn
more about this space.
Any resources you'd recommend.
So not, hey, can you, can I talk to you?
No, it's any resources you recommend.
You're not asking for a job.
You're starting a conversation by asking
a question of just like, do you have any
more resources about this space?
Because they might have more papers or
they might be part of an organization
that deals with MPAs, all
that kind of stuff, right?
And then there's example three.
We're looking at podcast angle.
So we talked a little bit about this, but
you get to reach out to people say, hey,
I run a podcast on ocean conservation and
I'd love to highlight your work.
Would you be open to
do a short interview?
This does three things.
It gives them exposure, builds your
network and position you as someone
that's contributing, right?
And that's powerful.
That's really, really powerful.
But here's the part that
most people don't want to hear.
Networking takes time.
A lot of time in some cases, you don't
send one message and then
and get a job the next week.
That's just not the way it works.
What actually works is showing up
consistently, engaging with people over
time, sharing what
you've learned and be useful.
Then one day an opportunity comes up and
someone says, I know
exactly who I should talk to.
That's how people get jobs in this field.
Not by applying, but by being known.
If you're going to take one thing from
this episode, let it be this. Start one
conversation this week. Just one.
Not to get a job, just to be known.
Because in ocean conservation, your
network isn't optional. It's a pathway.
Here's the real thing
of this is this is good.
Each relationship will take time.
So you can start multiple relations, but
you don't want to bombard them with
comments on every post that they've made.
You want to look at their posts. You want
to observe how they're posting. You want
to observe how they act maybe digitally
or even in, you know, at a conference.
And when you have you commented a couple
of times on his post over the next couple
of months and then you meet that person
at a conference, you can
say, oh, hey, like I know you.
Sorry, my name is Andrew. I've seen what
you've been posting on LinkedIn. I've
commented a few times. I'm not sure if
you remember who I am.
This is what I do. Right? That is
something that's really big.
Another thing that I didn't mention that
I'll mention now is when you're going to
a conference, practice your
30 second elevator speech.
That's like crucial. Right? Because
everything you do, whenever you like,
whenever you are introduced to someone or
you introduce yourself to someone, you
have to say what they do.
There will be like an awkward pause.
They'll look at you and like, what do you
do? Before they even say that, like, hey,
my name is Andrew Lewin.
I am a podcast. I run. I run a podcast
for how to protect the ocean podcast.
I've been running it for 11 years and
I've displayed, you know,
I talked to people who I think are doing
really cool things on ocean conservation
and science so that other people can get
that same resource act as a resource.
It's not policy. It's been
a while since I've done it.
But every time I go to a conference, I
practice it in the mirror or I just
practice it as I'm walking up because the
more you say it, the better it comes out,
the more natural comes out.
You're not pulling for work just like I
was before. So it's never perfect. It
doesn't matter if it's perfect or not.
But as long as they know who you are and
what you do, that is the
best thing that you can do.
So practice that every single time you're
about to go to a conference or you're
about to go to a place where you're going
to meet people. If you found this episode
helpful, please share it with someone
that is trying to break into this field
and is having trouble getting a job.
And I think that's really important
because, you know, we need to help as
many people as possible get into this,
get into this field, whether you're a
scientist, whether you're an ocean
conservationist, whether you're
specialized in some kind of field.
There's so many fields out there.
There's so many ways that you can
contribute to ocean conservation, whether
it be through science or business or
anything like that. But the idea is to
meet people to network and to grow that
network out so that eventually one day,
hopefully it'll help you in the future.
So thank you so much for joining me on
today's episode of the How to Protect the
Ocean podcast. If you have a question or
comment, you can reach me. If you speak
up for blue.com forward slash feedback,
that's speak up for blue.com forward
slash feedback links in the show.
And of course, if you're on Spotify, just
hit a comment and I will get back to you.
I want to thank you so much for joining
me on today's episode of the How to
Protect the Ocean podcast. I am your
host, Andrew Lewin. Have a great day.
We'll talk to you next
time and happy conservation.