Arguably, this is the most important piece of advice for anyone seeking a job in wildlife or conservation. A great many people now working in paid jobs in this field – even directors of prominent international charities – started their careers as volunteers.

Volunteers have four major advantages over people who do not volunteer: they are demonstrating that they are seriously committed; they are gaining practical experience; they are getting a foot in the door; and they are developing a much clearer picture of the kind of work they really want to do.

The experience gained through such voluntary work can often be essential, simply because the abundance of professionally qualified people looking for paid work means that skills developed as a volunteer can be decisive in securing a good position – in this scenario, practical experience really does count. With regard to getting a foot in the door, volunteering provides the best way of being in the right place (and with the right experience) at the right time when a vacancy for paid work arises. You get to hear about forthcoming job vacancies before the outside world and, of course, you’re already on site. It also offers an opportunity to develop a job specifically for yourself: make yourself invaluable and indispensable and, given time, you may be offered a permanent position. It happens surprisingly frequently. This is exactly how a surprising number of people working in paid positions in conservation organisations, in particular, got their jobs.

Unfortunately, even volunteer jobs are limited – so be prepared to be interviewed and to battle it out with some impressive competitors.

Useful book: Wildlife & Conservation Volunteering: The Complete Guide, by Peter Lynch (Bradt Travel Guides, £13.99, ISBN 9781841622750).