Question: have you always been interested with your job?

Helen Gath answered on 16 Jun 2014:

Yes! Well, wildlife and conservation most definitely. As a child I was always outdoors digging up worms, watching birds or trying to adopt somebody’s dog! I read a lot about wildlife, both scientific books and fantasy, and as I got older I began to volunteer at veterinary shelters, wildlife parks, join clubs and so on. I never actually thought I would do a PhD! In my eyes, PhD student were incredibly clever and I could never be that. What i’ve realised is that you don’t have to be a total geek to do a PhD. It’s about organisation, dedication, interest, people skills….personality.
Compared to some of my friends I consider myself very lucky to be so passionate about my work, but even if you’re not sure what you want to pursue in life, you shouldn’t be disheartened; see it as a wonderful opportunity to explore all sorts of places and activities, meet lots of people and discover you’re likes and dislikes. It’s well worth finding a career you love as it makes going to work much more fun!