Having now finished all aspects of this module I now have to think back to the very start and consider how this has affected my career and future plans.

Before this module I had not thought much into the future and so any insight I could of got from this module was welcomed.

Seminars

In general the seminars were highly interesting and in most cases very useful to my decision for the future.

It was great to attend seminars where you know the research is current and in some cases beginning to answer questions that currently have no answer.

Throughout the series I took a strong liking to those relating to conservation.

I think this was due the fact that for each conservation seminar I attended, each speaker approached problems differently using different areas of Zoology.

It wast his versatility within the subject of conservation that has now led to me having a strong interest in it.

The seminars have also led me to want to go into a career in research.

Each speaker showed great enthusiasm for the subject they spoke about and due to this I believe that research will be the most enjoyable career path for me.

From here I would ideally need to find a group of animals that I can focus on solely.

I have already had an interest in Marine animals, especially in marine mammals, but since attending seminars I have considered research into marine invertebrates such as crustaceans and cephalopods.

Overall the seminars were an enjoyable part of the module due to their insight on current research and the enthusiasm from the speakers.

By writing blog posts on the seminars it allowed me to realise what I had actually retained and learnt from each seminar allowing me to make a choice for my future plans that I would actually enjoy.

Clare Brass – CV workshops and Assessment centre

This was a part of the module that I was looking forward to the least due to having so may talks on CV writing since I was 16.

Of course Clare’s talks covered the basics of CV writing like all CV talks do, but it was her knowledge on the other side that made her lecture series the best CV lectures I have ever had.

Clare used to work on the recruitment side of a company and so knows what people look for when hiring.

This knowledge allowed me to edit my CV in such a way that it would catch the eye of the recruiter, leading to more interviews and hopefully a job.

Unlike other workshops, this one also showed examples of CV’s that applied for different jobs.

This knowledge that I can carry through the years with me depending on the job that I am applying for.

The mock assessment centre was a relatively unknown experience for me as I had never heard of it before.

Although a bit odd being interviewed by my peers, it was great to receive feedback on my interview technique.

It also allowed for me to receive feedback when working in a team.

This was helpful because although I  have worked in plenty of teams I had never received feedback on how I had performed in one.

Overall Clare’s lectures and assessment centre turned out to be very useful. It allowed me to rethink how I write my CV as well as give feedback that I had never received before.

Chris Walker – Biological businesses

Although sceptical about starting Chris’ lectures, they did turn out to be rather enjoyable and informative, topped with a fun afternoon workshop of Dragons Den.

Having always liked the idea of owning my own business, the lectures allowed me to see the steps and planning  I would have to take in order to get there.

Although the Dragons Den event didn’t plan out as expected, the chance to put those practices taught in the lectures to use was invaluable.

There is nothing better in actually applying the knowledge learnt from lectures in a practical sense.

Due to the team aspect that this exercise involved, it also allowed me to act on the feedback given to me from the mock assessment centre.

Overall I found this part of the module enjoyable due to the relevance of the topics discussed. It has inspired me to research more into the process of starting my own business. The practical side has also helped me immensely in the decision process that I would have to go through.

Final Thoughts

This module has exceeded all expectations that I had of it.

I had originally thought that it would just be recycling all information that I had already received, yet it still managed to teach me something new.

It has also allowed me to explore different avenues for a future job that I had not even considered.

As a whole the module has shown me that my passion currently lies in conservation and it has now equipped me with the skills required to try to get a job in this field.