Michael Woods – director of The Mammal Society

I was fascinated by wildlife from an early age, largely because my father encouraged my interest, as his father encouraged him. Making a career of this enthusiasm, however, took a good deal of effort.

If you really are going to work with wildlife, you need more than a science degree. You have to prove that it is a passion and this means lots of volunteering in the field and taking every chance to meet all the experts you can.

Forget the TV and the computer and get out there to try things for yourself – nothing impresses employers more.