Kind of Wild is a weekly newsletter on trying to live ethically while still enjoying life. I am a 40-something published author, podcaster, public speaker, charity PR specialist and writer. I speak four languages and live in Brighton, UK. I’ve been vegan for over a decade. I want to save the world - but I also want to experience it.
For a long time, I low-key hated my job.
I had the job “a million girls would kill for” - and I was profoundly unhappy. As you can read here and here, in my twenties I managed to claw my way to working in the fashion industry (no mean feat as a foreigner with no savings, connections or “cool factor”, let me tell you) and despite all the surface-level glitz, something didn’t sit right with me. And after years of writing newsletters, going to press previews, and hammering out product descriptions, I was able to put my finger on what it was: my job was not allowing me to make a difference. Or at least not a positive difference. If anything, I was contributing to the world becoming a more cruel and polluted place. I, the person who had loved animals and nature with all my heart since I was a child, had ended up in an industry that was contributing to their destruction.
So I shifted. I found a way into a career where I could use my existing skills to make the world better. Ten years later, I can say that this was one of the best things I’ve ever done, and the best career decision I have ever made.
And I am not alone in thinking along these lines. A few years after changing careers, I was approached by a university to be part of their mentorship programme for students who wanted to get a job in sustainability - which, I realised, was a lot of people! Research shows that young people want to make a difference through their careers. People would even take a pay cut to work in a more meaningful career - which is saying a lot in today’s cost of living climate.
I had reached a turning point when I applied for my current job. My most recent freelance fashion writing contract had ended. A recruiter had contacted me with a similar job proposal. But something was stopping me. I was asking myself, “do I want to go back to another fashion writing job…or is it time for something different?”
I applied for a PR job at PETA, an animal rights organisation I’d admired for years. Incredibly, I got the job, and I never looked back. I quickly realised that people from all kinds of career backgrounds came to PETA, which I believe to be true for other organisations as well - after all, ethical and sustainable careers are quite a new field. I had no charity-relevant degree, no prior experience working in activism, and suspect that I mainly got the job on passion and enthusiasm. But I’ve learned quite a few things, and if you’re currently clock-watching at your desk, wondering if it’s time to make a change, here is my best advice.
Get informed. This is key - and a perfect starting point. Be sure that you read up as much as possible on your cause. You don’t have to be an expert, but you have to know the basics and preferably stay abreast with any news and developments. Interested in human rights in fashion? Sign up to newsletters from organisations working to help garment workers. Passionate about ocean pollution? Learn everything you can about ocean plastic and marine biodiversity loss. The more knowledge you have, the more doors will open for you.
Start by volunteering. I started in animal rights by volunteering at PETA. Back then, I believed that the only way to “work” in animal rights was volunteering - so I got myself there. I had no idea this could be a job, but I sure knew that volunteering was a possibility, and I’m glad I took the step. By opening myself up to meeting new people and putting myself on the radar of the people whom I most wanted to work with, I ended up in a prime position when a job became available.
Assess your transferable skills. I had no PR experience when I got the position as PR Coordinator. I also had no animal welfare experience. But what I did have was years working as a journalist, which of course came in handy when it came to a job that mainly involved handling media and the press. Later I used my penchant for public speaking to create a whole new area of my role. Think of what skills you have from past or existing jobs that you can bring with you into your dream role.
Lay the groundwork. Be in the orbit of the organisations and people you wish to work with. Go to their events. Attend protests. Sign petitions. Be active and show that you are part of the movement. Not only will that help with step one (getting informed), it will also signal true enthusiasm for the field. We have hired several people who, in addition to bringing stellar skills, were also animal rights activists in their free time. In many situations where there are several candidates with the desired skill set, the one who’s already dedicated to the cause will have that extra edge.
Use the internet to your advantage. We’re all chronically online these days, and your social media presence can help align your profile with your desired area. If you’re a video whiz, whip up some reels or YouTube masterpieces around your cause. Photo master? Get on Instagram. Good writer? You’re in the right place - start a Substack on your passions. You’re probably doing this already, it’s just about kicking it up a notch. And yes, this should be included in your application. A well-curated social media account can be beyond relevant, for any field. I got my very first fashion editorial job because the hiring editor liked my blog!
Don’t give up. I applied for three different roles at my organisation before I finally got a job there. With other charities, I was told my CV was “too fashion-focused”. One prominent charity had me go through five interviews and a lengthy test assignment before deciding that “we don’t actually want to hire anyone”. A setback or two (or five) is pretty much part of the process. Don’t get discouraged. Have some vegan ice cream and get back to crafting those applications.
Create your own opportunities. I wanted to work in magazines, but the only way magazines wanted to have me was as an occasional freelancer. Never getting to enter those fabled offices, I didn’t get to live my Andy Sachs fantasy (except as an intern for Cosmopolitan Sweden - those were the days!). So what did I do? I started my own magazine. This also aligned with my newfound vegan ethics, which no magazines wanted to touch back then. I’m not saying you have to start your own venture - although if you do, great! - but as a freelance consultant or other kind of expert, you can carve out opportunities for yourself that may not be readily available through a nine-to-five.
A note on degrees: I think that getting a relevant sustainability or advocacy degree is indeed a great way to go, and we’re lucky to be living in a time when this is offered to us as a possibility. But I also believe that it is possible to get the career you want without the exact degree. If you worry that your degree (or lack thereof) will hold you back, focus on getting relevant experience and a background that is in line with your desired career trajectory in other ways.
Hope that this is indeed helpful and will bring you one step closer to that dream career. What working in activism is really like behind the scenes? Well, that’s a topic for a different post.
It's so important to feel good at your workplace! And this job was made for you ❤️ amazing advice darling! Loved this read!