Pet Shop Workers

With the number of volunteer opportunities at animal shelters, zoos, and other animal care facilities, you can easily gain experience working with animals. You can also apply for a part-time or summer job at a pet shop while still in high school. Talk to pet store workers about their careers. Ask them how they broke into the field and what are the most important skills for success on the job. If you can't land a job at a pet store, try to land a position in another retail setting to obtain experience interacting with customers, stocking goods, and completing financial transactions.

Business clubs—such as Junior Achievement (https://jausa.ja.org), Future Business Leaders of America (https://www.fbla.org), and Business Professionals of America (http://bpa.org)—will introduce you to area business owners and help you develop skills in advertising, marketing, and management. DECA, an association of marketing- and entrepreneurial-minded students, is an organization that prepares high school and college students for careers in marketing, finance, hospitality, and management. There are many local chapters of DECA across the country, and annual leadership conferences. Some DECA chapters also offer scholarships to students. Agricultural clubs and 4-H clubs can teach you about animal care and responsibilities.