Hot Tip -- by Kristi Kerford & Tim Sieben

Burn ants with a magnifying glass?
Pull the legs off daddy long legs?
Run over tent caterpillars?

If you answered yes to these questions you may want to talk to one of two people.

A) a psychiatrist - if you are still enjoying these activities, get some help!!

B) an entomologist - if you have a genuine interest or curiosity in the bug world you may want to consider a career in this field.

If you fell into category "B" then continue reading.

In a field as specialized as entomology, you may start thinking about your career options as soon as high school. When choosing your courses be sure to complete all of the necessary sciences. Biology, chemistry and math are required but even physics is recommended. People working in this field have a natural curiosity and desire to solve problems. An interest in discovering, collecting and analyzing information about the natural world will be important. They should be comfortable working alone or with others and be able to communicate and explain ideas clearly, both orally and in report writing. If you do not possess all of these skills and attributes but you are still interested in the field, don't despair. You will have the opportunity to develop them in your post-secondary studies as well.

Beyond having an interest in the field and completing the necessary courses, there are other important things you can do to prepare for a career in this field. Look into volunteering, or working as summer student in a government program. This will provide you the opportunity to see if you really like the environment and gain some valuable experience. In exploring the field of bugs you will also learn how many different career options exist. Check out our Industry Profile for further details on careers with bugs.

If you're still reading then you will probably be interested in the next step of pursuing a career with bugs. This issue Jump Start looks at the post-secondary options that you may want to consider.

Happy exploring!!