If you have chosen a career as a zookeeper, you must take some tips to build a strong foundation for your career.
Good impression:
When you start your work as a zookeeper, you need to make a good and positive impression on everyone around you. If you cannot maintain a good impression among your species, how can you think about serving another? So, be on time on your first day, if you are late kind and polite to explain your issue.
Hard work:
To take care of animals, you need to be hard working. Even if you have a very good qualification; if you do not work hard, you cannot excel in this field of zookeeping. You will have to overcome your laziness and do the work with compassion. You must have a smiling face always to spread positivity around you. Always lend a hand when required. Show them that you love the job and you are ready for it no matter what.
Take the initiative:
Zookeepers do lots of activities each day, so if you help them, they will be grateful for you. You should not wait for the next instruction and jump whenever you find suitable work for you. It gives a sense of being in a team and keeps you and your team motivated that each person is contributing. You can help them in a verity of ways by helping with foods, or cleaning, etc.
No overstepping from position:
You should not overstep from your position. Always work within the boundaries to keep cordial relations with your fellow mates. You should not try to handle an animal if you are not instructed. It will give you unnecessary troubles and might hurt the animal too. If you have a doubt, you can ask somebody but should decide on your own. This is the reason why training and qualifications are necessary. It gives you hands-on-experience to handle an animal.
Do not Show negative attitudes:
You must not show a negative attitude in anyways. This will degrade your relationship with your team. As these workplaces are prone to gossips, you must refrain from it. You must rather keep on learning things and improve your knowledge. You should not let them affect your positivity and take it further in your career. Also, keep your eyes, ears, and nose clean on the surrounding to prevent yourself from negativity.
Stay for long:
As you are new in the industry, you must stay long so that you learn more. You should try to even if you have completed your work early. Instead, observe things around you to get a better idea about the place.
Take help when sick:
In case if you get sick, do not hide. It is important for the health of you, your colleagues, and animals. Do let anybody suffer because of you. As animals are more vulnerable, you must take help when you are sick. Take a day off or just spend the day observing so that you can learn animal behaviors. If you are sicker, be at home.