The impetus for this book came about at the 2005 Conference of the Society for Conservation Biology in Brazil. It was there that the authors recognized the value of writing a book for people eager to make a career out of ‘saving the earth’.

Hunter, Lindenmayer and Calhoun provide thorough and un-intimidating counsel to those seeking to pursue a job in the field of conservation. They explore the path towards saving the earth in a series of succinct chapters, sprinkled generously with humorous cartoons, short anecdotes and supplemental reading lists.

In Chapter 1, the authors describe the breadth of career opportunities in conservation, which range from fisheries managers and biologists to policy specialists, educators and economists. They illustrate the important commonalities among this continuum of professionals, namely that they protect the natural world and ‘oversee the wise management of natural resources’ (p. 2). This book underscores that diligent work, willingness, organizational skills, resourcefulness and respect for conservation will direct one towards a successful career. Chapter 2 discusses how to manage one's undergraduate education and balance one's time between course work and job experience in the field.

Chapters 3, 4 and 5 explain how to select and establish oneself in a graduate programme. The authors emphasize that graduate school is a means to an end rather than an end in itself; thus, one should use the experience to develop skill sets, hone expertise and expand networks in ways that enhance one's professional prospects. The importance of choosing a programme for the strength of the department and its faculty rather than the overall prestige of the university is stressed.

Designing and executing a graduate thesis is explored in Chapters 6 and 7. The authors recommend focusing one's research on a small but significant question, rather than tackling a broad topic that can only be addressed superficially. They highlight the importance of monitoring budgetary issues, being adaptable in the field, and not waiting until the end of the degree period to begin writing the thesis.

In Chapter 8, the authors highlight that hundreds of conservation meetings and conferences are held each year. Students are implored not to be ‘star-struck’ in the presence of expert professionals but rather to use these gatherings to make connections, develop ideas, propose research collaborations and learn the art of asking questions. Chapter 9 outlines the structural components of a journal article, the publishing process from submission to revision, and coping skills to deal with potential rejection.

This book's focus on education illustrates the authors' belief that academic training and skill development are more important in gaining a foothold in the field of conservation, than learning how to manoeuvre the job market. This book, however, deals with the latter in Chapter 10. The authors offer tips on writing résumés and suggest the importance of ingenuity in gaining access to one's desired career.

‘Saviour Syndrome’, a condition that often plagues newly minted graduates, is described in Chapter 11. It is characterized by the belief that one highly educated person can save the world as long as everyone follows orders. The authors point out that conservation professionals will be able to make the greatest difference if they work with local citizens and stakeholders. They urge recent graduates to recognize that their job will often be to mediate compromises between involved parties, to foster cooperation, to listen to local perspectives and to make the community part of the solution.

It is worth mentioning that this book succeeds more as a practical guide to navigating academic life, than as an insider's guide to finding the ideal job in conservation. Overall, I recommend Saving the Earth As a Career to students interested to become professionals in this field. This concise work might be read before embarking on an undergraduate education, and subsequently kept as a desktop reference throughout one's career. All book royalties are donated to student activities of the Society for Conservation Biology, and so reading this book could itself be considered a small earth-saving endeavour.