Richard Fletcher
Hearst Castle
San Simeon, CA USA
"Tests aren’t over once school is over. You are going to have them for your entire life. Don’t give up and just keep going."
Career Roadmap
Richard's work combines: Environment & Nature, Education, and Teaching / Mentoring
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Get a seasonal job. It will help you learn how everything works in the State Parks system. I would also highly recommend taking any and all civil service exams that you can. You can't get a full time state job unless you are ranked on a hiring list! Look at https://jobs.ca.gov/CalHRPublic/Search/ExamSearch.aspx to find exams that you may be interested in taking. Every exam you pass is a door that will be open to you when you are looking for a job.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Wildlife Management and Conservation
Humboldt State University
Life & Career Milestones
I've taken a lot of twists and turns
1.
I grew up in Monterey, California.
2.
After high school, I was really lost and didn’t know what to do, so I attended community college for three years at Monterey Peninsula College so I could explore my interests.
3.
Transferred to Humboldt State University, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology.
4.
Two days after graduation, I began working for California State Parks, where I started out managing campgrounds.
5.
Then I transferred and began working on a trail crew, helping to build and maintain hiking trails and roads throughout the state parks system.
6.
From there, I became a seasonal interpreter at Humboldt Redwoods State Park for over three years where I led nature walks and campfire programs, and worked with our Junior Rangers.
7.
I was promoted to a full-time interpreter at Hearst Castle, where I conducted tours and educated people about the grounds and the history of the building.
8.
I am now a Guide II at Hearst Castle, which is a supervisory role where I oversee all of the guides here at the castle.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Friends:
You are going nowhere in life and wasting your time.
How I responded:
Most people won't get their dream job the day they graduate and enter the working world. It is going to take time and lots of hard work to get where you want to be! Do as much as you can to expand your horizons and be a desirable employee. Even though it's not fun to go to lots of interviews. Practicing those skills and being comfortable in that setting is invaluable. Above all be patient, work hard, and STAY POSITIVE!
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I took advantage of as many aid programs as possible. Don't be too proud to apply for programs like unemployment or food stamps. It will be a lot harder to get or keep a job if you don't have a place to live or if you can't afford to eat!
I was diagnosed with a learning disability when I was in grade school (terrible reading comprehension). I took advantage of all the programs they had to offer at school. I also learned how to work around my disability by learning in other ways.