A Career in Meteorology

Nqp15hhu · 10-01-2021 8:33pm #1

I have a passion in Meteorology and have had this interest since childhood. This expanded out to my own weather station at about 16 and then a Davis Vantage Pro 2 this summer.

I went on to study Meteorology in England and have attained a Bachelors degree in the subject, in July of 2019.

Since graduating I have had an uphill battle to get a job, searching high and low. In the U.K., there is only about 2 jobs a month, if that. I applied to the Met Office a few times and was always rejected at the Assessment Centre.. what was demotivating was that they take on people without a Meteorology degree so it sort of made my degree look pointless.

I also applied to the Royal Navy (this was the closest I got) and was called 18 times only to give up after realising what I was in for. DTN was the other company I applied to.

So what is becoming clear to me is the lack of jobs in the sector. I search and search for jobs and come across very little. I did manage to gain a temp retail job but this is not where I want to be.

The problem is that these jobs are very competitive and I am competing against some highly qualified individuals. For ex, one job I was rejected had laid off airline pilots with 30 years of service.

I unfortunately did not do my degree with a placement. All of the Met Office placements are for Undergraduates, I have contacted companies looking for work experience and have got nowhere.

I explored alternative avenues such as Internships with UNEP or EUMET but got nowhere there either.

I am looking to get into the industry but have very little ground to gain in terms of advancing my goals or differentiating my portfolio.

It has become quite depressing to continually be looking for jobs and make no headway... I am sitting idle waiting for an opportunity or for the winds to change. Nothing is happening whilst I watch my peers move up in life.

I regret studying this degree.

Gaoth Laidir · 10-01-2021 9:22pm

Which degree course was it? I assume it's recognised by the Met Office (a degree is a degree is a degree).

In 1988, while I was in 2nd year in school, I was shown around Met Éireann in Glasnevin by John Doyle, who was one of the RTÉ meteorologists at the time (along with Dr. Aidan Nulty and Gerald Fleming). It was a great experience, seeing Dr. Nulty there at his desk, and it was something I said I wanted to do for a living. However, John told me then that the opportunities in meteorology were getting less and less, normally relying on a retirement for a position to crop up. Advances in automation meant that at some stage in the future (i.e. today) there would be less and less people directly employed. It's for that reason that I didn't pursue it professionaly.

Met Éireann are going through a process of modernising the airport observational station network, with all but Dublin Airport becoming fully automated very soon. That's a whole host of observer jobs gone down the drain.

However, I find it interesting that every week there seems to be some new young voice presenting the 17:59 radio bulletin on my way home. I know that one of these voices is an ex-(or maybe still current)Boardsie, so fair play to him for landing the job.

I don't know how the UKMO work, but the majority of opportunities I would imagine are now in the field of modelling and climate research. Not your bread and butter forecasting or observer jobs but it seems to me to be the way it's headed.

ZX7R · 10-01-2021 9:26pm

Never regret learning something.
Maybe you should try a different Avenue but still in meteorology.
Maybe try going down the forecasting route.
Start your own weather profile on Facebook start with local weather forecasting local knowledge is key to been success.
I noted from a previous post on another tread that your knowledge of meteorology is mainly numbers based perhaps there is another course you could find to further expand into meteorology.
Sadly it's a very narrow field you choose as your path but hopefully opportunities will come to you.

Oneiric 3 · 10-01-2021 9:33pm

Have you ever applied to more commercial meteorological orgs like Meteogroup or similar?

Nqp15hhu · 10-01-2021 9:47pm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

Have you ever applied to more commercial meteorological orgs like Meteogroup or similar?

Yes that is DTN

Nqp15hhu · 10-01-2021 9:54pm

ZX7R wrote: »

Never regret learning something.
Maybe you should try a different Avenue but still in meteorology.
Maybe try going down the forecasting route.
Start your own weather profile on Facebook start with local weather forecasting local knowledge is key to been success.
I noted from a previous post on another tread that your knowledge of meteorology is mainly numbers based perhaps there is another course you could find to further expand into meteorology.
Sadly it's a very narrow field you choose as your path but hopefully opportunities will come to you.

Yes it is very narrow. I didn’t think of alternative avenues when I chose to study the degree.

And the University did not tell us of the poor job opportunities.

Danno · 10-01-2021 9:57pm

Have you volunteered to be a climatological observer? I know it's an unpaid role, but it can serve to keep your interest alive while you pursue another career. Met Offices are looking for more and more climate observers because many of the existing ones are elderly folk who naturally won't be with us long term into the future. You'd also have a direct contact line with the Climate Division and perhaps if you strike up a good accord with them you might get informed of an upcoming position...

Oneiric 3 · 10-01-2021 10:09pm

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Yes it is very narrow. I didn’t think of alternative avenues when I chose to study the degree.

And the University did not tell us of the poor job opportunities.

You are obviously very young still and have your whole life ahead of you. Try not to get too despondent as something will turn up eventually. Just keep knocking on those doors!. In the meantime, you could utilise this time by fine tuning your skills, volunteering (as Danno suggested) and perhaps tune up on some statistical computing in Python or R (I would recommend the latter) as this will just add to your skillset and will be greatly beneficial to you in the long run.

Also, and while maybe not the most attractive option to you right now, but it might be worth considering applying to American or European Meteorological orgs as well.

Nqp15hhu · 10-01-2021 10:13pm

Oneiric 3 wrote: »

You are obviously very young still and have your whole life ahead of you. Try not to get too despondent as something will turn up eventually. Just keep knocking on those doors!. In the meantime, you could utilise this time by fine tuning your skills, volunteering (as Danno suggested) and perhaps tune up on some statistical computing in Python or R (I would recommend the latter) as this will just add to your skillset and will be greatly beneficial to you in the long run.

Also, and while maybe not the most attractive option to you right now, but it might be worth considering applying to American or European Meteorological orgs as well.

I was thinking of learning Python as I have read up on it. But really I do just want a permanent, full time job now. So looking into other industries.

I need to start earning proper money now.

Not sure I can apply to American organisations. I am not American.

Nqp15hhu · 10-01-2021 10:15pm

Danno wrote: »

Have you volunteered to be a climatological observer? I know it's an unpaid role, but it can serve to keep your interest alive while you pursue another career. Met Offices are looking for more and more climate observers because many of the existing ones are elderly folk who naturally won't be with us long term into the future. You'd also have a direct contact line with the Climate Division and perhaps if you strike up a good accord with them you might get informed of an upcoming position...

I haven’t seen anything, it’s possible... I do need concrete experience.

zisdead · 10-01-2021 10:49pm

I can tell you for sure with a degree in Metrology (science based) if you went and did a 1.5 or 2 year conversion course to a masters in Software engineering (no need for a primary degree in computer science) you will walk into any one of fifty American multinationals in Dublin.

The likes of Google go nuts when the see a software engineer with an otherwise quirky primary degree or back story not in software originally.

I did just that (from mechanical engineering) and was making 60K after 2 years. So if a full time job is your main concern that is your route 100%.

Take out a loan if you have to it will pay you back 10 fold in no time.

see this Masters as an example

https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=PROG&MAJR=T195

Nqp15hhu · 11-01-2021 12:30pm

zisdead wrote: »

I can tell you for sure with a degree in Metrology (science based) if you went and did a 1.5 or 2 year conversion course to a masters in Software engineering (no need for a primary degree in computer science) you will walk into any one of fifty American multinationals in Dublin.

The likes of Google go nuts when the see a software engineer with an otherwise quirky primary degree or back story not in software originally.

I did just that (from mechanical engineering) and was making 60K after 2 years. So if a full time job is your main concern that is your route 100%.

Take out a loan if you have to it will pay you back 10 fold in no time.

see this Masters as an example

https://sisweb.ucd.ie/usis/!W_HU_MENU.P_PUBLISH?p_tag=PROG&MAJR=T195

A lot of people have said this to me. An awful lot of people are going down this route too.

I really need to find something concrete to get a sustainable job.

At the moment it’s all hiring freezes. Any job I apply to where I get even slightly far, the response is “we will get back to you in...”. And that never happens.

konman · 11-01-2021 2:27pm

Hi

have you got someone to critique your interview? might be possible you are doing or saying something wrong in interviews. Very common thing to happen. I have interviewed loads of people myself and some people come across very badly in interviews without even knowing it. Im not suggesting this is the case with yourself but worth looking into.

Nqp15hhu · 11-01-2021 2:42pm

konman wrote: »

Hi

have you got someone to critique your interview? might be possible you are doing or saying something wrong in interviews. Very common thing to happen. I have interviewed loads of people myself and some people come across very badly in interviews without even knowing it. Im not suggesting this is the case with yourself but worth looking into.

I am atrocious at interviews, due to anxiety. I only got my current job because I was offered a trial.

I wouldn’t have got it if I was interviewed.

riffmongous · 18-01-2021 9:16pm

You would really want a postgraduate qualification to have a good chance of finding something, at least a masters, but even then as you see there isn't a whole lot out there in Ireland or the UK.

Europe is a different story though, do you have a 2nd language? Germany will have a lot more opportunities to find work either at universities (paid postgraduate research) or consulting companies. There's just as much competition of course but you can at least find stuff to apply for.

vurstflavor · 18-01-2021 9:32pm

Did you check your criminal history in uk
As you would not get a job in government even with a minor conviction

Nqp15hhu · 18-01-2021 9:37pm

riffmongous wrote: »

You would really want a postgraduate qualification to have a good chance of finding something, at least a masters, but even then as you see there isn't a whole lot out there in Ireland or the UK.

Europe is a different story though, do you have a 2nd language? Germany will have a lot more opportunities to find work either at universities (paid postgraduate research) or consulting companies. There's just as much competition of course but you can at least find stuff to apply for.

I know hence needing to study another degree to move into something else.

Nqp15hhu · 18-01-2021 9:37pm

vurstflavor wrote: »

Did you check your criminal history in uk
As you would not get a job in government even with a minor conviction

Not sure why you would say that about me.

Nqp15hhu · 16-03-2021 7:05pm

Did anyone apply to Met.ie?

Snowbie · 17-03-2021 2:26am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Did anyone apply to Met.ie?

Go state side (Post COVID), plenty of jobs over there in meteorology in a wide variety of fields.

As was mentioned, the only true way to a meteorologist in Ireland was by way of meteorological officer but now since most sites are becoming automated, that back door in has now closed.

Use your degree and get to the states. Much more interesting weather there anyway.

Nqp15hhu · 17-03-2021 4:55am

Snowbie wrote: »

Go state side (Post COVID), plenty of jobs over there in meteorology in a wide variety of fields.

As was mentioned, the only true way to a meteorologist in Ireland was by way of meteorological officer but now since most sites are becoming automated, that back door in has now closed.

Use your degree and get to the states. Much more interesting weather there anyway.

No they had a position.

I don’t believe I could gain entry to the American market with the strict entry requirements and high competition.

Oneiric 3 · 17-03-2021 1:47pm

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

I don’t believe I could gain entry to the American market with the strict entry requirements and high competition.

You won't know until you try, and if you fail, then try again. American's see merit & value in perseverance.

Nqp15hhu · 10-04-2021 9:54pm

I have now had my third interview at one meteorology company and was rejected yet again. At this point I don’t know what this company actually wants from me, so far as the interview or experience. At times I have thought that they have interviewed me for the positions for HR reasons, with no intention of taking me on. I meet the requirements for the job perfectly and know people who work in the company with a non meteorology degree and no experience. So what is wrong with me?

I am confused about the constant interview invites but constant rejection, why invite me if nothing is changing? The job requires training so what odds is it that I don’t perform well in the interview, surely my meteorology knowledge would be advantageous to that training setup?

I have curated and altered my interview at each stage, even spending money prior to this interview meeting two separate interview guidance people’s only to be rejected. I have literally done all I can do and it’s not good enough.

At this point, It seems that these meteorology companies don’t care about interest in the topic or degree types, rather how well you perform in an interview socially.

It is frustrating to have this interest, participate in daily, have the degree and to be told “no” repeatedly, not to mention all of the hundreds and hundreds of pounds I have spent going to assessment centres and preparing for interviews. Yet see people working in the job who have no actual interest in it. I have also heard that they took on most people on the assessment day I attended, so why not me? There’s just something off about the whole thing. Honestly I just think there’s something about me they don’t like. I wonder if disclosing my Aspergers initially is the problem (or other prejudices).

I am ready now to move on from Meteorology and study a masters in an unrelated subject. There are too few job vacancies and too few opportunities to gain experience. I can’t sit without a job waiting on the rare job vacancy to come up.

As arrogant as this sounds, I firmly believe they are missing out on not hiring me and are underestimating my skills by taking my performance in an interview at face value. To much of a focus on HR red tape is missing out on passionate candidates.

Gaoth Laidir · 10-04-2021 10:47pm

You're not the first person to be unsuccessful in a series of interviews and you won't be the last. It happens to most people.

Maybe you need to start looking at yourself instead of constantly blaming others. Just some harsh constructive criticism, based on what I see here. It's important to be humble, open to other ideas and a team player, but unfortunately you don't come across as any of those, at least here anyway. I would seriously start asking questions of how those coaches you're paying are actually doing their job.

Sorry for the blunt reply, but sometimes you need someone to tell you as it is.

BingCrosbee · 10-04-2021 10:49pm

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

Which degree course was it? I assume it's recognised by the Met Office (a degree is a degree is a degree).

In 1988, while I was in 2nd year in school, I was shown around Met Éireann in Glasnevin by John Doyle, who was one of the RTÉ meteorologists at the time (along with Dr. Aidan Nulty and Gerald Fleming). It was a great experience, seeing Dr. Nulty there at his desk, and it was something I said I wanted to do for a living. However, John told me then that the opportunities in meteorology were getting less and less, normally relying on a retirement for a position to crop up. Advances in automation meant that at some stage in the future (i.e. today) there would be less and less people directly employed. It's for that reason that I didn't pursue it professionaly.

Met Éireann are going through a process of modernising the airport observational station network, with all but Dublin Airport becoming fully automated very soon. That's a whole host of observer jobs gone down the drain.

However, I find it interesting that every week there seems to be some new young voice presenting the 17:59 radio bulletin on my way home. I know that one of these voices is an ex-(or maybe still current)Boardsie, so fair play to him for landing the job.

I don't know how the UKMO work, but the majority of opportunities I would imagine are now in the field of modelling and climate research. Not your bread and butter forecasting or observer jobs but it seems to me to be the way it's headed.

A neighbour of mine got a job within the last 2 years as a Meteorologist with Met Eireann.

Nqp15hhu · 10-04-2021 11:20pm

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

You're not the first person to be unsuccessful in a series of interviews and you won't be the last. It happens to most people.

Maybe you need to start looking at yourself instead of constantly blaming others. Just some harsh constructive criticism, based on what I see here. It's important to be humble, open to other ideas and a team player, but unfortunately you don't come across as any of those, at least here anyway. I would seriously start asking questions of how those coaches you're paying are actually doing their job.

Sorry for the blunt reply, but sometimes you need someone to tell you as it is.

Dialogue between abrasive and antagonistic forum members has absolutely nothing to do with interviews.

Gaoth Laidir · 10-04-2021 11:25pm

Nqp15hhu · 10-04-2021 11:27pm

Yeah you can get back in your box now. Take your nasty digs elsewhere. Thanks

John.Icy · 10-04-2021 11:39pm

Why did you ask about interviewing if you genuinely cannot take on board a single criticism? Do you want advice or not?

giveitholly · 10-04-2021 11:42pm

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

I don't know why you even bother at this stage

omicron · 10-04-2021 11:45pm

I know if I read your post history here in your current or previous account I wouldn't be in a rush to be working with you every day.

Gaoth Laidir · 10-04-2021 11:56pm

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Yeah you can get back in your box now. Take your nasty digs elsewhere. Thanks

And THAT's why you don't get hired.

I think I will. I've been very patient with you over the past few months and have tried to help you in any way I can as I understand your situation, but there comes a time when the term "flogging a dead horse" springs to mind. So good luck with whatever you do, but don't be expecting any more help (or Northern Ireland data) from me.

Nqp15hhu · 10-04-2021 11:58pm

Gaoth Laidir wrote: »

And THAT's why you don't get hired.

I think I will. I've been very patient with you over the past few months and have tried to help you in any way I can as I understand your situation, but there comes a time when the term "flogging a dead horse" springs to mind. So good luck with whatever you do, but don't be expecting any more help (or Northern Ireland data) from me.

Ok that’s your prerogative. I won’t miss the constant nagging about my weather station.

Gaoth Laidir · 11-04-2021 12:00am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Ok that’s your prerogative. I won’t miss the constant nagging about my weather station.

Deep Thought · 11-04-2021 12:05am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

I have a passion in Meteorology and have had this interest since childhood. This expanded out to my own weather station at about 16 and then a Davis Vantage Pro 2 this summer.

I went on to study Meteorology in England and have attained a Bachelors degree in the subject, in July of 2019.

Since graduating I have had an uphill battle to get a job, searching high and low. In the U.K., there is only about 2 jobs a month, if that. I applied to the Met Office a few times and was always rejected at the Assessment Centre.. what was demotivating was that they take on people without a Meteorology degree so it sort of made my degree look pointless.

I also applied to the Royal Navy (this was the closest I got) and was called 18 times only to give up after realising what I was in for. DTN was the other company I applied to.

So what is becoming clear to me is the lack of jobs in the sector. I search and search for jobs and come across very little. I did manage to gain a temp retail job but this is not where I want to be.

The problem is that these jobs are very competitive and I am competing against some highly qualified individuals. For ex, one job I was rejected had laid off airline pilots with 30 years of service.

I unfortunately did not do my degree with a placement. All of the Met Office placements are for Undergraduates, I have contacted companies looking for work experience and have got nowhere.

I explored alternative avenues such as Internships with UNEP or EUMET but got nowhere there either.

I am looking to get into the industry but have very little ground to gain in terms of advancing my goals or differentiating my portfolio.

It has become quite depressing to continually be looking for jobs and make no headway... I am sitting idle waiting for an opportunity or for the winds to change. Nothing is happening whilst I watch my peers move up in life.

I regret studying this degree.

You need to like software developing to really do it. I hated it and went it to the QA side.

What about teaching? Do a postgrad and go down that path?

Nqp15hhu · 11-04-2021 12:14am

Deep Thought wrote: »

You need to like software developing to really do it. I hated it and went it to the QA side.

What about teaching? Do a postgrad and go down that path?

I have no interest in IT, I understand it pays well and has a large amount of job vacancies. Though I have been reading lately that it’s saturated with graduates.

I am thinking data analysis but idk. I’m really only diverging down this path due to the weak meteorology job market, that is my desired career.

Nqp15hhu · 11-04-2021 12:28am

John.Icy wrote: »

Why did you ask about interviewing if you genuinely cannot take on board a single criticism? Do you want advice or not?

No - I don’t want antagonising advice from people who aren’t working in the industry. Who themselves have poor communication skills and who can’t write a criticism without being hateful.

DOCARCH · 11-04-2021 6:56am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

I won’t miss the constant nagging about my weather station.

GL's gif sums it up nicely.

People trying to help you and come out with something like that?

And then you wonder why some people appear hostile!!!

science101 · 11-04-2021 7:43am

would you consider an alternative route, I know in astrophysics specifically exoplanets, there is a growing field of modelling climates on other planets (ive talked to people in this field and they use elfrc code (based on fortran) and its what the met office use)

Oneiric 3 · 11-04-2021 10:09am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

No - I don’t want antagonising advice from people who aren’t working in the industry. Who themselves have poor communication skills and who can’t write a criticism without being hateful.

This is an enthusiasts forum, so unlikely you'll get an answer from someone working directly in field. You should write to Met Eireann or the UK Met Office for the advice you are looking for since you rejected (after asking) any given here. Both orgs are very friendly and accommodating to all sorts of queries and will help out as much as possible. For example, I have asked the UK Met for help with access to data/charts etc a couple of times and even though I am out of their jurisdiction, they were wonderfully helpful. Same with Met Eireann. If they can help you out in anyway at all, they will and then some.

highdef · 11-04-2021 10:18am

Nqp15hhu wrote: »

Ok that’s your prerogative. I won’t miss the constant nagging about my weather station.

Gaoth Laidir (and others) gave very sound advice and were genuinely trying to help you and then you say the above!

And he also gave very sound advice about how you can try progress with meteorology as a career and you say this:

"Yeah you can get back in your box now. Take your nasty digs elsewhere. Thanks"

This was your reply to:
"You're not the first person to be unsuccessful in a series of interviews and you won't be the last. It happens to most people.

Maybe you need to start looking at yourself instead of constantly blaming others. Just some harsh constructive criticism, based on what I see here. It's important to be humble, open to other ideas and a team player, but unfortunately you don't come across as any of those, at least here anyway. I would seriously start asking questions of how those coaches you're paying are actually doing their job."

DOCARCH · 11-04-2021 11:38am

Mod Note: Closing this thread. I think everybody has been as helpful as they can be and I am not sure any more advice can be given on the matter.

A Career in Meteorology

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