Ecology is a broad field with many opportunities and potential career paths. However, these paths are often unclear to students and young professionals. In this workshop, established ecologists representing various career paths will discuss specific strategies and options for careers in ecology. Invited guests will offer practical advice on employment at research universities, liberal arts colleges, government agencies, and non-profit organizations in small, informal groups. After a brief general introduction and group question section, student attendees will get to meet with the professionals is small, rotating groups. They will have the opportunity to discuss several general topics, including: key skills and education requirements for their positions, effective networking, acquiring funding, publishing productively, and balancing different professional responsibilities. These small groups will provide an intimate and informal setting for attendees to interact with experienced professional ecologists and the discussion will be driven by student questions. There will also be an opportunity for attendees and experts to discuss topics of special interest, such as conservation and restoration, ecology education and outreach, finding positions for married/partnered pairs, and science policy. A major frustration for many aspiring ecologists is not only navigating the morass of career options, but accomplishing their goals for personal contributions to ecology via conservation, discovery, theory and outreach, which will also be addressed by invited guests and attendees. This session should appeal to undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.