how did you personally get your first job in this field?

Hi everyone,

I’m a 30F from Italy and honestly I’m feeling a bit lost about what to do next in marine biology.

I have a Bachelor’s in Environmental Sciences and a Master’s in Marine Biology (finished in 2023). During uni I covered a lot of theory (ecology, zoology, oceanography, etc.) and for my thesis I spent about 1.5 years in a lab working on marine pathology.

I got some hands-on experience with things like histology (fixation, embedding, staining), microscopy, DNA/RNA extraction, and a bit of molecular biology. Also worked with algal cultures. I’m fluent in English (C1) and I have an Open Water diving license.

On paper it feels like I should be “qualified enough” to start somewhere, but in reality I have no idea how to actually get into this field. Most job postings I see ask for very specific experience, a PhD, or things I’ve never had the chance to do.

So my questions are:
what kind of entry-level jobs actually exist in marine biology right now? what skills should I focus on to be more employable? is it basically impossible without a PhD? how did you personally get your first job in this field?

At this point I’m open to pretty much any direction (lab, field, data, etc.), I just don’t want to feel stuck like this anymore.

Any advice or honest insight would really help