Finding a job – a personal reflection

The big question on any potential archaeologist’s mind is, of course, will I find a job? I first decided that I wanted to become an archaeologist at the age of 10 after I read a children’s library book called Digging into Yesterday (Friedman, 1958). The first archaeology book that I ever bought with my own money, however, was Kathleen Kenyon’s (1964) Beginning in Archaeology, purchased for the princely sum of 25c at the church bazaar when I was 12 or 13 years old. Filled with excitement I rushed home with my prize and eagerly turned to chapter four, which promised to tell me “How to become an archaeologist.” I mostly forgot what was in that chapter except the following paragraph from a section entitled “Archaeology as a profession”, which has stuck with me throughout my life:

“Many people in whom an interest in archaeology is aroused will want to make it their profession, and the question then arises as to the possibility of making a living in it. The answer then has to be given with some caution. As has already been said, there are now a number of full-time jobs in archaeology. But this number is still restricted in comparison to those in many professions. The result is that there are usually a considerable number of candidates for all good posts, and, because of the fact that vacancies only occur rather sporadically, it may be necessary to wait for a time, after training is completed, before a vacancy occurs. Therefore, anyone who is completely dependent on his [or her] earnings must consider the matter seriously and decide whether he [or she] is prepared to take the risk. Many, who are quite clear that archaeology is the only subject in which they are interested, will be prepared to do so. Others may feel that they cannot do this, and will prefer to take some training which will give them a second string to their bow. But though this paragraph has emphasised the gloomy side, it is fairly safe to say that anyone who shows a real ability will in due course get a suitable job, though there may be a difficult period at first” (Kenyon, 1964: 56).

Though there are now many more jobs than when Kenyon was writing, these words are still as true as the day they were written. Often, you will not get the exact kind of job that you want as soon as you are qualified. Though you may one day want to work in a university, you may have to start out at a provincial or national museum. If your ideal job is a research post at a museum, you may find that you have to work in cultural resource management (contract) archaeology for a few years before such a post opens up.

You may land up in contract work and discover that the business course your parents forced you to take really comes in handy, while your job at one of the government agencies tasked with protecting national and provincial heritage is bolstered by those university vacations spent helping out at your mother’s law firm, which gave you a greater understanding of how legislation works. You might have to go and work in some of the far-flung corners of your country before the job in your favourite city, town or national park opens up. You may have to create your own job by starting your own business.

It certainly doesn’t hurt, as Kenyon points out, to have “a second string to your bow”. All kinds of additional skills – computing, scientific, artistic, photographic, writing, numeric and entrepreneurial – have application in archaeology.

The real key to finding your dream job in archaeology is to be prepared to gather as much experience in as many different things along the way as you can. Your professor needs a research assistant to do bibliographic research? You’re the first one to put your hand up. A postgraduate student in your department needs volunteers to help out on a dig? You would be delighted. A researcher needs somebody to sort some shellfish, prepare charcoal samples for dating analysis or move boxes from the storeroom? This is the best way that you could imagine spending your extra hours or afternoon.

Some of these little jobs may be on a voluntary basis, but many of them are paid – albeit ad hoc – work. (I should here acknowledge Dr Antonieta Jerardino, who gave me this advice on my first archaeological fieldtrip.)

If, at the end, you still only know a little about surveying, sorting, geographic information systems and analysis, etc, you will know a lot of people who see in you a dedicated individual who is willing to go the extra mile and who is actively looking for opportunities. Thus, when they hear of such an opportunity, they will make sure that you also know about it.

So what is the secret to finding a job in archaeology? It can be summed up in one word: perseverance!

Natalie Swanepoel (who is now gainfully employed at the University of South Africa)

References

Friedman, E. 1958. Digging into Yesterday: The Discovery of Ancient Civilizations. Putnam: New York.
Kenyon, K. 1964. Beginning in Archaeology. J.M. Dent and Sons: London.