Tearing my hair out!

[Bubo]

Idid ask earlier this year on this forum if students felt badly advised or mislead when they began their degree courses and the few replies suggested most students had gone in with their eyes wide open. I also happened to be working for the UCL field team in 2008 and don't recall any of the recent UCL graduates we had employed complaining about bad degree choice....The advice Uo1 has posted (I guess taken from UCL website) seems to make it fairly clear that many of its students find solace in careers outside of archaeology.

Thanks Kevin. A little harsh though! May I ask if many of your employed graduates were from the Egytian Achaeology course or general? My comment was really that the general archaeology programme had been offered a lot more careers advice then those on the Egyptian Archaeology. I didn't actually complain, but I do know that a good chunk of the 2008 grads did. But, there were several factors which might have affected this. Firstly that Jeffery's was very ill and is the coordinator, second that we graduated as the recession started, and third there is a hell of a lot of politics which does make working in Egypt difficult. I am not sure how much of that has changed since the political upheaval in Egypt, but nevertheless, the last couple of years have not been great. Maybe I am wrong...

[Bubo]

Its all great advice, thanks a bucket load. The fact is, i am a hard worker, willing to do the scrubby work, and I dont mind putting in the effort for very little gain. Its not just the work, its the sense of dong a job you adore (without sounding too cheesy). Mud is in the veins, like a pig in muck so to speak...

I am glad that the recession did not affect too many people, I had a very smelly time of it, but all your advice is encouraging.

[Wax]

I am glad that the recession did not affect too many people, I had a very smelly time of it, but all your advice is encouraging.

I suspect the recession hit a lot of people very hard indeed. don't give up but you do have to make your own breaks and be adaptable you are not going to get you dream job without a great deal of hard work and an equal amount of luck. Fantastic as Egyptology is did you not go into it with some idea of how limited a field it was or did you think an archaeology degree ( no matter the specialism) would enable you to work in field archeaology in the UK?

[Bubo]

If I am honest, no I didn't. I thought I would find a route into Cypriot Archaeology. I took the Egyptian direction as it covered a lot of the Middle East. But as you experience being on site, metting other archaeologists, researching different topics, you develop different interests.

I appreciate all the encouragement, but it all seems to be a little bit laced with the suggestion that I made my decision to study egyptian archaeology and therefore I don't deserve to earn a living. No one enters a degree with the knowledge that they will or will not be employable, I certainly was not aware of the politics of working in Egypt. I researched and researched, and you are keen and excited, you believe that you can overcome those issues.

The fact is, the recession hit me (and many others) quite hard. I had to take time out the game in in 2009 to deal with some issues regarding finances and health. I am now trying to claw my way back, and am asking for advice regarding getting back into the field. I dont want to make my specialism an issue, I don't really know if it is an issue...Do you think having that on my CV will put employers off? My fieldwork is UK/Greece/west indian.

I really do appreciate the advice though!

[Bubo]

I dont really get what you are trying to say Bodger... Do I sound bored? Not keen enough?

I am not at unhappy about graduating in 2008. Im unhappy that I have had no steady job in any field since then, but thats nothing to do with the archaeology. That was a problem with the economy.

So im just asking advice on the best way to restart.

There is absolutely no need to be abusive.

[Bubo]

If I have been in any way discurtious to any one who has offered me advice then I apologise. I have absolutely appreciated it all, the pep talk and the honesty.

I am not quite clear what you have taken offence to though Bodger, your writing style confuses me, you do not write clearly. I just dont get you.

I have no idea what you are reffering to RE: championing studies. I am only asking for advice about getting into the industry. Administrator suggested get a CSCS card and a driving license, fab. Thats good advice. What has studies got to do with the post? I only mentioned them at the start, just to explain my history.

Yeah, i felt UCL didnt give as much careers advice to us egyptian archaeologists as they did for the general. Im not the only one who says that. You don't decide that for me either. Its my experience. But im not saying that I'm not proud of my education, i loved it at UCL. I just mentioned that to explain why I have found it a bit hard to figure out what I am supposed to do now.

I came to this forum to get advice from people that work in the field I have worked, there is a sense of belonging. We should be able to ask advice without bieng made to feel bad about doing it. I have not asked for anyones sympathy.

What gives you the right to be so rude? "Try Von Daniken or sumat"?

Who's a clever boy then.

[Bodger51]

Good luck Bubo

[Antipesto]

I have found it a bit hard to figure out what I am supposed to do now

All I'd say to this is paraphrase one of my GCSE tutors from a long time ago - you can either set yourself a target job (in this particular discussion) and then try and get every qualification you need on the way to get you to that job, or you can get the qualifications you are interested in and then see where you end up... There do seem to be more jobs advertised in BAJR than there have been for a while, and presumably there will be some opportunities coming up along the HS2 line at some point in the not too dim and distant future (for example). Not sure where you are based, but you might want to contact your local HER/County Archaeologist-types and see if htey might tell you who is doing work in your area - even 1 or 2 man bands might want a spare shovel wielder for intermittent work (not ideal I know, but it might get you a few months of fieldwork experience that you can then put on you CV for better/longer contract work for bigger units).

Just a thought and good luck.

[Bubo]

Antipesto, thank you for that. I am now looking at some short courses that might give my CV an edge! Im London based, so I will see what I can come up with. You are right though, i think I need more experience on the CV.

Much appreciated!

[BAJR]

Back on track.

Bodgers way of speaking is like his writing I have been told. What comes out is perhaps in need of subtitles.

What you need to do is apply and get the commercial experience. and realise that work will be where you can get it at first.

I spent years working in both the Middle East and Europe/UK and it was great. in fact I would contend that if you can dig a mudbrick site in 40 deg C with a team of 10 workers, then an evaluation of a mediaval site in England becomes a piece of piddle. :face-approve:

You don't need more qualifications. you need to get a job. I think you are keen ( or you would not be here!) The Egyptology is a red herring. you got a degree, and the current debate is whether that is a suitable entry into field archaeology - not really. seems to be the consensus. But you were not to know. and hey... it is in the past.

If you did Egyptology to become an Egyptologist, then that is up to you... Though it is a particularly difficult field to enter without - shall we say introductions and patronage.

Use your skills. get some commercial experience, and spend winter in the middle east. Worked for me

Can you dig?
Can you use a Total Station?
Can you Drive
Do you have a CSCS card.

that is basically it. Good Luck