17th April 2010, 10:59 AM
"people who really care PASSIONATELY about the archaeology can be driven to frustrated angry tears by the obstinate, unimaginative and poorly informed attitudes of their Managers...and its not like the pay or the 'portfolio' make up for it"
" individuals realise that they can not simply rely on their archaeological results for promotion"
I couldn't agree more - the last job I did was the straw that broke the camels back. The project manager and project officer were more concerned with keeping the developer happy than doing right by the archaeology, supervisors made comments like "this is a business and at the end of the day we're all just here to make money, if you don't agree you should leave archaeology", inexperienced staff were promoted simply because they owned a car and were willing to always tow the company line and of course anyone who didn't like what was happening and the way the site and staff were being treated was labelled a malcontent and troublemaker - I was even issued a gag-order and got told by the project manager I wasn't allowed to voice my opinion on the project to other staff.
And of course when I left it didn't matter because there are always a steady stream of recent graduates eager to take any opportunity offered and listen to all the sh*t that comes out of these peoples mouths and take it as sage advice from experienced old hands - never stopping to realise that for the people they're taking advice from professional integrity is nothing but a dim memory (in the case of the PM clouded even more by a thermos full of spirits).
That was in December and I'm only now beginning to tentatively consider going back to digging work, (although I'm in the middle of a CELTA certificate designed to help literally run away from broken dreams and a career that I feel let me down). One things for sure though - if I do get back in the mud it won't be for anyone who expects staff to become 'self-employed'.
" individuals realise that they can not simply rely on their archaeological results for promotion"
I couldn't agree more - the last job I did was the straw that broke the camels back. The project manager and project officer were more concerned with keeping the developer happy than doing right by the archaeology, supervisors made comments like "this is a business and at the end of the day we're all just here to make money, if you don't agree you should leave archaeology", inexperienced staff were promoted simply because they owned a car and were willing to always tow the company line and of course anyone who didn't like what was happening and the way the site and staff were being treated was labelled a malcontent and troublemaker - I was even issued a gag-order and got told by the project manager I wasn't allowed to voice my opinion on the project to other staff.
And of course when I left it didn't matter because there are always a steady stream of recent graduates eager to take any opportunity offered and listen to all the sh*t that comes out of these peoples mouths and take it as sage advice from experienced old hands - never stopping to realise that for the people they're taking advice from professional integrity is nothing but a dim memory (in the case of the PM clouded even more by a thermos full of spirits).
That was in December and I'm only now beginning to tentatively consider going back to digging work, (although I'm in the middle of a CELTA certificate designed to help literally run away from broken dreams and a career that I feel let me down). One things for sure though - if I do get back in the mud it won't be for anyone who expects staff to become 'self-employed'.