18th July 2013, 12:56 PM
Your post reminds me of my frustration after my own undergrad course. Archaeology is tough to break in to due to it being a fairly new 'industry'. There are few (if any) clear career paths set in place, compounded by it being a vastly diverse career.
Wax is spot on, its all about finding a way that works for you. Some work in heritage and find a way to dig.....some start in one direction but are drawn off in another. Some stumble and fall into another industry (like accounting) where they find they can afford to live.
One thing is sure, archaeology doesn't pay well..........unless your the head of English Heritage or a large commercial unit for instance.
Think about why you want to do archaeology and in what form? Do you want to be a professional digger? A professor of a particular subject? A consultant to a large construction company? A dating lab researcher? Or..do you want enough money to provide for your family and do archaeology as an amateur in your spare time? Each of these examples require a completely different set of skills/ experience/ qualifications and a different plan of pursuit.
However, in the world of archaeology opportunities arise around you at all times if you can spot them. It can be a case of putting yourself in the right place and waiting for one to arise. You then need to grab it with both hands and don't let go!
From my experience to follow any career in archaeology you have to make choices, sacrifices and change your way of life to fit in with the way archaeology is done.
Wax is spot on, its all about finding a way that works for you. Some work in heritage and find a way to dig.....some start in one direction but are drawn off in another. Some stumble and fall into another industry (like accounting) where they find they can afford to live.
One thing is sure, archaeology doesn't pay well..........unless your the head of English Heritage or a large commercial unit for instance.
Think about why you want to do archaeology and in what form? Do you want to be a professional digger? A professor of a particular subject? A consultant to a large construction company? A dating lab researcher? Or..do you want enough money to provide for your family and do archaeology as an amateur in your spare time? Each of these examples require a completely different set of skills/ experience/ qualifications and a different plan of pursuit.
However, in the world of archaeology opportunities arise around you at all times if you can spot them. It can be a case of putting yourself in the right place and waiting for one to arise. You then need to grab it with both hands and don't let go!
From my experience to follow any career in archaeology you have to make choices, sacrifices and change your way of life to fit in with the way archaeology is done.