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+--- Thread: Tearing my hair out! (/showthread.php?tid=4581)
Tearing my hair out! - Bubo - 11th September 2012
Hello forum,
I apologise if this subject has been covered quite a bit recently, but I still have a few issues not covered. I really need some advice. I graduated in 2008 from Egyptian Arch at UCL. My unpaid experience includes(without bogging down with details) two seasons site archaeologist, one season surveyor, one season archaeological illustrator, plus the UCL primtech and West Dean field school. I also worked as a voluntary conservation assistant at a small museum for three years. I graduated in 2008, as the recession started. Got torn to pieces financially, had to take some tempng work because I couldnt find ANY paid work in archaeology. Now things are getting better I am trying my hardest to get back into the field. I am happy to work free and rebuild my experience, but evything seems to be a fieldschool and they ar only recruiting current undergrads. I have tried emailing a few of the professional services and not got anything back.
Some may say try another field, but I know if I keep trying I can get in there. I spent 7 years studying, and feel a bit like i cant think about anything else, like a cookie cut in this one shape.
I just need some professional archaeologists to advise me, if they don't mind, what to do. I am applying for a CSCS card and hoping this will work. I don't have the required 6 months commercial site experience, I never got that chance, how do I get it!
I'm really not sure why no one will give me a break, I really need it :-(
Tearing my hair out! - Bubo - 11th September 2012
Excuse the spelling...a bit eager...
Tearing my hair out! - BAJR - 11th September 2012
Get the CSCS card... get a driving licence. and apply for some of the adverts on BAJR just now. they are willing to take people with less experience... ( Oxford for example )
Don't work for free... work for experience. if you want to work for free... then it is with a local society... trust me
So apply now.... ther are lots of jobs just now.
http://www.bajr.org/employment/ukemployment.asp
good luck
Tearing my hair out! - Unitof1 - 11th September 2012
Quote:This degree is designed for students who wish to specialise from the start in Egyptian archaeology, and it is the only UK degree to combine the theory and practice of archaeology with detailed study of Egyptian sites.
As a discipline, archaeology prepares you for a wide range of future careers, both within the world of Egyptian archaeology or heritage studies, and far beyond. The personal skills, analytical techniques and general ways of thinking are all highly transferable.
Promises the world but seems a bit thin on becoming a degreed site assistant. Are there any jobs as a site assistant in Egypt?
Tearing my hair out! - Bubo - 12th September 2012
Oooohhh yeas, a bit thin. Maybe others have had better experiences, but I believe (as did most of my year at graduation) that UCL massivly failed to advise us on career options. For instance, they held a career lecture aimed at those on the General Archaeology programme, the advice was in no way orienated to our discipline, a few students put in complaints but i think we were still left a bit high and dry. My advice to any budding degree level archaeologist is NOT to specialise on paper. I believe it puts employers off, even though all of my experience is non Egyptian.
The only experience I can find in Egypt is fieldschools that want around 2.5K to attend.
Thanks for the advice admin. I have applied now for my health and saftey test so I can apply for a CSCS card, and booked my driving lessons. I hope this will help. I will apply to the oxford job post too, hopefully things will go well....!
Tearing my hair out! - kevin wooldridge - 12th September 2012
I hope you have good luck with your current applications, but.....I think it is a little strong to complain about UCL 'failing to advise'....as you say yourself you were studying for 7 years and that seems a long time to be involved in archaeology without bothering to find out about the potential career prospects. I don't think the profession has ever (even during the most recent (retrospectively) boom period) held out much hope for long term and stable careers. I did 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.
Tearing my hair out! - BAJR - 12th September 2012
I even remember giving a talk down there... and I was pretty ...er... honest
Tearing my hair out! - Jack - 12th September 2012
Yeah, in my years in archaeology its never been (and still isn't) easy to secure a career. But I liked that. Meant I could (and still can) forge my own path. I sometimes wonder what would of happened if I had followed different paths and opportunities.
I was lucky, was in the right place at the right time (washing finds for a unit) when a sudden rush on sites meant they were short of diggers. I was there, was pestering them so they gave me a chance. Even though I had six weeks digging training and a degree I wasn't seen as a good candidate. I got the first job because I was there.
Worked my arse off on site, was eager to learn, eager to ask questions, eager to admit that I didn't know stuff.......
Not much help to anyone looking for work I know, but I know of other folk who got jobs in TV from chatting to the right person. Others became finds specialists through getting on with lecturers and volunteering to help with their research. Others have been taken on from a chance meeting, on site, in a pub, or at a party. Were then taken on for a single job, did well then negotiated a deal with an employer for a position.
It's also been pointed out to me by Seedy Girl that one of the most important qualities is the drive to learn and for self improvement. There is no point at which an archaeologist can sit back and think, 'yeah, thats it I know enough now.'
Tearing my hair out! - Seedy Girl - 12th September 2012
No, What I did indeedy say was you needed luck and charisma to get a start
, then you have to continue to have a desire for learning and be committed to establishing, and achieving,self-focused career goals!
Tearing my hair out! - Dinosaur - 12th September 2012
Being prepared to spend weeks on end mud-squeezing must have helped though? - specialist skill, turning one's brain off which siraffing thousands of tubs of dirt looking for a seed...