5 Things To Do If You Want To Become An Archaeologist.

Deciding to become an archaeologist is easy. It sounds like fun and a lot of adventure. Becoming an archaeologist is a more complicated and intense journey entirely. 

Before you start, ask yourself a few questions.

1. Why do I want to become an archaeologist?
2. Am I willing to get the education that is required?
3. Do I understand what the field really entails?

Once you have answered these and you still want to pursue archaeology as a career, here is the typical path to becoming an archaeologist.

Make a Plan

1. Go to College: In the early days of archaeology as a career, this was not a requirement. Archaeology is a job you learn by doing, but nearly everyone who hires archaeologists requires that you have a minimum of a BA. Places like the National Park Service, cultural resource management firms, and Museums/universities, need their archaeologists to meet the ‘Secretary of the Interiors Standard’ for archaeologists. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to major in archaeology or anthropology to become an archaeologist. People in this field studied history, journalism, chemistry, and engineering. But that degree is essential. 
2. Go to a field school: Every person who wants to be an archaeologist has to get the hands-on experience that you can only learn in the field by either volunteering at a dig or attending a field school. Field school is typically three or more weeks long. You will work with trained archaeologists to learn all the skills you need to do archaeology at the most fundamental level. The skills taught will include digging with a shovel or trowel, screening, sorting, labeling artifacts, mapping a site, etc. It is also essential that you go to a field school before applying for more education or internships. Make sure you actually like the work before you dive in head first.
3. Get as much experience as possible: This one is hard because you don’t know what kind of skills you will need as you enter the workforce. Every single dig and every organization is a little different. Here is what I suggest:
   1. GIS
   2. Cataloging
   3. Photography
   4. Artifact identification
   5. Orienteering
4. Have a good attitude: A career in archaeology is a marathon, not a sprint. I like to think of it a lot like acting. You will hear so many no’s before you get a yes. Archaeology has a significant attrition rate, mainly because there are few jobs and many people passionate about history. If you can keep a good attitude and stick it out, there are opportunities out there. I knew what I wanted to do for years before I got the job I was after. In the meantime, I worked at lots of other locations, did jobs that I was not super excited about, and stayed as flexible as I could. I know this is the hardest part to swallow, but you will not get the ‘dream’ job for at least 5-10 years. You have to start at the bottom and work your way up. I could tell you 100 stories about terrible jobs and intense conditions that people experience at the begging of their careers. But if you stick with it, you move up, you get the chance to be more selective with the jobs you take, and you can get to a place where you can specialize.
5. Network, Network, Network: This one I can not stress enough. You have to get out there and meet people in the field. Go to conferences, and attend open houses and public events. Meet the people already doing the work. Networking is the best way to find out about what jobs are coming up and where. Talking to the people doing the hiring is an excellent way to learn what people are looking for in a candidate. The longer you stay in archaeology, the smaller the circle starts to feel. Archaeologists are a friendly bunch, and if we can connect you to someone or point you in a direction that we think might help you, most are happy to do so. This is how you create opportunities for yourself because no one will hand them to you.

Conclusion

I am sure that this all feels very overwhelming. I know that sometimes I still feel overwhelmed by it all, and I have been doing it for 15 years. I also know that to work in archaeology, you either have to make some significant sacrifices or have a lot of privilege and support.

Personally, I was lucky to have the support of my family. I also made tremendous sacrifices, missed family events, took low-paying jobs, and moved a lot! I attend a smaller university with a field school built into the curriculum. I applied to 100’s for internships and entry-level jobs all over the country and was offered only 2 in 2 years. Between appointments, I volunteered at museums, universities, and any place that was even remotely related to archaeology. I attended the annual conference for historical archaeology every year, even if I had to save all year to get there. Even after that, I had to apply a dozen times before getting the job I wanted. If you can stick it out and you really want to be here, archaeology is a great thing to study.

If you have a more specific question about how to start a career in archaeology, let me know! 

Field Schools : https://www.archaeological.org/programs/professionals/fieldwork/afob/

Photo by Andrew Neel on Unsplash