Available archaeologist

GreatOaktree

Hi all, I'm an archaeology student who's 5 exams away from an ordinary degree and i plan on going back to get my honors in September. I'm hungry for knowledge and experience, paid or unpaid, so if there is any positions on digs or post ex, I'm willing, able and available.
Thank you

Gee Bag

There is a list of archaeological contractors in Ireland on this page, best thing to do would be to fire off a C.V. to everyone. It's very tough out there at the moment with very few (if any) large sites being excavated.

http://www.archaeojobs.com/p/contractors-consultants.html

Companies tend to prefer people who have experience and people who are employed in the commercial sector understandibly tend to get very arsey when people offer to do their job for free.

You might be have better luck with volunteering with one of the field schools.

Good Luck!



http://www.archaeojobs.com/p/contractors-consultants.html

GreatOaktree

Thanks for the reply It's a big help
Have ya anyother advice for me regarding what I could do with my honors degree ?? I cant help thinkin that i should go down the teaching road so that i have a better chance of steady work in the future

Gee Bag

GreatOaktree wrote: »

Thanks for the reply It's a big help
Have ya anyother advice for me regarding what I could do with my honors degree ?? I cant help thinkin that i should go down the teaching road so that i have a better chance of steady work in the future

If you are dead set on being an archaeologist I would suggest that you get some field experience. The commercial sector is where the bulk of archies are employed. Training/research digs will give you a flavor of what its all about, but I would suggest that you try and get something in the commercial sector. Not only will you have the benefit of being paid (a sh1t wage) you will also get to know whether you like fieldwork or not.

Field work is like Marmite, you either love it or hate it. It is hard, physical work and you are outside in all conditions. It is definitley not for everyone. I know of plenty of people who qualified up to Phd level and then quit field archaeology within a few months because they hated being on site in the mud and rain, running about with wheelbarrows, having to use portaloos etc. etc. On the flipside, some of the best field archaeologists I have ever worked with have no qualifications in archaeology but have an apptitude for, and love of the work.

If you can't find work in Ireland then you should consider applying for work in the UK where sites are excavted using the same system we use here and (obviously) they speak the same language. Check out the link below...

http://www.bajr.org/Employment/


I'm not sure if you mean teaching at third level or not. If you do then you will need to have a very good phd to have any chance of getting a permanent position.

Hope this helps.

GreatOaktree

A dig would be perfect and thats the way i want to go. Out of curiosity How else could i put my honors degree to good use ???
Thanks again

Cailleachdubh

Hmm... Excuse my ignorance here, but aren't all Irish archaeology degrees 'honours degrees'?

Anyhow, as to your question, I would say just be as flexible and imaginative as possible with your career options. Keep your options open and have a back-up plan. It's fairly bleak out there!

Just send your CV to all the companies and try and get as much digging experience as you can. You'll probably need to find something else to do to supplement that though. Above all, be nice to people - contacts are everything!

Meathlass

Richard O'Brien, an NRA archaeologist, is taking a sabbatical to run an excavation of a ringfort in Cashel in Co. Tipperary.

The fort is Rathnadrinna and they're looking for a commitment of a week. It's free to take part but you'll have to pay for your own accomodation, transport and food. They're also running events in Cashel during the month or so that the excavation will be taking place - talks, exhibitions, pub nights etc. They're not offering any credits though to people taking part but there will be professional archaeologists on site so you'll definitely learn what it's like being on a research dig.

Might be a good place to get experience and Cashel is a nice touristy summer town.

GreatOaktree

Not all are honors, in my case for example I applied or the 4year level 8 honors degree in science but I have the option of accepting an ordinary degree now as i am at the end of third year, which would be level 7.
I've sent out my C.V. and gotten a few interesting replies, no digs as of yet. My local museum wants to take me on but has insurance issues and want my college or FAS to cover those costs, so I'm off to see the head of department to see what he has to say.
I'll look into the Rathnadrinna dig I'm currently studying Early Medieval settlement for an exam.
Thanks you for your replies

Sligo22

With a level 8 degree you can substitute teach at secondary school level as long as lesson plans are provided to you a week in advance.... its probably a good option as jobs in archaeology at the moment are as rare as hens teeth!
the fact that there is so many very experienced archaeologists out of work; us new graduates unfortunately have very little chance of gaining employment..... but its still well worth trying....send CV's to all the commercial companies and keep ur fingers crossed.
as someone above mentioned the voluntary dig at Rathnadrinna is a very valuable way to get digging experience under your belt...I'm heading on it myself! I would contact them asap if you want to reserve a place as I think they are filling up fairly fast!

Early med settlement eh... I see Shirley hasn't changed the exam questions very much in the past few years good luck with it ;P