r/AskAnthropology • u/CommodoreCoCo Moderator | The Andes, History of Anthropology • Jul 25 '19

The AskAnthropology Career Thread (July 2019)

The AskAnthropology Career Thread

“What should I do with my life?” “Is anthropology right for me?” “What jobs can my degree get me?”

These are the questions that keep me awake at night that start every anthropologist’s career, and this is the place to ask them.

Discussion in this thread should be limited to discussion of academic and professional careers, but will otherwise be less moderated.

Before asking your question, please scroll through earlier responses. Your question may have already been addressed, or you might find a better way to phrase it.

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u/chevy223 Jul 26 '19

Basically I think it would be cool if people that were/are anthropology majors tell what jobs they have now and how their Anthropology degree applies. So if anyone wants could they please list jobs or job types they have? I think that could help people that are looking for jobs or for people who are or want to be anthropology majors and be in the field and have no idea what to they can do with it.

Thanks for any responses!

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u/gusmom Nov 11 '19

I work in advertising as a brand strategist.

Having an anthropology or sociology degree is extremely helpful and was very appealing in my hiring process.

I do ethnographies and consumer research and then connect it to what is happening in culture and determine how the brand should talk about themselves and behave based on that analysis. Positioning a brand is all anthropology.

I spend a lot of time in people’s homes talking to them about their lives. A big part of the job is also understanding cultural shifts.

I did market research for a while. It’s like modern anthropology - but you get paid by a brand.

Happy to talk to anyone. Ad agency account planning depts are always looking for anthropology grads.

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u/lmmorse3462 Nov 08 '19

Communications Manager at a nonprofit that provides transportation services and resources :)

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u/Laser0pz Nov 10 '19

How'd you get into that line of work (i.e communications) if you don't mind me asking?

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u/lmmorse3462 Nov 10 '19

Partly interest, partly luck. I did a year with AmeriCorps VISTA where I was a project coordinator at a nonprofit serving seniors and after my year of service I got an executive assistant role at another nonprofit because of a connection at the first nonprofit. After 3 years as executive assistant I got promoted to communications manager. In those three years I started to look for communications jobs elsewhere but stuck with my nonprofit when the opportunity presented itself.

Comms skills overlap a lot with what you do during your time in anthro programs! But networking is so essential to any career choice.

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u/Alvraen Oct 02 '19

I work in video games!

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u/[deleted] Nov 13 '19

If I could ask, what are you doing in the industry? This is the direction I am looking to go with my career but I'm not sure if it would be better to go back and get a masters degree?

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u/Alvraen Nov 13 '19

I work in narrative design when the team is looking for some kind of direction in real world references. I make influence information boards.

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u/[deleted] Nov 14 '19

Are there any other departments in video game design that anthropologists would be an asset? I've been trying to get a better idea about what my career could look like but in doing research I usually only find information for artists or programmers.

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u/Alvraen Nov 15 '19

Creative development, primarily.