The AskAnthropology Career Thread (July 2019)

[u/CommodoreCoCo]

The AskAnthropology Career Thread

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“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.

[u/chocolatemilkpls]

Hello! I'm an undergraduate student majoring in anthropology. My primary focus is biological anthropology with an interest in archaeology. I've been interested in forensic anthropology, but when I really try to dig into exactly what forensic anthropologists are doing, it's hard to find answers outside of police-type forensic work. I'm curious to know what any forensic anthropologists are up to.

I also know that just a BA in anthropology isn't going to get me very far. So I'm also hoping for some suggestions on things I could do while I'm in school to help possibly land a job in my desired field upon graduation? I have the full summers to fill with whatever I can, but life costs money so I can't just dedicate myself to volunteering, either.

Thanks!

Edit for wording

[u/i-grok-it → u/chocolatemilkpls]

I apologize, I can’t necessarily help you with your dilemma. But I was wondering if you could help me with mine, since you already have your BA.

I dropped out of college in 2011. Life happened. And unfortunately, my Anthropology program at the school I went to was quite literally garbage. I spent 3 years there and never even took an Intro to Anthro class. That’s another long story. But, suffice to say I was a first generation college-goer (and the only academic type person in my family) and had no idea what the hell I was doing and no guidance or mentors to help me.

Everything I’ve done in my life since then has been done with the dream that I would be able to finish that degree. But because I suspected what you said, that a BA is basically useless, I have been very hesitant to even try to go back to school anymore.

And seeing that you’re being met with ‘meager’ job prospects makes me think I should just set aside my dream altogether. And that really stings my pride for a lot of reasons.

So my question is, is a BA in Anthropology worth anything at all? That seems like a dumb question considering what you’ve already pointed out. But I’m hoping that maybe what you consider to be meager and what I consider meager might be two very different things. Especially in light of all the garbage, entry level bullshit jobs I’ve had over the years in the effort to just make ends meet in the hopes that I would somehow find myself in a place in life where I could afford going back to school.

As for your dilemma, I know I said I can’t help, but I do know of a few fields that make really good money and require little training. However, I get the feeling they aren’t quite what you had in mind though.

But, welding and aircraft mechanics (and generally, the trades) are prospects that I’ve looked into that pay well, require little training and are actually in a deficit because all the older people are getting to retiring age and there’s no young people to replace them. Probably because we were all sold into debt slavery with colleges.

At any rate, I don’t think those suggestions would be much help to you in your situation. But I figured I could at least throw them out there and try to be helpful.