Being an archaeologist
Being an archaeologist is my dream job. I think it is amazing to be the reason of discovering something ancient for the world from an old civilization in the past. Archaeologists examine ancient sites and objects to learn about the past. Excavations, commonly called ‘digs’, are only part of an archaeologist’s work, which also includes recording, analyzing and interpreting archaeological remains. Archaeologists are also involved in the preservation and conservation of artifacts, historic sites and monuments, and carrying out research and educational work. That is why I think it is an interesting job.
A good archaeologist needs to be highly qualified in many fields of science. Archaeology is a broad subject linking with many others, such as geography, history and social sciences, and there are some specialisms where a science degree such as biology, botany, medicine, geology, or environmental science may be more appropriate than a purely archaeological qualification. A qualification in computing may also be useful because of the recent expansion in computer applications in archaeology. A driving license is usually required, and being physically fit is also important as a lot of the work may be outdoors in potentially demanding environments.
The conditions conduct the job are many and are, to some extent, tiresome. Average working hours are 37 per week, Monday to Friday, though this may vary and overtime or weekend working is common, especially in excavations working to very tight timeframes. Although some work is based indoors in laboratories, museums and offices, much of the work is outdoors, and excavations or site inspections can be conducted outside in all weathers. There are equal opportunities for men and women in the job. Also archaeologists have relaxed protective clothing to wear while working.
Training for archaeologists usually takes place on the job, but it is essential to keep abreast of research and scientific works through training and continuous professional development .Attending internal and external training courses, relevant seminars and conferences is an effective way of keeping up to date with current issues and refreshing knowledge.
A typical career development may entail two years as a digger, several as a site supervisor and then progression to a project management. Becoming a Member of the Institute for Archaeologists (IFA) and undertaking agreed levels of continuing professional development (CPD) is a key part of career development, and will enable progression to more senior posts. There are opportunities to move into lecturing in universities or into academic research posts. Another career development opportunity is to move into writing, either updating academic study material to reflect new technology and findings, or publishing books or journals about archaeological experiences in the field.
To sum up archaeology is a broad subject, which needs lots of work to achieve a great success on it. So everyone who wants to be a successful archaeologist has to do lots of work to develop in the job.
