In my last post I covered some of the most common job finding sites for CRM Archaeologists. Those included Shovelbums, Archaeology Fieldwork, and USA Jobs. This post will cover the remaining job sources that I know of. Keep in mind, however, that the internet is changing the world on a daily basis and new job searching websites are popping up every day. Welcome to Web 2.0.
A relatively new and upcoming job hunting resource is Linkedin. On Linkedin you can upload your CV and populate the necessary fields within your profile, including education, job history, personal information, and other goodies. Linkedin is a site for professionals. You can network with former colleagues and classmates as well as search for jobs. I think that Linkedin is going to be the place for an employer to check out an employee rather than having an employee send in a CV. Tech savvy employers should be “googling” possible employees to see what sort of web presence they have and Linkedin can be part of those search results. Consider that when a friend tags a photo of you in a less-than-flattering situation.
If you are still in college then your school’s job placement services might be a good place to look. A lot of college job services departments don’t know what CRM is just yet but some are more informed than others. Depending on your school you may have better success within the anthropology department. Your professors might know more CRM archaeologists than you think. You could get a great recommendation if you just ask.
Finally, word of mouth is an important part of CRM. The more people you meet and the more jobs you have under your belt, the more you will be able to network yourself into a position. Whenever I’ve needed a new job I always contact friends that I know are employed to see if there is anything available. I’ve also been contacted by friends looking for jobs and I always try to help them out if I’m in a position to. The world of CRM is pretty small, especially on a regional scale. If you burn bridges it will come back to haunt you. That being said, you have to stick to your ethics when you are faced with a situation that you aren’t comfortable with. Some bridges should be burned so you aren’t tempted by higher pay or per diem to go back.
R. Joe Brandon of Shovelbums commented on my Facebook page about some of the historical ways that people used to get jobs and probably occasionally still do:
“The highest paying archaeology per-diem gig I ever had came by way of a fax from Patrick H Garrow to Cory Breternitz’s @Soil Systems Incorporated/SSI in Phoenix. Garrow & Associates needed staff for a big pipline job and sent an announcement fax to other companies. Someone brought the fax out to the field for lunch one day and it was passed around and debated.”
He goes on to say that his first CRM job was obtained through a letter posted on the bulletin board at his anthropology department at Northern Illinois University. The employer didn’t advertise anywhere except to college departments.
The last place that I’ve ever looked for a job is through a state’s SHPO office. The State Historic Preservation Office, or in some states, the Office of Historic Preservation, can usually provide a list of CRM companies that they deal with in their area. If you are really dedicated you can obtain that list and walk a few CVs in through the front door. They might not be hiring at that time but a face-to-face interaction is worth a lot more than a faceless email. Employers like hiring people that they know and walking in through the front door will likely put you at the top of the pile.
So, as you can see, there are many ways to find jobs these days. Keep in mind that some of those large engineering firms that are bringing archaeology departments online are used to posting on more professional job sites such as Linkedin and Monster.com. If might be wise to check some of those sites if you aren’t having luck elsewhere.
Good luck and I’ll see you in the field!
Written in Battle Mountain, Nevada: Halfway to everywhere!