Earn a Ph.D. in Anthropology for university and college faculty positions or an M.A./M.S. for community college positions.
Earn a graduate degree in College Student Affairs, Library/Information Science or related field for work in student affairs, administration, or libraries.
Gain research experience by assisting professors or participating in independent studies.
Maintain a high GPA and develop strong personal recommendations.
Develop excellent communication and presentation skills.
Get involved in campus leadership positions such as Resident Assistant, Peer Advisor, or Admissions Tour Guide.
Museums and Archives
Functions:
Curation/Management/Administration
Acquisition
Preservation/Conservation/Restoration
Arrangement
Cataloguing/Categorizing
Exhibition/Installation
Describing
Analyzing
Authenticating
Maintaining records
Research
Education
Development
Employers
Natural history or history museums
Historical homes
Art galleries
Libraries
Special collections
Historical societies
Universities and colleges
State and local government
Federal government: National Archives and Records Administration
Corporations
Non-profit organizations
Research institutions
Strategies
Earn a graduate degree in museum studies, conservation, information science, or related area.
Research prerequisites and take the necessary courses. The most competitive candidates may have more than one graduate degree.
Acquire strong computer knowledge and experience.
Obtain an internship in a related organization.
Volunteer at campus or community museums.
Get involved with relevant student organizations.
Develop excellent written and oral communication skills, organizational skills, and an attention to detail.
Learn about grant writing, budgeting, and legal issues surrounding historical artifacts.
Join professional associations to have access to industry news and job information.
Attend relevant conferences, seminars, and trainings.
Earn the “Certified Archivist” designation.
Most curators specialize in a material or objects.
Be prepared to relocate to access the most employment opportunities.
Archaeology
Cultural resource management
Research
Excavation
Field work
Employers
Consulting firms
Environmental/Engineering companies
Firms specializing in archaeological investigation
Historic preservation societies
Government:
Urban and city planning offices
United States Department of Agriculture
Department of the Army
Strategies
Field positions require a bachelor’s degree and previous field experience. Get involved with faculty research or other research programs.
Obtain a graduate degree for more opportunities and to direct field crews.
Be willing to travel and possibly endure adverse living/working conditions during field studies or excavations. Conditions and hours vary with the type of work or research performed.
Government
Administration
Cultural resource management
Surveying
Site management
Excavation
Research
Museum conservation
Legislative compliance review
Program management and evaluation
Impact assessment:
Social
Environmental
Policy analysis
Urban planning
Translation/Interpretation
Immigration
Epidemiology
Employers
Federal agencies:
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Land Management
Central Intelligence Agency
Federal Bureau of Investigation
National Institutes of Health
National Park Service
Public Health Service
Smithsonian Institute
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Forest Service
Departments of:
Conservation
Health and Human Services
Housing and Urban Development
Natural Resources
State agencies:
Historic Preservation Offices
Parks Departments
Highway Departments
Medical Examiners/Coroners
Tennessee Valley Authority
Strategies
Learn federal or state application procedures.
A graduate degree is generally required for higher level positions.
Gain related experience through internships in areas of interest.
Develop statistical, analytical and computer skills and learn various research methodologies.
Get involved in campus organizations to develop leadership abilities and interpersonal skills.
Consider earning a minor or double major to qualify for particular areas of interest. Learn a foreign language for translating/interpreting positions.
Non-Profit
Administration
Program management and development
Fundraising/Development
Grant writing
Research
Policy analysis
Service delivery
Volunteer coordination
Community education
Public relations and marketing
Employers
Nonprofit organizations
Social service agencies
Hospitals and medical centers
Private foundations:
Ford Foundation
International organizations:
World Health Organization
International Red Cross
Special interest groups
Trade or professional associations
Libraries
Educational institutions
Strategies
Seek multiple volunteer and internship positions to gain experience and build contacts in the field.
Obtain leadership roles in relevant campus and community organizations.
Develop strong communication and research skills.
Learn how to write grants and gain an understanding of budgeting and fiscal management.
Investigate term of service or service corps positions as a way to gain entry into the field.
Research organizations’ values to find a good fit with yours.
Consider earning a graduate degree for more job opportunities and advancement.
Business
Sales
Customer service
Public relations
Marketing
Management
Human resources:
Workforce diversity issues
Insurance:
Claims management
Underwriting
Real Estate:
Sales
Property management
Employers
Service providers
Wholesalers
Manufacturers
Retail stores:
Department stores
Specialty stores
Discount stores
Super retailers
Online retailers
Call centers
Financial institutions
Insurance companies
Real estate companies
Property management firms
Apartment complexes
Public relations departments of large companies or nonprofit organizations
Strategies
Develop career goals and seek relevant experiences to prepare for those goals.
Earn a minor in business or supplement curriculum with business or communication courses.
Obtain relevant experience through part-time jobs or internships.
Work a part-time or summer job in a retail store. Demonstrate a willingness to take on additional responsibilities such as Assistant Manager.
Participate in student organizations and seek leadership roles.
Learn to work well with different types of people
Develop a strong commitment to customer satisfaction.
For sales, develop the ability to work well under pressure and be comfortable in a competitive environment.
Be willing to start in a management-trainee program or other entry-level/developmental positions.
When job searching, seek employers interested in hiring “any major.”
Understand the top skills employers desire and be prepared to demonstrate them, such as communication (oral and written), computer, interpersonal, leadership and teamwork, etc.
Communications
Documentary film production
Photography/Photojournalism
Journalism
Employers
Colleges and universities
Government agencies
Government or private museums
Local historical societies or sites
Television and motion picture industry
Internet media companies
Independent production companies
Publishing houses
Newspapers and magazines
Freelance/self-employed
Strategies
Minor or double major in a communications field.
Develop excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
Submit articles or books for publication.
Work for campus or student run publications.
Demonstrate talent, persistence, assertiveness, competitive spirit, and enthusiasm.
Compile a portfolio of writing, graphics and ideas.
Develop strong computer skills.
Obtain internship, summer or part-time experience with book, magazine, or newspaper publishers.
Develop an attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines.
General Information
Most professional anthropological jobs require a graduate degree. Those interested in anthropology may specialize in one of its four branches: archaeology, cultural anthropology, linguistics, or physical anthropology.
Many subfields exist within the larger specialties such as forensic anthropology, a subfield of physical anthropology. Typically students take a general curriculum as an undergraduate and specialize through graduate studies.
Ample preparation is advised as graduate school admissions are increasingly competitive.
Those interested in Archeological may look for specialized field work within specific subgroups. These subgroups are divided by time periods and historicity; they include: environmental, ethnoarcheology, landscape, household, marine, aviation, aerial, battlefield, commercial, industrial, salvage, experimental, forensic, and historic.
As the demand for university/college faculty positions decreases, most openings will exist in consulting firms and government agencies.To increase your employment opportunities with a bachelor’s degree, consider minoring or double majoring in another field such as sociology, business, urban planning, or public administration. Anthropology provides a solid background for a variety of graduate programs including law, medicine, forensics, or genetic counseling. Research admissions requirements and take prerequisite courses.
Anthropology is good preparation for jobs that involve people skills and require an understanding of cultural differences.
Spend a summer in field school or travel and study other cultures.
Pursue research experience by working on faculty projects through independent study classes, as a student employee, or through other departmental programs.
Gaining relevant work experience through internships, summer jobs, or volunteer positions is critical. Join professional associations such as American Association of Physical Anthropologists.Forensic anthropology has become increasingly popular as well as competitive. Career opportunities exist within the national network of state and county medical examiners and coroners. Training at the graduate level should include supplemental work in legal evidence, pathology, criminology, or forensic lab methods along with supervised casework.