By Danielle Manning, CES Career Advisor

Danielle is Puget Sound’s new Career Advisor. A recent journey to Turkey caused Danielle to ponder career options in Anthropology…

This summer’s adventures took me to the ruins of Ephesus, Turkey. I walked through this ancient city, taking in the beautiful Celsus Library, Temple of Isis, agora, and marble streets—lined by abandoned terrace houses and storefronts—where Cleopatra and Marc Anthony rode their chariot.

It was by far the most captivating outdoor museum I’d ever experienced. I was transported back in time, seeing how life once worked…with merchants selling their goods, scholarly men spending their days reading at the library, and a fascinating multifarious representation of spiritual identities.

What most intrigued me about Ephesus was the fact that only 10% of the entire city has been excavated since 1895. There were many perimeters of rope that showcased on-going archeological dig sites of terrace houses and the artifacts within them. On the bus ride back to Kusadasi, our tour guide pointed out a coliseum on the outskirts of the city that was ready to excavate once more funding and research teams could arrive. A whole coliseum, just waiting to be uncovered and restored!

This city serves as an exciting and inspiring anthropological paradise. Overall, it was evident that steady archeological and other anthropological employment and discovery is to be had out here for decades, if not centuries, to come…

After visiting Turkey, I considered what a career in Anthropology may look like in Ephesus and beyond. According to Career Cruising, anthropologists study humans by concentrating on four main interest fields:

• Cultural Anthropology is expansive, covering everything from religion to political structures, marriage, food, and social dynamics of a society.
• Linguistics focus on how people communicate with one another through speech, writing, unwritten languages, and nonverbal communication.
• Physical (Biological) Anthropology studies the non-cultural aspects of humans and near-humans with specializations in primatology, paleontology, genetics,  and environmental adaptations.
• Archaeology seeks to discover, excavate, and analyze physical artifacts. Examples of study areas includes underwater, historical, and urban archeology.

Skills and experiences that will complement your Bachelor’s degree in this field include a keen attention to detail, excellent writing and critical thinking, research and record-keeping experience, in addition to internships and other experiences relevant to your anthropological field of interest.

Entry-level anthropological positions requiring only a Bachelor’s degree include assistant roles to field researchers and museum curators within government, non-profit, and for-profit organizations. A Master’s degree is essential for advancement into positions such as an archeologist, museum curator, anthropological linguist, food anthropologist, and urban anthropologist. Roles as professors or independent researchers require a PhD.

To learn more about a career in anthropology, start by reaching out to your Puget Sound network. Professors in Sociology and Anthropology can offer guidance. Alumni from the ASK Network can also provide insight…

Elizabeth C., double majored in Theater and Anthropology while at Puget Sound, then obtained a Master’s degree in Anthropology. Now Elizabeth splits her time between teaching and working as an ethnographic research consultant. “I am especially happy to speak to Loggers considering graduate school, interested in anthropology, or thinking about a switch from their undergraduate major into a new field.”

For additional ideas, two books from the CES Career Resource Library are great reads: Careers for Scholars & Other Deep Thinkers and Careers for History Buffs & Others Who Learn from the Past.

Perhaps you’ll be on the next trip to Ephesus, excavating part of the unknown 90% of the city!

Want to chat with Danielle about her Turkish adventures, or seek her advice about your career interests? Make an appointment, use our drop-in hours, or visit CES’ Career Cafes each Friday this November from 1-3:00 p.m. in Howarth 101. In celebration of Career Development Month, we invite you to join us for a cuppa’ and get to know the CES career advisors!

© 2013 Career and Employment Services, University of Puget Sound
Photo provided by Danielle Manning