Job Resources

Student studying outside Armstrong Student Center

Finding A Job as an Anthropology Major

How do I find a job? It's a question almost every student, regardless of major, starts asking themselves. Here are a few suggestions to help you prepare to find your answer to this question.

Do Cool Things

The most important thing you can do to build toward a good career is to take advantage of the opportunities your liberal arts education affords you. Grades are important, but it's even more important to be able to point to skills you've acquired through your university activities.

  • Use every class as an opportunity to master good writing skills
  • Look for opportunities to conduct research
  • Build solid foreign language skills and study abroad
  • Seek internships
  • Look for service learning opportunities
  • Take on a leadership role in a student organization
  • Pursue classes that emphasize critical thinking and problem-solving
  • Get to know your professors

Most of you will never have as rich an opportunity to develop a broad range of new skills as you will during your four years as an undergraduate Anthropology major at Miami University.

Visit the Career Center

The Center for Career Exploration and Success is a key component in your job search. Located in 45 Armstrong Center, they offer career and employment counseling, employer and graduate school information, workshops on resume writing, interviewing skills and job searches, and other resources.

Anthropology's Career Liaison is Mary Beth Barnes, Career Services Associate Director, 529-3831, barnesm@miamioh.edu

You may also want to visit the Career Center web site.

Resume Building

Do Cool Things

We can't repeat this too many times. Your resume is only as good as the educational and life experiences you have to put in it. It's never too early to start thinking about how to get the most out of your anthropology degree. Check out some of the possibilities for students.

Build Skills

Employers may be fascinated by your stories about your anthropology learning experiences. But whether it was a 3-week residency with a Tibetan refugee family, excavating a medieval cemetery or observing and photographing bonobos, what they really want to know is what skills does the experience exhibit?
What Skills Do Employers Want From Candidates?

Leverage Multimedia

Contemporary paper resumes often have links to professional Facebook pages, presentation resumes on Slideshare or Prezi, and professional social media sites like LinkedIn and Academia.

Resume Advice

Here are a few articles on building resumes and on interviewing that you may find useful.

Learn How To Sell Yourself

As an Anthropology Major, you've had a chance to learn an extraordinary range of knowledge, skills, and perspectives. But do you know how to translate these learning experiences into the language of the workplace?

Create a Portfolio

The authors of The Anthropology Graduate's Guide recommend creating a career portfolio during your senior—or even your junior—year. It should contain:

  • Journal, cataloging data, notes and comments on your first job search, into your early career.
  • Personal statement describing your interest in anthropology, your goals, and what you have done to prepare yourself to reach them.
  • Curriculum Vita. A complete record of your education, skills and work experience.
  • Resumes. One or two page summaries of your education and work experience tailored for specific jobs.
  • Biography: Short, third-person account highlighting your skills and experiences.
  • Cover letters. Copies of the letters of introduction you've written for each job you apply for.
  • Letters of Recommendation. Copies of any generic or non-confidential letters of recommendation. (Many faculty will give you copies of the letters they write on your behalf)
  • Five Year Plan
  • Ethics Statement.

Experiential Opportunities

Summer, volunteer, or part time work in human services, governmental agencies, or businesses; involvement with the research laboratories in archeology and biological anthropology, training in ethnography, museology, archaeology, and primatology, and membership in student organizations such as the Society for the Enhancement of Anthropology at Miami (SEAM).

Apply for Financial Aid

Certain non-profit organizations exist in order to facilitate experiential learning programs abroad, combining critical thinking, cross cultural dialogue, and community service through travel. These non-profits can provide grants to students who wish to participate in their programs.

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