Career Advice
Dear Reader, I've previously advised you not to do a doctorate in any obscure subject of the humanities. It may be fun, but careerwise it's the road to ruin.
Today, I can add another suggestion. If you study Scandinavian archaeology, do not expect to ever work as an archaeologist. Treat it like a hobby. I repeat: if you study Scandinavian archaeology, do not expect to ever work as an archaeologist.
The reason that I say this is the following piece of information from the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
Update: Very timely, the Ministry of Higher Education just released a study of whether the Swedish education system produces a reasonable number of qualified people in various fields for the needs of the following couple of decades. Turns out only about a fourth of the fields studied are adequately provided (among them engineers): the others show either overproduction (e.g. primary school teachers) or underproduction (e.g. daycare staff).
The study lumps archaeologists into the catch-all category Humanities Graduates, that hides a lot of diversity. Archaeologists are swamped by much larger groups such as university teachers, archivists, librarians and journalists. It is well-known that we have a massive overproduction of journalists. Collectively, though, Humanities Graduates are currently at about the right production level. But the study's authors reckon it will soon become overproductive if the current rates are kept up.
[More blog entries about career, archaeology, Sweden; studera, arkeologi, arbetsmarknad.]
Today, I can add another suggestion. If you study Scandinavian archaeology, do not expect to ever work as an archaeologist. Treat it like a hobby. I repeat: if you study Scandinavian archaeology, do not expect to ever work as an archaeologist.
The reason that I say this is the following piece of information from the Museum of National Antiquities in Stockholm.
"The National Board of Culture has allocated 21 jobs to the Museum of National Antiquities through the so-called Access initiative. Over 1900 applications have, all in all, reached the museum."Pretty good, huh? More than 90 applications for each job. Incidentally, the museum is now also looking for an extra personnel officer...
Update: Very timely, the Ministry of Higher Education just released a study of whether the Swedish education system produces a reasonable number of qualified people in various fields for the needs of the following couple of decades. Turns out only about a fourth of the fields studied are adequately provided (among them engineers): the others show either overproduction (e.g. primary school teachers) or underproduction (e.g. daycare staff).
The study lumps archaeologists into the catch-all category Humanities Graduates, that hides a lot of diversity. Archaeologists are swamped by much larger groups such as university teachers, archivists, librarians and journalists. It is well-known that we have a massive overproduction of journalists. Collectively, though, Humanities Graduates are currently at about the right production level. But the study's authors reckon it will soon become overproductive if the current rates are kept up.
[More blog entries about career, archaeology, Sweden; studera, arkeologi, arbetsmarknad.]
posted by Martin at 09:55
1 Comments:
I don't understand. Either you must think it's not as bad as I say, or you really don't care what happens to you after graduation.
Read my lips: More than 90 applicants for each job.
"Sooner or later you'll get a break, all you need is patience."
Are you planning to patiently murder hundreds of archaeology graduates to improve your odds?
Post a Comment
<< Home