You love anthropology. You feel committed to how it expands understanding and awareness. You want meaningful work in the field. But, if you are getting a Doctorate, you discover there are precious few jobs in Academia and often those barely help make ends meet. And if you are getting an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree, there are few listings for “anthropologist.”

Plus, you are still explaining why anthropology is so important to you. You want your parents and others invested in your future to understand something important to you.  Significant for your career is how your desire to incorporate the wisdom and knowledge you have worked so hard to accrue shapes your vision of your workplace.

Now is the time to reach for anthropology’s new workbook, Career Tools for Anthropology, published in August, 2024. Members of the Anthropology Career Readiness Network (ACRN) created and developed its content demonstrating their zeal to introduce future anthropologists to employment in industry, nonprofits, and government roles.

While Career Tools contains great advice, it is hardly “preachy.” This workbook focuses on you, for you will bring the training, technical skills, and insights of an anthropologist to benefit the organizations and person(s) hiring you. The 39 tools are accompanied by hands-on exercises so that you can practice what you are learning so you feel both comfortable and confident.

The 39 how-to tools (or guides) are organized into stages of the career journey from “Getting Ready for Your Career” and “Exploring Possible Careers” to “Interviewing with Employers” and “Using Anthropology at Work.” You can use this book to find what best suits you—your interests, values, and priorities as well as where you need to hone your message and articulate your skill sets to hiring managers as well as current or future colleagues.

Career Tools for Anthropology is a versatile workbook, valuable to anthropologists with different employment positions on the career path and in various sub-fields. Here are some thoughts on the way potential readers can use it.

Students: 

Section 1 of Career Tools, immediately explores “What Can You Do with a Degree in Anthropology?” You will discover that anthropologists emphasize their ability to ask insightful questions and use their methods to find solutions and implement changes. You will also learn about the extraordinary diversity of settings in which anthropologists work. Who knew you could successfully incorporate your anthropology into business, marketing, engineering, industry, advertising, aerospace research, the CDC, and more? You will discover ideas for pursuing employment that may surprise you.

Here are some helpful tools to consider as you begin preparing for your future:

How do you explain why anthropology is an asset to a potential employer? Start with these tools: “Translating Anthropology Skills to the Workplace” and “Showcasing Anthropology to Employers.”
Can you recognize that relevant jobs may not use the title “anthropologist” when advertising positions? Consult “Job Titles to Explore.”
What do you know about enhancing your professional development once you are hired? Check out “Developing Your Workplace Skills” for some suggestions.

You may even want to recommend Career Tools to your professors if they have not yet heard about it.

Instructors

This book can augment class activities and projects through discussions, as it offers strategies for finding meaningful work. As an instructor, you can emphasize the importance of professional networks and invite your own alumni or anthropologists working outside the academy to speak to your classes. For example, you could seek out guest speakers who can elaborate on the content in Section 2, “Exploring Possible Careers,” by describing their own career stories and experiences. These “Building a Career In” tools highlight some of the most popular careers today:

Nonprofits
Medical Anthropology
User Experience (UX) Research
Consumer Products and Services

Developing class research or fieldwork projects around these topics can help students learn about the qualifications, motivations, and challenges in applying anthropology in the workplace. 

Mid-career Transitioning Anthropologists: 

Many anthropologists begin their work life in Academia. If you are considering a transition, Career Tools offers some solid advice. You may find it useful to review the tools on “Translating Anthropology Skills to the Workplace,” “Networking and Informational Interviews,” “Mastering the Elevator Pitch,” and “Job Interview Strategies.”

Mentors:

Mentors, you seek the best career options for those you are guiding. Using Career Tools with your students can help open discussions on their desires and priorities, as well as laying out practical guidelines for obtaining employment.

Academic Anthropologists:

You might be an academically-based anthropologist reading this blog, satisfied with your own career trajectory, but eager to assist your students as they contemplate their career paths. This workbook positions you to support them and prepare them for their future. When you recommend Career Tools, you are offering your students a valuable resource. The insights, lessons, and guidance have been penned by professionals whose advice is “tried-and-true,” relevant, and constructive. And, the tools have been peer reviewed to ensure they are both accurate and robust.

The paperback is a good size, (8.5 x 11”). It is not too bulky, with plenty of white space for writing ideas and perceptions—a handy reference if a device is not available. (Current research has shown handwriting stimulates the brain and helps consolidate thinking. Could this be an added bonus if you choose to handwrite notes and ideas in it?) The Kindle edition offers the same material if you prefer an electronic format or if the paperback version is not available in your country. Unlike many reference books that almost require a bank loan to purchase; it sets you back around the same as a month’s subscription to Netflix. The cost $10 for the paperback and $7 for the Kindle version.

Those in Related Fields:

And if you are not an anthropologist? The book provides advice on resumes, interviews, networking, and more for varied pursuits. It would be useful for those in the social sciences or humanities. And maybe if you are in one of these fields, after you use it, you might just want to become an anthropologist, too.

The post What can the new workbook, Career Tools for Anthropology, do for me? appeared first on The Anthropology Career Readiness Network.