Designing an Anthropology Career: Professional Development Exercises

by Sherylyn H. Briller, Amy Goldmacher

Overview

Launching a career is challenging and, at times, intimidating. Designing an Anthropology Career provides undergraduate and graduate students with the tools they need to identify their career goals and follow through on them. Part I establishes a framework for how to design a career in anthropology or other related fields. Part II contains a series of professional development exercises to help readers articulate their personal and professional histories, special abilities, and career goals. Each exercise is followed by a sample completed by an anthropology student or anthropologist to provide models for readers to complete their own exercises, which will be invaluable tools for choosing the right career. Throughout the text, the authors take a broad perspective to encourage readers to imagine an evolving anthropology career as a lifetime endeavor.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780759109438
Publisher:	AltaMira Press
Publication date:	12/16/2008
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	166
Product dimensions:	6.90(w) x 9.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Sherylyn H. Briller is a Professor in the Department of Anthropology and a Faculty Associate in the Center on Aging and the Life Course at Purdue University. She is an applied cultural/medical anthropologist specializing in aging, disability and life course issues. Dr. Briller is highly interested in the career development of anthropologists, which led to this book. Her individual and collaborative scholarship resulted in a four volume book series on dementia care settings, an interdisciplinary book about end-of-life issues, one design monograph, two guest-edited special issues, 10 book chapters, 24 peer-reviewed articles, and a community-engaged medical anthropology museum exhibit. At the broadest level, her anthropological scholarship and practice aim to create a better, more inclusive world that supports people in achieving and maintaining social personhood across the life course and a range of disability and illness experiences. Dr. Briller is the President and a Fellow of the Society for Applied Anthropology. She is a former President of the Association for Anthropology & Gerontology Education (AAGE). Dr. Briller holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Carleton College, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Case Western Reserve University. Amy Goldmacher is a trained social scientist and research professional who finds opportunities for innovation and has run her own research and consulting business since 2013. By carefully observing and questioning how people engage with the world, she provides insights and recommendations that connect customers to products. With almost 20 years of applied research experience, Dr. Goldmacher has provided research for product, service, and experience design across industries, including academia, automotive, consumer products, digital places and websites, healthcare, industrial products, and apps. Dr. Goldmacher has previously published on topics of anthropological work and careers, including articles in the journals Anthropology News and Practicing Anthropology, co-edited a special edition of the journal Practicing Anthropology, and co-authored a chapter in an anthropology textbook. Dr. Goldmacher holds a B.A. in Anthropology with Honors from Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Anthropology from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Part I Designing an Anthropology Career 1

1 Introduction 3

2 Positioning Yourself in the Discipline: Creating Your Anthropological Career and Overcoming Challenges 13

3 How to Use This Book Effectively 27

Part II Professional Development Exercises 35

1 Understanding Yourself as an Anthropologist: The Identity Expedition Exercise 37

2 Understanding Your Educational Background: The Transcript Exercise 47

3 Understanding Your Work Background: The Job Titles Exercise 52

4 Understanding Your Values: The Code of Ethics Exercise 58

5 Understanding Your Impact: The Social Change Exercise 68

6 Understanding Yourself in Group Work: The Collaboration Exercise 73

7 Understanding Your Personal and Professional Balance: The Lifestyle Exercise 79

8 Understanding Your Advising Relationships: The Mentorship Exercise 88

9 Understanding Your Professional Connections: The Networking Exercise 97

10 Understanding Your Ideal Job: The Anthropological Job Search Exercise 103

11 Representing Yourself Professionally as an Anthropologist: The Introduction Exercise 110

12 Representing Yourself in a Summary Document: The Resume Exercise 114

13 Representing Your Body of Work: The Portfolio Exercise 123

14 Representing Yourself in Other Fields: The Second Domain Exercise 141

15 Representing Your Whole Anthropological Career: The Retirement Speech Exercise 149

References 155

About the Authors 157

Editorial Reviews

This book takes career exploration to the next level. It presents a valuable set of techniques and exercises to help anthropologists apply their knowledge, skills, and experiences to the job search regardless of their stage in the career cycle. The authors' systematic approach focuses on both understanding one's own interests and capabilities, and then representing them effectively in the workplace.

Elizabeth Briody

Designing an Anthropology Career is a very welcome and much-needed addition to the literature and resources available for current and prospective anthropology students at all levels of education. The book's exercises will be used by groups of students working together as they reflect on their varied backgrounds, discuss their experiences, and develop new insights for their career development. At the same time, students and others working on their own will also find this book an invaluable resource in assessing their prospects for an anthropology career and making that career a reality. Anthropologists with undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees are finding employment in a rich array of careers, and this book can help them think about and prepare for their future.

Linda A. Bennett

This book takes career exploration to the next level. It presents a valuable set of techniques and exercises to help anthropologists apply their knowledge, skills, and experiences to the job search regardless of their stage in the career cycle. The authors' systematic approach focuses on both understanding one's own interests and capabilities, and then representing them effectively in the workplace.--Elizabeth Briody, General Motors Research & Development

Designing an Anthropology Career is a very welcome and much-needed addition to the literature and resources available for current and prospective anthropology students at all levels of education. The book's exercises will be used by groups of students working together as they reflect on their varied backgrounds, discuss their experiences, and develop new insights for their career development. At the same time, students and others working on their own will also find this book an invaluable resource in assessing their prospects for an anthropology career and making that career a reality. Anthropologists with undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees are finding employment in a rich array of careers, and this book can help them think about and prepare for their future.--Linda A. Bennett, University of Memphis

From the Publisher