#Cultural resource management

[chaotic-archaeologist]

I have about 3 years left until I have a masters degree, but I want to work in CRM/my country’s equivalent to we-wanna-build-a-road-here-you-better-save-the-graves for a few years maybe before i possibly go for a phd. As a neurodivergent person who struggles with routines and energy levels I think a lot about how i would manage such a massive full time job. Currently I work part time at a museum that hosts small archaeological digs for kids and adults, and i have been on excavation courses before, so I know how it partially feels like.

My question is; how do archaeologists who work in the field make time and energy for going to the gym, hanging out with friends and cooking etc outside of work? It can be so intense when you work with stuff you love. Any thoughts?

- @academiaautumn

I think the best advice I can give you is that you need to get in contact with someone working this job in your country who can give you a sense of how things work, because every country is going to be a little bit different. If you're in college/university, your professors probably have connections with colleagues or former students that they can put you in contact with.

I haven't done CRM, but I've been in similar situations and heard from friends who have, and I'll be real with you: a lot of the things you're asking about? You just do not do them. But keep in mind this is for US CRM and your mileage (or kilometerage) may vary.

These jobs are location specific, so you have to travel to wherever the excavation is. Usually for a set duration, with the longest being maybe a couple of months. This time frame and travel limits a lot of what you can do. The company employing you will put you up in a motel, but it probably won't have a kitchen. Because of the travel, most of the people you know are probably on the dig with you.

Time and energy... it depends. Check out the notes on this post for different archaeologists talking about what they do in a day. CRM is hard work, which can also translate to less energy for socialization/extracurricular activities than less physical jobs.

I'm a big believer that archaeology is for everyone, but unfortunately that does not mean that all areas of archaeology are accessible across the board. Before committing to this plan, you need to get a very clear understanding of what this work entails and how that interacts with your own needs. If you don't think those are compatible, 3 years out is plenty of time to start coming up with alternatives for after your master's (which I'm sure exist).

I did not go into CRM because of my own brain and body issues. I'm not saying that you can't or shouldn't, I'm saying that CRM is a difficult environment and you should do everything you can to set yourself up for success.

If anyone who does have actual CRM experience wants to add their perspective, that would be great.

-Reid

[geostelar5]

I believe the field of archeology exists to trick Mythology Kids and giant nerds into going outside and doing exercise.

[suzythered]

The field backpack I’ve used my entire CRM career is finally dying, and I’m having trouble finding something similar to replace it.

Anyone have any recommendations for good day packs? Preferably something sturdy enough it can handle having a screen attached to it while hiking and made from material that wont get easily sliced open by trowels or other sharp gear in it.

[dragon-spiced]

This is the kind of shit CRM archeologists get up to when we're trying to make a project last to the end of the week for hours.

my jaw hit the floor

[luciferstit]

this is what cultural resource management feels like as an archaeologist

[archaeologysucks]

A run-down of what a second Trump administration may mean for archaeology and cultural resources preservation in the U.S.

(thank you @weatherwaxcats for the link)

[tswwwit]

omg so when Dipper eventually learns the demonic language, does that mean he and bill can just casually have a conversation?

like they're bantering with each other in English and then Bill brings up something in demonic tongue, and dipper bites back also in demonic tongue and then boom both of them just switched languages without even realizing??

or is it a case of "Dipper understands but can't speak" where he hears conversations, but completely replies back in English 😭

It's the first one! Though it'll take a bit for Dipper to get to the point of true fluency, he's got years to do so - and plenty of motivation to boot.

[damneddualities]

Me shovel testing in the field

[actuallyaj]

I am constantly forgetting if I've taken my meds. I have so many that are either scheduled or PRN. I also forget if I've taken an OTC med too. I have one of those timers that goes on top of a pill bottle that I use for Tylenol. I put this together today and it's already helping me!

[tothechaos]

wailing and beating my fists on the ground because theres a graduate class being offered to seniors that is in line with what i want to do long term but i cant TAKE IT because it would put me over the limit for credit hours

[yousaytomato]

I'm helping customers as much as I was a few months ago, I'm still providing good service and good outcomes and I'm more knowledgeable than ever. And I care about my job and we work well as a team and I generally feel like I know what I'm doing.

But, new management have brought in measures to track every single thing we do, we're being observed almost daily by managers, we have targets that aren't technically targets, but "why haven't you done the recommended amount this week?"

There's so many extra things to do, which don't actually add anything to the service we provide, just make us all more on edge and stressed. I'm being made to feel like if I do something wrong, they'll close our department and it will be my fault - because it couldn't possibly be anything to do with the stupid decisions that have been passed down from people making five times my salary.

This doesn't even scratch the service in terms of redundancies and extra training and extra work load and extra responsibilities and reduced benefits and just. Fuck it all.

[suzythered]

Tales from Consulting

This morning I'm thinking about this time last year when I busted my ass (and my phone) to get a historic structures report done, only for my boss to throw a fit over the 'quality' of it, so it got sent off to a historian in the company to 'fix'.

The historian promptly then sat on the report for two months--completely obliterating the project deadline I worked so hard to meet--and then sent it back with zero edits. And my boss was like "See? This is how these should be done."

[edge-lorde]

this year for halloween im "working hard" at the "archaeology mines" and by working i mean watching other people dig holes in the ground and by archaeology mines i mean sitting in a hotel room by myself, because im on a monitoring project.

this means my job is to watch a construction crew install a waterline in an already developed area to see if any historic glass falls out of the dirt or be the last bastion standing to stop them from destroying hidden skeletons, if theyre there.

in practice this means im the only woman on a construction crew and my job is to stand around and hold a clip board and not help with anything for 8 hours, and theres no other archaeologists needed so i have no one to hang out with after work.

i was feeling pretty down that i was going to miss halloween for this, but i walked to a local coffee shop at lunch time today and im feeling less tired than i did after work yesterday and tumblr has me feeling more cheered....

[realityfragments]

When the Cheese Is Announced By Book.

Some days ago last year, someone posted on Facebook that they were getting their team copies of “Who Moved My Cheese: An Amazing Way To Deal With Change In Your Work and You’re Life“. What he may not have known – I’m not sure how this will turn out – is that since it’s publication in late 1998, it had become synonymous with layoffs in corporate America. This is enough so that Wikipedia has some…

[anthropologyapologist]

Got a video call later with a project manager from the environmental firm that would be hiring me. Talked to two people from the recruiting side already. I always get nervous at interviews buuut I could use the work. It's $5/hr more than what I'm receiving at my current company and my title sounds cooler. Instead of an archaeological field technician I will be a cultural resource specialist. It's still entry level but I do want the experience, especially with the utility company that is hiring the environmental firm.

My current company is have a slow spell rn. I haven't worked since November and I've only got two days scheduled for this month. This new job will be starting at the end of February. Any advice on questions to ask the interviewer?

I'm still not sure how tge CRM field works bit obviously they think I'm qualified since they reached out to me. They also have my full resume and not just my LinkedIn stuff. Haven't made a CV with my crm projects yet tho. I should.

A recruiter on LinkedIn reached out to me for a job opportunity and want to interview me. Would this be a legit offer or a scam? The company is Insight Global and I'm not finding too much info on them.