Clarity: “I mean, don’t you archaeos love to drink? Isn’t that where you come up with most of your ideas?” Me: (Still thinking about her question. I know she’s right, but can’t let her know. Mentally maneuvering.) “Well, they’re useful because they can help me stay ‘in-the-know’ about the job market and give career advice. You know, help me learn about archaeology stuff before it’s public knowledge. They help me keep a sharp edge.” (Feeling uncomfortable because I know she’s brought up a valid point that I never thought about before…as usual.) Clarity: (Generously not twisting the knife.) “Okay honey. That’s good. I’m proud of you. Really, I am.” Me: (Don’t believe her but can’t do anything about it. She won this round) “Thanks.”
What good is online professional networking? Do archaeologists really “talk shop” over the internet? How useful are LinkedIn connections? Can you really learn about practicing archaeology through online conversations? How will any of this help me find a job? Those are typical questions I have received whenever I told people about the topic of my SAA 2014 presentation. They’re questions I wanted to answer before writing this paper. “How can I use LinkedIn to further my career?” Until 2013, I had a LinkedIn profile for years but really hadn’t done anything with it. It wasn’t even complete. I’d been hearing about how important online connections can be for career development and job opportunities, but I was still doing things the old fashioned way— through face-to-face conversations with other archaeologists and professors. That method worked for years and it still works today. However, during the Great Recession, the face-to-face technique started failing me because of the dearth of cultural resource management (CRM) work going on in the country. In an age of shriveling opportunities and increased competition, I knew I had to find another way to land work. Still, I did not turn to LinkedIn or other online networking services.
Blogging Archaeology
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