Career Compass: Anthropology

Year 1 - 30 credit hours

Course requirements:
ANTH 1210 and ANTH 1220

To do this year:

1. Know the requirements for your degree. Meet with an academic advisor to help you plan your program.
2. If you need academic support, visit the Academic Learning Centre for workshops or to meet with a learning skills instructor.

Year 2 - 60 credit hours

Course requirements:
ANTH 2000, ANTH 2100, ANTH 2800 and ANTH 2020 or ANTH 2530

To do this year:

1. Should you follow a 3-or 4-year plan? Meet with an academic advisor and career consultant to map out your options.
2. Take ANTH 2370 as one of your elective courses.
3. When choosing a minor, take courses that will open opportunities.

Year 3 - 90 credit hours

Course requirements:
General: 12 credit hours of ANTH at the 2000 level and above including at least 6 credit hours at 3000 or 4000 level

Honours or advanced: ANTH 3470 plus additional required courses

To do this year:

1. Meet with anthropology advisor for honours program approval.
2. Meet with your co-op advisor (if applicable).
3. Confirm eligibility to graduate with an academic advisor and declare intent to graduate in Aurora (3-year option).

Year 4 - 120 credit hours

Course requirements:
ANTH 4850 plus additional required courses

To do this year:

1. Meet with an anthropology advisor for honours program approval.
2. Meet with your co-op advisor (if applicable).
3. Confirm eligibility to graduate with an academic advisor and declare intent to graduate in Aurora.

Year 1 - 30 credit hours

Start planning your career:

1. Meet with a career consultant to generate career ideas based on your interests, values, personality and skills.
2. Research occupations that match your skills and interests.
3. Set up a UM Connect account to view job postings and register for workshops and events.
4. Set up your Experience Record, an official record of university-approved activities.

Year 2 - 60 credit hours

Make professional connections:

1. Join the Career Mentor Program to learn from professionals.
2. Attend career fairs to connect with employers.
3. Become a Student Affiliate with associations such as the Canadian Anthropology Association and/or Manitoba Archaeological Society.
4. Develop professional connections with professors by applying for an Undergraduate Research Award.

Market your skills: Develop your resumé and cover letter and refine your interview skills.

Year 3 - 90 credit hours

Investigate your career options:

1. Look at sample job postings to ensure you have the qualifications upon graduation.
2. Develop employability and essential skills sought by employers.
3. Explore supports available to entrepreneurs for business planning including the Stu Clarke Centre for Entrepreneurship, World Trade Centre Winnipeg, and the Manitoba Government.
4. Create a LinkedIn profile to network with professionals.

Consider continuing your studies: Check out the Faculty of Graduate Studies, Extended Education or other academic institutions.

Year 4 - 120 credit hours

Start job search 9 months in advance: Contact Career Services to refine your job search and self-marketing strategies. You can visit the office up to 6 months after graduation.

If you are continuing on to graduate school: Finalize your application materials and required tests. Use the awards database to search for funding and awards to help finance your continuing education. Contact your department to find out how their awards deadlines are advertised.

Year 1 - 30 credit hours

Link experiences to your career interests. Options include:

1. Student groups including the University of Manitoba Anthropology Students’ Association and Arts Student Body Council.
2. Volunteer for UM Orientation events to help welcome new students to campus while gaining experience or join the Student Leadership Development Program.
3. Student work opportunities including Work-Study, STEP Services or Federal Student Work Experience Program.
4. Experiential education opportunities such as Community Engaged Learning programs.

Year 2 - 60 credit hours

Explore student research opportunities: Apply for a research assistant position or Undergraduate Research Award.

Gain practical experience by volunteering: Check out the Manitoba Museum, and social service agencies.

Find opportunities to market yourself: Become a Faculty of Arts Student Ambassador.

Earn while you learn: Consider applying to the Arts Co-operative Education program once you have completed 48 credit hours.

Year 3 - 90 credit hours

Continue or start research: Participate in the Undergraduate Research Poster Competition.

Check out student job opportunities with: Canadian Border Services Agency, Parks Canada, social service agencies and market research firms

Search for job opportunities online: Check out Job Bank, Find My Job, Indeed or Canadian Heritage Information Network.

Use your networks and connections: Inquire about unadvertised job openings (the "hidden job market").

Year 4 - 120 credit hours

Ensure you have references in place: Ask your professor for a reference or a letter of recommendation if you're applying for graduate school.

Find opportunities to market yourself: Present your research at the Canadian Anthropology Society’s Annual Conference.

Assess your resumé: Identify any gaps in experience and fill them through volunteering, work placements or internships such as the Post-Secondary Recruitment Program.

Year 1 - 30 credit hours

Considering international opportunities? Visit the Language Centre and check out the International Centre website to learn more international opportunities for UM students.

Explore communities and cultures you want to work with: Visit Migizii Agamik, the International Centre for Students or learn about local agencies via 211 Manitoba.

Year 2 - 60 credit hours

Develop global career skills and expand intercultural learning: Consider an international student exchange, Tel Burna Excavation Project, My World Abroad or SWAP for a "working holiday".

Staying local? Check out the Archaeological Field School or WUSC Student Refugee Program. Consider learning a new language and culture through the Language Partner Volunteer Program.

Year 3 - 90 credit hours

Did you travel abroad? Become an exchange mentor for the International Student Mentorship Program, join the exchange student community at the University of Manitoba or write an article about your experience.

Participate in the multicultural opportunities on campus: Participate in the Intercultural Development and Leadership Program or take part in Graduation Pow Wow.

Year 4 - 120 credit hours

Prepare to work in a multicultural environment: Visit Canada's National Research Centre for Truth and Reconciliation on campus or explore Manitoba Start which offers events and free workshops for newcomers to assist their job search.

Industries such as education, government, heritage and social services would value an anthropology major in combination with the employability skills that are highly sought after by employers. These include:*

• Oral and written communication
• Critical thinking
• Problem solving
• Teamwork
• Numeracy and data use
• Digital technology
• Industry specific knowledge
• Continuous learning

*Information has been adapted from Employability Skills 2000⁺ and Workplace Education Manitoba – Essential Skills.

Briefly, tell us about your job. What do you find most rewarding? What are your greatest challenges within this profession?

I am a research consultant providing historical and genealogical research, including managing related databases. My time is generally spent developing research plans based on research goals, identifying likely locations for gathering relevant information, reviewing that information and collecting anything applicable to the research goals. I develop research reports that are anywhere from a couple of pages to a couple of hundred pages. Included in the process is managing the information about files identified, reviewed and items collected in a database with which the clients are comfortable.

It is very rewarding living in our country’s history and finding out about the people who contributed to its growth and development. I find it fascinating to discover over and over again that regular people had a significant impact on the lives of each other and ultimately on us. The greatest challenge I find in my work is access to records. While some organizations and repositories are forthcoming and make it easy to obtain copies of records, this is not consistent across the country. The changes to accessing records at Library and Archives Canada a couple of years ago is a prime example of how difficult it can be to access, from a distance, the records that I want to review.

What experiences and activities helped you to map out your career pathway?

When I was in my teens and my grandmother got me hooked on our family’s genealogy. I enjoyed studying people and the details of their lives and I have always loved history in general. I took a couple of anthropology courses at university and, well, the rest is history (pun intended).

As a student, did you see yourself in your current career? What stayed the same and/or changed?

Originally, I did not see myself starting a business, although entrepreneurship is the norm on both sides of my family. I honestly couldn’t see how to translate my hobbies and a degree in anthropology into a career. Enough people suggested that if I did what I love to do, something would show up. I did spend some time jotting down ideas about what kinds of things I enjoy doing, as well as places I thought I’d like to work. There were enough options that I decided to stick with anthropology.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in pursuing a degree in anthropology?

I would advise anyone interested in an anthropology degree to really consider the type of work you want to do – what you want to spend your days doing. I don’t think it’s enough to enjoy the topic; you have to want to do the work that contributes to your industry, as well.

What job search advice do you have for students and recent graduates?

Don’t wait until you graduate to start your career. Volunteer with organizations and get some ‘on the ground’ experience. It looks great on your resume, too! I’d also suggest exploring ways that your education can combine with your other passions. It is surprising to find out that seemingly unrelated paths can cross in serendipitous ways. When that happens, it’s like a dream come true! Of course you usually need to work to make those things happen. In my experience, the luckiest people are the ones who work their butts off to make things happen. They make their own luck.

Tell us a fun fact about your career path.

I learn more and more about people every single day. It turns out not much changes over the centuries.

Briefly, tell us about your job. What do you find most rewarding? What are your greatest challenges within this profession?

I operate a boutique communications firm, Sarah Piercy Communications, that specializes in providing proactive and comprehensive communications services and products for companies, individuals, non-profit organizations and charities, associations, industry groups and government.

The rewards of my career are many, including flexibility and being able to work with a broad variety of clients; at current, my greatest challenge relates to capacity, as I’m operating as a sole proprietor.

What experiences and activities helped you to map out your career pathway?

Attending The University of Manitoba and pursuing a degree in Anthropology offered me many unique experiences and activities that guided my career path. However, it was not until I left graduate school, choosing to work full time, that I really developed an appreciation and clearer understanding of what I enjoyed, and excelled at, when it came to work. While in school, I had the opportunity to travel as part of my academic program and also served in a voluntary board capacity with a non-profit association that was directly linked to my studies. Both experiences stand out for providing me with exposure to functional, real world application of my learnings. Upon graduation and entry into the workforce, I took advantage of every single opportunity shared with me; and now, running my own firm, I follow the same approach and relish the variety of experiences and activities that I have the opportunity to engage in.

As a student, did you see yourself in your current career? What stayed the same and/or changed?

As a student, working for myself as a consultant was on my radar but not as an immediate goal. After over 15 years working in my field, I decided to start my own company; work has come to me and I’m flattered to work on so many different projects with so many incredible clients. Over time, I’ve maintained a commitment to thoughtful and critically reviewed research and analysis, sound outputs and outcomes, evidence based decision making and ensuring quality relationship building and community engagement. As to what changed, it was life that changed! I chose to travel, move back and forth across the country and explore opportunities. Those good, early decisions have resulted in life changing experiences that have positively shaped my career and personal life. That said, the education I received, the experiences I participated in and the constructive counsel I heard as a student have greatly shaped how my career path unfolded. I remain grateful to The University of Manitoba and the department of anthropology.

What advice do you have for students who are interested in pursuing a degree in anthropology?

University, or any kind of post-secondary education, is full of teachable moments. Besides learning the applied technical and academic components of my degree, my Bachelor of Arts degree shaped my professional career. The broader learnings I gained included how to work with others, knowing how to work towards deadlines and within budget, understanding differing points of view, respecting governance and rules and knowing why they are applied, practicing critical thinking and reasoned arguments and balancing autonomy and personal responsibility. On the academic side, I was taught the merits of research, writing, editing, oral presentation and self-awareness. A degree in anthropology is highly adaptable; ultimately it is to you to make the most of your degree, no matter the discipline.

What job search advice do you have for students and recent graduates?

Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. While it’s a certainty that workers will change jobs and/or careers many times, generally, we work for many years – so find a field you enjoy and you’ll never be bored. My job search advice for students and recent graduates is to:

• Embrace the courage of your convictions.
• Purchase the best quality technical tools you can afford; guard them closely.
• Choose to be kind; make the time to volunteer, donate and or give back, in whatever manner works for you.
• Aspire to be a life-long learner and be flexible.
• Trust yourself, but don’t be afraid to admit when you may be wrong.
• Praise others liberally, but don’t be too hard on yourself; the world will take care of that for you.
• Don’t let the drama of others become your problem – it’s your life and your responsibility to manage your reactions; you cannot control how others respond. Working life is full of ups and downs, and it takes all kinds of people to make our world function.
• Learn to appreciate the obvious and subtle differences in others and acknowledge that some will certainly know more than you.
• And finally, know that education is an excellent investment and the dividends will appear over time, in varying forms; for some, the school and work path is linear, for others it’s scenic; appreciate the journey and you’ll reap the benefits. 

Tell us a fun fact about your career path.

All these years later, I’m still fascinated by Anthropology; I use all facets of my degree every single day, including my Minor in Art History! My career path has been fulfilling and rewarding; I’m looking forward to the future.