Using your degree: Archaeology

What do Cambridge graduates do?

The top three sectors that Archaeology Cambridge graduates joined were Public service (circa 35% of those who responded to a recent survey), followed by Research outside academia e.g. think tank (25%) and then Natural and social science professionals (15%). Of course many archaeology graduate continue on to further study (circa 30% of the most recent survey) and this may be something that you want to consider.

Will employers want my degree?

The majority of employers that recruit Cambridge graduates do not require a certain degree. They are usually more interested in what you can do rather than what you have studied. Want to know what role would suit you? Think about the transferable skills from your degree and any field work or other experiences. e.g. problem solving, teamwork, communication, time management working to deadlines, articulating complex ideas simply, critical evaluation, project management and more. Try looking for ideas for help with identifying your personal strengths and preferences. Then search Handshake for internships, jobs or graduate schemes you are interested in. Note the selection criteria that usually focus on "competencies” rather than having studied a certain subject and see which ones are a good fit.

Using my degree

Archaeology graduates who want to use their degree often think about working in the museums and heritage sector as a curator, outreach officer, conservationist or heritage manager. Be aware that sectors like this often have a wide variety of roles. For example HR, Marketing, IT, Finance and Logistics as well as the more obvious roles. So if you are interested in a certain sector think about what you are good at and which roles might be a good fit for you. Network with alumni who studied Archaeology. You can see what they do, their career to date and contact them for further information. Use LinkedIn in a similar way.