If I were asked in a job interview to talk about my experience doing archaeology in Turkey, I would probably respond initially by saying there was a lot I could say, and then asking if there was anything in particular the interviewer was interested in and responding based on that. If there was not anything in particular they were interested in, I would say that I came to Turkey, worked hard, and learned a lot about archaeology, myself, Turkey, and that my experience here would be useful in the job.
The biggest thing I would want an employer to know about my experience in Turkey is that the experience has been more than just learning about archaeology. While learning how to identify pottery, how to clean it, how and when to take photos of an excavation unit, and many other pieces of archaeology have been important, I think an employer would be most interested in the personal growth that I discussed in my post last week. I would want them to know that I pushed my limits and did work that a few months ago I was not sure I could handle, let alone enjoy. This internship teaches you a lot about archaeology, but it also teaches you that you can do more than you think and that you can adapt.
I would explain my time and work in Turkey was an experience where I learned a lot, both in terms of more factual knowledge, as well as becoming more adaptable. Working in Turkey has been a very different experience for me, but I have also had to adjust to work I was not used to in a country I had never been to before. I would also talk about the unpredictability of archaeology, I show up to the site everyday with some idea of what I am going to do that day, but things can and have happened that have led to the day going in a different direction.
When it comes to marketable skills I have learned, there are the obvious archaeological skills, I have practiced identifying different types of artifacts, taking elevation, taking unit photos, and digging. I would make sure to discuss these if the job was related to archaeology, but in any type of job I would spend more time talking about how I have gained important experience in learning how to work with people from a different culture than mine. Collaboration has been another important skill I’ve deepened here, archaeological excavation requires working with other people toward goals, which is an important skill to have in any job. While my work site is mostly St. Olaf students, I would talk about how I was also able to collaborate with students from other schools, when I had opportunities to do so. I would specifically mention pottery washing, which sounds monotonous, but actually is very interesting and provides a chance to work with people with very different backgrounds than me.
The experience and skills I have learned from doing archaeology in Turkey would obviously be directly applicable in an archaeology job, but would also be relevant in any job that involves interacting with people from different cultures and requires teamwork. My communication skills have definitely improved from working at Antiochia, I am much better positioned to navigate a job that involves working across language barriers than I was a month ago. I also think that living in a different part of the world from where I grew up, even if it was just for a month, is helpful in a future career because I learned more about my own culture as well as learning about Turkish culture. Going into this internship I expected that I would learn more about Turkey, I did not think about the possibility that I would also learn more about the United States.
As I enter my last week in Turkey, I hope that I will continue to learn more about archaeology, myself, Turkey, and the United States. The last three weeks have been a valuable experience that has given me new skills, and hopefully will continue to do so. I also look forward to seeing what else will happen on the Acropolis, both in Unit 7C and the other units as well.