Council of American Overseas Research Centers

A significant variety of alternative career paths exist for holders of higher degrees in the humanities and social science disciplines. Often overlooked for consideration during job searches are the different types of prospects that can be found in the diverse institutions, organizations, and companies in the international nonprofit, nongovernmental (NGO), and other related private sectors. Many jobs in these sectors can offer a surprising range of opportunities that can align well with your own personal goals for getting higher education training and degrees. The range of possible options is largely limited only by factors determined by the applicants themselves; the keys to finding and benefiting (even thriving) from such opportunities lie in your own creativity, planning, and personal discipline. This section of the Forum will examine through the lens of personal experience some of the factors that should be considered when pursuing employment in these sectors.The most important step in considering alternative career paths is to define first your own reasons, desires, and goals with respect to why you embarked on earning a higher degree in your chosen field. A moment will come as you near the completion of your program when you will have to think about not only why you are obtaining your degree, but also what it is that you want to achieve with your education and skills. For example: did you choose the MA/PhD route because you love teaching and want to be in the Academy specifically? Did you just “fall into” your program as a natural evolution of your college experience? Did you get the degree because you love your subject and the material foremost—leaving you less wedded to a specific career path? The answers to these types of questions are essential in determining whether any alternative career trajectories are right for you.This moment came early for me, when I was in my first year of all-but-dissertation (ABD) status. I was just beginning in earnest my dissertation research and writing while on a residence fellowship at the American Center of Oriental Research (ACOR) in Amman, Jordan (Fig. 1). The center was undergoing a major directorial change at the time and the position of assistant director opened up while I was on my fellowship tenure. Many of my mentors, colleagues, and friends encouraged me to apply for the position. I was reticent at first; although certainly an exciting prospect, I knew that taking such a position might pull me from the “Academy” path which, at the time, is where I thought I wanted to be. So, I had to confront seriously for the first time the questions outlined above. In parsing these questions I realized that I'd chosen to earn a doctorate in archaeology for primarily personal reasons: it was the pursuit of a lifelong dream that was driven first and foremost by a passion for the subject matter itself and the desire to be trained in the necessary skills to understand it fully. This realization was liberating. I discovered that my personal reasons, desires, and goals for getting the degree could (and would) be fulfilled by considering this alternate career path. I applied, was hired, and subsequently worked at the center for nearly nine years. The experience gained from that job prepared me for the next tier of my chosen career path, as embodied in my current position (Fig. 2). Throughout my journey on this alternative path it has still been possible to contribute to the global knowledge base in my discipline through research, fieldwork, lectures, and publications.I am often asked about the viability of being able to produce scholarship while not working in the Academy. My answer is always the same: one's ability to conduct research and produce publications is not determined solely by one's type of employment—it is also largely a personal discipline issue. If you wish to produce, you will produce. In these discussions it is frequently necessary to remind inquirers that holding a faculty position (especially pre-tenure, junior faculty) within the Academy doesn't necessarily improve one's ability to conduct research and produce outputs. While such positions do help keep one embedded in the milieu and facilitate access to resources (e.g., libraries, forums, research funding, etc.), the often beleaguering teaching and service loads still force you to shunt the majority of your research and writing efforts into your personal time. Thus, the actual productive time situation is not that disparate when comparing academic and non-academic employment opportunities. Producing scholarship while outside the Academy merely presents a different set of challenges for which each individual needs to adapt and develop his/her own approach and management strategy that works. It is not always easy—as the JEMAHS editors know, having waited patiently for this essay as deadlines passed—but, it is possible.So you've decided to consider alternate career possibilities… but now you find yourself wondering how marketable you are… given your incredibly specific specialization in your field of study. In reality, you are likely very marketable—provided you learn how to bracket out the emphasis we are trained to place (within the Academy) on the importance of our specialization(s) and instead focus on the broader values you can bring to the table in any type of job. On alternate career paths the specifics of your discipline and specializations likely need to remain your own while the underlying skills that make you a specialist are what you bring to a potential employer's attention and service.Well-trained post-master's or post-doctorate job applicants can be highly sought after, even if not specifically for your specialization talents. The rigorous process of earning higher degrees inculcates some essential skill sets for which the universal appeal and value should not be underestimated. The following bullets outline some of the most sought after skill sets that, in my experience, frequently overlap with the training received in higher education degree programs: the ability to think critically and to process broad and diverse perspectives;data management, processing, and representation;research and writing skills;project and program development, management, and execution;language training and the associated cognitive and communicative skills and benefits;international experience; andexperience in engaging within different socio-cultural contexts. While these bullets largely represent skill set rubrics that are applicable to many types of employment, these were specifically distilled by looking at the requirements listed in a variety of recent job postings from within the international nonprofit, NGO, and related public sectors. Even a quick perusal will readily demonstrate how much of a correlation exists between the skills garnered through higher degree training and those sought for positions within these sectors. Successful job applicants will have further tailored their own experiences from within these rubrics when presenting themselves as employee candidates. The best advice that can be given is to analyze a job listing thoroughly, think creatively, and plan your applications to best showcase how both the training and experience you gained during your degree program can be translated to fulfill the potential employer's needs.Accepting a position with an international institution, organization, or company in the nonprofit, NGO, and related public sectors can also provide some useful benefits to postgraduates and their own personal goals. This essay will focus briefly on three such potential benefits: location access, cost-effectiveness, and personal growth.Getting extended and durable access to international locations essential to your personal research is often very challenging. Employment within the United States itself, whether as a faculty member in the Academy or in some other type of job, can often create prohibitive barriers to conducting research internationally. Some issues that can be greatly affected by these domestic positions include finding funding for travel and logistics, having sufficient leave for extended forays abroad, as well as the general domestic commitments that we build in our lives. Many of these potential hindrances can be alleviated if your employment is in the country or countries on which your research is focused: residence facilitates access, which can be an incredible benefit if used effectively. Time spent in such positions can afford one with opportunities to complete or expand existing research data, commence new lines of inquiry and exploration, and build enduring relationships with contacts in your host country. This time can also provide the chance to focus on publishing your work in order to establish yourself further in your research discipline; such publication track records can be a significant factor in re-entering the Academy path at a later date if desired.Jobs on the international stage can also be very cost-effective and financially beneficial. Salaries for foreign residence employees are usually very competitive when compared to those for similar domestic positions. The cost-of-living expenses may also be lower in other countries—and in some instances housing and vehicles might be provided as part of the employment contract. Finally, there is the fiscal benefit of the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) when filing your annual United States federal tax return. All of these financial possibilities can make these international positions very attractive options, especially for recent postgraduates who may have lingering educational loans or other costs.The last benefit range I'd like to highlight is in the realm of the unexpected. Living and working abroad can be an amazing experience that fosters unforeseen personal growth—often in completely new and unexpected directions. I lived and worked abroad full-time for about a dozen years and am forever changed for the better by the many and diverse experiences this opportunity engendered. The combination of branching out of your academically-defined “box” and pursuing a different (even if related) path can introduce you to and captivate you with previously unconsidered options for personal growth—the limits on this are, again, largely set only by those you allow for yourself.I am clearly an advocate for this type of alternate career path. However, making this type of choice can also cost you in different ways. Several of the basic ones that come to mind include: Living abroad for extended periods can put undue strain on your familial and personal relationships stateside. Opting to leave the Academy path for a length of time can create significant hurdles for re-entering it later. The list can be quite long, in fact, so you really need to be thorough in weighing the pros and cons relevant to you before making any commitments. However, I'll leave you with one final thought: These positions can also be conceived of as shorter-term, career building stages in one's life rather than as some sort of terminus on an employment trajectory.Define your goals, explore your options, and choose what works for you. Just never let anyone tell you that you lack options with your higher education degree!