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	<title>Love of History &#187; How to get a job</title>
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	<description>A historical perspective of current events</description>
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		<title>Historians need to make a lean startup or they will become a history relic</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/historians-need-to-make-a-lean-startup-or-they-will-become-a-history-relic/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/historians-need-to-make-a-lean-startup-or-they-will-become-a-history-relic/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Jun 2014 08:39:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[adjunct professors]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[eric ries]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history research]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[lean startup methodology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[poverty in academia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[&#160; The past two years, during my last days in academia and afterwards, I have been on a very steep learning curve. I learned how to view the world from a different perspective, how to talk to non academics, how to value ‘real’ life. As a result I reassessed my views on history and professional historians. First of all, I would like to admit that I am guilty. Throughout my academic career (which spans almost two decades) I have been guilty of ‘academic exceptionalism’. I read in depth historical analyses, I participated in academic debates, I wrote articles and books for those few who could understand them. I knew exactly how to construct my work, so that it gets published in prestigious journals and presses. I gained grants and awards from the institutions that mattered! Obviously, I belonged to the ‘inner circle’. Since I felt successful in what I was doing, I did not see a reason to change. In 2009, though, something happened. I started blogging and soon got hooked on it. Through blogging, twittering and facebooking I met a good number of very interesting non-academic historians- a truly eye opening experience. They were knowledgable, witty, ready to offer interesting facts, and challenging old assumptions. Their perspectives may have been different but their value could not be doubted. I started wondering, if there was another history-related world out there worthy to be explored. So, I started doing the unthinkable: reading public historians, watching historical movies, communicating with ‘lay people’. My views of what is historical study shifted considerably during that time. The process was slow and almost imperceptible. In due course my blogging activities were going strong and I seemed to have attained some balance in my professional life. On one hand, I continued publishing my exclusive, incomprehensible, highly specialised research. On the other hand, I considered taking my blog to the next level and dabbing into the black art of public history. There was something missing, though. The two aspects were not connected. By 2012 I begun to realise what was wrong. The answer came from the most unlikely quarters. By then, I was involved in employability of university students &#8211; as part of my departmental service. I found myself attracted to entrepreneurship, probably because of my background in property development and ecommerce. As I was setting up an entrepreneurship course, a new book fell into my hands: The Lean Startup. The ideas were not new. The author codified in a practical way older and tested practices. The book offered a new method to setup new businesses. Eric Ries, supports the sensible idea that you should not build a product until you know that you have customers who will buy it. So, your first step should be to figure out the problems customers face. What needs do they have? Which pain are you solving? The bigger the pain, the more are the chances of business success, as you will be creating products that the customers want. Without a doubt, this is when I started questioning the way the academic system works.  Let me analyse briefly the university as a business. I had to oversimplify the model for the purposes of this short blog post but the principles remain the same. So, university’s customers are the students &#8211; who pay fees &#8211; and the government &#8211; which pays subsidies. Its product is intellectual property. It purports to advance knowledge (an undoubted benefit for society) and provide a life experience for the students. Which problem is it solving, though? Academics will insists that it solves many problems. For example, medicine battles diseases and increases chances of survival. Fair enough! Let us now go to the discipline of history. The customer, product and unique value proposition remain the same as above. Which problem is it solving, though? There are two problems I came up with a) thirst of knowledge and b) entertainment. Academics are deemed responsible for solving the first and public historians the second (although there are exceptions). The next question we should be asking is how important are these problems for society? Would people be able to live and breath without history? Would their lives be better or worse, if they never knew who Alexander the Great was? Would their intellectual activities be less enhanced, if they never read the Codex Theodosianus? How is history affecting our lives at a deeper more meaningful level? What value (not money-related) does it offer to society? For years I heard historians exclaiming that, if you do not know the past, you will not be able to know your present or future. If you do not analyse historical actions, you will keep repeating the same mistakes in eternity. History forms and reforms our way of thinking and changes our world. Do not make a mistake! I truly believe this is the case. I have always been an idealist and I intend to remain so. However, I keep wondering how our individual research makes this a reality. Let me give you an example. When academic historians contemplate a new project, they take into account specific parameters. a) They think about their own preferences and passions (after all they need to be committed to their research for several years and the process is indeed arduous). b) They take into consideration existing research, so that they do not repeat the same ideas. c) They explore the potential of getting a grant. Is there a grant funding body that will support their work? Who is responsible for giving out the money? Would the project please him/ her? d) They think in advance which press or journal will be more suitable for the publication of their results. The editors, which may be in the same position for decades, seem to have particular affections for specific ideas/ projects/ research. e) Last but not least, they need to take account what the Head of Department, University Committee or Search Committee will have in mind as the most appropriate topic. In the above parameters there is no mention of the needs of the public (aka customers). History over the past few decades became a self serving profession that detached itself from reality. Which problem is it solving? The needs of Universities to absorb European funding? The needs of academic peers to engage in intense but meaningless debates? The needs of publishers to increase their citations? Let us take a look now on the other side, the public historians. Whether you believe it or not, they actually have more freedom of speech than the academic historians. However, they still need to put food on the table, so they have to please the public in a consistent and immediate manner. As they cannot undertake lengthy research, they emphasize on entertainment and digestible education. These activities may offer value to society but they do not seem to be world-changing forces. At least, not in the way that medicine or macroeconomics are. I strongly believe that history became irrelevant and historians are mainly responsible for this. We have failed to draw examples from our past and exhibit their connection to our present. We have failed to learn from older mistakes. Who have failed to use our knowledge of the past to solve the problems of the present.  In the process of turning history into an exercise in intellectual exclusivity, we hurt the profession itself. There are hundreds of thousands unemployed or underemployed historians out there who live in poverty. Since we have not provided society with the product it needs, society turned its back at us. Universities are treating us like second class academic citizens, while they promote inequality among peers. The division between tenured and untenured staff is increasing. Administrators multiply their salaries, while professors are gathering the crumbs. History is suffering! So, how can we make history relevant again? I am in the process of exploring this exact question, while I am growing as a historian outside the Ivory Tower. At this point in time, and since I have a strong background in comparative history, I see as only option the direct comparisons/ analogies with the present. I will try to find modern problems (problems that society needs resolved) and use the past to highlight the solutions. I am not certain I will succeed. I am almost certain that the academic opposition will be fierce, especially since I intend to use unusual methods. But I am willing to try, experiment and fail, until I get it right. I cannot possibly indicate to esteemed historians, which directions they should take in their research. I could, though, ask them to be more introspective, while looking outwards. Take the time to ask the questions. Which problem is your research solving? How important is this problem for society at large? &#160;]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Looking to the past to share a future</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/looking-to-the-past-to-share-a-future/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/looking-to-the-past-to-share-a-future/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 17 Jan 2014 08:46:16 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[archaeology jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Classics jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to find a job after a degree in the humanities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to profit from a history degree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what to do with a history degree]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3109</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[“I should like to try…” These were the words of young Agatha Miller when she was told detective stories were too difficult to write.  We know her now as Agatha Christie, Queen of Crime and creator of detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. I should like to try.  I love these five words.  They summed up my transition from buried-under-books student to owner/manager of a historical theatre company, and my eventual specialisation as a costume historian.  I now run the History Wardrobe series of costume-in-context presentations, with a packed diary of events across the UK.  I’ve just had my first costume history book published – Great War Fashion, Tales from the History Wardrobe, and my next book Fashion: Women in World War One will be out in April. I never quite intended any of this. I read English at Cambridge University and loved the immersion in literature. An MA in Medieval Studies gave me a huge appreciation for cross-curricular studies and an introduction to a great group of friends.  An ‘I should like to try’ attitude took me out of academia and into the world of self-employment. It wasn’t easy.  My mother wanted me to be a Professor at Cambridge.  (Or marry Prince William, whichever would give her greater status.)  Even in the 1990s there was still an ethos of, ‘Oh, if you’ve done English you’ll be a teacher/librarian/actor.”  I love teaching.  I love books.  I love performing BUT I didn’t want to follow the route laid out for me by other well-meaning people, who wanted me to be ‘safe’ in a sphere of employment they could understand. Setting up my own company meant I could combine all my interests, plus I have a delightful collection of historical garments to delight the senses when too much research gets my brain tied up in knots. I seemed to live off nothing but toast for a long time.  I was determined never to rely on the whim of funding bodies and so took courses on marketing, business planning and financial planning etc, and followed the sterling advice of Keep Your Overheads Low. After performances I was often asked ‘Do you do this for a living?’  How thrilling it was to answer emphatically: Yes.  ‘Don’t you want a Real Job?’ I was also asked. What’s not ‘real’ about combining talent, skill and hard work? Now I’ve been in business for 15 years, with a great team of freelance staff, a well-nurtured client base and many, many creative ideas to explore in the future.  There are, of course, the expected insecurities: Can I maintain the success?  Can I keep well enough to work?  Can I resist workaholism?  I know I need to keep researching, promoting and learning.  Some people regard self-employment as a fragile world, and there are elements of risk.  Is the ‘real’ world of work so very free from fear? (Fear of redundancy; relocation; pay cuts; discrimination…)  As for the problems of trying to thrive in a niche market, I wouldn’t – no, couldn’t &#8211; change my livelihood. While researching World War One I came across many articles written for businesswomen at the start of the new century.  Here are some gleanings regarding starting up businesses from Woman’s Life in 1919.  They still resonate with me nearly 100 years later, and they are still valid for anyone – male or female &#8211; thinking of developing their own creative enterprise: 1)      Start small.  Clients do not grow, like mushrooms in the night. 2)      A woman who starts on her own must have a thorough grasp of her business.  She must work under others – start from the commencement, and learn all the time as she slowly obtains promotion. 3)      Keep a good banking account, or your business is doomed. 4)      Work that is a burden can never be successful. But the work which holds out enchanting possibilities, which quickens the brain, suggests improvements all the time, is bound to succeed, for it is at once an absorbing interest and pleasure. 5)      To believe that you are bound to be successful is half the battle. Often it is a long uphill climb before it is possible to create profits.  The most that can be expected is to pay one’s way, until chance clients become regular ones, and the business is firmly established. Whatever your talents or background it is worth daring to wonder whether there are roads less travelled to explore, rather than using ‘safe’ as the only criterium for your work. The Girl’s Own Paper of 1915 published a warning about seeking employment during times of economic hardship: “Life is not going to be very easy for the wage-earner during the next few years – though this fact will probably develop girl&#8217;s character and make her of far more use to the world than if she led a life of ease.” The paper’s advice on how to cope is as valuable today as it was then &#8211; Work long hours, study your subject, think out problems and solve difficulties, and to refuse to accept failure as final at any point. To this advice I will only add &#8211; Think like Agatha Christie.  Think &#8211; I should like to try. www.historywardrobe.com www.greatwarfashion.com www.ljadlington.com facebook page  historywardrobe twitter  @historywardrobe This post has been written by Lucy Adlington in order to help history startups!]]></description>
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		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Are you sure you want an academic job in History?</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/are-you-sure-you-want-an-academic-job-in-history/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/are-you-sure-you-want-an-academic-job-in-history/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 21 Dec 2013 07:22:51 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic jobs in archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic jobs in classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic jobs in history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic jobs in the humanities]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[history jobs in academia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to become an academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to get tenure]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[publish or perish]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the future of academic jobs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3095</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[So, you decided that your ideal job would be that of a University lecturer/ reader/ professor. So, was mine until I found out that the job was not exactly as I dreamed it to be. Actually, it turned out rather grim, stressful and not fulfilling. Don’t get me wrong! I do not want to discourage you from entering the Ivory Tower. However, you should enter with your eyes open and with significantly lower expectations. The requirements to get an academic job are much more demanding. 1. Publish or perish is the motto. Funding, career, promotions, fame, everything is about good quality per reviewed publications. Quantity is also very important. In the UK every five to seven years your publication record will be evaluated. The outcome will determine your position in the department, the security of your job, the funding you will receive, the possibility on getting research leave (or not) etc. In the US publications are crucial in the tenure process. In every other country your publications will be read, assessed and accordingly you will be accepted or not in the innermost circles of the academic community. Surprisingly, Wikipedia is actually a good source of information on the REF http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_Excellence_Framework 2. It is expected that the future professor would acquire teaching experience in university classes already as a PhD student. Usually PhD students are employed at an hourly rate to deliver seminars or the occasional lecture. More rarely, they co-teach entire modules. The money certainly does not justify the hours put into the preparation of the classes or the correction of scripts. Even so, most PhD students are grateful when they are chosen to help in class because they may be able to get stellar references about their teaching abilities. 3. Conference and seminar organising is another must. Once you manage to put together your first conference, you will be able to gather enough papers for the publication of an edited volume. Moneywise, it is a waste of time. You will spend many hours preparing applications for funding the meals and the accommodation of the participants. It is commonly held that you should not charge the people who attend the conference (although in some of the largest professional conferences it has become common practice). Even if there are no monetary benefits, the networking benefits and the public appeal will pay you back for all your hard work. 4. Raising funding is the main money making activity of the past, present and future academic. There are several national and international bodies that provide grants for the completion of projects. The specifications, eligibility, and regulations differ from one funding body to the other and one grant from the other. The money will cover your expenses in terms of traveling, organising workshops, hiring assistants, publishing a manuscript, buying equipment, or relieving you from the day-to-day work at the ‘mill’. In fact, getting off teaching and administrative duties in order to concentrate on research is the ultimate aim of most professors. Bear in mind that most universities also offer a full year of sabbatical every 6 years of service, which is great when you have a book to finish. During that year it would be advisable to move in a different country and isolate yourself from the rest of the world in order to finish the long-hoped-for book. Since you will be fully paid, you will not be allowed to find alternative employment. The above may change in the near future. Competition between researchers for the meager governmental funding is turning into a prolonged uphill struggle. It is anticipated that such grants will contract even further in the future because of the current economic conditions. 5. The main asset you will acquire as a University teacher will be extensive experience in administration. Many academics abhor the idea of filling forms but this is probably the most useful skill they will ever learn and the only chance to become more street smart. As the education sector contracts and Higher Education is experiencing extensive economic and technological disruption, current staff will need some administrative skills to survive in the real world, if they lose their jobs. Falling back to the accursed administrative experience they acquired over the years may become their salvation. In addition, pursuing a managerial career within the university can be highly rewarding in monetary terms. Salaries can equal those of the most renowned professors, while managers get the chance to lead the large institutions and redefine the working lives of thousands of people. &#160; You probably started wondering which of the above factors is most important in getting and keeping a job in academia. Is it research, teaching, administration? All of the above would be the expected answer of the hiring committees. The truth is, though, that excelling in all academic aspects will certainly not help you. Committees in the UK and I suspect also in some US Universities are looking for a good ‘fit’. They are looking for the collegial person who is a pleasant man/ woman, bails you out when you are sick, picks up the pieces when you have a nervous break down, and cracks all kind of decent (or not) jokes. Bottom line, if they like you, they will hire you! If they don’t like you, you will see your publication record expanding beyond recognition but you will still not be able to put food on the table. For women the situation is even worse and I don’t think it will change any time soon. Sexual discrimination remains widespread and its impact should not be underestimated. It is not a coincidence that most women in academia remain unmarried and childless, while men rely on their wives to provide some normality to their lives. So, do not anticipate any work/ life balance, no matter what the university leaflets say. If you manage to get this post in the UK or tenure in the US and get rid of the ‘Adjunct’ title, you will find out that the salary is slightly above the national average. Famous professors in some of the largest research universities may even get the chance to negotiate their remuneration packages! The problem is that only a tiny percentage reaches that level. When I was completing my PhD in UCL (more than 10 years ago) only 1 out of 20 PhDs got a permanent post at a University in my field. In 2004 the American Historical Association announced that since 1994 only 32 % of History PhDs held a post in a department. I suspect, though, that in this percentage they included the adjuncts. Today, the percentage is minimal because most universities simply stopped hiring. And given the fact that the number of ‘Doctors’ multiplied the past decade in order to cover for University costs, you can imagine what the competition is like. Every time a university announces the opening of a new lectureship, they anticipate around 100 or more applications to arrive on their desk. I can assure you that all of these people are highly qualified and desperate for a job.]]></description>
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		<title>What can you do with a History degree: Teacher</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/what-can-you-do-with-a-history-degree-teacher/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/what-can-you-do-with-a-history-degree-teacher/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Dec 2013 21:39:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[a career teaching history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[how to become a history teacher]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs after a history degree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what to do with a history degree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[where does a history degree lead]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[who can teach history]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3088</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first port of call for every historian seems to be teaching at different levels. This includes primary education, junior high school, high school, college and the mother of all teaching institutions, the University. In addition, you should explore further the possibility of group and one-to-one tutorials. There are different qualifications you will need to amass, depending on where you would like to end up. Here, I will give you brief information on how you should go about acquiring these qualifications. &#8211; Pre-University Teaching &#160; Getting a job in a school is not as straightforward as it sounds. The competition is fierce, the posts are few and the payment is &#8230; well, not sufficient for the hassle you will receive. If you insist to go towards that route, I have a few crucial tips for you. First and foremost do not wait until after you finish your university degree to go after your dream. You will need to plan your moves in advance and with the greatest of cares. Future School Masters want proof that you have the enthusiasm necessary for such a demanding profession. So, the more you volunteer to schools as a part time assistant, the better are your chances to become a history teacher later. It would be worth networking as early as your first year at the University and approach schools in your neighbourhood. Make an appointment to see the Head Master and ask them how you can be useful to them. They are probably understaffed and overworked and they would welcome your offer. Secondly, you cannot get a proper teaching job without a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (at least not in the UK). Make sure that you will have the money to pay for a PGCE course, which lasts an entire year. You could enroll in a University or College to complete your course, or alternatively you can do it online. Some students opt for a school-centered initial teacher training (SCITT), or for Teaching First or for a School Direct Training Program. Enrollment in these programs is highly competitive and you will need, again, to prove your commitment to the process. Once more, many hours of volunteer work are necessary to exhibit your continuous interest. For more information look at this website http://www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options/ university-based-training/pgce. When you finish your training, you will hopefully be send to a school to commence your new career as a history teacher. Probably around 25 % of history students end up becoming teachers. The salary at entry level is normally well below the national average. However, if you manage to get to the Headmaster level, then you stand good chances to make a lot of money (6-figures are often quoted). Only down-point to this ideal situation is that you may die too young (mainly from stress, heart attack, stroke etc.) to get to retirement.]]></description>
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		<item>
		<title>How to Get a Job in History and Why you Should NOT Work for Free</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/how-to-get-a-job-in-history-and-why-you-should-not-work-for-free/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/how-to-get-a-job-in-history-and-why-you-should-not-work-for-free/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 27 Nov 2013 06:37:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[find a job as a historian]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[jobs in ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs in classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[what jobs can I do with a history degree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[who hires classicists]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[who hires historians]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[working in academia]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://loveofhistory.com/?p=3081</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I have been a historian since I remember myself and I always managed to make money out of my chosen profession/ love/ hobby/ purpose in life. I have not always been working at a University as most people would expect. In fact, I started my long history career as an assistant in a Kebap House (go figure!) at the tender age of seventeen. I have learned a lot in that Kebap House about History. I listened to the odd conversation about illegal excavations, I got interested in the gossip about the archaeological ‘exploits’ of the new tourist group that arrived, I became enchanted with stories of the past history of the place. None should diminish the significance of informal education, the learning you do not have to pay for and can be invaluable in your future working life. And yet, we all seem to discount it and, in the best of the cases, to ignore it. In the end, I decided to get some formal education in the filed; so, I got a BA in Archaeology and History of Art from the University of Athens, and then I got a PhD in History from University College London. In my quest to become the best historian I could be, I travelled in several different countries, I took jobs in several different universities and I created strong networks with several different historians. I published monographs, edited books, peer reviewed articles, online articles, translations&#8230; Name it, I published it! During this process I have never forgotten my grandfather’s advice and the main lesson I received from a very young age: DO NOT WORK FOR FREE. In fact, I walked out of more than one ‘jobs’ that were not going to pay for all the effort I put into them. The payment does not have to be in the form of money (coined or otherwise). It could be a long list of networking contacts, or further knowledge on a topic, or the possibility of undertaking a very large paid project. In all cases, though, you should make certain from the beginning that the monetary results will be forthcoming and that you will not be working on empty promises. I know that what I am saying may sound radical to most ears. We are used to hearing that knowledge is a right and that it should be free for all. World renowned bloggers are getting their content out there for free all the time. Universities, supposedly, are serving the needs of the public by publishing their results, again, for free. The list can go on for ever. In an ideal world this would be true but in actual fact nothing is free. You will always pay in one way or another for what you get. So, should you not get paid in the process? In the real world, there is a number of ways to monetise knowledge, especially History knowledge. Take as an example Universities. They are currently charging an enormous amount of money to disseminate knowledge to the public. They may organise the odd Free Conference and they may organise the odd Free Lecture but their aim is to attract more students/ customers. In addition, generous grants from national governments and federal states supplement this income. In order to cut down teaching costs departments are using low-cost labour (PhD students or recent Postdocs) to deliver the seminars. Every decision taken behind University doors aims at the monetisation of knowledge. Similarly, bloggers, public historians and other well known figures disseminate some of their knowledge for free but the public still has to pay for premium material, whether in the form of ebooks (hint!), videos, lectures, BBC appearances, advertisement contracts, affiliate marketing etc. The list can go on for ever! So, you spent three years of your life and several thousand pounds/ dollars/ euros to get a degree in History. How can you benefit financially from your investment? How do successful historians, like me, benefit from the dissemination of their knowledge? In the next few posts, I will try to give a few examples of what jobs you can do with a History degree.]]></description>
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		<title>Professional Skills for Ancient Historians, Classicists and Archaeologists</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/professional-skills-for-ancient-historians-classicists-and-archaeologists/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/professional-skills-for-ancient-historians-classicists-and-archaeologists/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:24:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[archaeology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[professional]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[skills]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=139</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The study of the classical world may look obsolete in the eyes of the close-minded but, in fact, it has never been timelier. The restructuring of modern societies, the declaration of semi-religious wars, the economic crisis… they all resemble comparable incidents that took place in the past. A student of classical antiquity can easily make parallelisms and learn from previous mistakes, which is a lot more than what government officials can claim. Since the graduate of ancient history, archaeology or classics is able to assess more accurately current events and adjust easily to the changes of our time, s/he will always have an advantage over the ones who struggle to comprehend the intricacies of modern life. In professional terms, the skills acquired during undergraduate studies are invaluable in the search for a job and the subsequent building of a fulfilling career. My lecturing job in the School of Archaeology and Ancient History at Leicester for the last five years helped me become aware of the practical skills our students develop over time. I will provide here a list, so that the prospective candidates of a job can use them for the construction of their curriculum vitae. • Communication. By the time undergraduates complete their studies they probably wrote enough essays to make up an entire book. I always insist that the style should be lucid and fun, so that I do not struggle through the manuscript while I am making corrections. I consider the development of writing skills as one of the most important aspects of their BA. In addition, we all demand that our students indulge in oral presentations of their work in front of the class. Fluency and coherence are graded highly, while shyness and awkwardness are discouraged. • Information Technology. Studying the past does not mean that, in the process, you will use only ancient tools. On the contrary, technological skills are necessary for the analysis of the evidence and their presentation. Especially archaeology students are some of the biggest computer geeks I know. Classicists may occasionally complain about the advances of technology but they always indulge in the compilation of bibliographical databases, the search of online archives and the use of visual aids during their written or oral presentations. And as if IT skills are not enough, mathematics enters also the equation in the form of statistical analysis of the ancient material. • Team working is another aspect of the degree. It may involve the joint development and presentation of a written project or the conduct of an archaeological excavation. Either way, students are encouraged to cooperate with their peers and their supervisors in an agreeable manner. They learn to avoid friction, follow advice, come up with ideas that would benefit the team and resolve arguments. And we all know how many arguments may arise during fieldwork! • Problem solving cannot be underestimated. The students learn how to address historical or archaeological problems by using the available material evidence, ancient written sources and secondary literature. In all cases, they use their critical thinking and developing imagination in order to reconstruct events that happened hundreds or thousands of years ago. • The ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines is another skill we insist on. Deadlines for handing the essays or completing the degree are set in stone (with the exception of illness or death, of course). In order to organise themselves better in order to comply with the regulations, the students develop project and personal management skills. • My favourite skills are the ones our students develop during their year abroad. As Exchanges coordinator, I am responsible for sending students to foreign universities for the duration of a year. During this time, they become adventurous, more independent, confident human beings with a variety of new interests. They learn a new language, they adopt a new lifestyle, they become more tolerant of other cultures and people. By the time they return to Leicester to recommence their studies, they are more mature and more determined to achieve their goals. If you have any other skills in mind, please, add them in the comments. I am sure future graduates will appreciate them immensely!]]></description>
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		<title>Relocation, Relocation: The Fate of an Academic Gypsy</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/relocation-relocation-the-fate-of-an-academic-gypsy/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/relocation-relocation-the-fate-of-an-academic-gypsy/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 22 Jan 2010 08:53:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[arcaheology]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MA]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[PhD]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[relocation]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[researcher]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=124</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Last Sunday I went for tango in Market Harborough. There, I have been introduced to a young dancer with excellent leading skills. Curious about his style, I asked him where he took tango lessons. He mentioned that he started in Paris and then he continued in Canada and the UK. Then it was my turn to reveal the whereabouts of my teachers: Ireland, UK, Italy, Germany and Greece. The next question took me by surprise. He asked me: Are you a Researcher? How could he have guessed? Was it my scholarly glasses? My lack of fashion sense? Or my excellent grasp of the English tongue, despite my Greek origins? No, he said. Only researchers travel so much and stay in a place long enough to take tango lessons! So, is this the fate of all Academic researchers? I am sure there are some bright exceptions, who were lucky to study as undergraduates and postgraduates at an Institution that eventually gave them a job. For the rest of us, the road is our only option. As early as the end of your BA, they advise you to seek another university for the completion of your MA studies. And as soon as you get your First, they ask you to move once more, so that you can find a supervisor in yet another university. By that time, you may start wondering whether they dislike you intensely and thus try to get rid of you. I can assure you this is not true. Your teachers probably think that you will need the experience of adapting in a new working environment, since for the rest of your life you will be moving from one city to another, one country to another, or one continent to another. (There are no universities in different planets, yet!) Jobs in Ancient History, Archaeology and Classics are scarce and they are advertised once in a blue moon. When I finished my PhD I sent applications in ca. 30 universities, in 2 different continents, in 4 different countries. The chances of staying in UCL, where I finished my thesis, were negligent and I have not bothered applying not even for a part time post. From then onwards I found out that the only way to stay in Academia was to get whatever was on offer in whatever place it was offered. The repeated moves took their toll, physically, emotionally and socially. Only determination and blind idealism kept me going over the years. Finding a permanent job is not a guarantee that you will stay permanently in the same city either. Sabbaticals are usually spent in foreign countries, excavating, using the libraries, becoming part of laboratories… And when the time comes to ask for a promotion, then another move may be in the horizon. The only opportunity for a researcher to remain in one place and grow roots is after she/he departs for the Underworld. Or is it that also the beginning of a new journey?]]></description>
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		<title>Seven Requirements to get an Academic Job.</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/seven-requirements-to-get-an-academic-job/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/seven-requirements-to-get-an-academic-job/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:14:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[administration]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[funding]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[publications]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[requirements]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[teaching]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=101</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Ancient Historians are struggling to get their first post after they finish the PhD. The qualified candidates are too many, while the available jobs are always scant. In a previous article I insisted that the one prerequisite for getting a placement in a university is that the applicant should be a “good fit”. Even if this is essentially true for all cases, we should not forget that the competition is stiff and that the prospective candidates should meet also a set of other requirements. 1)      Publish or perish! Although this rule is not a strict prerogative, it would be advisable that the applicant has already published a couple of reviews and a couple of articles. The most prestigious the journal, the more chances s/he has to be noticed. Publishing in edited collections is also acceptable, if the editor is a well known scholar. 2)      In addition, a contract with a university press to publish the thesis could be very helpful. Be careful not to get contracts with vanity presses! They can do more harm than good! 3)      Teaching experience is a must. A few lectures as a visiting scholar, or a tutorial as a PhD student may prove your abilities as a teacher and give you adequate experience that will allow you to face the burden of full time teaching later. 4)      You need to prove that you can network and organize events. Therefore, you should volunteer to co-organize the Ancient History or Classics Seminar in your department, in which you can invite scholars from other universities. Alternatively, you should co-organize a conference on a topic of your choice. If all goes well, you may even manage to put together an edited volume. 5)      The ability to raise funds is probably one of the most important assets you can exhibit. Any type of scholarships, grants or fellowships you acquired over the years should be highlighted. Departments are especially interested in candidates who can bring regular revenue; thus compensating for their salary. Excellent scholars tend to underestimate the power of money and focus only on their publication record. I am certain, though, that hiring committees will take a different view. Do not forget that universities are also business organizations with annual budgets, accountants and managers. 6)      In the current climate you will need to prove your ability to become a competent administrator. Once you have acquired a permanent post in any university, you will be asked to perform administrative tasks. These may involve compiling grades, or organizing the teaching schedule, or arranging for exchanges with the Erasmus program, or coordinating modules, or…. anything really. As the amount of time we spend administering the department increases, so do the job requirements. Therefore, if you manage to hold a part time job as a clerk or administrator in any organization (even for the briefest of times), it will be considered an asset. 7)      In addition to the above, you will need to develop a pleasant personality to match your new position in life. A long list of publications is not the only prerogative to get the much desired post. You will definitely need excellent communication skills, a charming disposition and an ease in making new friends. In order to achieve this you should stop reading blogs, stop commenting on facebook photos and abstain from your continuous string of tweets. Get out of the house and go to the nearest pub! As most academics are also perfectionists, I should offer a word of caution. Try not to get overqualified, while you attempt to meet the above requirements. If you end up having more publications than your future Head of Department or you gain more grants than senior scholars, you will probably be rejected.]]></description>
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		<title>What jobs can you do with an Ancient History or Classics degree?</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/what-jobs-can-you-get-with-an-ancient-history-and-classics-degree/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/what-jobs-can-you-get-with-an-ancient-history-and-classics-degree/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 01 Jan 2010 07:53:48 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Opinions]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[career]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[classics]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[course]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[degree]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=85</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Contrary to the image I usually project, I do not expect my students to dedicate themselves to a life of poverty in their pursuit of learning Greek or Latin. Instead, I am a firm believer that a course in Ancient History or Classics is only the first step to achieve an illustrious career outside academia. Unfortunately, the direction they may take is not an obvious one. Up to now, when they asked me about the application of their degrees in real life, I tended to joke and claimed that “we are useless to humankind, since all of our customers died centuries ago”. Here I intend to correct this fallacy, and give a list of the professions our graduates follow. Probably the majority of students become educators, after they receive their degree. In my eyes, teaching is not a profession. It is a vocation that can be very rewarding. Because of their love for books, many choose to become librarians. This allows them to continue their avid reading, without having to pay a fortune to bookshops. Historical training and the analysis of ancient processes give the ability to analyse modern events. Journalism, and especially becoming a foreign correspondent, is an excellent application of the skills you would acquire during your university years. However, in order to follow this profession you may need an MA in Journalism. Until then, you may pursuit blogging. You should not dismiss the skills you get, when you write your essays. I always insist on grammar and syntax and all the tedious little details that make a script enjoyable to read. Once you master the English language it will not be difficult to find a job as a copy editor, editor, or technical author. Traditionally, classics graduates in the UK enter public services and become competent administrators. Under the current economic circumstances, this may be an excellent idea. In addition, private businesses (e.g. banks) are always in need of graduates that will become part of their administrative mechanism. If you do not find the safety of a monthly salary appealing, then you can start your own business. For this choice you will need two additional prerequisites: a) a passion for something outside the sphere of ancient history and b) some entrepreneurial skills (which normally cannot develop in a university environment). Since I find this career path especially interesting (albeit difficult), I will talk about this possibility in more detail over the next few months. Working with primary material is another skill that can be turned into a job. Many graduates will opt for becoming archivists or even museum curators, after they receive the appropriate postgraduate training. Politics is another sphere you may choose to enter. Your acumen in the analysis of current affairs (or ancient ones), your eloquence (after all you read Cicero’s speeches) and your ideals (I am sure you did not become an ancient historian because you expected a financial return) will turn you into an excellent professional politician. Also, if you can speak a couple of languages, you may pursuit a career as a Diplomat or International Relations specialist. If you fail in your aspirations to get in the limelight, you can always work as a public policy analyst. Corporate organizations will be glad to hire classicists or ancient historians in sectors such as marketing, human resources and project management. Look for companies with a strong business philosophy in need of graduates with analytical skills and uncommon sense. And make certain that you have some hands on experience in a local company before you apply for such a post. After all, in these cases experience always counts more than any ‘First Class’ degree you may get. The ones who enjoy travelling should definitely follow a career as a tour planner or guide. This way you will get all the free trips your heart desires and you will meet a range of interesting people. Other less known professions, you can follow are: stockbroker, IT programmer, event coordinator, translator or interpreter, police investigator. For all of these you will need additional training but the effort will be worth it, if you heart is at it. I wish you good luck in whatever you chose! Just make certain that you follow your passions and your future happiness will be assured!]]></description>
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		<title>Academic Jobs in Ancient History</title>
		<link>http://loveofhistory.com/academic-jobs-in-ancient-history/</link>
		<comments>http://loveofhistory.com/academic-jobs-in-ancient-history/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 10 Dec 2009 13:26:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[constantinakatsari]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[How to get a job]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[academic]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ancient history]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[jobs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[postdoc]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://constantinakatsari.wordpress.com/?p=33</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[This week I took notice of a THES blog written by the Insecure Scholar. He lamented the fact that he is receiving invitations to teach at universities as a guest lecturer but none of these institutions is willing to give him a permanent job. At a moment of frustration I answered that he may be the best scholar in the world but this does not mean that universities are willing to pay money for his scholarly skills. Unfortunately, I have not expanded on this idea and this may have caused uncertainties. I intend to clarify here what I meant. I am not insensitive to the needs and disappointments of the Insecure Scholar. After all I was in his/her shoes until comparatively recently. I spent four years after my PhD trying to get Postdoctoral Fellowships and a series of part-time jobs in order to survive (both in physical and professional terms). During this time I was trying to get a permanent job in Ireland, the Celtic Tiger of the European Union. I kept applying and reapplying for every available post but my efforts did not yield any positive results. Every time I was rejected I looked back at my cv. Initially, I thought that my articles and forthcoming-contracted books were not adequate for the post. Or, maybe, my considerable teaching experience did not meet the strict standards of the Irish Universities! Of course, when I realized that the successful candidates have not even finished their PhDs, my confusion reached unprecedented levels. I consider myself fortunate to have landed a job in Leicester, after sending my second application for a post in a British University. Now, from the inside, I realize that UK Universities are not that different from the Irish ones. A list of publications and part-time teaching posts under no circumstances do they guarantee a post in ancient history. I have seen so many excellent candidates over the last few years. All of them send one application after another and get one interview invitation after another, without being able to get a contract or permanent position. The reasons for being rejected are as many as the candidates themselves. They may have too many or too few publications or articles in the wrong journals or wrong edited collections. Or their topic may not be exactly what the department is looking for. Or they may be too traditional or too modern. Or they may be coming from countries outside the European Union. Or&#8230; In a nutshell, they do not “fit”. UK Universities are desperate to find a combination of attributes in each candidate, which will prove that s/he will easily integrate himself/herself in the department. Once the scholar is integrated s/he will have to prove that s/he can contribute financially to the glory of the department. So, please, do not despair, if the job does not come up immediately after you finish your PhD. There is not one recipe that may guarantee a post. There is, of course, advice one can give e.g. on writing a cover letter or on presenting yourself in an interview. Beyond that, it is anybody’s guess, who will be hired.]]></description>
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