My first day (part 2): greenhorn for the Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest

I got my first non-academic/cultural resource management job because of personal connections. A friend of my field school friend had a job with the local Forest Service unit. This was a seasonal agency job as an Archaeological Technician, specifically a Student Temporary Employee Position (STEP, the student employment program previous to the Pathways program). The acquaintance, who became a friend through my last two years of undergrad, relayed the contact info for the Zone Archaeologist.

That winter, I emailed the Zone Archaeologist about any seasonal or student openings for the upcoming field season. After a cordial exchange and instructions on where to fill out an online application (back in the days of Avue), she called me in for an interview. Lo and behold, one of the researchers that tagged along on one of my field school sessions was one of the interviewers along with the Zone Archaeologist. Since they already knew me and most importantly how I'd been trained, I was hired. I'm fairly positive I was hired because my field school instructor gave me a good reference. (Lesson: Avoid souring relationships with your trainers and mentors. CRM is a small world that becomes even smaller if you have a bad reputation.)

Since I applied the earliest, I was able to start a pay period earlier than the other seasonals. This office was staffed by the ARNF Heritage Program Manager, the North Zone Archaeologist (my supervisor), an Archaeologist/GIS Specialist, another Archaeologist, and a rotating crew of 3-6 seasonals. We went home every night except in very special circumstances, like Passport in Time trips or a very seldom authorized camping trip.

I showed my first full day at 7 AM. I had no clue what the plan was, just that I needed a lunch and pack for survey. As a fledgling tech, there seemed no expectation that I needed to know where I was going because there was always a senior supervisor or crew chief there. Safety was first priority and no one went into the field alone. My new boss, who in very short time became my hero, had me drive one of our two-seater pick ups to a project area that was slated for that summer. On the way, we chatted about interests, education, hobbies, and such. I showed in short order that I was afraid to damage the government truck on (mild) Forest roads. She showed me some of the interesting sites in the area, including the ghost town of Manhattan, Colorado. We did some reconnaissance survey, trying to test out what types of resources we may find.

We found cans, glass, milled lumber, nails, and... ceramics. My supervisor, Dr. Nicole Branton, based her masters and doctoral research on historical ceramics collection from Manzanar War Relocation Center. That interaction was a turning point for me. I admired her ability to understand, interpret, and manage not just physical sites but the historic narrative that I tried to absorb everything she and professors I also admired said/taught. I decided to become, as one professor put it at our department's graduation celebratory breakfast, an information sponge (as best as I could).

(C) Lydia Gallant, Curtin University. PR393 Introduction.

I learned to (1) identify traits and behaviors that I thought made for an effective cultural resource practitioner, (2) seek knowledge and connection directly from those that I admire, and (3) set forth on my own to learn and practice those skills and concepts. I don't think this model works well for most people. It's reinforced my natural tendencies to be independent and seek quantitative methods to learn about the variety of human-environment dynamics. I've also become something of a hero collector... Nonetheless, it's a style that has served me well in federal service and now as a municipal cultural resource manager.

There are some take-aways for those starting in CRM or those interested in starting with a federal agency:

1. Personal connections are still important in getting federal jobs. Make contacts, ask your network, and see how you can get in with a good program. 
2. There are nurturing environments for brand new, field school-fresh CRM archaeologists. I've trained new CRM staff myself. Make sure you find out what kind of program you're applying for when you interview. You must interview them for fit as much as they need to interview you. 
3. Be proactive in learning about the nuts and bolts of CRM. Your supervisor(s) should help you find the tools, but you must put in the effort. 
4. Have a positive attitude. I know the CRM lifestyle can be tough, but you'll have a much better time advancing if you stay professional and develop your credentials and skills. People will respect and reciprocate your attitude.