This leaflet is not an advertisement for a random medium or life coach. It was found in the Careers Center of the annual meeting of the American Anthropological Association which took place in Chicago from 20th to 24th November 2013. We loved it so much that we could not resist giving it a good lipsticked kiss! But you may ask yourself: why an ad for a mentoring session in our beloved AVMOFA? As we explained in an earlier post, the purpose of this annual gathering of anthropologists is less to explore new anthropological theories and areas of interest in the discipline (even though this is also part of the game) than to strengthen personal networks and gain visibility on an increasingly competitive academic stage. Hence, the Careers Center as well as the Careers Expo* can be considered as the beating heart of the conference. In the lower ground room of the Hilton Hotel, lit by white neon tubes, recent PhD graduates and postdocs were waiting for their turn to be interviewed in one of the loose-boxes installed in the room for this purpose. The challenge was high and stress was in the air as the interview did not last for more than 20 minutes. Candidates had better be prepaired and mentoring was certainly a good option to get one’s teeth sharply cut before the speech marathon!
* Each year, the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA), the Committee on Practicing, Applied, and Public Interest Anthropology, and the AAA sponsor the Careers Expo at the Annual Meeting. The Expo provides an opportunity for students and new/emerging professional anthropologists to broaden their understanding of the important and creative opportunities for using their anthropological skills. You can read about the Careers Expo in this AAA blog post: http://blog.aaanet.org/2013/09/12/why-students-should-attend-the-aaa-careers-expo/
For a more detailed description of the 2013 AAA conference, read: “European savages at the AAA“
