Following on from Wednesday’s blog post about Radio 4 Women’s Hour and the advice/hints/tips people would pass on, today we have some SAGE(S) advice…..

Sarah Lambert-Gates

From Sarah Lambert-Gates.  Advice to:

• Someone about to start a technical role– get to know as many people as possible. Be smiley, enthusiastic and friendly.
• Anyone in the field of study of archaeology – Dig for a year or so after you graduate, It’s grounding. Whatever you go on to do in archaeology, it’ll help you understand the fundamental processes that underpin everything.
• Going on fieldwork for the first time – make sure you have clothing that’ll keep you warm and dry. I wore a white paper/Tyvec/CSI suit one winter, I looked like a snowman but I was warm, dry and therefore happy.
• Myself when younger – Learn to play piano. Also learn a kickass martial art or something and dress like a scarey punk so that the bully kids won’t mess with you. Don’t obsess about your putting on weight, don’t always pull an ugly face when a camera comes near you. Have confidence. You’re not fat or ugly.
• General advice – Don’t worry, never hurry, and don’t forget to stop and smell the flowers.

From Macarena Cardenas. Advice for PhD students:

• Firstly: Breathe deeply, stay connected to a common community and reach out when you need it, believe in yourself and enjoy the ride!

• A more technical version for PhD students is to stay focused: Define your objectives early on, write an outline of your thesis from the beginning (although it may change), write your methodology as you go, ask colleagues for comments, brainstorm your ideas!, stay informed of what is going on in your field everywhere else, go to conferences and network, be aware of not being over-ambitious, stop producing results to give you enough time for writing your thesis, and always, always have time to do something you love.

General advice for everyone! –

From Louise Jones.  Also general advice – I saw this card and it now sits above my desk to remind me it will all be okay in the end…….

From Lisa Lodwick.  Advice to someone starting a PhD:

• Buy a book on how to do a PhD, and then read it
• Learn a language
• Join an association such as the Association for Environmental Archaeology , as it’s a great way to meet people outside of your department
• Always go for the post lecture/seminar /conference drink, even if you only have 20 minutes and it’s a diet coke.
• Learn how to use social media
• Ask post docs for advice, and take it. Unless they’re clearly crazy.
• Make sure you pick up some employable skills as you go through (GIS, stats, lab work, fieldwork, editing, stats)
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
• Persist with trying to make friends with other Postgrads, even if they all seem a bit distant at first.
• Apply to travel grants, conference funds, and any other bits of obscure funding you can find.
• The vast majority of people find PhD’s very hard, just some are better at hiding it.
• When life hands you lemons make a gin & tonic, or a similar non-alcoholic drink.