Anthropologists are scientists who study the physical aspects and cultural behavior of human beings, past and present. Those who concentrate on social customs and histories are called cultural anthropologists. Individuals who specialize in skeletal remains, including those of primates millions of years old, are known as physical anthropologists.
Instructions
1. Obtain a Ph.D. as quickly as possible. It is the minimum requirement to work in this field, along with expert computer knowledge for conducting research. The degree is also necessary to teach at a university, which you will most likely be doing much of the time.
2. Get a highly regarded professor in your area of interest to be your mentor while you are in graduate school. Turn in only top-quality work.
3. Understand that you will obtain research funds from a university, the federal government or a foundation, and that competition for the funding is fierce. You will need highly polished and persuasive grant-writing and networking skills.
4. Expect to spend relatively little time in faraway locales. Many professors spend only summers in the field.
5. Write books, articles and papers for journals as often as possible to keep yourself recognizable for future funding.
6. Visit the American Anthropological Association Web site for further insight into the field (aaanet.org).
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