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Peer Halvorsen - Episode 35
64 Plays10 years ago
Profiles in CRM features short interviews with CRM professionals from all experience levels and educational levels. I ask a standard list of questions and see how each person answers them based on their experience
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Transcript
00:00:00
Speaker
You
Podcast Introduction
00:00:01
Speaker
are listening to the Archaeology Podcast Network. This is Pierre Halverson and you're listening to Profiles in CRM.
00:00:12
Speaker
Welcome to Profiles in CRM, Episode 35. I'm your host, Chris Webster.
Anonymity in Contract Archaeology
00:00:17
Speaker
Profiles in CRM asks CRM professionals eight simple questions. The answers vary wildly depending on their experience and education. Because of the nature of contract archaeology and how small this field really is, some people choose not to reveal their name or the company they work for. Stay to the end of the show to hear how you can have a chance to answer these same questions. All right, we're here on Profiles and here's the first question. What is your name and who do you work for?
Guest Introduction: Pierre Halverson
00:00:39
Speaker
My name is Pierre Halverson and I work for a small CRM consulting firm in St. Paul, Minnesota. All right. And how long have you been working in CRM?
Career Progression in Archaeology
00:00:49
Speaker
I have been working since I started as a field tech in 2005. So yeah, it's been about 10 years. And what is the position you usually have at CRM companies and what is the highest position you've ever used, you've ever had?
00:01:04
Speaker
Um, the highest position is actually my current position, which is a senior archeologist. Um, although I do not have a master's degree and I am not an RPA. Okay. So what does senior, I mean, companies have different titles for everybody, but what is, what does that equate to like crew chief, uh, principal investigator, project manager?
00:01:24
Speaker
For us, it really equates to just like a full-time salary staff. My main role at the company is as a field director, basically managing the logistics and handling a lot of the managing the field as a whole.
00:01:47
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not a principal investigator and I can't be due to a lot of the state laws and regulations regarding that. Right, for sure. Okay.
Diverse Work Locations
00:01:57
Speaker
All right. So for this next question, it's where have you worked? And I'll say, man, do you meet people in this field? Because I met you in Miami, Florida, and you're currently working in Minneapolis. So where else have you worked?
00:02:08
Speaker
Oh Lord, let's see. I started in, my field school was in Alaska and I worked up there for a season, fall season, came back and worked in Idaho. And then I went down, I worked in Minnesota, Florida, and then I did a season, winter season in Arizona as well. With my company, I've actually worked a little, done a little bit in Memphis, Tennessee as well.
Cultural Work Rewards
00:02:37
Speaker
Alright, so what's the best thing that's happened to you that's related to being an archaeologist and this can be personal, professional or whatever you want? You know, honestly, at my position, it's funny, it's not even archaeology that has been the best thing. It's been an opportunity to do some of the more cultural work with Native Americans and handling some of their CRM concerns. And that's always been
00:03:03
Speaker
I've learned a lot from that and it's just, it's always a really rewarding experience. It's really difficult work just because of various reasons, but yeah, it's always been some of the most rewarding work I've ever done. Okay, cool.
Improvements in CRM Archaeology
00:03:20
Speaker
What's the biggest thing you would change that would make being a serum archeologist better? Let's see, actually, I've got two things for that, if you don't mind. No problem.
00:03:33
Speaker
The first one, I think for everyone as a whole, I think job stability or employment stability really would be the biggest factor. It's not even just field techs. I think it's even people at salaried professional levels. Enough to say that field techs aren't professionals, but in the sense that it's not an industry where there's a lot of stable employment.
00:04:03
Speaker
Um, and the second one, um, I think would be for me personally would be, um, you know, the opportunity to work on definitely more interesting projects. I know a lot of the, a lot of the projects that end up coming, you know, across CRM companies, plates are generally just regular compliance jobs where, you know, after your 200th project with negative results, it just sort of gets a little, you know, it can get a little, uh,
00:04:32
Speaker
can be a hit to the morale, I think, sometimes. So definitely if more interesting work is always a thing that I think would make working as a CRM professional better. Yeah, absolutely.
Making an Impact in CRM
00:04:47
Speaker
OK, and what is your career goal in CRM?
00:04:51
Speaker
Let's see, I, you know, in all honesty, I've, I've hit my kind of where I've, where I started out as a field tech, you know, I never really dreamed I would have a full-time position. Um, so that's actually been, that was a primary goal. Um, you know, as a whole, I think, and this is sort of a lofty goal, but it'd be, uh, you know, just.
00:05:12
Speaker
If somehow my career could, if I can make even a small impact on the industry for a positive change, that would make my career complete. That is not a lofty goal. I think everybody should have this, their goal, quite honestly. We have an impact that goes beyond you, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, definitely. It's definitely hard to do, though.
00:05:37
Speaker
That's true. That's true. You got to find your got to find your niche and work at it. All right.
Career Advice for Aspiring Archaeologists
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Speaker
So last question. If you could give an undergrad thinking about a career in CRM one piece of advice, what would it be? You know, this is one I thought about a lot and something that I regret not doing. And that is double majoring. I
00:06:04
Speaker
You know, relying solely on an anthropology degree is pretty difficult, even in the economy as a whole. If you have another major, you know, you can sell yourself much more easily. And then you can use your anthropology skills. You know, it definitely makes you a much more attractive employee. Yeah. And actually, and specifically, I mean, if you want to think about, you know, maybe even
00:06:30
Speaker
CRM specific, if you thought about getting a second major in some sort of legal studies, definitely would make you more attractive to CRM companies as well as perhaps even a bachelor's in business.
Podcast Conclusion
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Show notes for this and all episodes can be found on the Archaeology Podcast Network website at www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com forward slash profiles.
00:06:57
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At that page you'll also find a form that you can fill out so you can be interviewed on the show. Interviews take less than 30 minutes and you don't need any special equipment. Thanks for listening and I'll see you in the field. This has been a presentation of the Archaeology Podcast Network. Visit us on the web for show notes and other podcasts at www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com. Contact us at chrisatarchaeologypodcastnetwork.com.