Why pre-screen archaeologists before a field trial or client panel interview
Pre-screening saves the panel time because archaeology applications arrive from field school graduates, seasonal diggers moving between commercial units, and academics with no developer-funded experience, and a CV flattens that difference. It lists degrees and site names, not whether they can cut a clean section, keep a context sheet legible in rain, or explain a watching brief result to a planning officer. A ten minute screen surfaces recording method, their actual role on site, and availability for travel.
What actually matters when screening Archaeologist candidates
- 01
Method and rigour
Test excavation and recording standards: stratigraphic method, context recording, sampling strategy, and finds handling.
- 02
Real casework
Look for named sites and seasons they worked, with their own role and what the site produced.
- 03
Interpretation and judgement
Check whether they separate what the material evidence supports from interpretation, especially on thin or disturbed contexts.
- 04
Reporting and testimony
Assess site reports, publication, and dealing with developers, heritage bodies, or planning authorities.
Pre-screening questions to ask Archaeologist candidates
12 questions grouped by what they test. Ask the same set in every screen and score answers on a consistent scale, or send them as an async video screen and compare answers side by side.
Method and recording
4 questions01Do you have experience with field work, and which excavation and recording systems have you worked under?
Listen forNamed systems such as single-context recording, Harris matrix phasing, CIfA or MoRPHE standards, plus sections they cut and drew and sampling calls they made themselves.
Only field school hours, or they cannot name the recording system or say who checked their context sheets.
02Are you experienced in handling and preserving archaeological artifacts, both on site and post-excavation?
Listen forBagging and labelling by context, small finds register entries, environmental and flotation samples, triage for waterlogged wood or corroded metal, and handover to the archive or conservator.
Treating finds handling as bagging everything together, or no awareness of when to call a conservator.
03Are you familiar with archaeological classification systems, and which typologies or fabric series do you actually use?
Listen forSpecific regional pottery fabric series, lithic or ceramic typologies, Munsell soil descriptions, and a clear line on when they refer material to a period specialist.
Generic talk about classifying artefacts with no named typology, series or specialist referral point.
04Do you have experience with GIS and other mapping software, and what did you produce with it?
Listen forQGIS or ArcGIS work, total station or RTK GPS survey, georeferenced site plans, photogrammetry in Agisoft Metashape, and figures they drafted for a published report.
Listing GIS as a skill with no deliverable, no survey instrument experience, and no georeferencing detail.
Real casework
3 questions05Which specific cultures, civilizations or periods do you have the most experience studying?
Listen forA defined period and region with material specifics: the pottery, structures or burial practice they know well, and honesty about periods they would need support on.
Claiming equal expertise across all periods, or naming a culture without any material detail behind it.
06Which archaeological expeditions or excavation seasons have you worked on, and what was your own role on each?
Listen forNamed sites, seasons and durations, their specific role (digger, supervisor, finds officer), and what the site produced in features, dating evidence or archive.
Site names with no role, no dates, or credit for outcomes they clearly did not personally deliver.
07Have you ever led an archaeological project or team, and what were you accountable for?
Listen forCrew size, budget or programme responsibility, decisions on strategy changes mid-dig, health and safety on deep excavation, and how they handled a client or landowner problem.
Describing leadership as being the most experienced digger, with no accountability for programme, safety or client.
Reporting and compliance
3 questions08Pick one site you worked on and talk us through how you documented and reported the findings, in about 60 seconds.
Listen forA clean narrative from context sheets and registers through to interim statement or client report, with evidence and interpretation kept clearly separate.
Storytelling with no documentary trail, or interpretation stated as fact on thin or truncated contexts.
09Have you published any research papers, grey literature reports, or articles related to archaeology?
Listen forSpecific outputs they can name: a client report, county journal article, archive deposit with a data service, or a chapter, with their contribution stated plainly.
Claiming publications they cannot name or locate, or overstating their role on a multi-author report.
10Are you familiar with the laws and regulations concerning archaeological sites in the places you have worked?
Listen forConcrete references: Section 106 review, NAGPRA consultation, planning conditions and written schemes of investigation, excavation permits, treasure or portable antiquities reporting, human remains licences.
No named legislation or consenting process for their own jurisdiction, or treating compliance as purely the client's problem.
Availability and fieldwork
2 questions11Are you comfortable working outdoors in extreme weather, and what is the longest field season you have completed?
Listen forActual season lengths and conditions worked, willingness to travel or stay away, and a practical answer on kit, welfare and stop-work weather calls.
Only short summer digs, or hesitation about travel, accommodation and consecutive weeks in the field.
12Can you perform the physical tasks this role needs, such as mattocking, barrowing and lifting heavy objects?
Listen forA direct yes with recent evidence of sustained manual excavation, plus awareness of manual handling limits and any accommodation they would need.
Assuming the role is desk-based or supervisory only, with no recent sustained manual excavation experience.
How to score responses
Score every candidate on the same four criteria immediately after the screen. At this stage you are shortlisting for panel interviews, not making the final call.
Method and rigour
35%5Rigorous stratigraphic and recording practice, with clear awareness of what each method can and cannot resolve.
Real casework
25%5Names specific sites and seasons with clear personal scope and what the excavation yielded.
Interpretation and judgement
25%5Separates material evidence from interpretation and states confidence, including on disturbed contexts.
Reporting and testimony
15%5Clear site reporting plus real experience with developers, heritage bodies, or planning authorities.
Method talk is audible: on video you can hear whether a candidate phases a stratigraphic sequence clearly or hides behind jargon, and whether they could explain a watching brief result to a developer without causing panic.
Try it on HirevireScreening FAQ
Process basics
What should I ask an archaeologist in a first-round screening interview?
Ask about recording method, sites worked, and reporting. Four areas cover it: which excavation and recording systems they have used (single-context sheets, Harris matrix, CIfA or MoRPHE standards), named sites and seasons with their own role, how they handle finds and environmental samples, and what site reports or grey literature they have written.
How long should a pre-screening interview for an archaeologist take?
Ten minutes is enough. Eight to twelve questions, answered async by video and audio, tell you whether someone has real stratigraphic experience or only field school hours. Save the long conversation about periods, specialisms and publication for the panel, and use the screen to confirm method, site history, travel and season availability.
Evaluating answers
What are red flags in an archaeologist's answers about excavation method?
Vagueness about recording is the main one. Candidates who describe digging without naming a recording system, cannot say who checked their context sheets, or treat sampling as someone else's job will need supervision on site. Also watch for confident phasing claims on truncated or disturbed sequences with no admission of uncertainty.
How can I tell if an archaeologist can handle developer and planning work?
Listen for the paperwork and the counterparties. Strong candidates mention written schemes of investigation, planning conditions, permits, human remains licences, and specific bodies such as a county archaeologist, state historic preservation office, or Historic England. They describe delivering bad news to a client with options and cost consequences, not just findings.
Go deeper on this role
Sanat has been hiring since 2012 and watching the recruitment industry change up close ever since, and turned that screening process into Hirevire's video screening platform. LinkedIn
