After years of excavating archaeological sites, I realised that careers are not so different from the layers of history we uncover.
Hidden strengths, overlooked skills, and untold stories lie beneath the surface — waiting to be brought into the light.
That’s why I created the Career Excavation Framework™: a structured, empowering process that helps you uncover your strengths, map your transferable skills, and rebuild a fulfilling career on solid ground.
The Career Excavation Framework™
Dig deeper. Discover your potential. Build your future.
1. Survey – Mapping Your Landscape
Every excavation starts with a survey. In your career, this means evaluating your situation, your challenges, and your aspirations.
Together, we’ll identify your values, needs, and the areas where you feel “stuck.”
Outcome: You’ll gain a clear starting point and direction for your journey.
The 4 Steps of the Career Excavation Framework™
2. Dig – Discovering Hidden Skills
Like archaeologists carefully digging for artefacts, we’ll explore your past experiences — academic, professional, and personal — to uncover transferable skills and strengths you may not even realise you have. You’ll learn to recognise the real value of your background, beyond job titles.
Outcome: You’ll uncover strengths and skills you didn’t know you had.
3. Context – Interpreting the Findings
Artefacts only make sense in context. The same is true for careers. Here, we’ll connect your skills to potential career paths and industries, interpreting your profile in light of real opportunities. You’ll gain clarity about what’s possible and how your story fits into the bigger picture.
Outcome: You’ll see how your story connects with real career opportunities.
4. Construct the Narrative – Building Your Career Story
Archaeologists don’t just uncover artefacts — they connect the pieces to construct a story about the past. In the same way, your career isn’t defined by isolated experiences, but by the story you tell about them. In this final step, we’ll bring everything together: your skills, values, and aspirations, and shape them into a compelling professional narrative.
Outcome: You’ll leave with a confident, authentic career story and a roadmap for your next chapter.
Why Choose the Career Excavation Framework™?
✔ Unique approach – Inspired by archaeology, rooted in proven mentoring practices
✔ Personalised – Adapted to your needs, not a one-size-fits-all formula
✔ Transformational – From confusion to clarity, from burnout to purpose
✔ Tried & tested – Based on my own journey from academia and archaeology to building a fulfilling freelance career
Ready to excavate your own career story?
Whether you’re considering leaving academia, navigating career uncertainty, or seeking a fresh perspective, the
Career Excavation Framework™ offers the tools, clarity, and confidence to take the next step.
Testimonials
“Alexandra´s mentoring program helped me in achieving a better work-life balance as well as decreasing stress I experienced when I was facing major challenges. Her approach and insight helped me through difficult times when I was neglecting myself for the sake of my scientific career to the level that I developed serious health issues. I strongly believe, that her caring and professional support prevented me from experiencing a major burn-out and even contributed to increase my state of health by presenting me with possibilities to refocus my energies and realign my priorities.”
— D.S., Archaeologist & Project Manager
“Working with Alexandra as my mentor was a thoroughly rewarding experience. She is knowledgeable, empathetic, compassionate, and, above all, transparent. She has a fantastic sense of humor too. Thanks to her skillful mentoring, attentive listening and honest questioning, I learned so much about myself, my professional aspirations and my career trajectory so far. She has helped me become more self-aware and more confident in what I have to offer professionally, and I wouldn't have grown so much this past year without her support. I highly recommend her as a mentor.”
— E. D., Career Educator
“I particularly appreciated Alexandra’s approach towards me, which was always non-judgmental, collaborative, and reassuring. Her ability to create a supportive environment made me feel valued in our discussions. Her feedback has always been insightful and constructive, helping me refine my research direction and acknowledge the value of my own work and efforts (which is not always easy to do). Moreover, throughout our meetings, even as we worked on goal setting, I didn’t experience the usual anxiety I feel with such tasks because Alexandra consistently approached them with positivity, trust, and encouragement.”
— F. P., Archaeologist