I haven't seen any responses to this message yet, but here's my $.02 worth:

In many areas employers ARE interested in seeing longevity in a job, but the
museum field is a little different, particularly when you are just starting
out.  There is generally an understanding about the temporary nature of jobs
and a demonstrated determination to stay "somewhere" in the museum
profession often counts a great deal in hiring.   At least IMHO.

Janice Klein
Director
MItchell Museum of the American Indian, Kendall College
-----Original Message-----
From: Liana Chua <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Saturday, October 13, 2001 4:07 AM
Subject: Re: recent graduate looking for job!


>I've just graduated with a BA in History myself, and have taken a year out
>to travel and gain some relevant work experience before, hopefully,
starting
>an MA in Museology/Museum Studies in the UK next year. And, like many
museum
>hopefuls, I've tried to get as much experience as possible in the field -
>I've completed a summer internship at the Smithsonian, done a short work
>placement at a film archive, and am currently doing research at a museum in
>Singapore in preparation for a new exhibition, on an intern's salary.
>
>But recently, the nagging question of how expedient these short-term
>'experience' stints will be in the long run has cropped up. Some people
have
>suggested that a future potential employer would be more interested in
>whether I've managed to hold down a 'real' job (ie a properly-paid,
>long-term employment stint, not necessarily in a museum, as such jobs
aren't
>that easy to get into in Singapore) than the number of volunteer/work
>experience placements I've done. There's been some pressure from family
>members to forget the year out idea and to find myself a regular, permanent
>job instead of moving from one stint to another before I leave again next
>September. Does anybody have any thoughts on this? As another poster
pointed
>out, I've tried to focus on specific aspects (curatorial, in this case) of
>museum work instead of volunteering to try everything and anything, but I'm
>growing increasingly uncertain as to whether these short-term placements
>will ultimately prove more useful than holding down one (not necessarily
>related) job for a prolonged stretch of time before trying to enter the
>museum world.
>
>Liana
>
>-----------------------------------------------------
>5000J Marine Parade Road #03-43
>Singapore 449291
>Tel: 65-4498483
>-------------------------------------------------------
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