A gentle defense of the maligned career services office!  I've worked in a 
career center of a well-off liberal arts college for six years (as web 
designer and librarian), and most career counselors I know at institutions 
throughout the state would *much* rather help the museum person than the 
MBA-holder.  It often feels more to the counselors that the museum people 
are following their dreams while too often the corporate types are following 
the money or their parents' wishes, and every career counselor worth his/her 
salt wants to help people down the path to their dream jobs (museum, 
business, or otherwise).  The folks in the office where I've worked are 
DESPERATE to shed the perception that they are only there for business 
students.  It is an extremely difficult campus myth to bust, precisely 
because of the kind of comments below.  If you never set foot in a career 
office, you won't know whether they can help you--never assume they can't!

From the outside, the perception is probably born because there are simply 
more classical "business" openings and that the MBA-type career track is so 
well-established--proceeding to a job in the corporate world is almost like 
proceeding down an assembly line (that's an oversimplification, but it 
helps).  To be honest, finding jobs in the museum world is much more 
individualized and often involves more effort on the part of the job-seeker 
than would a corporate-type opening.  However, the career offices of many 
schools are QUITE capable--and very willing--to help students with that sort 
of job search.  No doubt, the knowledge base probably isn't as good for 
museum résumés as a general rule, but that will never change unless job 
seekers ask for it.  I have no doubt that counselors would want to add to 
their knowledge in these areas.  I'm very sorry if your universities weren't 
helpful, Stephanie, but I hope that won't stop people from approaching the 
career offices of their own institutions--you might be pleasantly surprised!

--Eric

Eric D. M. Johnson
Proprietor
The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting
http://www.factsmith.com/
[log in to unmask]


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephanie E. Santos" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, January 02, 2005 9:26 PM
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] help with misguided job applicants


> I might also add that career services at most universities are of little 
> to no
> help (at least the 3 colleges I've attended) when it comes to job searches 
> in
> our field.  They know how to create a good resume for an MBA & will often 
> host
> recruitment fairs for such folks, but not for museum professionals.  So 
> where
> does one turn for advice?  I have 2 years experience in many facets but am
> basing my resume structure on what an accountant might type since that's 
> what
> career services knows.

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