Sorry, folks -- I can't remember whether I saw a thread on this method of job
hunting on museum-l or museum-ed.  Anyway, I'd appreciate a response from any
or all of the people who indicated that they landed their museum jobs through
a cold letter application process.

What parameters did you set for yourself?  Granted, you likely picked a
specialized catagory.  Did you send letters to institutions with ? number of
positions (as in the AAM museum directory)?  Did you restrict the letters to
institutions that you thought less likely to post ads in AVISO or an e-mail
job bank (possibly to municipal or county museums)?  Did you mail the letters
to the museums or to the governing authority -- or did that choice vary
depending upon the type of museum?

I have been searching assiduously (or so I thought) for a position, but I
did not find out about a couple of positions until it was too late to apply.
Neither had posted in AVISO, which has been (and still is) my primary resource
for available job positions.  I have begun wondering whether there are many
entry level jobs ($18,000 or more for M.A.) available through AVISO -- or if
those willing to hire people without years & years of experience use other
means of advertisement, such as newspapers and local labor departments (which
then may get posted on America's Job Bank) instead of AVISO.

If sending a cold letter means that my chances of at least getting notified
about a job position (when such becomes available) are increased, then I
think this is yet another avenue to use.

Please answer me directly (unless other people indicate they want this on the
list) at:  [log in to unmask]
Thanks!  JanW.