So, is the point that big brother has invaded the museum field.

Postings such as this will only further discourage young, aspiring
museum professionals, of which I am one.  I am someone with a Masters
Degree and two years of experience but am still having trouble finding
that perfect fit.  As someone who has struggled with many rejections, I
think everyone should keep in mind that at least 50-75 people apply for
nationally advertised positions.  Only one person can get the job.  Yes,
sometimes that person is an "inside" candidate.  Congratulations to that
person who knew the right people or served many years as a volunteer.
However, the rest of us should continue our search, because we may one
day be that "inside" candidate.

Chris Goodlett
National Scouting Museum


>From [log in to unmask] Wed Jun 17 11:36:33 1998
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>Date:         Wed, 17 Jun 1998 13:59:59 -0400
>Reply-To:     Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>Sender:       Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>From:         "Dr T.K.Eppen" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject:      Re: seeking:ENTRY-LEVEL JOB
>To:           [log in to unmask]
>
>I miss in the discussion some basic underlying essentials regarding
>the job-business.
>Most jobs are given to recommended candidates before the selection
>process even starts. These candidates are chosen not on grounds of
>merit and capacity of renewal and innovation, but on the contrary,
>because they are already known and amply proved to guarantee the
continuity
>of political control of static administrative museum management.
>Said this,I acknowledge it doesn't amount to much more than the
>discovery of warm water, since established elites tried at all times
>to allow only members of their own flock to acceed to the green
pastures
>of culture and related privileges. Some years ago I conducted a
research at
>the Roman Archivi Capitolini on thefts of antique masterpieces
throughout
>the centuries from the city's museums. I found out that the biggest
robbers
>were the directors of the Musei Capitolini themselves! Needless to say
that
>they never got caught. Partly because they had the privilege to choose
their
>successors (sometimes the job was past from father to son), partly
because
>they free-handedly supplied the Roman political establishment with
museum
>items to furnish their houses. This regime (malandazzo) went on until
the
>collapse of the corrupt Andreotti/Craxi government in 1992. Since then
the
>new director reclaimed hundreds of paintings and "found back" over 600
(sic!)
>bronze statues from senior administrators and politicians who had taken
them
>into "custody".
>I clearly see an analogy with this, when I find on this page job
offers, which
>leave applicants with only 30 days time between the first publication
and
>the moment of starting in the new job. So happened for a vacant
position
>in New York last month. The question comes up instinctively: Who wants
to
>hide what and why? The selection committee, the "sponsors"?
>O.K., as I said before, let's get real and accept that these methods of
>perpetuation of power and control were not invented yesterday, but
let's
>never get used to them! Friedman economies and Thatcherite politics had
a
>profound impact on our societies in general and on the museum world in
>particular. Neoliberalism has become a dogma which must not be
questioned.
>Is the L-page infected by this thinking? Why are museum boards not
openly
>questioned and critized for their sleazy behaviour, after all they are
>handling public money, aren't they?!
>In its technicality this site often appears to me so harmless as a
monthly
>Scottish Train Spotters Bulletin rather than the forum-page of vivid
debate
>and dispute of an international cultural elite.
>Back to the initial entry-job-question:
>My advise to any university leaver would be to make only one simple
decision
>and afterwards resolutely work on it-
>
>a.)if you want "any" job, prepare to work gratis for some time (as
suggested
>by a colleague)and concentrate on achieving the privilege to carry the
>directors bag. Accomplished that please wait, eventually you'll find a
>steady job, and your apparently social commitment will pay off.
>
>b.)if you want "your" job, don't waste time waiting for it,
>start now anywhere, don't bother too much about museums,either.
>There is nothing special about them, they are just as dull as all
public
>administration, - unless you know precisely what you can offer and what
>you want to change. But it may take some time to find out and by then
you
>might not be interested in museums any longer. If you still are, good
for us,
>but be ready for a bad surprise: you will be questioned at the job
interview
>by people who years before choose for option a.). They will envy you
for
>your liberty and fear that you will threaten their position in their
cosy,
>tidy and well orginized museum world. Go for it, if you dare!
>
>
>
>Dr T.K.Eppen
>Network of European Museums and Archives
>Avenue de la Couronne 412
>1050 Brussels
>Belgium
>
>
>The opinion expressed perfectly matches with the philosophy of the
above
>named institution.
>


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