I've been following the current thread about how to get an entry-level job in
the museum field with a sense of sorrow. Not because the advice hasn't been
good, but because some of the people receiving the advice seem insulted at
the advice they are receiving.

Almost 20 years ago, I decided that I wanted to work in museums for a living.
As an undergraduate college student I interned at a zoo and had a part-time
job at a planetarium. I knew that museum jobs were few and far between, so I
did some research into what would make me more marketable, specifically what
kind of master's degree I should get. I carefully chose my graduate school
for how good it would look on my resume--not just the name of the degree but
also the prestige of the school and the internships that would arise. I knew
that the fastest track to advancement in the field included the need to move
geographically. The strategy worked. I have been successfully employed,
mostly in museums, ever since graduation.

In the past twenty years, the number of available museum jobs hasn't
necessarily increased, but there has been a proliferation in the number of
museum education/studies graduate programs. More and more people with
master's degrees are entering the field each year. Simply having the master's
degree isn't what it was a few year's ago. The market is increasingly
saturated and people must find additional ways to stand out in the crowd.

Believe me, I understand the frustration experienced by people who have
invested thousands of dollars in a master's degree, only to be told that they
should volunteer their time. Twenty years ago, wanting to work in museums was
pretty stupid from a financial aspect and it still is. My brother, who never
went to college at all, makes much more money than I do. But don't blame the
people giving the advice. The fact is that museum jobs are few. Well paying
ones are even fewer. On the plus side, it's fun. If you don't think that the
fun is more important than the money, you're in the wrong profession.

Don't get angry at the people who suggest options that you find unpalatable.
The people who ask for program advice on Museum-L are not necessarily
ill-trained--they must have something going for themselves because they have
a job. Rather, they are professionals who understand that "more heads are
better than one" and look for input from their colleagues in order to improve
their product.

I'm glad that people post job notices on Museum-L, but if I were really
looking for a job I'd use AVISO, ASTC or MERC and possibly approach a
headhunter. If I were hiring for a job, I'd use the same resources plus the
local/regional newspaper. Although I find the idea a resume-web page
intriguing, I would need to receive a hard-copy resume that listed the URL,
as I'm not ready yet to try to do a random internet search on the off-chance
of finding someone qualified for a posted position.

I hope that Museum-L doesn't turn into a job service. If it does, I'll
terminate my involvement. I read and use Museum-L for a different kind of
information.

Good luck to everyone looking for a museum job. If you want advice, ask. Just
don't insult the people who respond, even if you don't like their answer. Who
knows, someday you may want a job from that person.

Jeannine Finton
Museum Education Consultant

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