Hooray for the sensible, level-headed, hard-working Iowan!!   With such
a good attitude, Chad, we'd love to have you volunteer down the road
here.  (President and Mrs. Hoover were both geologists!)  Give me a call
if you'd like to talk about volunteering or about the museum world in
general or grad schools.

Christine Mouw
Assistant Curator
Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum
West Branch, Iowa  52358
319-643-5301

>>> "C. Laibly" <[log in to unmask]> 04/12/99 03:46pm >>>
Hey all,
        Somewhat along the lines of this topic comes a comment I have had
bouncing around my head. I am graduating with a B.S. in Geology and
have
emphisized Museum Studies. I have seen quite a few postings for jobs
and
have read quite a few already as well. My comment/question is this-are
the people who talk about never finding a job just venting because they
haven't found the Exact museum job they want for their Ideal salary in
the
Location of their choosing at the Exact time they graduate? It seems to
me
this list wouldn't even exist if there were NO positions out there.
        No sarcasm or attitude here, just a thought. I look forward to
working in a museum and don't think twice about volunteering for a while
after I graduate. I already work a full week, go to college full time and
volunteer at the local Natural History Museum. Honestly, I don't complain.
After graduation, I expect it will be a full time job of opportunity ( for
the moment) with volunteering at a museum until a postion comes to my
attention and I am lucky enough to get it. Do these expectations seem
unrealistic? Is their really an abyss of no opportunity in this field
after graduation? Many of you are out there, in the profession already.
What do you think?
        I guess this would be mainly directed to the continental U.S.
members. Of course, now that I think about it, after living overseas for
three year and visiting most of western European and some eastern
European
countries, I would eagerly work abroad. Any comments would be
welcomed. I
am anxious to hear the responses this posting brings.
Thanks

Chad Laibly
University of Iowa
Geology B.S./Museum Studies
1999