I'll add my MEAGER experience to this one too. Several years ago, when I was
casting about looking for a career, I talked to a family friend who worked in
the American History museum at the Smithsonian in DC. She had worked her way
up through the system (as an administrator) and ended up doing quite a bit of
exhibit planning/developing although she only had a BA. As she got older, she
noticed people with her background getting replaced by new
degree-carrying/experience-poor candidates who had an appalling lack of
respect for the older regime. It seems to be the trend -- degrees over
experience. She arranged for me to interview with someone at the musuem, an
informational interview, as I tried to figure out what I wanted to do, and I
came away from the meeting feeling very discouraged. Basically I was told I
needed to have majored in art history as an undergrad (I majored in theatre
with a minor in French lit) and would further need AT LEAST a masters to get a
job, most likely I'd need a PhD. I had no interest in getting another BA at
that point, and gave up the idea of museums all together, opting instead for
publishing (which is also a lot of fun). Later, I went back to school for an
Arts in Education degree, mainly because it looked interesting, not because I
had an actual end in sight. While in the program, I got a first hand look at
the different kinds of curricula being developed to target the various
intelligences (explicitly by Harvard University's Project Zero) and how they
have been used in museums, or in museum outreach programs. I guess I was
incredibly lucky, but when I graduated, I lobbied various museums I thought
could use someone with my background, and got two job offers. The one I took
was part-time because I had research interests I was still trying to pursue,
but nevertheless, I'm still here and have the freedom to create gallery
guides, outreach curricula (by partnering with teachers I find by happenstance
and more recently by getting advice from within the Board of Education and
colleagues in the professional organizations to which I belong) as well as
general day to day operations. Granted this is a very small gallery (there are
only two of us) and much of my work is volunteer at this point (creating
outreach programs) and I do have to keep a second job,  however, it does give
me experience that will make me attractive (i hope) to other organizations,
not to mention the fact that through my efforts, this tiny gallery may in fact
grow. (I have written grants, but that hasn't been my recent focus.) Anyway,
all this to say that routes may be circuitous and naysayers may derail
interest. But pursuing what really interests you and what you're willing to do
for yourself (without a job or money attached) really DOES seem to lead
places.
Good luck,
Alexandra

On Thu, 22 Aug 2002 12:40:35 -0400 Teresa Whitt <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> I would also like to offer my advice to any
> would-be museum workers out there.  I searched
> for well over one year before I finally got a
> job in the field, and that was only after a
> museum professional for whom I had steadily
> volunteered for over six months while job
> searching, recommended me for the position I
> now hold.   I have to also compliment
> professionals in the museum field who took time
> to encourage me in some of the one hundred or
> so rejection letters I received while job
> searching.  As my dear ol' dad once said to an
> older executive after being rejected once again
> for lack of experience, "One day you are all
> going to die off, and then there won't BE
> anyone with experience to take your place if
> you don't give someone a chance to learn."   My
> hat is off to all of you out there with
> willingness to share.  This is what the list is
> supposed to be, isn't it?  On the other hand, I
> do not think the posting of resumes to the list
> is appropriate since the purpose is to discuss
> museum issues, but the sharing of advice is.
> That is just my opinion.   At times some of the
> squabbles on this list are down right comical,
> personal, or downright rude.  Sometimes I
> wonder if this list would cease to exist if we
> didn't have something about which to whinge.  I
> know that this list has been a wonderful source
> for information on the day to day questions
> that come up in museum work, so for all of you
> out there, I do say, "thank you."
>

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