I run the internship program at my institution. I can tell you that for our six slots each year, we receive about 40 applications. (We do acknowledge each one and I think it's a shame that you have heard nothing from so many institutions you've applied to. As a group, museums could do much better at service to the profession).
From those 40, we try to make a match with the six projects we identify each year. Using the application, we look for interests and experience that match what the intern will be asked to do. For instance, if we need an intern to develop summer camp programming, we look for someone with education experience and training, a background of working with children, and the like. For a curatorial intern, we look for someone interested in preservation, art history, or the decorative arts. Internships work best when both parties get something out of it - the institution gets the help of an interested student, and the student gets an interesting and useful project. We find that some interns are "too qualified" for some of our projects and wouldn't get much out of their time here. Others are vague in their application and it's hard for us to tell what their specific interests would be.
My advice, then, would be to be very clear about the type of work you'd like to do in the instutions you're applying for. Identify their major programs (education, curatorial, advancement, etc) and play up the related skills and experiences in your letter and resume. Explain clearly in your cover letter why you have applied to the instituion, what you could contribute, and what you would hope to gain. If you have experience that is not in museums but you think has transferable skills, spell out what those skills are: for instance, "in my 2 summers working as a waitress, I learned an organized approach to time management and how to ensure that guests are warmly welcomed and are satisfied with their visit."
Show familiarity with the institution and its mission - resumes that seem to be sent out in a scattershot approach read as 'generic' and make reviewers think the person is not specifically interested in working at _this_ museum, just _any_ museum. We are looking for that strong match between interest and museum content, so the generic approach is usually not as compelling.
I also second everyone who said to call and/or make an appointment to talk to the person in charge of selecting or assigning interns. I have met with several students this way and it most definitely gives them a leg up in the process. A phone call or especially a meeting shows initiative, serious interest, and follow-through and makes the candidate more concrete and more memorable. When students do ask 'what can I do to strengthen my application?" we can usually give them an answer, depending upon their background. Few things are as advantageous as this personal contact. It does need to be managed with good etiquette - don't pepper the person with a phone call a day. Make a single call with your request and some suggested times and dates. Email is a fine way to do this, too.
Finally, don't wait until this time of year. We had all of our internship decisions made by the end of March. I usually receive my first inquiries of the year in the first two weeks of January, as students return from the break and start thinking about their semester and the summer to follow and check in on their graduation requirements. Those people who have the initiative to call or meet at that time get an early leg up in the process. We want to be out in front as well, in order to get the best candidates while they are still available, so we try to move fast early in the semester. I'm always sad to see that some students have waited until May to think about applying for an internship -for instance, I received an application and resume in my email today. It might be the strongest resume in the world, but at this point I have no positions to offer - half of our interns are already onsite and starting work for the summer, the other half will arrive next week, and all of them signed their agreement with us by April 1. So don't wait!
If you haven't been successful in lining up an internship for the summer, I suggest that you reach out to some museums you're interested in, near where you will be living and working, and offer to volunteer in whatever department you are interested in. Supervising interns is intense work, and many institutions are very careful not to overcommit by taking on too many interns. But supervising volunteers is somewhat easier because the focus is on service rather than on an in-depth professional learning experience. So you may find that some museums who could not take on another intern would welcome volunteer service - and volunteerism is a fantastic way to build your resume, show seriousness, learn quite a bit, and expand your network - and usually it will fit around a paying job or classes.
Good luck in your search!
~ Michelle Moon, Director of Education
Strawbery Banke Museum
PO Box 300, Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603) 422-7507 ~ [log in to unmask] ~
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Robin Gabriel
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 9:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Questions in Seeking an Internship
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Camey - I agree with everything Matthew just wrote. I would also add -
many museums do not advertise their internships. In the case of small
museums or historical societies it often works to make an appointment
with the director and volunteer your services as an intern. Internships
can be paid or volunteer - it is often easier to get a volunteer one.
=20
Good luck,
Robin
------------------------------------------------=20
Robin Gabriel=20
From: Matthew White [mailto:[log in to unmask]]=20
Sent: Tuesday, June 02, 2009 1:24 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Questions in Seeking an Internship
=20
Camey,
=20
It is all about networking even at the intern stage. Don't any of your
professors know anyone? It seems to me this is what you pay them the big
bucks for.
=20
Alumni?=20
=20
Anyone who can introduce you to someone who can introduce you to someone
etc etc.
=20
Go to museum conferences and schmooze. Go to SEMC or I noticed there is
a Tennessee Association of Museums in your neck of the woods. Borrow
money if you have to, but go and network.
=20
Is there a specific museum or subject matter you like or even love
(that's rhetorical, I'm not asking for me)? If so email that person and
ask for their advice. Ask them what you need to do. Sending in
applications and resumes cold will only get you so far. Find someone at
an institution you want to work with, and who wants to work with you,
talk to them, have them put your name in the internship coordinator's
ear about you. THEN send in your application, resume, letter, whatever.
=20
It is all about networking and introducing yourself to people.=20
=20
Be proactive.
=20
Good Luck.
=20
Matthew White
=20
=20
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
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The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
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<div class=3DSection1>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:maroon'>Camey
– I agree with everything Matthew just wrote. I would also add =
– many
museums do not advertise their internships. In the case of small museums =
or
historical societies it often works to make an appointment with the =
director
and volunteer your services as an intern. Internships can be paid =
or
volunteer – it is often easier to get a volunteer =
one.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:maroon'><o:p> </o:p></s=
pan></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:maroon'>Good
luck,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:maroon'>Robin<o:p></o:p></sp=
an></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";
color:maroon'>------------------------------------------------</span><spa=
n
style=3D'color:maroon'> <br>
</span><i><span style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";
color:maroon'>Robin Gabriel</span></i><span style=3D'color:maroon'> <br>
<br>
</span><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Georgia","serif";color:maroon'><o:p></o:p></span></=
p>
<div>
<div style=3D'border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt =
0in 0in 0in'>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><b><span =
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span>=
</b><span
style=3D'font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Matthew =
White
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] <br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, June 02, 2009 1:24 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> [log in to unmask]<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [MUSEUM-L] Questions in Seeking an =
Internship<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Camey,<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>It is all about networking even at the intern =
stage. Don't
any of your professors know anyone? It seems to me this is what you pay =
them
the big bucks for.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Alumni? <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Anyone who can introduce you to someone who can =
introduce
you to someone etc etc.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Go to museum conferences and schmooze. Go to SEMC =
or I
noticed there is a Tennessee Association of Museums in your neck of the =
woods.
Borrow money if you have to, but go and network.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Is there a specific museum or subject matter you =
like or
even love (that's rhetorical, I'm not asking for me)? If so email that =
person
and ask for their advice. Ask them what you need to do. Sending in =
applications
and resumes cold will only get you so far. Find someone at an =
institution you
want to work with, and who wants to work with you, talk to them, have =
them put
your name in the internship coordinator's ear about you. THEN send in
your application, resume, letter, whatever.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>It is all about networking and introducing yourself =
to
people. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Be proactive.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Good Luck.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal>Matthew White<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<p><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
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<p>
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