Yes, I do admit to having a similar experience.  I graduated with a MA from
George Washington with great dreams to fulfill in the museum community.  I
have continued with my pursuit of a job in the Smithsonian or a museum in
the DC area with no luck or follow up on well crafted letters and
resumes...plus a background full of experiences and quality internships.

What I was able to do is take these experiences and my studies deeper into
the non-profit sector.  I do love my job and find that it is the creative
work that I do for the constituents served by our mission that motivates me.
I still wait for that "ideal" museum job offer or call of interest, but I
realized very soon not to hold my breath.
--
Stephanie Moore
Director of Visual Arts Initiatives
VSA arts
http://www.vsarts.org

----------
>From: Janice Morrill <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: job openings?
>Date: Thu, Feb 17, 2000, 10:13 AM
>

> I would love to know whether others have had similar experiences w/the
> Smithsonian and other Washington DC museums....
>
>
>
>
> Janice Morrill
> Atlanta History Center
> 130 W. Paces Ferry Road, NW
> Atlanta, GA 30305
> 404 814-4135
> [log in to unmask]
>
>>>> Laura Mahoney <[log in to unmask]> 02/16/00 02:33PM >>>
> I was going to pass on responding to this since this thread appears on
MUSEUM-L
> on a regular basis, but I guess I couldn't resist any longer...
>
> Speaking from years of experience, getting a job in a museum in the
Washington,
> D.C. area is next to impossible.  I graduated the George Washington University
> in 1996 with my Master's in museum studies.  I had very high grades, lots of
> good internship experience and good connections (most of my teachers worked
for
> the Smithsonian).  Unfortunately none of that helped much.
>
> Jobs at the Smithsonian especially are few and far between.  Competition is
> fierce for those jobs that do occasionally open up. The application process at
> the Smithsonian and other quasi-Federal agencies (National Park Service,
> Holocaust Museum, etc.) takes a minimum of 3 months.  The typical time you can
> expect to wait is closer to 6 months or longer.  I started applying for
> Smithsonian jobs a full year before I graduated.  Consider yourself lucky if
you
> EVER get a response back.
>
> I made the mistake of taking the first job I was offered at the Smithsonian.
My
> job was in sponsored research.  I thought that I could get my foot in the door
> and that it would lead to other jobs at the Smithsonian.  Unfortunately I
> quickly got typecast as a "grants person" and found even getting considered
for
> collection related jobs more difficult than before.
>
> After two years at the Smithsonian I thought that I'd have a better shot of
> getting a collections job if I left the Smithsonian.  I was fortunate that a
> consultant position opened up at the National Park Service.  I had been an
> intern at the National Park Service while in graduate school.  That job let to
> my current permanent government position, also at the National Park Service.
> Even though I'm still doing grants, the grants I work with now are much closer
> to my academic background than those I was working on at the Smithsonian.
What
> can I say -- sometimes it really does depend on who you know.
>
> I guess the lesson in all of this is to keep plugging along.  Getting a job in
> D.C. is not easy and may take you a LONG time.  Believe me, if it wasn't for
my
> husband I would have left this area a LONG time ago.  Don't settle for any old
> job at the Smithsonian (or any large organization) thinking that you can work
> your way into the position you really want.  The Smithsonian is much bigger
than
> people realize.  More than likely you'll get typecast and people will forget
> that you have other skills beyond your current position.
>
> Good luck!
>
> Laura
>
> * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
> Laura M. Mahoney
> Heritage Preservation Services
> National Park Service
> [log in to unmask]
>
> ____________________Reply Separator____________________
> Subject:    Re: job openings?
> Author: Sarah Spreitzer <[log in to unmask]>
> Date:       2/16/00 10:55 AM
>
> Dear All,
>
> I am a student, currently completing my masters, who is also looking for
> a museum job in D.C. starting around May.  If anyone has any advice
> regarding
> this could you please reply to me also or post to the list-serv.
> I have been checking the AVISO, MERC and the Washington Post on a daily basis.
> Are there any other hints for finding a job in D.C. or at the
> Smithsonian, especially in collections?  And does anyone know how long
> the application process at the Smithsonian takes?
>
> - Sarah Spreitzer
>
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