Dear students and prospective museum employees: 

I guess the annual rite-of-Spring is starting early this year. Must be global 
warming.

I don't usually post on this topic but I guess I have a bit of free time this 
morning or I'm feeling easily distracted, or perhaps just old and cranky. 

Welcome to the harshest reality of your chosen career: 

THERE ARE NO JOBS and YOUR GRADUATE ADVISOR WAS CLUELESS

Yes, you will send out dozens, if not hundreds, of resumes. 

Yes, the one job offered to you will not pay enough for you to retire your 
student loan.

Yes, it will take you at least a year to land even that job. 

Yes, you will have to spend your own money to a) travel to an interview; b) 
attend a professional conference; c) get more training because your grad 
school program didn't offer....pick one: hands on collections care, practical ed. 
program development, fundraising training, exhibit design...

No one on this list has the magic bullet that will help you (or the hunderds of 
your competitors who also graduate in June) get a job. 

Your new full time job is job hunting and you have to be extremely dedicated, 
smart, and lucky to find a good one out of the gate. You'll have to take a 
crummy job to pay the bills, you'll have to live in a place you don't like, and 
you'll be climbing uphill for a few years before you find a position that's a good 
fit. 

If you aren't prepared for this, find a different career. 

Claudia Nicholson is always gracious and generous with her advice but don't 
let that fool you. She said the same thing I did, only softer. 

Check out Nathan Richie's blog if you want to commiserate with the like 
minded: 

http://youngmuseumprofessionals.blogspot.com/

I love my job and I've loved all of my museum jobs but I'd think twice about 
entering this field today. I had to do all the standard things to get where I 
am....unpaid internship, museum studies certificate as a post-grad, part-time 
low paid job supplemented by bartending, first job in my last choice city 
working for a nut, networking, networking, networking. Today I have a 
wonderful position in a well funded institution that is redefining itself as a 
progressive, community-focused organization. I love it but it took 20 years to 
get here. 

Good luck to you. It isn't going to be easy.

Diane Gutenkauf

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