At 10:11 AM 6/2/96 -0400, you wrote:

>Is it really ethical to advertise a position when the institution has no
>intention of playing by the rules and giving all applicants an equal
>chance?  I realize that some museums are required to advertise any
>openings (although just who sets these rules is never quite clear), but I
>think it is very unfair to those job-seekers who spend hours writing
>resumes and cover letters to museums that already have chosen their
>candidates before placing the ad.
>
>A disgruntled job-seeker
>
Having been in your position in the past I can truly sympathize. The reality
is that many positions are filled through networking before the ads are
placed. I would guess that roughly 1/3 are preselected, 1/3 are truly open,
and 1/3 are affected by other sometimes bizarre factors (Was he/she born in
the state? Did he/she go to your university?). A good clue is the "open
until filled" line in many ads. Bogus (to use a GEN X phrase). Most legit
ads have cutoff dates, and you will see "search reopened" if qualified
candidates aren't found.

One reason for so many "sham" postings is that governmental agencies are
required to publically post openings if there are no qualified internal
candidates, and do, but the jobs are often preselected. Many do not like
doing it, but are required to.

I personally find the "sham" interview much more irritating, costly and time
consuming than the "sham" ad. Traveling cross-country, burning up vacation
time and spending unreimbursed $$ for a five minute pro forma interview is
unbelievably aggravating.

(By the way, the two positions we have open at my institution have NOT been
preselected. Honest. And we will not interview candidates in whom we are not
seriously interested.)

My suggestion would be to develop an "adaptable" resume and cover letter
that can be tailored to specific positions on a word processor in just a few
minutes. Then you can send them out on "spec" with little work, have a
quality product, and wait for the "hits." It is a lot like trying to place a
novel with a publisher. In my younger days I could package three to five in
an evening with my trusty 80286.

Expect about 10% to 30% affirmative first round responses IF you have a good
work record and a well built resume. Someone starting in the field should
perhaps expect 2% to 10%. And the rounds are long. It often takes 30 to 90
days after application deadlines closes before the first cut. Don't wait on
a specific job -- send out resumes for as many interest you. The job market
is just too tight to do otherwise.

Take heart, those institutions that do place "sham" ads usually receive 200
or more applications per opening, must shovel through all that mail and
usually have to interview at least 3 to 5 candidates. And those that fail to
respond with courtesy to candidates occasionally get theirs. I can remember
receiving a panicked  request from an arrogant institution requesting the
loan of an artifact they really needed to save an exhibit. As I talked to
the representative I casually remarked that they had not even responded to a
resume I filed on a position some years before and acted irritated when I
called after 90 days. You could hear the sweat break even without fiber
optic lines . . . Needless to say, I broke records helping them out. Right.
What goes around comes around.

Lastly,  employers appreciate it if candidates do not waste their time
applying for jobs for which they lack the minimum qualifications,
concentrations and experience. If a position requires an M.A., don't apply
with a B.A. If they want an architectural specialization, don't apply if you
majored in cultural anthropology. My favorite was an applicant who wanted to
apply for a curatorial position. "I think I am qualified," the letter began,
"but could you tell me what a curator does?" I gently suggested that perhaps
the candidate needed further training and career consideration.

Good luck and keep the faith!
----------------------
Byron Johnson, Director
Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum
P.O. Box 2570
Waco, Texas 76702-2570
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Phone: 817-750-8631
------------------------------
"...Unless a people are educated and enlightened it is idle
to expect the continuance of civil liberty or the capacity
for self-government."   - Texas Declaration of Independence,  March 2, 1836.