Chris,

It depends on your priorities. As the director of a medium size museum I
will tell you that managing the finances is the biggest challenge in any
institution. If the Museum is a non-profit, the director may be seeking
ways to secure reliable funding instead of hiring you with only short
term funding. If you really like the particular museum you may want to
hang around. If you want to work at ANY museum, you may want to look
around a bit.

We have hired a number of people who started as volunteers
or unpaid interns. Several have been with us for a number of years and are
excellent employees. If you want to speed up the prospects of being
hired, dig around for potential funding. Is there a local foundation or
corporation that benefits from the archives? Do they give grants? Gather
info and give it to the director. Do NOT make direct contact; that would
be overstepping. But you can gather info from websites. I would be
impressed.

Good luck.

Sue Baker
Waukesha, WI

Chris Pike wrote:

> Need some advice..
> 
> I'm currently volunteering for a local museum that has undergone an 
> change in administration and employee's. I sent out a resume and went
>  in for an semi-formal interview.  He said that he was impressed with
>  my resume and that they would be hiring in the future but not sure 
> when (they have too, they have almost no permanent staff).  Since 
> then, I've done a lot of sorting work in terms of archival records 
> and will be doing data entry in the near future.  I've been told I'm
>  doing a great job and are happy with my work.  Again they hang the 
> possibility of employement over my head.
> 
> A few people have said I should stop volunteering as what I'm doing 
> is being done by others for good money.  I'm being patient and 
> continuing because working there would be good future option but my 
> question is whether or not I should draw the line somewhere?  I'm 
> just really not sure what to do?
> 
> Cheers..
> 
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