List members,

Firstly, I must say that my comments do not mean to offend... Those of
you who know me personally or have contacted me off the list about job
openings in western Pennsylvania can attest to both my friendly, open
demeanor and my willingness to assist job seekers whenever possible. My
only objective is to use this list for its clearly stated purpose -- to
provide a venue where museum professionals (present and future) can
openly state their opinions in hopes of stimulating enlightened
discussion on topics related to our field.

This said, perhaps a resume board might be a step in the right direction,
and posting a resume on MERC is something that, at the very least, cannot
hurt one's chances of finding work.  In terms of volunteering, I too know
the difficulties of working for free, especially when Stafford and
Perkins loan invoices start arriving on a monthly basis.  However, a job
seeker who volunteers one day a week (or even every other week) will
garner a few extra lines on his or her resume and have an edge if a
position opens up at that museum.  Volunteering also places the job
seeker in an environment where new job openings are frequently discussed,
and exposes him or her to the advice and networking connections of people
currently working in the field.

Often thought of as a great disadvantage, the unpaid nature of volunteer
work can also be viewed as a plus.  Because it is volunteering, one can
establish an extremely flexible, even sporadic, schedule, thus making
time for other full-time employment or school.

I am quite sure that if I asked the list "How many of you found jobs by
first volunteering?" the numbers of affirmative responses would be
extremely high.

Again, my apologies.

Nicholas P. Ciotola
Curator, Italian American Program
Senator John Heinz Pittsburgh Regional History Center
1212 Smallman Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
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