I have been reading this thread today and my own long experience in
building a career in museums and then in conservation confirms so much
of this.

Whenever I have interns or fellows or technicians in the lab and we
have one of those conservations about the field I ALWAYS give them a
dose of reality - that jobs are scarce, that you may be temporarily
employed and have to relocate often, that to actually get a job/career
path somewhere may take years, and that the pay and the benefits are
few and actually benefits are starting to disappear too. And they all
tell me that they had no inkling the field was like this when they
were in school. This is one of the largest failings of any program -
be it conservation or art history or museum studies. I tell them that
those of us survivors in the field are in it for the love of it, that
it takes determination and persistence, and that if you are in it for
the money then find something else right now, or marry someone with a
career that will provide the support you need to stay in a field that
you love.

It can be painful to be the proverbial bucket of cold water on the
bright, young, excited talent out there, but it is necessary.

And I am also sure that is is an almost universal experience of many
of you on this list that whenever you tell someone new about what you
do, that they gush and tell you what a cool and special job you have,
and how you must be paid a lot for taking care os so many important
historical and artistic works...

I just love to tell them that the plumber makes more than we do!

Cheers!
Dave

David Harvey
Conservator
Los Angeles, California

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