In my experience as both a job applicant and an employer, I can tell you
that sending blind resumes only works if you know the institution is
undergoing expansion and will have jobs to spare.  Almost all museum jobs
are advertised through AVISO or online.  Also, the AAM annual meeting has a
jobhunting service (you can interview right then and there), as do the
annual meetings of some of the regional museum associations.  Subscribe to
the newsletter for the association for the region you are interested in:
they frequently list job openings that don't make it to AVISO because they
don't have the time to keep the job open, or don't want to open it nationally.

When I get blind resumes I read them over, acknowledge them, then file them
for 1 year.  I toss them if something hasn't come up that they would be
suited for within one year.  If something does come up, I send them the
relevant application info.

Hints:  Never send blind applications to a job title (i.e. Dear Curator,
)--always call to get the correct name of the person.  If you don't know the
appropriate department, send it to the Personnel Director by name (if a
large museum) or the Executive Director by name (if a smaller one--it will
be routed).  A letter outlining your qualifications will often do instead of
a formal resume--it indicates your interest but does not necessarily
pigeonhole you into one type of job or another (let the institution decide).
Don't discount "menial" jobs at smaller institutions--they can provide a
foot in the door.  (my Curatorial Assistant was the evening/weekend
receptionist here for a year despite advanced degrees and a broad base of
related experience--she learned how we work and what our priorities were,
and ended up being the best candidate for the job)  Finally--volunteer
whenever and wherever you can to get actual practical experience.

Hope this all helps.  We've all been there.

Julia Muney Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
Indianapolis Art Center
[log in to unmask]