[Disclaimer: I posted one of the two job announcements to which Mr.
Marcavitch refers.  The comments in this message reflect my own views as a
person working a "tech job" in the museum field.  They do not necessarily
represent the views of my institution, and should not necessarily be
construed as an addendum to the aforementioned job announcement.]

[Another Disclaimer: Also, this is really long-winded.  Sorry about that,
it's just how I write.  Even my thank-you notes have a table of contents.]

Aaron et al,

This whole "school vs. no school vs. what kind of school" argument goes on
in techie circles all the time (check out the archives at slashdot.org for
some really heated debate).  As with so many other things, I'm afraid the
answer to your question will be an infuriating "well, that depends."  What
any given museum would accept varies with the specific duties of the job,
and with the institution's general psychology toward personnel.  Will the
job require skills that can be self-taught, or must you have the kind of
abilities that are acquired only through formal training?  Does the museum
hire only specialists, or do they make use of people who can wear several
hats?

I believe that it behooves any employer to consider a candidate with the
proper skill set even though their degree may be an M.A. instead of a B.Sc.
I must admit to a little bias here, because that enlightened attitude is
responsible for getting me my present job.  My formal training is in Museum
Science and, of all things, classical history.  Every bit of technical skill
I have has been acquired on my own through the indulgence of my generally
geeky tendencies.  The job announcement I responded to wanted exactly the
opposite: credentials in computers and an interest in the liberal arts.

I certainly wouldn't argue that requiring some level of formal training is a
bad idea.  Obtaining an advanced degree or certification indicates a certain
discipline in an applicant, and speaks to their ability to set and achieve
goals (OK, everybody wave to my committee Chair.).  Also, the whole process
or pursuing higher education tends to "round one out" as a person.  Further,
there are some positions in the museum which really do need a specific kind
of education, and plenty of it.  For instance, if the museum does a lot
academic research and publishing, they'll want curators with terminal
degrees.

However, in your specific case, if I were hiring a web designer, I'd much
rather see your client list and portfolio than your college transcript.
Even if I were to make a big deal out of formal education, I'd probably be
more impressed by training in graphic design, human interface development,
or museum studies than straight computer science.  I would want to know that
you understand the special missions and operations of museums, and can
effectively communicate with museum audiences.  And if you also can write
your own C++ compiler, well hey...lagniappe.

You should never be afraid to apply, anyway, if it sounds like a job you
would be good at and that would interest you.  The worst we hiring-types can
do is send you a form letter rejection, or, if we're really impolite, not
send you any response at all.

Good luck and see you in two years,

Brian D. Bisbee, Coordinator
Technology Learning Center at the Illinois State Museum
1011 East Ash Street, Springfield, IL 62703
Phone (217)557-6093  Fax (217)785-2857


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Aaron Marcavitch
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2000 11:52 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Job announcement (tech jobs)


Gee folks, can't you wait to hire someone for these jobs in, say, two years?
I need to finish my
masters before I go trapsing off to St. Paul or Illinois.

Seriously though.  I have LOTS of expereience in designing web pages but I
have a degree in
Historic Preservation and now I am working on a masters in public history.
Should I be picking up
a minor or something to make me more presentable for these jobs, or would
you hire me if you just
saw the list of clients (and maybe a portfolio)?  I hate the idea of taking
computer science
courses because I have always figured they stifled my creativity.  I would
love to do a MFA, but I
dont have any schooling in that at all.

I am just trying to see if I need to take some different classes to get
hired for tech jobs in
museums, science centers, or historic sites.

And one more thing, does anyone hire tech jobs from a distance?  I know as a
consultant I do this,
but places like EDUWEB.com are not going to hire me unless I am in St. Paul,
right?

Thanks everyone for the help!

Aaron

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