Greetings all:

I am re-posting (below) advice I posted in August 2004.  One year older, one
more year of experience, and another new workplace (where I'm staying put
for a good number of years!) . . . yet I still agree with what I wrote.

I hope others will post opinions, too.

[Professionals and job seekers alike: Please read my tagline and consider .
. . Which of the three, all risky in their own way(s), do YOU want to be?]

Best wishes, sincerely,

Jay Heuman
Curator of Education
Salt Lake Art Center
20 South West Temple
Salt Lake City, UT  84101

T 801-328-4201 x 21
F 801-322-4323
W www.slartcenter.org

"I realized as I traveled across this nation that I encountered three types
of people. People who make things happen; people who watch things happen;
and, people who ask "what happened?"  [Mac Arthur Goodwin, NAEA President,
2001-2003]

'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-~'~-\/-
~'~-\/-~'

My opinion: Stable museum employment of any kind to start is good, even
if it's outside your desired area.

BUT keep the following in mind . . .

(1) BRUTAL HONESTY.
Getting a job and making a career in any field is 'marketing and public
relations'.  You're selling yourself by using the most convincing argument
-- based on truth.  The first person with whom you must be honest is you.
What are you actually capable of now?  Be brutally honest, as potential
employers will be .

(2) NEVER STOP LEARNING.
What more can you learn over the years?  Most would-be employers want to
hear during an interview that their would-be employee does not intend to
stop learning.  (You must have a proven track record to convince them it's
the truth.)  Attend seminars and workshops, conferences and symposia, read
about and visit other museums, exhibitions, artists, styles, etc.
Investigate taking courses, in related fields, at a nearby university or
college.

(3) NEVER STOP LOOKING.
Keeping abreast of the current job market, applying for other jobs, and
going for interviews has a two fold purpose.  First, it leads to personal
growth, as you will gain an greater understanding of the museum profession.
Second, you might actually find a job you want and might actually get it.
Naturally, you don't want to bounce from employment to employment without
putting a number of years under your belt at each . . . perhaps 2 to 5 years
as a minimum (unless they are shorter-term contracts).

(4) BE REALISTIC.
There may be fewer jobs in smaller museums in smaller cities and towns.  But
it's probably more realistic to apply for such jobs than applying for
something in a megalopolis.  For example: With suitable qualifications and
some experience (paid or unpaid), one might have a miniscule change of
getting a "Curatorial Assistant" job in New York, Boston, Philadelphia,
Washington D.C., etc. or a slightly higher chance of getting an "Assistant
Curator" job in a smaller city.

(5) VOLUNTEER WHERE YOU WORK!
Just because you work 40 hours a week at an art museum doesn't mean you
can't volunteer, say, 5 hours or 10 hours a week in another department.
WOW!  Blows your mind, eh?  But if other working people can volunteer at
a museum, why can't one of the museum's employees?  You are likely to be
trusted more than an outsider, as they likely know you and you have more
hinging on a "job well done" as a volunteer.
[NOTE ADDED 08/26/2005: Check with Human Resources to ensure volunteering in
your workplace does not run counter to employment regulations in your area.]

(6) JOBS CHANGE OVER TIME.
Some jobs change in small ways, and some change in radical ways!  In my
first job, though I started off supervising admissions desks and
coordinating volunteers, I gained two more responsibilities over the years:
liaison with fundraising affiliate groups and 'web designer'.  Those added
responsibilities also added challenge and interest and new skills.

(7) ANALYZE YOUR SKILLS.
How do skills positively translate from one area of museum work to another?
In my previous museum job (Visitor/Volunteer Services), I dealt with a
variety of audiences -- visitors, volunteers, affiliate groups, donors,
media, etc.  This enhanced my communication skills as I became even more
comfortable than I was already to speaking in different settings and for
different purposes -- marketing & "PR," education, customer & donor
relations, etc.  These skills are a necessary aspect of my current job,
though a different focus.  Instead of 'general information' about that
museum, I'm now conducting educational talks about a different museum.

(8) LIFE CHANGES OVER TIME.
I, too, was afraid of veering off on a tangent when I accepted my first
museum job in visitor and volunteer services.  And I agree with Mark that
bouncing around from area to area is not likely a good strategy.  From your
first step into the museum field, you must direct your efforts toward your
goal.  Recognize, however, that goals are unstable critters . . . life
twists and turns, and you might modify your goal.  This happens to
professionals in most fields for a number of reasons . . . new interests or
skills develop, reality versus fantasy of a job, etc.

(9) NEVER RULE ANYTHING OUT.
Solicit opinions from those you trust, weigh the 'pros' and 'cons', and make
a decision.

(10) ENJOY!
Working in the museum field is a privilege.  Never mind we all complain
there's never enough funding, salaries suck, visitors and donors can be
unreasonable at times, parents and teachers really don't like their children
exposed to nudes (or nudes exposed to their children?), etc. There are few
people who get to do what we do.  Never take it for granted.

I encourage more perspectives.  Everyone who works in a museum started
against the odds, as there are forever more applicants than available jobs.

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