You must have messed up when you sent this--it was on Museum-L.


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: seeking: ENTRY-LEVEL JOB
Author:  Heather Spencer <[log in to unmask]> at IMA
Date:    6/18/98 8:19 AM


Dear Ms. Coffey,

I read your posting on entry-level positions on the Museum-L list.  I
understand your frustrations on trying to find a full-time job in the
museum field and deciding weither or not to pursue further investments
in educational training for museum work.  I have grappled with the same
question in the past and am responding to you off the list because the
following is just my opinion which others in the museum field may not
agree with and I do not want this to be posted to the Museum-L or any
other list.

I guess my (unsolicited) opinion would be to perhaps consider getting
involved in a field that is closely related to the museum/interpretation
world.  For example, aspects of historic preservation and cultural
resource management may allow you to expand your work into dealing with
larger issues in the preservation, management, and interpretation of
cultural resources (which are supported by laws- such as the National
Historic Preservation Act 1966- that require attention to be given to
preserving historic, archaeological, and cultural sites) that could
benefit you in dealing with museums sometime in the future.

I realize for someone who is primarily interested in working in museums
this may seem unrelated to your goals.  However, a more diverse,
interdeciplinary background may allow you be employed until you can
"land" a job in a museum.  I initially wanted to work in museums since
early in my undergraduate career and persued paid and volunteer
internships at local museums.  However after realistically looking at
the potential for employment I chose not to enter a museum studies
master's degree program.  Instead, I entered a history/cultural resource
management/archaeology program that allowed me to learn other ways of
looking at history, cultural resource management, and historic
preservation that I found other people in the museum field do not have.
After completing my M.S. degree, I got may first full-time job as a
curator in charge of interpretation at an outdoor historic site.  I was
told that I got the job because I had an interdeciplinary background and
could perform tasks dealing with historic preservation and
archaeological issues.

As I stated, I have not been to a museum studies program and do not know
if courses in historic preservation, history, or archaeology are taught.
 If they are, I guess that you can disregard this message as the
ramblings of someone who has never been in a museums studies program and
may not have a good idea of what they are all about.

I am also NOT advocating that anyone just go out and spend money by
enrolling in a historic preservation, archaeology, or cultural resource
management program.  They are feeling the same resource and employment
cut-backs as the museum field.  However, it may be helpful to you to
find a job with knowledge of different fields of study that may give you
a different point of view.

I have actually switched from the museum field into historic
preservation and have found that the research and management duties I am
currently performing can, I believe, be an asset if I would like to
apply for a position at a historic house or outdoor museum.

Again, this is just my unsolicited opinion which may not apply to your
situation.

Thank you for your time.


Sincerely,
Heather Spencer