Hi Ashley and Jillian. There is another avenue to explore while waiting for
a full-time museum job, especially if you're already connected with a museum
where you'd like to work -- and if you have some other work, at least
part-time. Find out what granting organizations might be available in your
state, or in your area of interest, and then ask the museum if they would
sponsor you working on a specific project for them if you got a grant for
it.

I have been working on a volunteer basis for a small historical society
museum for about three years, eventually as curator (still volunteer), and
needed to find a way to make some money while working there so I could keep
doing it. I saw an ad (perhaps here on MUSEUM-L) for a Collections Manager
for the Hanover, Mass., Historical Society, to do all the sorts of things I
was already doing for our Historical Society museum. They had money to fund
the person for 650 hours, plus money for archival supplies, all paid from a
Mass. Community Preservation grant. So I got our Historical Society to
sponsor me, and I wrote a grant very much like the Hanover position
description for OUR Community Preservation Committee, including cataloging
new acquisitions, re-cataloging old acquisitions, adding images for each
record (photographing or scanning), rehousing artifacts in archival
enclosures, recommending items for deaccession, overseeing volunteers,
etc... It is largely a Collection inventory project, but your project could
be anything you're passionate about -- or the museum really needs. I'm still
finishing up Year 1 of the grant, and I've been approved for a second year.
It only works out to a part-time job, but it allows me to get paid for doing
what the museum needs and what I love to do.

If our local area is any indication, there are lots of small historical
society museums across the country with volunteer staffs who have notable
collections and no money or in-house expertise to work on them. This takes
some time to set up, but a year or two of part-time grant work just might
turn into a job. As for writing the grant, a lot of granting organizations
include past recipients' projects and sample applications on their websites,
which is very helpful.

Good luck!

--Kathie



Kathie Gow

Oral History Producer
http://www.wordspicturesstories.com

Curator, Hatfield Historical Museum
http://hatfieldhistory.weebly.com


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Jillian Shoblock
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2013 4:25 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Employment Search Frustrations for the recent
graduates

I have been applying since December 2011 when I graduated with my MA in
Museum Studies an have only had 2 interviews. Do I get frustrated a lot, yes
but I haven't given up hope yet. I do still have an active social life and
work in management in retail. Is that what I want? Definitely not. I intern
at a museum that I love and would love to be able to work at. But can't
afford to hire me so right now I am getting a little of what I love to do.
What I have found is trying to stay positive even though I have applied to
well over 100 positions all dealing with collections management and most
with history, since that is one of my undergraduate degrees, is what keeps
me going. Try to enjoy your life outside the museum an continue to visit
museums. If you can't find a job in I e and have to work elsewhere then
volunteer so you still get your fill. I know it sucks, trust me all my
friends have full time jobs and are "living the life" but I have to believe
that my time will come. Also my one friend keeps telling me to look at
higher Ed jobs like academic advising if you have a masters. Just a thought.
Good luck and keep your head up!

Jillian

Sent from my iPhone

On Feb 20, 2013, at 3:58 PM, "Jentzsch, Tracy" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

> Ashley, for you and others searching for job leads, I would recommend a
> free resource we offer through the University of Delaware's Museum Studies
> Program.  MuseWeekly is our weekly electronic news that provides job
> posts, internships, conferences, calls for papers, announcements and news
> related to all things "museum".  We never rent or sell our list, and there
> is always a plethora of good leads.  You can sign up for this free
> resource by going to our website, www.udel.edu/museumstudies and filing in
> the three question form on the index page.  Good luck to you.
> 
> 
> 
> Tracy H. Jentzsch
> Staff Assistant, Museum Studies Program
> University of Delaware
> 302.831.1251
> Www.udel.edu/museumstudies
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On 2/20/13 3:49 PM, "Ashley Watson" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> 
>> Hello,
>>  I graduated with masters in the museum studies at Syracuse University
>> last May and have not found a job yet despite aggressively applying for
>> various openings within my experience and skill range. I have completed
>> an internship at National Museum of Natural History in the exhibits
>> department and is currently a zooarchaeological/collections intern at the
>> Museum Support Center till this May.   Any recent graduates here that
>> have the same frustrating experience?   Those internships certainly help
>> keep me sane professionally and personally but I certainly need to begin
>> LIVING. I want to add one thing that I was more than qualified for one
>> position at National Museum of Natural History but didn't break through
>> the annoying human resources "wall". My colleague who was qualified to
>> the maximum also applied for the same position got the same result.
>> 
>> =========================================================
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