This scenario Lara posted is truly unfortunate, but I'm glad she posted it because it is truly a dose of reality. It got me thinking on how many of my hundreds of Volunteers _I've_ hired. Not many. Simply put, the ratio of volunteer positions vs. paid positions is quite disparate, so no, obviously they won't all work out. But I can say this for certain: If you SHINE, and that positions opens up, any smart Manager will nab you in a heartbeat! Personally, not only would I wish to reward a devoted volunteer, but why wouldn't I want someone who has not just been a proven asset, but who is familiar with my organization and even possibly trained already!!! Finally, when I have an amazing Volunteer whom I can't offer a job, I give GLOWING recommendations! Remember, you are looking for experience and professional references. No, it may not always (and possibly often won't) turn in to a job, but don't let it discourage you from gaining the experience. One last thought, and this sort of goes back to the strain on how long should you stay in a position. Employers like to see stability in your job experience, and your volunteer experience IS job experience. In my opinion, you are better off spending your time in a few places than doing short terms in many. As a Volunteer Manager, I am more inclined to train and/or give important projects to a person who is committed to me for a longer term than someone who is looking for just a semester of work. Volunteers, too, can "move up the ranks". And there is no way a person can get to know you if they only work with you 4 hours a week for 10 weeks. Yes, it is hard... basically, we are saying "work for free and make Frappucinos to pay your bills". But the ultimate payoff is worth it, if you can do it. Sorry for the diatribe, and much of this is obvious, but having been there, I feel very passionate about all this. Incidentally, part of my Volunteer Program works with people (mostly single mothers) on welfare who have never had any "professional" work experience. They work as office assistants with me 20 hours a week for 3-6 months. It is a fabulous program, and I mention it because 1. I don't have jobs to offer these devoted women, and it kills me every time, and 2. If you think volunteering is not job experience, THINK AGAIN. Most of these women (thankfully) have gone on to well-paying jobs with benefits! -- "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." - Hypatia -- Robyne Miles Director of Operations & Volunteers The Science Factory www.sciencefactory.org phone: 541-682-7882 fax: 541-484-9027 reply to: [log in to unmask] > From: Lara Taylor <[log in to unmask]> > Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]> > Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2002 10:00:04 -0600 > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Getting a job *without* volunteering > > I'm sorry to be pessimistic, but while volunteering can be a great way to > find a permanent, paid position within the museum world, it is more often > than not, I think, that volunteering/unpaid internships do not turn into > full-time positions. It is an incredibly demoralizing problem with museum > work (probably any non-profit work.) My perspective of this is having a > masters, several internships and volunteer experience, as well as teaching > experience. This was all done while keeping a full-time position to pay > the bills. For me, the internships, volunteering and teaching have not > paid off in a museum job even though I have been actively pursuing them. > My point of this tirade is this: carefully weigh the time an energy it > takes to do these "volunteer" bits with a full-time job with the realities > of getting--and being happy in--a museum job. Carefully research various > institutions in your area in terms of salary, upward movement within the > museum (or, at least, increasing responsibility and challenge), how often > the institutions hire from volunteers/interns. Also, consider wider > opportunities within your skills--editorial work, PR, advertising agencies > work with museums and non-profits as well. There is A LOT of idealism with > people who want to get into museum work, but, too often, that idealism is > not grounded in the realities of finding a job, living on the salary of > that job, and being happy with the upward mobility (or lack thereof) of > that job. For me, it hasn't worked out, but I'm not saying that it won't > for others. Just make sure you think carefully about the realities of the > choice to go into museum work. > > ========================================================= > Important Subscriber Information: > > The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ > . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a > one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the > message should read "help" (without the quotes). > > If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to > [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff > Museum-L" (without the quotes). ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).