You might want to add to that list: what is a livable wage for your region M. Sam Cronk Claremont Fellow and Visiting Scholar, Claremont Colleges On Tue, Dec 18, 2012 at 8:33 AM, Dan Bartlett <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > How about we compile some anecdotal evidence right here. If your > organization hired for a position in collections, exhibits, or education in > the last year: > > What was the position? > How many applicants did you have? > What percent met your minimum qualifications? > Did you prefer a master's degree or certificate in museology or a specific > discipline? > Would you have considered hiring someone w/o a master's but with > significant experience? > Would you have considered hiring someone with a recent bachelor's but with > a museology major or minor? > How many FTEs on your staff? > > If you would like to remain anonymous please forward your replies to me > and I will strip out the relevant information. > > Dan > > > On Mon, Dec 17, 2012 at 5:24 PM, Robert Patrick Connolly (rcnnolly) < > [log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> I feel like I am missing something in this discussion. According to >> the AAM recent survey of over 4000 currently employed museum professionals, >> here is the education demographic breakdown: >> >> 7.7% High school >> 5.6 % 2 year degree >> 44.8% B.A. Or 4 year degree >> 35.3% Master’s degree >> 5.1% PhD >> 1.4% Other >> >> The above suggests to me that having a BA or MA is where the action is >> at in terms of museum employment. I routinely advise students that unless >> they want to teach there is little reason for them to continue on for a >> PhD. I am often amazed at the false information students use to justify >> the need for getting a PhD (e.g., can't apply for a grant without a PhD, >> most people with good museum jobs have a PhD, more employable with a PhD, >> etc. etc.) In fact curators and directors of publication were the only job >> classes in the AAM survey where over 10% had PhDs. >> >> I teach in a Graduate Certificate Program (M.A. plus certificate). >> Coincidentally we were going through our alums last week seeing who was >> employed. I don't have the figures in front of me, but we were all >> surprised that a very high number of our grads are employed today, >> including recent grads. A key seems to their employment is flexibility in >> building a career. In the past I used Elizabeth Schalatter's book on >> Museum Careers - it is very linear - here is what a curator does, exhibit >> designer, etc. etc. More recently Burdick's Creative Careers in Museums is >> much more about the entanglement and cross–over in museum positions today. >> >> I will also note that I hired for two museum positions >> (administrative/interpretive) in the last three years and although we had >> over 70 applications each time, in neither case did more than four of the >> applicants have any museum experience or course work. >> >> So yes, unemployment is high. By occupation, I suspect Museum folks >> are actually faring quite a bit better than most ( >> http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t13.htm). >> >> My Egyptology colleagues are unanimous – there are very few jobs for >> Egyptologists. I had dinner last night with a board certified forensic >> anthropologist – a heavy hitter in the field. On her web page ( >> http://inside.msj.edu/academics/faculty/murraye/Careers_in_Forensics.html) she >> announces that regardless of how much you want to emulate the CSI TV shows >> in your careers, there are few of those jobs. A student is well advised to >> review the career opportunities in museums through the AAM job board, >> Museum-L, AAMG-L. and others to see what jobs are actually open these days. >> I tend to have very fruitful advising sessions with students who couple >> their career interests with the current availability or trajectory of >> museum employment possibilities. >> >> My .02 >> >> Robert >> >> Robert P. Connolly, PhD >> Director, C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa >> 1987 Indian Village Drive, Memphis, Tennessee 38109 >> 901-785-3160, ext. 15 >> >> Associate Professor, Anthropology >> The University of Memphis 38152 >> 901-678-3331 >> >> http://www.memphis.edu/chucalissa/ >> http://rcnnolly.wordpress.com/ >> >> The mission of the C.H. Nash Museum at Chucalissa, a division of the >> University of Memphis, is to protect and interpret the Chucalissa >> archaeological site’s cultural and natural environments, and to provide the >> University Community and the public with exceptional educational, >> participatory, and research opportunities on the landscape’s past and >> present Native American and traditional cultures. >> >> >> >> >> On 12/17/12 10:41 AM, "Christopher Woodhouse" <[log in to unmask]> >> wrote: >> >> I have to agree with Dan. There are too many programs and not enough >> jobs, yet our colleges and universities still offer these programs and spit >> out graduates every fall and spring. It is very deceiving, and prospective >> students should ask these institutions for hard data on what their >> placement percentages are before applying/considering a career in this >> sector. >> >> We will not see any change until museums stop requiring higher degrees >> for certain positions. >> >> >> Chris Woodhouse >> >> Unemployed, yet still hopeful, emerging museum professional >> Cranston, RI >> >> ========================================================= >> 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). >> >> >> >> ------------------------------ >> >> To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: >> http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 >> > > > > -- > Dan Bartlett > Curator of Exhibits and Education > Instructor of Museum Studies > Logan Museum of Anthropology > Beloit College > > ------------------------------ > > To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link: > http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1 > ========================================================= 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).