According to Dennis C. Kois: > > On June 3 Helen Glazer, Exhibitions Director, Goucher College wrote: > > "I occasionally get letters in the mail with resumes from recent graduates > [...] asking if positions are available. They all get a boilerplate letter > saying, no, and there will be none in the forseeable future. > I suppose the theory is that I might read over the resume and tuck it > away, or pass it on to someone else, but I wouldn't pass along a resume > from someone I don't know. I can't imagine anything resulting from this > mass mailing approach..." > > > NO, the "theory" is that you might deign to show a modicum of respect for > a recent college graduate by actually taking a moment to seriously > consider their resume should a position be available. Apparently the only > way anyone gets a position in your institution is to know you... hardly a > diverse pool of applicants! > > As a graduate student in Museum Studies at NYU, I have taken both > approaches- responding to the few and far between ads, as well as sent > resumes cold. And in fact, I've gotten more interviews from exhibition > design firms and museums via the "cold" mailings than via the ads. All I > can say is thank goodness not everyone takes the same elitist attitude you > do... I find your comments insulting to those of us who invest our time, > and hard work, not to mention thousands of dollars in grad school (or even > undergrad) only to have their resumes ignored by someone who thinks they > PERSONALLY know everyone who might be qualified for their institution. > Before things get too heated, I think most people would take a middle road between Dennis and Helen. Considering it was only a year ago that I graduated from grad school, I understand Dennis being fed up with unanswered letters and snooty attitudes about new graduates. They often don't get the credit they deserve. At the same time Helen has a point too. One of the biggest lessons I learned in school is that everything is networking and _who you know_. While I myself had no success with cold call letters, I was successful when I sent letters and resumes to people I did know. Former professors, colleagues, and people I met in conferences were glad to hold onto my resume or to keep me in mind when they heard about jobs. That way I had an edge over anyone else who is just coming off the street because the employer would already have a (hopefully) reliable indicator that I would do well in this job. Dennis and Helen both have a point and I'm not siding with either one. Finding a museum job is hard enough! -- Samantha R. Pillar, Executive Director [log in to unmask] VA Fire and Police Museum ph (804)644-1849 200 W. Marshall St., Richmond, VA 23220 fax (804)644-1850 "Some facts are true, some are distorted, and some are untrue." - a State Department spokesperson