At 10:11 AM 6/2/96 -0400, you wrote: >Is it really ethical to advertise a position when the institution has no >intention of playing by the rules and giving all applicants an equal >chance? I realize that some museums are required to advertise any >openings (although just who sets these rules is never quite clear), but I >think it is very unfair to those job-seekers who spend hours writing >resumes and cover letters to museums that already have chosen their >candidates before placing the ad. > >A disgruntled job-seeker > Having been in your position in the past I can truly sympathize. The reality is that many positions are filled through networking before the ads are placed. I would guess that roughly 1/3 are preselected, 1/3 are truly open, and 1/3 are affected by other sometimes bizarre factors (Was he/she born in the state? Did he/she go to your university?). A good clue is the "open until filled" line in many ads. Bogus (to use a GEN X phrase). Most legit ads have cutoff dates, and you will see "search reopened" if qualified candidates aren't found. One reason for so many "sham" postings is that governmental agencies are required to publically post openings if there are no qualified internal candidates, and do, but the jobs are often preselected. Many do not like doing it, but are required to. I personally find the "sham" interview much more irritating, costly and time consuming than the "sham" ad. Traveling cross-country, burning up vacation time and spending unreimbursed $$ for a five minute pro forma interview is unbelievably aggravating. (By the way, the two positions we have open at my institution have NOT been preselected. Honest. And we will not interview candidates in whom we are not seriously interested.) My suggestion would be to develop an "adaptable" resume and cover letter that can be tailored to specific positions on a word processor in just a few minutes. Then you can send them out on "spec" with little work, have a quality product, and wait for the "hits." It is a lot like trying to place a novel with a publisher. In my younger days I could package three to five in an evening with my trusty 80286. Expect about 10% to 30% affirmative first round responses IF you have a good work record and a well built resume. Someone starting in the field should perhaps expect 2% to 10%. And the rounds are long. It often takes 30 to 90 days after application deadlines closes before the first cut. Don't wait on a specific job -- send out resumes for as many interest you. The job market is just too tight to do otherwise. Take heart, those institutions that do place "sham" ads usually receive 200 or more applications per opening, must shovel through all that mail and usually have to interview at least 3 to 5 candidates. And those that fail to respond with courtesy to candidates occasionally get theirs. I can remember receiving a panicked request from an arrogant institution requesting the loan of an artifact they really needed to save an exhibit. As I talked to the representative I casually remarked that they had not even responded to a resume I filed on a position some years before and acted irritated when I called after 90 days. You could hear the sweat break even without fiber optic lines . . . Needless to say, I broke records helping them out. Right. What goes around comes around. Lastly, employers appreciate it if candidates do not waste their time applying for jobs for which they lack the minimum qualifications, concentrations and experience. If a position requires an M.A., don't apply with a B.A. If they want an architectural specialization, don't apply if you majored in cultural anthropology. My favorite was an applicant who wanted to apply for a curatorial position. "I think I am qualified," the letter began, "but could you tell me what a curator does?" I gently suggested that perhaps the candidate needed further training and career consideration. Good luck and keep the faith! ---------------------- Byron Johnson, Director Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum P.O. Box 2570 Waco, Texas 76702-2570 E-Mail: [log in to unmask] Phone: 817-750-8631 ------------------------------ "...Unless a people are educated and enlightened it is idle to expect the continuance of civil liberty or the capacity for self-government." - Texas Declaration of Independence, March 2, 1836.