I think my post may overlap into the other job frustration threads here
too, but i have a feeling these share a readership.

First, I have found volunteer jobs to be relatively easy to get, if you are
professional about it. Smaller museums tend to need more help, larger ones
have more hoops to go through. Smaller ones seem to let you do more "real"
work, though it may look less impressive on the resume and they are less
likely to have money for hires. After 3 internships, 2 short term grant
funded jobs and one long volunteer, i can tell you that without these I
would have nothing but a very expensive piece of paper to offer to the
museum world. And I can say that without these I would know nothing about
my own field (costume and social history).

I also understand and feel so much of the frustration that I have seen
vented on this list. I understand that it is hard to get experience, but
those of us who have worked, literally, day and night to get the experience
will most likely not want to adhere to the thought that the inexperienced
should get hired more.

I also want to thank some of the members of this list for repeatedly saying
that it is worth it if you love it. I truly do love my work (when I get to
do it) and have become very discouraged over the last year. I have
experience, an MA, and killer recommendations and still am not hired. It is
good to know that I am not alone in this and that there is always a little
more I can do to help myself. I will continue to search, volunteer, grovel
and freelance until that happy day when I will again experience the magic
of health insurance and a regular paycheck.

Elizabeth Walton
www.clotheslinejournal.com



At 09:55 AM 9/12/02 -0700, you wrote:
>I am interested in the details about how to go about
>volunteering in museums.
>Do museums generally require a minimum hour
>commitment?
>Do you have to have previous experience?
>What if you work M-F 8-5?
>Are you able to choose your volunteer activity?
>
>I am guessing that gaining worthwhile volunteer
>experience may be almost as difficult as landing a job!
>
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