In a message dated 9/11/2002 12:09:35 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< (Rarely does volunteering translate into a job.) >>

It depends.  Sometimes this is a policy or philosophy issue.  My boss has
hired former volunteers and interns and is very open to the idea.  Over the
last few years we've hired half a dozen for paid positions.  Usually these
were short-term, grant-funded jobs at the low end of the scale, but one was a
permanent position with promotion potential, and it was a question of being
in the right place at the right time--it was feasible to create a job for
her, although admittedly such a situation isn't likely to happen again soon
under current conditions.  There are no guarantees, but sometimes things have
worked out.

Three years ago I had an intern for a collection processing project, and when
I got a small grant, she was the logical candidate, so I didn't seek or
interview anyone else.  Unfortunately, she threw it away for unknown
reasons--showed up for her first day, got her HR orientation, was
fingerprinted, etc., and came to the office (meanwhile, I was stuck in
Cincinnati when planes were grounded for a snowstorm), but she never came
back and was never heard from again; I even called her mother, who assured me
she was fine, but she never returned or called to say what happened.  (She
got paid for a half day's "work".)  So, with no other prospects at hand and
needing to fill the position quickly, I gave my upcoming unpaid summer intern
a shot at the job in her place.  He was pleasantly surprised to find that he
was going to get a salary!  (We don't usually interview interns in advance,
just select them from applications, but as I had coincidentally met him while
giving a lecture at his university, I suspected he would be great at the job,
and I was right.  We both lucked out.)

I think it's perfectly appropriate for a prospective intern or volunteer to
inquire about eventual job opportunities.  If you apply to two museums, and
one says we never hire from the intern/volunteer ranks, but the other says it
can happen sometimes, go for "sometimes."  I don't know if our situation is
unusual, but we feel that unpaid assistants who have done well and are known
quantities are good candidates when a paying job opens up.  It can help to
get your foot in the door--sometimes.

Um, in case you're wondering--I don't see anything on the horizon right now.
Maybe next year!

David Haberstich

=========================================================
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).