On Sun, 2 Jan 2005 21:26:44 -0500, Stephanie E. Santos
<[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> We all know how tight budgets are in the museum world but does that mean those of us "up and comers" should switch our careers since no one can afford to hire any of us?
Well I hate to be doom and gloom but it probably wouldn't hurt. There
are loads of jobs out there in related fields that will give you
experience that will apply to museum work which is more valuable than
advanced degrees in the long run. And while you are working in that
related field, you can volunteer or work part-time on the side to
build up your museum contacts and network.
> Part of the problem is the fact you do indeed need to "resume spam" (love the
> term) to have a chance, or I'd have a job lined up already.
Eh, yes and no. All the museum jobs I have gotten was because I knew
someone who knew someone. I think having "connections" will get you
jobs than applying to as many jobs as possible. Now granted, some of
the jobs I've gotten have been through meeting people at job
interviews.
> Also, how many museums are in need of a medical anthropologist with a specialization in West Africa? This is why I tailor each cover letter to each position, since I've yet to see an advert for such a person (but if anyone knows of one, please let me know) in Boston or anywhere else for that matter.
Well, not to be harsh, but if you pick a speciality like that, you
should be prepared for a tough job hunt. I think the biggest problem
with museum job seekers and to some extent, job seekers in general, is
that people are too focused in their searches. Instead of looking at
their skills and seeing what kinds of jobs they fit into, people are
looking for specific jobs. If you look at yourself as having valuable
skills and then looking at job applications to see how well your
skills fit into the job, you will vastly increase your chances of
getting a job. If instead, you are looking for an anthropology
position or something specific to West Africa, you've automatically
cut yourself out of many jobs that you'd otherwise be qualified for.
It's kind of like looking for a house. If you want the perfect little
brick rambler with a yard and a white picket fence, you'll be looking
for a while. If you look for something that has enough space for all
of your junk and enough of a yard for your dog to run around in, you
will have many more houses to choose from and will probably be
pleasantly surprised at what you find.
> I might also add that career services at most universities are of little to no
> help (at least the 3 colleges I've attended) when it comes to job searches in
> our field.
Yep. I had one lady look at a cover letter of mine and say that I was
trying to include too many things in it. Then I showed her the job
announcement and she was shocked to see all the things they were
asking for. I've found that doing informational interviews and going
to conferences is a lot more helpful to find what people are looking
for in the field you want to go into, than the generic career
counselors.
And then there's my "Deb's Unofficial Guide to Finding a Museum Job"
which has been immortalized at [log in to unmask]
http://arthistory.about.com/cs/forprofessionals/a/debsguide.htm
Deb
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