O.K., some of you may remember that months ago, I asked people to send
me their "how I got my first museum job" narratives, which I would read,
try to make sense of, and report back to you.

I've sat on them for a while, but now seems like a good time to report
on this issue.  Although everyone's story was unique (and the answer to
a lot of questions being raised in this thread ARE "it depends". ..),
there are some common denominators.

Bear in mind, my sample is small (9 individuals).

First common denominator:  be willing to take a job that is somewhat
like you are looking for, but not necessarily exactly what you
seek--several respondents took jobs at institutions they were interested
in working at simply to get their foot in the door--larger museums are
always hiring visitor service people, receptionists, or museum shop
personnel.  I started as a secretary at the National Archives.

Second common denominator:  network, network, network.  Get you mug
known, get your name known, use your graduate school contacts, stay in
touch with anyone you know who works in a museum.  As has been repeated
over and over again, sometimes jobs are not advertised right away;
sometimes there is flexibility in hiring (Nancy Russell, who is now
curator at Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, was hired by the Park
Service under "outstanding scholar hiring authority"--news to her and
I'll bet lots of you).  Suck it up and go to a national museum meeting.
Meet and greet as many people as you can--I've discovered that most
people in the museum field--including the big heads--are very
approachable and like to talk to people starting out.  We were all there
once ourselves.  Megan Bryant, Registrar at The Sixth Floor Museum at
Dealey Plaza said "I could not have gotten [either of her jobs] had I
not been present at the AAM conferences in Philadelphia and Minneapolis.
Both jobs were advertised in the job center at the annual meeting, and
NO WHERE ELSE."  It is also amazing how willing strangers are to
recommend you to a friend who is hiring, based on a few minutes
conversation in the exhibit hall.  A corollary to this is write
something--get on a program (not as hard as you might think)--get your
colleagues to notice you.  And use your graduate school networks--I met
an alum of my program (Cooperstown) when I was still in school, and
whenever we cross paths at professional meetings, I always make sure to
say hello.  In at least one instance, I got a job interview with a
friend of his at that very meeting at which we chatted.  I am not sure
this contact will ultimately pay off, but I think it is worth
continuing.

Third common denominator seems to be:  be willing to go where the jobs
are.  When I got out of graduate school, I drew a small circle around
Washington, DC, and began my job search there.  Sure, there were plenty
of jobs, but few were entry level (surfeit of interns, you know) and I
was not qualified, on paper, for much that was open.  My circles got
larger until I landed in Pierre, South Dakota--which defines "middle of
nowhere" and where I ended up spending 7 of the most rewarding years of
my professional life (thanks, David!). It took me 4 years to find that
job!  Sometimes, you need to be willing to take a job in the hinterland
to end up where you want to be.  In order to make good decisions about
where you want to go in your career, you need to look at it
holistically.

Fourth common denominator:  acquire the skills you will need to do the
job you want to do however you can.  Volunteer in a museum if you have
to take a job outside the field to pay bills.  Take advantage of any
free education you can get.  Some skills (like grant writing, public
speaking, computer skills) can be acquired in any number of ways.

Fifth common denominator:  be persistent, don't give up.

Sixth common denominator:  keep current in your field.  Continue to read
the museum publications relevant to what you want.  Drop in on this
forum, or other listservs that interest you (and participate!), make
sure that you know what the issues are, and what current best practices
are.  I secured my job in SD partially because I asked about NAGPRA,
even though I was coming from a place (DC) and an institution (National
Archives) where it was not an issue.

And a last piece of advice:  make sure that you interview well.  If you
fail to secure a position after interviewing call back the hiring
official and ask what would have made you a stronger candidate.  Work on
your answers to typical questions:  why are you interested in museum
work?  what are your strengths and weaknesses?--you know the type.  Make
sure your resume is current, up-to-date, free of spelling and
grammatical errors, and INTERESTING.  Practice talking to strangers if
you must.  And lastly, if you do get an interview at an institution:  do
some research first, so you know where you are, what they collect, and
how you might best fit into their culture.  A master's degree or a great
personality alone won't get you a job--being prepared, flexible, and
able to prove that you can do the job may.

There is no one clear path into the field.  We all got here by different
routes.  You must examine yourself and decide what you are willing and
able to do to get the job you want.

Good luck!

Claudia J. Nicholson
Curator
Museum Collections Department
Minnesota Historical Society
345 Kellogg Blvd. W.
St. Paul, MN  55102-1906
  e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
  Phone:  651-297-7442
  FAX:  651-297-2967