The holy grail for most History or Archeology students. Most will consider it, but then likely move on to a more realistic career. But for the precious few, we keep on persevering towards it!
It's not been an easy path for me to get to the stage I'm at. Having done History at University, I dabbled in PR thinking that it would be the best way to get into the business side of Museums. Predictably, I hated it and have been doing internships in Museums/organisations ever since!
Through all of this, I've learnt a lot and I wanted to share what I see as the positives and negatives of the Museum industry. These are really important to bear in mind if you're trying to break into it:
The Positives:
1. There is a genuine community.
And it's not an elitist one! In terms of the business side of Museums, everyone is very close but this particularly applies to Curators and exhibition teams. The connections you make throughout a particular project stay with you, and Curators appear to know each other really well as they are so specialised.
2. The 'stuff' is awesome.
There is no doubt that any history lover would dream at handling genuine historical artefacts all day. Having searched for jobs in every corner of the industry, I can tell you that there is SO much out there. If you have a particular expertise in ceramic doll-faces, there's something for you. Done a PhD on dog paintings? No problem. There are ongoing exhibition projects all the time that cater to every kind of collections you can imagine.
4. Almost everyone works their way up.
Unlike most other job markets, any Linkedin account of someone who works in a Museum shows they worked their way up. There is very little of the 'connections' malarky, just genuine honest people who started out going through the collections databases. Or doing a degree!
5. The difficulty of getting a job in a Museum means that everyone is very understanding.
If you email someone asking a question, they will answer! My experience has been wonderful with everyone who already has a job in the industry. People are always very sympathetic, and I think this is due to the sheer difficulty of securing a paid position.
The Negatives:
1. Internships and volunteering is expected.
Sadly, this is why it is so hard to get into the industry. I have done two internships now, and I can tell you now, there is no job at the end. With government cuts hitting the heritage sector hard, if they can get free labour, they will use it. It is all good experience, but you need to go into these programmes prepared and with realistic expectations. I have had to grit my teeth at many a family gathering where you hear the usual "Have they offered you a job yet?"
2. Education is more highly regarded than experience.
This point came as the biggest shock to me. We are told over and over again that without experience, a job isn't possible. But in trying to become a Curator, I have now resolved to go back to University to do either Museum Studies, Public History or Medieval History, as they are the very basic requirement of most jobs. These degrees are good, as part of it involves a placement within a Museum, and you get an understanding of the theory behind it all. A professor I recently spoke to explained that most of her students have noticed a dramatic improvement in the number of interviews they get once they have a Masters degree on their CV. However, it is expensive and time consuming when you just want to hit the career ladder.
3. Pay
It's always an awkward topic, and when you're fresh out of University it doesn't seem like it matters so long as you have your dream job, right? But taking the above into account, you will put yourself in more debt whilst those around you progress and earn money. It's just worth bearing this in mind, as even in the higher up jobs, pay is scarce. This is a particular problem in regional museums.
4. Rigid structures
In the big Museums, it is apparent that branding is everything. Whilst exhibitions and collections management are really important, the main focus is on how it matches to the Museum's branding and how much money it will bring in. This is completely understandable, as the government money 'pool' is quickly shrinking. If Museums are to survive, they need to keep focussed on generating money. It does make for a very rigid organisational structure though, which some people have really struggled working with.
5. An ageing workforce means less frequent job postings
The workforce in Curator-ville stands still for many years. It's simply because most Museum staff stay with that institution for years as they are either very specialised or just enjoy it. What this results in is people like us getting rejections often, and the jobs we've always dreamed of remaining out of reach. Now I'm not criticising older workers (far from it!), but this is important when applying for jobs, as it will become obvious that other industries have jobs left, right and centre.
So I hope that helps a little. The key thing is to keep going, keep your dream in front of you and ignore negative comments people might say to you. Anything that involves working with history (if you love it) is worth getting out of bed for, even if it takes years to get there.
My top job sites:
Leicester Museum Studies Jobs Desk - Updated every Thursday, this is where I find the majority of my internships as they are all posted on here.
Guardian Jobs Arts and Heritage Section - Very good for areas of the industry you weren't aware of and it is updated every day.
National Museum Directors Council - Again, updated frequently.
Museum Jobs - This doesn't have as many postings, so use it alongside any of the above.
Museums Association - Worth a look now and then (not amazing with the amount posted on here).
Arts and Media Jobs - You have to hunt, but Museum jobs are often posted on here.
Two sites where you need to look directly:
Historic Royal Palaces
The Royal Household/Royal Collections Trust
Finally, give me a shout if you want any more advice. I would love to hear your experiences!
x
No comments:
Post a Comment