How to Get a Job in a Museum Or Art Gallery - By Alison Baverstock Page 0,85
not yet employed. Many people find their parents and wider family a useful job-searching resource, and they can often pick up references in local papers which may be worth pursuing (if you wish to return to your home area). Flexibility is important:
‘In logistic terms, a career in this world does require you to be mobile, and to fit your friendship and family patterns to that mobility – and I mean internationally, not just within the UK. Jobs are rare and need to be moved to, whether in the UK or overseas.’
DAVID FALKNER, DIRECTOR, STANLEY PICKER GALLERY, KINGSTON
Once you have found a job to apply for, note the date by which you must apply, read the person specification carefully and note the process by which to progress your application (if you send in a CV and a covering letter and they have asked you to contact them for an application pack, then you have shown that you are not particularly detail-orientated).
Before you even think about completing the application form, or sending in your own application, you must devote careful attention to the role for which you are applying. Remember that time and effort is put into drafting job descriptions and advertisements, so respond with similar care. Some employers now use computer programs to do a first sift of applications; these programs look for a match between the verbs used in the job advertisement and the verbs used in the applicant’s response – in other words has the applicant based their application on the information provided about what the organisation is looking for? A useful tip is to follow the advice commonly given to those preparing for oral examinations in foreign languages at school – listen out for the verb and deliver it back, with an example attached.
For an example of this process in practice, here’s an advertisement that appeared on the website www.museumjobs.com/uk/
Organisation: National Media Museum
Salary: £13,343 p.a.
Type: Full-Time Position Contract: 12 months fi xed term
Location: Bradford, England
Closing Date: Thursday, April 23rd, 2009
Job Ref No:
Job Description:
Job Title: Collections Access Assistant
Salary: 13,343 per annum
Full time, 36 hours per week
12 months fixed term
Closing date: 23rd April 2009
Award winning, visionary and truly unique, The National Media Museum embraces photography, film, television, radio and new media, including the Web. Part of the NMSI family of museums, it aims to engage, inspire and educate through comprehensive collections, innovative education programmes and a powerful yet sensitive approach to contemporary issues.
Insight is the Collections and Research Centre of the National Media Museum. Joining the Collections team, you will research, identify and repatriate archived material to facilitate and encourage public access. Specifically, your work will focus on the Zoltan Glass project.
Glass was a Hungarian photographer who specialised in documenting the pre-war German car industry and also undertook glamour and advertising photography. The Museum holds over 12,000 images of his, some of which are currently being catalogued, digitised and sequenced.
Required Skills:
Demonstrable experience in collections care/management and access gained within a museum/heritage environment is essential. Keen to learn, you will be able to understand and engage with the Zoltan Glass project, as well as embracing the broader access and outreach philosophy of the Museum. An up-to-date knowledge of cataloguing and documentation best practice is also important – ideally supported by a natural, ongoing interest in photography and other media.
Application Instructions:
To apply, please write with full CV and covering letter to: The HR Department, National Media Museum, Bradford BD1 1NQ or email: [email protected]
We regret that we can only respond to successful applicants.
Here is the job advertisement again, this time with some helpful notes on what to consider before you think about responding.
Job Description:
Job Title: Collections Access Assistant1
Salary: 13,343 per annum
Full time, 36 hours per week
12 months fixed term2
Closing date: 23rd April 2009
Award winning, visionary and truly unique,3 The National Media Museum embraces photography, film, television, radio and new media, including the web. Part of the NMSI family of museums,4 it aims to engage, inspire and educate5 through comprehensive collections,6 innovative education programmes7 and a powerful yet sensitive approach to contemporary issues.8
Insight9 is the Collections and Research Centre of the National Media Museum. Joining the Collections team, you will research, identify and repatriate10 archived material to facilitate and encourage public access.11 Specifically, your work will focus on the Zoltan12 Glass project.
Glass was a Hungarian photographer who specialised in documenting the pre-war German car industry and also undertook glamour and advertising photography. The Museum holds over 12,000 images of his, some of which are currently being catalogued, digitised and sequenced.13