How To Get A Job In A Museum Or Art Gallery Part 7

Throughout my career, although I have carried out similar museum or gallery education roles, my job t.i.tle has varied. Originally I was Education Officer or Education Co-ordinator, working with a wide range of visitors. When my job has focused on a specific audience group, this has featured in my t.i.tle, for example a.s.sistant Curator: Schools Programmes (Tate Modern), or Young People's Programmes Manager (National Portrait Gallery). Interestingly at Tate Modern the word 'curator' was included with the aim of creating equal status between exhibitions and education staff. I have also seen the names of education departments change over the years, and I have worked in both 'Interpretation and Education' and 'Learning and Access' teams. Recently both Tate Modern and the National Portrait Gallery have renamed their education departments 'Learning'. Alternative department names include 'Learning and Partic.i.p.ation' (Southbank Centre) and 'Interaction' (Artangel).

In line with this, the narrow definition of an education role in museums and galleries the path that I have so far followed has developed to include posts that involve working outside the inst.i.tution, such as outreach work or within the realm of Public Art, often blurring the line between education and curators.h.i.+p. One such example is the Community Projects Curator role at Art on the Underground. Since 2000 this organisation has been working with artists, sometimes in partners.h.i.+p with a museum or gallery, to create and present new artworks to enhance the journeys for people using the London Underground system. So while inst.i.tutions still aim to attract audiences through their doors, art is also being taken out into the 'real world' and being placed in an everyday context.

The future In the 10 or so years I have worked in museums and galleries, the emphasis has s.h.i.+fted from 'education' to 'learning'. There has also been a move from the mission of locating 'education at the core of the museum' to learning becoming available museum or gallery-wide. I believe there will always be a place for education or learning departments but that the responsibility for learning needs to become spread throughout each museum or gallery.

In a world full of developing technologies, learning also needs to go beyond the walls of the inst.i.tution. Virtual or e-learning has started to become a big growth area within the museum and gallery sector.

Tate has even defined Tate Online as their fifth gallery. We have come a long way since public museums were first set up in the mid-19th century. Who knows where we will be in another 150 years?

Recommended reading Taylor, Barbara (ed.), Inspiring Learning in Galleries. Inspiring Learning in Galleries. London: Engage, 2006. London: Engage, 2006.

Hooper-Greenhill, Eileen (ed.), The Educational Role of the Museum: Second Edition Leicester Readers in Museum Studies. The Educational Role of the Museum: Second Edition Leicester Readers in Museum Studies. London and New York: Routledge, 1999. London and New York: Routledge, 1999.

Hooper-Greenhill, Eileen et al, Inspiration, Ident.i.ty, Learning: The Value of Museums. Inspiration, Ident.i.ty, Learning: The Value of Museums. London: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2004. London: Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2004.

Moffat, Hazel and Vicky Woollard (eds.), Museum and Gallery Education: A Manual of Good Practice Professional Museum and Heritage Series. Museum and Gallery Education: A Manual of Good Practice Professional Museum and Heritage Series. Lanham: AltaMira Press, 2000. Lanham: AltaMira Press, 2000.

Case Study Interview with Pooja Raj Kalyan, member of the Young People's Programme Youth Forum at the National Gallery 'My family have never been interested in art, but I got very involved in the subject at school. I enjoyed some really good teaching there and would hang out in the art department a lot. I was part of the 'gifted and talented' scheme within our school and one of my teachers suggested I apply for the Young Graduates in Museums and Galleries (YGMG) scheme, which offered a two-week 'backstage' tour of a range of galleries and museums, giving the chance to see inside them and how they work, followed by a two-week placement at a venue of your choice. The scheme was very compet.i.tive, but I was accepted and then chose to work in the National Portrait Gallery, which is how I met Rachel Moss, the Young People's Programmes Manager. I became part of her Youth Forum, a group of people aged between 14 and 21 who encourage visitors of the same age to come in and enjoy what is free for all to share. We have a meeting once a month and, although we do not have a budget of our own, we have access to funds to support the ideas we come up with if they are approved by the gallery staff we work with.

'Some of the events we put on have been such fun to work on and I have really enjoyed taking part. Anyone who is in the gallery at the time can join in, and we try to encourage as many young people as we can to come in specially. One event I particularly remember was when 15 portraits were selected and young people were offered the opportunity to choose one and be dressed and made up to match. It was fascinating and really made people look at the details of the costume and how the individual is presented on the canvas.

'After a few months I had the opportunity to apply to be a "visitor services a.s.sistant". The gallery takes on about 12 at a time, every now and again, and the number of people applying is huge most of them already have BAs in Art History or a similar expertise. I am proud to say I was the youngest person ever appointed to this role I was still at school at the time and am continuing now that I'm in my first year at the London College of Fas.h.i.+on, studying broadcast journalism. The commitment is 12 hours a week, which combines well with my studies and it is a paid role. I wear a uniform of a red s.h.i.+rt and am a.s.signed to various galleries in turn to answer questions from the public and help them locate things they want to find (sometimes a specific portrait, sometimes the bathroom). I really enjoy the work and love answering their questions. You get moved quite regularly and so don't get bored with any single room. Until I worked here, my inclination would always be for modern art, so I have been surprised at how much I love the older pictures my favourite is the portrait of Barbara Palmer (nee Villiers), d.u.c.h.ess of Cleveland (and mistress of Charles II) with her son, Charles Fitzroy, presented as Madonna and Child by Sir Peter Lely.

'I love talking about the gallery and encouraging others to come. My family was not that interested in art but have become much more so, although my brother says I talk about it too much at home. I have also made many new friends, those for whom an interest in art is much more an accepted part of life (such as my new friends at university) and this has made me see that I am not so unusual. I think my self-confidence has grown substantially through the project. There are few people from other ethnic backgrounds working in museums and galleries, and I am proud to be one of them.

'In the future I may decide to work in this world, but I also want to work for a big brand, such as Tate or perhaps Chanel. The gallery feels different now, and sometimes it is hard to look at the images on the wall when I am busy planning events or thinking about how to write a leaflet to encourage others to come in through my work on the Youth Forum. That's why it's so lovely to be in the gallery answering questions and just looking yourself when things are really quiet. My favourite time of all is Friday evenings when music is being played and you can wander around looking and listening at the same time.'

Part 3:

Preparing to find a job

Chapter 11

The advantages of a Master's degree when seeking a career in museums and galleries

By Ann V. Gunn, Lecturer in Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of St Andrews

In 1987, when the Museums and Galleries Commission published a report on Museum Professional Training and Career Structure, Museum Professional Training and Career Structure, between 30 and 50 postgraduate students a year completed a Master's degree in Museum Studies at the universities of Leicester and Manchester. between 30 and 50 postgraduate students a year completed a Master's degree in Museum Studies at the universities of Leicester and Manchester.1 Two decades later, figures gathered by the Museums a.s.sociation (MA) showed that there were 529 students enrolled on 13 courses recognised by the MA. Two decades later, figures gathered by the Museums a.s.sociation (MA) showed that there were 529 students enrolled on 13 courses recognised by the MA.2 This 10-fold increase reflects a number of factors, including the growing professionalisation of museum work, the greater number of museums and galleries and the wider availability of postgraduate courses. And it does not include the many other courses in, for instance, heritage management, tourism, art and curators.h.i.+p, or arts management, which have also developed in recent years. This 10-fold increase reflects a number of factors, including the growing professionalisation of museum work, the greater number of museums and galleries and the wider availability of postgraduate courses. And it does not include the many other courses in, for instance, heritage management, tourism, art and curators.h.i.+p, or arts management, which have also developed in recent years.

While this increase in student numbers inevitably leads to greater compet.i.tion for the available jobs, it also demonstrates that there is a wide demand for postgraduate training.

What do you get from a Master's programme that you can't get from other museum training?

First of all, you will get what you get out of any postgraduate work a chance to extend your learning beyond the undergraduate level, the opportunity to begin to specialise, to work in depth on a topic or field of study, to advance your knowledge and to develop your expertise. A Master's degree can be a step on the way to further academic work and a doctorate.

A Master's degree can sometimes provide a vocational component to your training, complementing or enhancing academic knowledge gained in a first degree and introducing you to a particular area of professional practice. It is often also an essential professional qualification. For mature or mid-career students, a Master's degree might provide an academic break, and chance to rethink and change direction. It can be an opportunity to re-skill or enhance existing skills for example people in business management might study for an MBA in order to broaden their knowledge, put their day-to-day work into a theoretical framework and increase their promotion prospects.

Whatever your academic area, a Master's programme will provide you with intellectual training. You will have to develop research skills to explore your subject; read, a.s.similate and apply the theoretical background; acquire a body of knowledge; collect and a.n.a.lyse data; solve problems; evaluate and think critically, a.n.a.lytically, and reflec-tively; organise your thoughts, communicate them effectively and write articulately. You will have to manage your time and your research project and learn to work independently.

A Master's degree in Museum and Gallery Studies will be both theoretical and practical, academic and vocational. Museums require people with practical abilities as well as intellectual skills, so almost all courses have a very strong vocational flavour, and include practical and applied elements and work placements based in museums and galleries. a.s.signments for a.s.sessment of the taught course will rarely be confined to academic essays, but will involve evaluation exercises, report writing and other formats. Teaching may involve group work, seminars, handling sessions and demonstrations, visits to museums and exhibitions, talks from visiting professionals, student presentations, discussions and debates, as well as formal lectures.

Project work and placements An important element of most museum and gallery studies courses is practical project work. This will teach project management skills, such as how to define aims and objectives, identify the skills and resources required, manage time effectively and how to work with others. Projects may be undertaken by an individual or as part of a group so students will need to be both motivated self-starters and also good team players. Students may then be required to write project reports not only describing what they did, but also reflecting on what they learned.

A very valuable part of many museum studies courses is a placement in a museum. This gives students the opportunity to work alongside and learn from professionals in a wide variety of museum work, to see how theory underpins best practice and to get hands-on experience. Placements can also help students decide if museum work in general, and one branch of it in particular, is really what they want to do.

Diploma In the UK, many students take a diploma after finis.h.i.+ng the taught element of a postgraduate course, rather than continuing on to research and write a dissertation. This has been regarded as a perfectly acceptable qualification, especially for those who are going into areas of museum work which do not require research skills. However, the intellectual training required for research is also needed for museum staff undertaking market research, visitor studies or exhibition evaluation so progression to the Master's degree is now more common.

Dissertation For most Master's degrees, a dissertation is written after the taught element of the course. This gives students the opportunity to carry out some original research, developing research questions and thinking about research methodology as well as undertaking some in-depth reading and developing critical and a.n.a.lytical thinking skills. The topic could be chosen strategically to enhance employability or it could be an opportunity to expand an area of academic interest or extend specialist interests. For anyone wis.h.i.+ng to become a subject specialist curator, the dissertation could be tailored to an aspect of that subject or could be based on a particular collection. Because museums and their collections are so varied there is a rich and virtually endless vein of material to be mined for object-based research projects. Students looking to have careers in other areas of museum work can find plenty of scope for original research topics in museum ethics, collections management, audience development, visitor studies, exhibition evaluation, learning theory, interpretation, and so on.

Curriculum Each museum and gallery studies course is different with its own unique emphasis, but on the whole they follow similar broad outlines. Most incorporate the main features of the International Council of Museum's (ICOM) International Committee for Training of Personnel (ICTOP) syllabus (1981) and Curricula Guidelines for Professional Development Curricula Guidelines for Professional Development (2008). (2008).3 These guidelines identify five areas where particular 'competencies' are needed: general skills such as problem-solving or good communication skills; museology understanding museums and their purposes; the management skills needed to run museums efficiently; public programming; and collections and information management. These guidelines identify five areas where particular 'competencies' are needed: general skills such as problem-solving or good communication skills; museology understanding museums and their purposes; the management skills needed to run museums efficiently; public programming; and collections and information management.

ICTOP recommends that museum training programmes should consider the reasons for, and functions of museums; how collections develop and how they are used, researched and cared for; what kind of services and programmes are provided for the public; how to provide the greatest possible access to museum collections while also preserving them; and what skills are needed to run all of a museum's different activities. Therefore most courses will cover the theoretical framework and the social and political context within which museums operate, the history and development of museums and galleries; the different definitions, types and purposes of museums; collections, their development and management; interpretation; audiences and their varied needs and a wide range of management topics from financial planning to personnel.

The American a.s.sociation of Museums (AAM) Committee on Museum Professional Training (COMPT) has issued standards and best practice guidelines. While these look at a whole range of training programmes, you can use them to a.s.sess the content and delivery of degree courses you may be applying for.4 The guidelines cover four areas: programme goals; content; instructors and instructional approaches and responsibilities. COMPT has also carried out research to find out what the museum community felt was required from the training provided by museum studies courses for entry-level positions. Based on feedback from museum professionals, the study came up with a list of topics for a core curriculum which include: museum departments and professions; museum ethics; laws and regulations; museums as educational inst.i.tutions; collections care and conservation; museum history; museum finance; governance and organisation and museums and technology. The guidelines cover four areas: programme goals; content; instructors and instructional approaches and responsibilities. COMPT has also carried out research to find out what the museum community felt was required from the training provided by museum studies courses for entry-level positions. Based on feedback from museum professionals, the study came up with a list of topics for a core curriculum which include: museum departments and professions; museum ethics; laws and regulations; museums as educational inst.i.tutions; collections care and conservation; museum history; museum finance; governance and organisation and museums and technology.5 How do you find out about courses?

In the UK, museum and gallery studies courses advertise in the MA's Museums Year Book Museums Year Book, in the monthly Museums Journal Museums Journal and on the MA website. There are currently over thirty courses offering postgraduate courses in museums, galleries, conservation or heritage studies. A number of courses were until recently known as 'recognised courses'. These courses met certain standards set by the now-defunct Cultural Heritage National Training Organisation (CHNTO) and these validated courses were recognised by the MA as approved training for Route C for the a.s.sociates.h.i.+p of the Museums a.s.sociation (AMA). They are listed on the MA website in the Professional Development section. and on the MA website. There are currently over thirty courses offering postgraduate courses in museums, galleries, conservation or heritage studies. A number of courses were until recently known as 'recognised courses'. These courses met certain standards set by the now-defunct Cultural Heritage National Training Organisation (CHNTO) and these validated courses were recognised by the MA as approved training for Route C for the a.s.sociates.h.i.+p of the Museums a.s.sociation (AMA). They are listed on the MA website in the Professional Development section.6 CHNTO ceased to exist in 2002 so the MA was unable to add to this list any of the courses set up since that date. The Sector Skills Council now responsible for museums and galleries (Creative and Cultural Skills) has discontinued the process of course validation. At the time of writing the MA has just re-launched the AMA and no formal qualifications are now required to register for this. CHNTO ceased to exist in 2002 so the MA was unable to add to this list any of the courses set up since that date. The Sector Skills Council now responsible for museums and galleries (Creative and Cultural Skills) has discontinued the process of course validation. At the time of writing the MA has just re-launched the AMA and no formal qualifications are now required to register for this.

Among the Master's degrees offered by the recognised courses are: Heritage Management; Museums and Collections Management; Museology; Museum Studies; Gallery Studies; Museum Management, Geology, Museums and Earth Heritage; Heritage Education and Interpretation; Museum and Gallery Studies and National Trust for Scotland Studies. The degree t.i.tles reflect the different emphasis of each course for instance Heritage Management or Collections Management. The larger departments offer a choice of modules for those who wish to specialise in, for example, art galleries rather than museums. In addition some courses favour a particular subject specialism. For instance, the Birmingham University course at Ironbridge would suit someone with an interest in industrial heritage whereas the University College London course is more suited to those with experience in archaeology. On the other hand, although the University of St Andrews course is based in the School of Art History, students are welcomed from all academic backgrounds and interests. Prospective students for any of these, or the many more recently established courses, should do thorough homework to make sure the chosen programme meets their needs and interests.

It is also very easy now to find courses on the Internet. A number of websites have worldwide listings of courses, including The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies (SCEMS) Training Program Web Sites Directory and the Global Museum site.7 The latter lists 23 courses in the UK including courses specialising in, for instance, Maritime Heritage, Conservation, and Critical Museology. In the US nearly 50 courses are listed and in Canada, eight inst.i.tutions offer courses including the well-established programmes at the Universities of Victoria and Toronto. Nine courses are listed in Australia and New Zealand, and 32 in Europe. The latter lists 23 courses in the UK including courses specialising in, for instance, Maritime Heritage, Conservation, and Critical Museology. In the US nearly 50 courses are listed and in Canada, eight inst.i.tutions offer courses including the well-established programmes at the Universities of Victoria and Toronto. Nine courses are listed in Australia and New Zealand, and 32 in Europe.

Museum studies courses in the US are also listed on the website of the a.s.sociation of College and University Museums and Art Galleries (Ac.u.mG).8 This compilation also includes undergraduate courses and single modules. The 2009 Ac.u.mG conference addressed the topic of museum studies and the round-table discussions can be found on their website. This compilation also includes undergraduate courses and single modules. The 2009 Ac.u.mG conference addressed the topic of museum studies and the round-table discussions can be found on their website.9 One partic.i.p.ant recorded 33 undergraduate programmes and 56 graduate programmes. One partic.i.p.ant recorded 33 undergraduate programmes and 56 graduate programmes.

Many course providers also run part-time and distance learning versions, which would suit students who are already working and do not want to take a year out. Some of these allow part-time students to study a module with the full-time students; some require attendance at a number of separately run residential schools, or a single summer school. Students considering this type of course must ensure they have access to a computer and the Internet.

How do you get on a course?

Most courses are heavily oversubscribed for a limited number of places. A good undergraduate degree is a pre-requisite for any Master's programme. While it seems that the majority of applicants have studied a humanities subject, the subject of your undergraduate degree is rarely a deciding factor for acceptance on a course.10 Museums and galleries are multi- and inter-disciplinary inst.i.tutions which need people interested in the arts, sciences, IT, management, marketing, material culture, education, publis.h.i.+ng, tourism, events management, business, public relations and so on. Museums and galleries are multi- and inter-disciplinary inst.i.tutions which need people interested in the arts, sciences, IT, management, marketing, material culture, education, publis.h.i.+ng, tourism, events management, business, public relations and so on.

To give yourself a compet.i.tive edge it is essential to demonstrate your enthusiasm, interest and commitment. Many applicants have undertaken voluntary work in a museum during summer vacations for example, and this also gives you the opportunity to decide if this really is what you want to do. It is also important to target the course most likely to meet your interests, so you must do your homework about the different courses; look at the website, visit, and talk to others who have done the course. The Museum Discussion List, Museum-L, frequently features requests for recommendations for museum studies courses from prospective students, particularly in the US, and the archive of discussion threads might also contain some useful information.11 In the UK the Museums a.s.sociation has been at the forefront of efforts to bring greater diversity into the museum and gallery workforce through their Diversify Diversify scheme. This has brought museums and course providers together and through the provision of bursaries, has allowed students from minority ethnic backgrounds to gain experience and a post graduate qualification. The latest round of grants in 2009 was targeted at a wider field of under-represented groups, including those from low-income backgrounds, and deaf and disabled people. Information about the scheme can be found on the Museums a.s.sociation website. scheme. This has brought museums and course providers together and through the provision of bursaries, has allowed students from minority ethnic backgrounds to gain experience and a post graduate qualification. The latest round of grants in 2009 was targeted at a wider field of under-represented groups, including those from low-income backgrounds, and deaf and disabled people. Information about the scheme can be found on the Museums a.s.sociation website.

Interviews Many museum studies courses interview applicants and this is also a good opportunity for you to decide if this is the course and the university for you. As well as seeing the facilities available you might have the chance to meet the staff and talk to current students about the course. Use an interview to ask questions about opportunities to further your particular interests, and also to find out about student destinations and the employment records of graduates from the course.

Career prospects It is important to be realistic about career prospects in the museum sector. It is a highly compet.i.tive market and not everyone will succeed in getting their ideal job. There is also considerable debate about whether a postgraduate museum studies course is essential for museum work, with conflicting messages coming from employers. On the one hand, job criteria often specify a postgraduate qualification, while on the other, applicants are often told they are over-qualified and have not acquired the desired practical or managerial skills on their course. There are other ways to begin a career in museums, such as trainees.h.i.+ps, apprentices.h.i.+ps, or coming in from another sector such as education or marketing. Therefore it is important for you to decide that the Master's degree is the route for you.

In addition to the benefits outlined above, until recently a postgraduate museum studies qualification, along with two-year continuous professional development (CPD) was one route for eligibility for the Museums a.s.sociation AMA. The MA expected the qualification to demonstrate a broad understanding of museum work and museum principles. Whether or not a postgraduate qualification remains as one possible criterion for the AMA, knowledge of the sector beyond your own workplace is likely to be required. The broad view and theoretical underpinning delivered by a postgraduate course is very useful as you begin a career in the museum sector, and is not something you can acquire from work experience. The research, organisational and communication skills acquired from writing a dissertation, the ability to absorb and evaluate information and to think critically and reflectively will never be wasted as they are skills which are transferable to most areas of museum work.

Case Studies The following three case studies feature graduates from the University of St Andrews' Museum and Gallery Studies course. They have been chosen to ill.u.s.trate the variety of backgrounds from which students come and career paths they follow, show something of the range of topics that can be researched for a dissertation and to demonstrate some of the benefits of a Master's degree.

Interview with John Burnie, volunteer in an independent industrial museum John took the two-year part-time MLitt in Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of St Andrews. His dissertation looked at the development of quality a.s.sessment schemes in museums, such as Registration and Accreditation. This gave an historical and theoretical context to the actual work going on at his museum.

'As a volunteer in a mainly volunteer-run museum, there were two main reasons for my seeking a qualification in museum studies. The first was that Accreditation required my inst.i.tution to have a qualified museum professional available to it, and the second was that as a self-taught museum volunteer (a process that consisted largely of learning from mistakes), I needed a more rounded view of the body of knowledge that a museum person requires. In addition, there was the interesting, if slightly scary prospect of going back to university after a decade or two in industry.

'The course was accessible to me because it was available on a part-time basis, over two years, through just a few concentrated weeks of teaching at St Andrews, with a.s.signments and project work to do at my own pace in between. My organisation was able to get a grant to cover part of the cost of the fees. It was good to meet other students sharing the same professional interests and excellent to add knowledge to my existing museum experience.

'This was a very practical course, and the project work was planned between me and my tutor to be both instructive and of useful benefit to my museum. As a result, while I use my new knowledge usually without thinking how I came by it, I still use several of the a.s.signment outcomes in my daily work, and think of sunny days in St Andrews!'

Interview with Jessica Burdge, Curator, Museums Collection, University of St Andrews After her undergraduate degree, Jessica took the full-time one-year MLitt Museum and Gallery Studies course. Her dissertation topic was Curating Architecture at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

'With an undergraduate joint honours degree in art history and English and some time working in a library as well as a little experience in cataloguing on a SCRAN12 project, I felt that an MLitt in Museum and Gallery Studies would offer the professional preparation required to embark on a career in the museum sector. It provided me with a greater level of practical experience through work placements and exhibition projects, as well as theoretical understanding, discussing topical issues and ethical questions. It increased my familiarity with a wide range of sector organisations, and current issues and initiatives, in a way that continuing to volunteer or getting an entry-level job would not have done. I have now worked in a few different types of museums and related organisations (heritage organisation, independent museum, government body/museum members.h.i.+p organisation, university), and the wide understanding gained from my museum studies course proved useful when working in these different environments. project, I felt that an MLitt in Museum and Gallery Studies would offer the professional preparation required to embark on a career in the museum sector. It provided me with a greater level of practical experience through work placements and exhibition projects, as well as theoretical understanding, discussing topical issues and ethical questions. It increased my familiarity with a wide range of sector organisations, and current issues and initiatives, in a way that continuing to volunteer or getting an entry-level job would not have done. I have now worked in a few different types of museums and related organisations (heritage organisation, independent museum, government body/museum members.h.i.+p organisation, university), and the wide understanding gained from my museum studies course proved useful when working in these different environments.

'On graduating in November 2005 I worked initially for the National Trust for Scotland as a property a.s.sistant/guide, and also carried out some research on properties on a voluntary basis. In January 2006 I started a new job with the Scottish Museums Council (now Museums Galleries Scotland), working on a Collection Level Descriptions project, creating a database of CLDs for member museums and galleries across Scotland. Later that year I moved to a position in an independent museum, as a.s.sistant curator (maternity cover) with the Scottish Fisheries Museum, and almost a year after that moved to my current position as collections curator in the Museum Collections Unit of the University of St Andrews (starting as maternity cover, now on a permanent contract).

'While my first few positions perhaps did not justify a postgraduate qualification in terms of salary (although this was often a desired specification and was certainly applicable to the work), by 2007, only two years after graduating, I had gained a position which could justly ask for a postgraduate qualification, both in terms of the level and responsibility of the position and the remuneration. I certainly feel I would not have achieved that first 'foot in the door', to gain the experience which has allowed me to develop my career in this way, without the MLitt in Museum and Gallery Studies. While no course can give you the same experience as I have gained over the years by working in the sector, it did give me the confidence that I had the skills and knowledge to apply for entry-level museum jobs.

'Achieving an MLitt entailed writing a dissertation in addition to completing the taught course which led to the postgraduate diploma. Personally, I enjoyed this opportunity to look more closely at a particular aspect of museum work and to carry out more academic-style study. While I don't think that this additional part of the course had a significant influence on gaining my early employment, it has definitely helped in my current position in an academic inst.i.tution. Indeed, with the recent emphasis in the sector on collections research, having this basis of research skills that I developed through the MLitt would be of benefit in whatever type of museum I might be working in.'

Interview with Susan Lewandowski, a.s.sistant Curator, Musical Instruments Collections, Department of World Cultures, National Museums Scotland Susan was an overseas student from the US and was already working in the museum sector. She undertook the full-time Museum and Gallery Studies MLitt course. Her dissertation looked at the history, development and use of print rooms in a variety of Scottish museums. As research is recognised as a core function and responsibility of national museums, research skills are important for curatorial posts.

'My career was stalled. After several years' working contracts in various types of museum jobs from finance and development to collections management I realised I needed an advanced degree in museum studies to take advantage of a wider range of opportunities and push my career to the next level. I had worked hard to build a good reputation within my community, but when applying for jobs outside the area, particularly at national museums, my application wouldn't pa.s.s the first round of cuts despite all my experience. I didn't have the basic qualification a museum studies degree.

'When choosing a course, I looked for a programme that would provide me with new challenges, something beyond what I had already learned on the job. I was too familiar with the course at my local university I had worked with many of the tutors and trained a few of their interns. I looked beyond my comfort zone internationally. I wistfully dreamed of working with the extensive older collections outside the US. The programme at St Andrews, with its good reputation, very limited cla.s.s size, and practical focus fitted my criteria.

'Even though returning to student life was difficult after a long time in the work force, it allowed me to explore unfamiliar areas of museum work. I enjoyed the camaraderie and support fostered by the small cla.s.s size. St Andrews' strong network throughout Scotland gave me the opportunity to meet and work with museum professionals at both small museums and the large nationals. I gained a clear understanding of the organisation of various heritage inst.i.tutions in Britain, quite different from what I was familiar with in the US. These new experiences and wider perspective were essential in helping me realise my goal of working at a Scottish national museum. Research is essential to my position here on the Royal Museum Project at NMS. While the official job duties of an a.s.sistant curator do not include research, in reality, everyone here undertakes research. A curatorial position requires the ability to gather and disseminate information quickly and the research component of the MLitt is very important in developing these skills.'

Chapter 12

Finding work experience

With so many people pursuing relatively few jobs in museums and galleries, how do you make your application stand out? The way to do this is by showing that your application is based on a realistic understanding of the world you want to enter, and that you have relevant and first-hand experience to offer. Both of these can be achieved by having work experience on your CV. It does not have to be work experience in the kind of inst.i.tution you aspire to work in long term you may in any case refine or sharpen your ambitions in the process. What matters is having some.

How to go about finding work experience Firstly, don't be shy. Organisations are familiar with the concept that those wanting to join this world need to get some first-hand experience on their CV before getting any further. They will probably also be sympathetic, remembering that they were also once in this position.

In theory, any potential organisation or inst.i.tution where you might end up working could provide work experience, and there are also related options (marketing, fundraising, catering) that you could pursue. But before we start thinking about how to find some, let's be clear about who benefits you are more likely to be successful in finding a placement if you are aware of what the host organisation will get out of you as well as how much you want a placement.

The benefits of work experience to you You get a s.p.a.ce on the inside of an organisation; for as long as you are there you are part of them part of them. If you handle the opportunity well, this could be extended into a reference, and you will meet colleagues and maybe even a mentor you can keep in touch with in future.

You gain first-hand experience of the world you want to join, a view on how things work and the ability to both put this on your CV and have something to talk about during interviews (very common).

You may be allocated a project of your own to look after, which allows you to make a difference and can be highlighted to particular effect on your CV.

What you have to offer in return you will work for nothing (and all budgets are under pressure); you supply extra help they are overworked and could do with some a.s.sistance; you are a quick learner and they won't have to spend ages explaining how things work; you fit their ethic and will both speak and behave appropriately you can be trusted to represent them; you are pleasant company.

Never forget that even though you are offering your services for nothing, the setting up of placements is not an unalloyed pleasure. Time has to be taken to explain the role, the context and the rules and this has to be redone every time a new placement starts. The designated manager (who has probably not volunteered for this) has to keep in touch with interns, monitor progress and check that they are carrying out the role as they want it carried out and at the same time manage their own workload. They bear the risk of having to redo what a placement student has done badly, and must now be completed having been started. They will not want the placement student to be nipping in to fill them in on their progress or happiness quota, or check details on an hourly basis, however welcome they may have made you feel on your first morning and told you to 'just ask if you need to know anything'. Having reviewed the placement reports of our students from Kingston going out into the workplace, the most frequent aspect to draw positive comments was that they were self-sustaining and self-motivated, willing and helpful. In summary, they got on with what they were asked to do and were quick.

How will you support yourself?

Most placements are unpaid, although you may sometimes get travelling expenses. Ethical objections may arise. In addition to exploiting a willing potential workforce, you may quite reasonably argue that the ability to take on an unpaid placement means that the profession is limiting the demographic breadth of its potential intake to those who can afford to work for nothing.

In fact, unpaid placements are becoming a regular occurrence in many professions; an informal test on how committed individuals are to seeking to enter the world they claim they want to join. However you decide to proceed, if you want a placement you will have to find some means of supporting yourself while you undertake it; maybe to increase your student loan or live at home. Alternatively, can you fit a placement around your working hours, maybe two days a week on your placement and the other three in paid employment?

How to find work experience Before going any further, you need to update your CV (see Chapter 13 Chapter 13), as the first response to any request for work experience is to ask to see this doc.u.ment. You can adapt it as you progress, but a basic CV will be needed.

As to where to send your CV when seeking a work placement, think carefully about any contacts you have. Your first reaction may be 'none at all', but if you discuss this with your parents or university lecturers you may find there are people you could get in touch with. Perhaps there's a guest lecturer who has visited your university in the past, or do you know any former students who are now working in significant positions or any family contacts who could perhaps pa.s.s your application on to the most appropriate person? Thinking about your contacts is, in any case, not a one-off exercise, but rather an ongoing process. Record names and contact details and keep them somewhere you can find them again (not just on your phone, unless your method of backing up the information held there is particularly rigorous). Drawing others into helping you is not the one-way street it may seem. Most people like to be helpful, and being able to give a helping hand to someone who is in the position they were in 15 years ago may both give them a sense of progression themselves, or the feelgood factor that comes with providing support (if you want first-hand experience of this, go and give blood, and see how you feel afterwards).

Once you have trawled your own contacts or those that have been recommended to you, make a list of organisations you would like to work for, starting with those most geographically accessible. Then do some research. Find out about the organisations you plan to contact by visiting them if possible, looking at their websites, and searching your memory for instances and anecdotes that you could mention at an interview, or in your covering letter (one of my own earliest memories is of seeing the blue whale in the Natural History Museum, and it has fuelled a lifelong desire to see a live one; at the time of writing a group of paleontologists has come up with a new theory on dinosaurs and challenged the angle at which the Diplodocus really held their head, saying it was more likely to have been upright like the Brachiosaurus than traditionally a.s.sumed).

Once you are ready, ring up or send an e-mail to find out the name of the person who handles work experience in the organisations you have selected, and ask if you can have speak to them. Be brave it really is a good idea to call rather than just send in a CV first because that is what everyone else does.

State your academic stage so if you are a final-year undergraduate, or a postgraduate, say so (so they don't get you confused with 16 year olds seeking work experience) and that you would really like to come and work for them. They will probably ask you to send in a CV, and if you have spoken to them already it means you can include a letter referring to your conversation and getting their name right. (If you get pa.s.sed on to the HR department when you ring, it's not a brush off but rather you have moved one stage further inside the organisation).

Then address a letter directly to the person you have spoken to, enclosing two copies of your CV. Mention that you are doing this so they have an additional copy to pa.s.s on to a colleague. Make the accompanying letter personal to the organisation you are applying to (or the individual if you know them); make a link between your seeking work experience and knowing something about them and what they do. If there is a sense of urgency in the voice of the person you have spoken to, by all means send your CV by e-mail but follow up with a printed version, because that means you will be included in the pile of other applications. If you only send an e-mail, you leave the choice (and a.s.sociated cost) of whether to print it out to them, and they may not.

Be available for work for as long a period as you can. Some organisations have a rigid policy of two weeks per placement but last-minute no-shows are not unusual, and if you are already there, and the placement student scheduled for the following week fails to appear, you may get an extension.

In addition to writing speculatively to organisations, look out for forthcoming special or short-term exhibitions that might be put on by museums and galleries. These tend to play a key role in attracting people into museums and so often have accompanying short-term staffing needs. In general it will be the collections department that deals with the loan of items, but the exhibitions department that deals with temporary displays and the a.s.sociated staffing requirements. The education department may also take on short-term staff to help with a temporary exhibition so it may be worth asking them too.

How to accept an offer Sometimes the offer of a placement will be made through an e-mail or a phone call, but more commonly it is followed up by a letter confirming the timing of your placement, where you should report to and any house rules about hours of work and health and safety. This is excellent news, and now you have a foot in the door. While swiftly returning the form you are required to sign and date speed is important to ensure the opportunity comes to you and not the next person on the list it's a good idea to get in touch and ask if you can go in and see them. You really want to find out what you will be doing, who you will be reporting to (and if possible meet them) and to try to let them know you are capable, willing and very keen. The 'willing' part is particularly important no one supervising a placement student wants to feel an obligation to have to negotiate over menial tasks that will be part of your work.

'A willingness to be involved in all aspects of running a museum is helpful. Sitting on reception may not sound exciting, but it does give first-hand insight into who is visiting and when, what they come in to do, how long they stay and what they think of the merchandise available for purchase. And it's also you who tends to get the first-hand feedback on whether or not they have enjoyed the experience!'

PETA COOK, CURATOR, KINGSTON MUSEUM At the end of the week before you start, send an e-mail confirming that you are looking forward to joining them.

How to behave on a placement Once there, make yourself useful without excessive limelight-seeking. The everyday tasks can teach you as much about how an organisation is run as the most senior ones and it is important for everyone to understand the gra.s.sroots systems and ethics on which the organisation is based. Don't be grand; just because you have a degree, or even two, does not mean you should look down on those who do not.

Here are some further tips: Treat it as a job. Be punctual, courteous, stick to office etiquette and style of communication in replying to e-mails. Look like you are part of the furniture 'the s.h.i.+ny new addition to the team that they didn't even realise they needed'.1 Don't get drawn into feeling resentful about not being paid. This is a means to an end and you understood how work experience was organised before you applied. Even if it occurs to you that you are doing the same work as the person who has a paid job and they are coasting while relying on unpaid you, don't even think of voicing this to anyone else within the organisation or frankly at all.

Remember that your hosts are seeing you in the context of who was there before so don't be tempted to criticise those you are working with or the tasks you have been asked to do. They know each other better than they know you.

Do what you get asked to do really well; make suggestions after you have been there a while (not in the first few days) and then feed them to your line manager to show that you understand how the hierarchy works. They are looking for a team player, not the next director.