New conservator seeking job, advice

[iMurg]

Hi everyone!

I’m about at my wit’s end here, and I was hoping maybe someone could offer some advice, or even commiseration; I will take anything!

In October I completed a double master’s program in conservation. The course was one year of theory, followed by one year of practical, and completed with one year of internship (six months at a major London museum, followed by six months at a commercial conservation firm). Prior to this I received a degree in Anthropology (summa cum laude, with departmental honors), with a minor in Classics.

Anyway, it has been 10 months now and I am still unemployed. Since January (I didn’t start keeping track until then), I have applied for approximately fifty jobs in my field. I have been qualified for every single one, and overqualified for many, if not most. I have applied for conservator, collections management, archaeology techs, and general museum tech positions, and have only been given one interview (and it took two months to get an impersonal, computer generated rejection email for that one).

I have no idea what to do anymore. I live in a city with virtually no museums, and therefore have nowhere to volunteer in a related capacity. I have contacted all of my archaeology contacts in the city and state, and have been told by each one, in so many words – ‘there are no jobs, I can’t help you, best of luck’. I had a professional friend read and completely redo my resume so that it reads better. And I have been applying all over the US, and internationally as well, and feel lucky to even get acknowledged with a rejection letter at this point.

I truly am at a loss, have some amazing student loan bills accruing interest at an alarming rate, and absolutely no prospects. I’m trying not to give up, but man, it’s hard to remain positive at this point. I studied and worked so hard to get to this point, and it’s kind of killing me inside that it doesn’t seem to matter. But yeah, any advice at all is welcome and very much appreciated.

Sorry that my first post here isn’t offering anything helpful. But hopefully, if I get a job soon, I can remedy that!

-M

[luksha]

I'm in a similar boat, and it is very frustrating. Fortunately I have diversified my studies, but on the down side I have not graduated from a "conservation program" with my M.A. and it seems that many people want that.

Have you tried the AIC AIC - The American Institute for Conservation under their career opportunities section there seemed a lot of jobs for specialists, I'm a generalist and more geared towards field recovery which is why it hasn't really worked for me. I'm sure at this point you would be willing to travel for work, and they have a lot of jobs around the country and even around the globe.

There is also AAM AAM: Welcome to the American Association of Museums that has a jobs HQ. I have been perusing that for a while, and what works isn't close to me, so I find myself unable to find anything there. Plus, I know that the D.C. area (including the Smithsonian) has some opportunities that may work out for you. Also, if there is an area that you are interesting in living, scour the net for all the museums that are close by and see what they have to offer. It has gotten me a volunteer position, which I am hoping will lead to work. *fingers crossed*

Good Luck, and happy hunting!