Career Advice Needed
Hello WWW friends. I need some career advice.
Here are the facts:
1. I want to get into Museum/Collections/Archives work.
2. My CV reads: MA (Ethnomusicology with a Canadian History bent), BMus (Theory/Comp), BA (English, Can. Lit); piano teacher for 5 years, charity thrift store manager, 6 mos, choir accompanist/music arranger/ sometimes songwriter in high school (RQ is making me include this)....plus the usual waitress, semi detailler, retail stuff. I have done extensive research and writing work, have edited and been a freelance editor/proof-reader, have been a TA.
3. I have no Museum/Collections/Archives work-experience although I have certainly used many aspects of them to the fullest extent.
4. RQ has told me to contact the head Provincial Archivist, and one of the heads of the University Archives and Special Collections for career advice. She may call them in advance.
4.1. RQ has a tendency to bulldoze and rub people the wrong way without knowing.
4.2. What on God's Green Earth do I say to these people??
4.3. Should I really contact the highest up people, when I know they will probably tell me to volunteer and get some experience first? Am I not just wasting their time? What if they think it's too forward of me? RQ is not known for her social skills (see 4.1)
5. (for MLIS peeps): Does my CV qualify me for any sort of archival/collections work when people are coming out of your program by the small droves?
5.1. Gar! Why didn't I get a freaking MLIS degree!!
5.2. But it is actually the research/writing/curating part that interests me a bit more than actualy librarian-type work. Which I know comes in many different forms....
6. There are volunteer opportunities with both the University Museums and Collections and with the Provincial Archives.
7. We (Law and I) are not, how you say, completely financially secure (ie. it is time for Pants to get a job).
8. The idealists in my life feel I should not settle for a crap job (ie. I should wait until I get something in my field).
9. Is it smarter to get a crap job and volunteer at these things, hoping something comes up?
9.1. Or will I get all caught up in said crap job and never get my "career" going?
9.2. Should I call my volunteer opportunities before or after the long weekend?
So, to summarize:
1. Should I actually call the top archivist in the province, or is that a little crazy and over the top? RQ says she knows her (sort of) and that she will call her, but that does not really answer the question. What do I say to this person? ("Hi, I'm one of a million recent grads. Can I buy you a coffee so you can give me advice? That's not a waste of your time at all, right?")
2. Should I get a crap job (maybe part time?) and volunteer in my hoped-for field?
3. Should I volunteer for a while and then call higher-ups for advice, or is that just procrastinating? I feel like if I volunteered first, I would have a better grasp of what my options are and where I want to direct myself. But should I start making the connections now???
Gar.
Here are the facts:
1. I want to get into Museum/Collections/Archives work.
2. My CV reads: MA (Ethnomusicology with a Canadian History bent), BMus (Theory/Comp), BA (English, Can. Lit); piano teacher for 5 years, charity thrift store manager, 6 mos, choir accompanist/music arranger/ sometimes songwriter in high school (RQ is making me include this)....plus the usual waitress, semi detailler, retail stuff. I have done extensive research and writing work, have edited and been a freelance editor/proof-reader, have been a TA.
3. I have no Museum/Collections/Archives work-experience although I have certainly used many aspects of them to the fullest extent.
4. RQ has told me to contact the head Provincial Archivist, and one of the heads of the University Archives and Special Collections for career advice. She may call them in advance.
4.1. RQ has a tendency to bulldoze and rub people the wrong way without knowing.
4.2. What on God's Green Earth do I say to these people??
4.3. Should I really contact the highest up people, when I know they will probably tell me to volunteer and get some experience first? Am I not just wasting their time? What if they think it's too forward of me? RQ is not known for her social skills (see 4.1)
5. (for MLIS peeps): Does my CV qualify me for any sort of archival/collections work when people are coming out of your program by the small droves?
5.1. Gar! Why didn't I get a freaking MLIS degree!!
5.2. But it is actually the research/writing/curating part that interests me a bit more than actualy librarian-type work. Which I know comes in many different forms....
6. There are volunteer opportunities with both the University Museums and Collections and with the Provincial Archives.
7. We (Law and I) are not, how you say, completely financially secure (ie. it is time for Pants to get a job).
8. The idealists in my life feel I should not settle for a crap job (ie. I should wait until I get something in my field).
9. Is it smarter to get a crap job and volunteer at these things, hoping something comes up?
9.1. Or will I get all caught up in said crap job and never get my "career" going?
9.2. Should I call my volunteer opportunities before or after the long weekend?
So, to summarize:
1. Should I actually call the top archivist in the province, or is that a little crazy and over the top? RQ says she knows her (sort of) and that she will call her, but that does not really answer the question. What do I say to this person? ("Hi, I'm one of a million recent grads. Can I buy you a coffee so you can give me advice? That's not a waste of your time at all, right?")
2. Should I get a crap job (maybe part time?) and volunteer in my hoped-for field?
3. Should I volunteer for a while and then call higher-ups for advice, or is that just procrastinating? I feel like if I volunteered first, I would have a better grasp of what my options are and where I want to direct myself. But should I start making the connections now???
Gar.