A common observation by people hunting for work in the collections sector is that many positions are not publicly advertised, but seem to be filled by ‘word-of-mouth’ promotion or by invitation to someone (such as a volunteer or a past employee) who is already known to the organisation. Voluntary work helps people to gain relevant experience and also to build contacts that may lead to future paid employment. Therefore, if you are seeking work in the collections sector, you should think hard about the sorts of places where you would like to work, and then make yourself known to those place - both through voluntary work, and by lodging your résumé with the Human Resources (HR) or Personnel department, and also with any individual that you would like to have as your boss in the future. Workplaces to consider include:
Archives
Conservation (and other consultancy) businesses
Galleries (i.e. art museums)
Government departments and agencies
Historical societies
Interpretation centres
Keeping places
Libraries
Museums
National Trusts
Professional associations in the collections sector
Despite a tendency for some cultural organisations to hire without advertising, most vacancies are publicised –in print, by email, and/or online. In Australia, a number of locations are well respected and widely used by employers wishing to attract applicants to a vacancy. The following sections of this paper provide details about several places where vacancies in the collections sector are frequently announced. (Please note that this paper does not attempt to describe the many international sources of information regarding employment in conservation and preservation outside Australia.)
Daily press
The print media, particularly the broadsheets rather than the tabloids, occasionally carry classified advertisements for jobs in the conservation / preservation area. The Saturday editions of the Australian, The Age, the Sydney Morning Herald, and the other major capital dailies often carry collections sector advertisements in their executive, professional or ‘local government’ listings. Universities may place their advertisements in the Wednesday edition of the Australian (because the weekly Higher Education Supplement is an effective location for recruitment of academics) or in the ‘Universities’ section of the Saturday careers section of the same paper. The arts and ‘review’ sections or supplements of the broadsheet papers sometimes carry advertisements from art museums. Most newspapers now make their classified advertisements available as an on-line service, and you should explore this avenue through each publication’s web-site, because this will deliver information to you in a ‘searchable’ format that may save a lot of fuss if you miss buying a paper on a particular day. Important note: It is also possible for an employer to advertise only in the online version of the newspaper, without buying a print advertisement as well.
Websites that advertise jobs in conservation / preservation – freely accessible
Australian Library and Information Association
The website of this professional association for the Australian library and information services sector includes information about current vacancies.
Navigate to: Employment > The latest job ads
Australian Society of Archivists
The website of this professional association for the Australian archives domain carries information about current vacancies.
Consultants’ Registers
Consultants’ Registers are maintained by various collections sector organisations in Australia to promote conservation businesses and other specialist practitioners that are willing to undertake project work and provide specialised services for collecting organisations. Consultancy businesses are employers, and may be able to offer voluntary work opportunities from time to time. Some registers are available online, or are promoted online. See, for example:
Australian Institute for the Conservation of Cultural Materials
Navigate to: Find a conservator (at right)
Museum and Gallery Services Queensland
Navigate to: Consultants and Suppliers Register (at left)
Records Management Association of Australasia
Global Museum
The compiler of this internationally-focussed website is based in New Zealand, so the site displays a strong awareness of ‘antipodean’ needs.
Navigate to: Museum Jobs
Websites that advertise jobs in conservation / preservation - for fee-paying subscribers
Arts Hub
This site has a comprehensive listing of job vacancies in the Australian arts and cultural sectors. The subscription rate (in August 2008) is $99 per year.
Email advice of jobs in conservation / preservation - free for subscribers
Museum and Gallery Services Queensland
The ‘e-bulletin published by Museum and Gallery Services Qld provides news about employment opportunities in museums and galleries, particularly in Queensland.
Navigate to: Publications > Ebulletin
Museums and Galleries NSW
The ‘Alert’ e-bulletin published by Museums and Galleries NSW provides news about employment opportunities in museums and galleries, particularly in NSW.
Navigate to: Subscribe to the free ‘Alert’ e-bulletin
Collections Australia Network
The Collections Australian Network hosts several internet discussion lists. ‘CAN-jobs’ is their list that advertises employment opportunities in the Australian collections sector.
Navigate to: Discussion lists, and subscribe to the free ‘can-jobs’ list
Australia ICOMOS
The International Council on Monuments and Sites is a professional association of people involved in the conservation and preservation of ‘built heritage’ and heritage places. The Australian national committee publishes a regular E-mail News that is distributed every Friday, and that carries news about employment opportunities in the cultural heritage sector. To subscribe, send an email to the Secretariat at
austicomos@deakin.edu.au
Email / RSS advice of jobs in conservation / preservation - for fee-paying subscribers
Arts Hub
Subscribers to this web-site can request an RSS feed that alerts the reader to changes on the website’s comprehensive listing of job vacancies in the arts and cultural sectors. The subscription rate (in August 2008) are $99 per year.
Navigate to: RSS feed of this search
Museums Australia
The professional association for people working in museums and galleries, Museums Australia, sends its Jobs Bulletin by email to all members whenever it receives news of jobs to promote.
Navigate to: Become a member