Open Forum

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Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
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It will depend on the geographic location of the job. If you can, check AAM's salary chart for national averages -- be as geographically flexible as possible.  From your signature, it looks like you are still a student?  Explore the government's recent grad programs into federal museums, the pay is lower but it will be a step in and hopefully provide a higher salary. Even so, $30k is pretty unlivable anywhere.  Unfortunately, yes, taking a second part time job will probably be the answer for awhile, along with shared living costs with roommates as much as possible.  Beware the trap of "If I get more degrees/certificates, I will be more marketable"  -- it's a slippery slope that usually goes down further into debt before you climb uphill. I would suggest looking for jobs where you can apply your skills even if you're not in a museum. 

Good luck and don't despair!  

Carrie

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Carrie Bowers
Museum Specialist
National Museum of the Marine Corps
Triangle VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2019 09:35 AM
From: Erik Marcinik
Subject: Employment

I heard that the average starting salary for entry level museum staff is under $30,000. How would you suggest coping with this? Is taking a second job the answer? 

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Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
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Deaer Eric (& I assume many others):

I advise checking out the following new book.

MuseumsEtc. 2019, For Love or Money: Confronting the State of Museum Salaries web page https://museumsetc.com/products/for-love-of-money-confronting-the-state-of-museum-salaries (accessed 25 November 2019).

I have not had time to read all of it yet, but among the list of 24 chapter titles in this 532-page source of evidence-based analysis, you will find many chapters directly related to your question:

• Setting Salaries: A Perspective on Practice
• Tough Love: Museum Salaries and the Working Class
• Gender, Equity, and Museum Technology Salaries
• Creating a More Equitable Experience for Museum Interns
• Re-engineering The Way Museums Work
• Making Salaries a Priority for Museum Boards
• Financial Resources for Pay Equity, Visitor Experience, and Public Value.

Let's see what collective action can do about changing museum under-compensation so that our industry can actually support sustainable careers.

Solutions have been proposed.  After all, AAM's motto is "museums [i.e. museum workers] can change the world"!

Respectfully yours

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Paul C.Thistle
Director/Curator (retired)
Stratford, Ontario
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2019 09:35 AM
From: Erik Marcinik
Subject: Employment

I heard that the average starting salary for entry level museum staff is under $30,000. How would you suggest coping with this? Is taking a second job the answer? 

------------------------------
Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
------------------------------

In my experience in the Chicago area, yes, under $30,000 is pretty normal for a first job. Part-time is also quite normal for an entry level job in this area as well.  While there are full-time entry level positions, there aren't enough to go around. It is also very common for emerging museum professionals to have a second job.

Best wishes for your job search.

Nanci Gasiel
Museum Director
Salvation Army Central Territory Museum

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Nancilee Gasiel
Historical Museum Director
The Salvation Army Central Territory Museum
Hoffman Estates IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2019 09:35 AM
From: Erik Marcinik
Subject: Employment

I heard that the average starting salary for entry level museum staff is under $30,000. How would you suggest coping with this? Is taking a second job the answer? 

------------------------------
Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
------------------------------

Hi Erik,

In addition to strategizing for how to cope, I also encourage you to strategize for how to advocate for your value and negotiate. The DLF Labor Working Group just published this resource last week that captures every GLAM effort to combat unethical labor practices: https://wiki.diglib.org/Labor/Resources

And here is the salary spreadsheet that came out of last year's AAM meeting: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14_cn3afoas7NhKvHWaFKqQGkaZS5rvL6DFxzGqXQa6o/edit?usp=sharing 

I encourage you to use these numbers and resources to make your case. $30,000 is too low.

Best of luck,


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Rachael Woody
Consultant
Tigard OR
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2019 09:35 AM
From: Erik Marcinik
Subject: Employment

I heard that the average starting salary for entry level museum staff is under $30,000. How would you suggest coping with this? Is taking a second job the answer? 

------------------------------
Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
------------------------------

Good morning, Erik.
You already have some excellent resources in For Love or Money and in the Salary Transparency spreadsheet. I would add that you need to know both your own worth in comparison to others, and more importantly the cost of living where you're going. I write the blog Leadership Matters and frequently recommend the MIT Living Wage Calculator. It will help you calculate what you actually need to live in a given city. You may also want to check out Leadership Matters where you can search under salary, but here's one that might be useful. https://leadershipmatters1213.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/owning-a-piece-of-the-museum-salary-pie/. You may also want to investigate Gender Equity in Museums Movement's (GEMM) tip sheets as there is one on landing your first job. 
Good luck, and if you receive an offer, don't say yes right off the bat. Ask for time to think it over, and do just that.
Best
Joan Baldwin, Leadership Matters

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Joan Baldwin
Curator-Special Collections - The Hotchkiss School
Lakeville CT
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-22-2019 09:35 AM
From: Erik Marcinik
Subject: Employment

I heard that the average starting salary for entry level museum staff is under $30,000. How would you suggest coping with this? Is taking a second job the answer? 

------------------------------
Erik Marcinik
Intern/Student
Program in Museum Studies - New York University
New York NY
------------------------------