This week’s professional organization information is about some very useful and specifically targeted workshops for young and emerging museum professionals. We’ve talked about them before, but the first one, called “LEARN,” is coming up soon and you don’t want to miss it. Information below.

***

The NEMA Young and Emerging Museum Professionals (YEPs) PAG understands that new and emerging museum professionals have limited budgets to attend workshops, and frequently are unable to miss work for professional development and/or networking events. To break down these barriers faced by those with less than ten years in the field, and those who wish to network with new and emerging professionals, the YEP PAG Chairs have planned a series of workshops that break the mold. Learn, Laugh, Love brings together numerous individuals from various professional positions and levels of seniority, both of local and national stature, to encourage those who are just entering the field, especially career changers, students, and those who are seeking to further their current position, in three informal learning situations, where networking at peer to peer and peer to mentor level are key components. Register for all three and save!

All workshops will be held at Historic New England’s Otis House Auditorium.

Each workshop includes light refreshments and is $15 for NEMA and Historic New England Members, $25 for Non-Members.
Members can register for all three workshops for only $40, a savings of $5!
NEMA memberships start at $35 (students/job-hunters/volunteers). Non-members registering for all 3 workshops
LEARN: How to Interview “Big Wig” Speed Dating Style (March 23, 2011)
There’s no better way to learn but trial and error. Using the speed dating format, participants will have the opportunity to “interview” with seasoned museum professionals, including Directors, Curators, Educators, Board of Trustee members, and other senior ranking individuals. Each seasoned professional will be armed with a mixture of “favorite” interview questions collected from those who hire in the museum field; workshop participants will rotate between professionals, thus opening the door to meet and learn from those who have immense advice to share on the interviewing process, making the best first impression, and creating a lasting mark with interviewers that leads to a new position.

LAUGH: How to Break into a Tricky Field in a Tough Economy (April 20, 2011)
Sometimes laughter is the best medicine, but how does an emerging museum professional break into a tricky field when museums are facing budget cuts and staff reductions? What does a museum want from a new hire? What skills are needed to be successful in the museum field in 2011? Should you go back to school, attend workshops, and learn how to post to Facebook? When is a job a great fit, and when should you run away if it isn’t perfect? These questions and more will be discussed, with an emphasis on making your current skills and abilities appealing to employers. Hear stories from seasoned professionals on starting off in the field, surviving layoffs, and transitioning to new positions. Translating job descriptions into inspiring cover letters and highlighting key resume accomplishments will also be discussed.

LOVE: How to Build Your Resume through Internships, Articles, Conferences, and Presentations (May 11, 2011)
Climbing the museum ladder is definitely labor intensive, but it is a labor of love. Learn how to build your resume by gaining experience beyond traditional nine to five positions. Publishing, presenting, and volunteering are ways to uncover unknown or new museum positions, make contacts, and build a strong resume (and a strong museum professional!). Discover the strategic steps you can take to make yourself more appealing to future employers, and find the best route to positioning yourself for promotions and opportunities throughout the field.

Directions to the Otis House will be emailed with your registration confirmation two weeks prior to the workshop.

Questions? Call NEMA, 781-641-0013.