Young Museum Professionals Speak Out

Young professionals are increasingly entering the nonprofit sector in search of long-term careers, according to a 2005 study by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. AAM's Emerging Museum Professionals Group holds regular meetings for professionals in their first 10 years of museum careers. At a recent listening session at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C, attendees expressed a generally positive outlook on the experience they've gained but noted sometimes feeling hindered by low salaries and high expectations.

About 30 professionals, with experience ranging from graduate school programs in museum studies to several years in the field, met on Feb. 6. The group acknowledged that the museum field is fertile ground for new employees, with opportunities to volunteer, work with the public and network with fellow professionals, a recurring theme of the session. Several participants named finding a mentor as key to getting ahead. "Whether it's a boss or other museum professional who takes you under their wing, it can be the difference between making it or not sometimes," said Mahlone Burnett, a graduate student at George Washington University (GWU).

Leadership that is open to new faces and ideas also was identified as an advantage for emerging professionals, as well as a vital quality of a nurturing work environment. An institution’s management must have faith in its staff and "allow good people to do good things," said GWU graduate student Jason Bain, recalling when a 17-year-old volunteer successfully organized a major event for a museum when given the opportunity to do so. In the same vein, the group noted that "sink or swim" opportunities to attend higher-level events—such as filling in for an employer at a conference or in a senior staff meeting—build confidence and invaluable skills for future positions.

While a museum's leadership can provide these one-of-a-kind learning opportunities, it also can prove detrimental to a young professional's development. "I always hear about when youthful looks get in the way," said Rebecca Borden, manager of professional development for Americans for the Arts, describing this as the "I don't have enough gray hairs to be taken seriously" phenomenon. Museums need intergenerational diversity, she said, in which young professionals are perceived as an asset—rather than a liability—and not deemed "too young" to contribute at higher levels.

The Emerging Museum Professionals Group is focused on pinpointing and providing the resources for this particular demographic. By meeting the needs of these individuals, AAM hopes to engage an entire generation of new members. If you are an emerging museum professional and wish to receive communications about future events and sessions, send your contact information to emergingprofessionals@aam-us.org. —Joelle Seligson