Workshop Leader: Kate Kramer, University of Pennsylvania
Wondering how that MFA is going to help get that elusive full-time position? This hands-on workshop intends to give insight into the application process for gigs in higher education, museums, or other arts organizations. It will demonstrate how writing job applications is less difficult if position descriptions and institutional profiles are well-researched. We will first focus on the participant’s priorities, areas of expertise, career stages, and general understandings about the kinds of institutions in which they have interest. We will then survey standards and website sources associated with arts and education industries. The next step will be to analyze position postings and content on institution websites. This hands-on portion—careful readings of position description criteria, as well as organizational missions, values, keywords, and management—will take up the bulk of the workshop. During the concluding sections, we’ll review the research to see if the jobs still seem relevant to the individual participant’s goals and we’ll spend some time outlining next steps. Participants should come prepared to: define the scope of their search; research job openings; analyze position descriptions and institutional profiles; and assess their compatibility. The job search can be a daunting endeavor, especially for those new to a field. This workshop seeks to bring the search closer to home, to something the soon-to-be or recently matriculated MFA student can feel more comfortable with and more confident about. Together, we can develop research strategies that can be applied to future job searches as well as other opportunities in the arts.
Workshop Specializations: Job Search: Applications and/or Interviewing Strategies, Non-Traditional or Alternative Career Paths, Funding: Grants-Fellowships-Fundraising-Scholarships
Required Workshop Materials: Charged laptop, pen or pencil, note-taking materials, and curiosity.
