What We Learned at AAM

Fresh off the American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting in Philadelphia, Elin and Alli are reflecting on their biggest takeaways. It's not from the sessions, but from the conversations, connections, and unexpected moments that happened in between.

In this informal recap episode, they discuss what it was like attending AAM as independent museum professionals, how networking feels different when you're no longer representing an institution, and why some of the most valuable conference experiences happen outside the convention center.

Elin shares her strategy of walking the expo hall and talking directly with vendors to uncover career opportunities for museum professionals. Along the way, she discovered hiring trends, museum-adjacent industries looking for talent, and new possibilities for professionals interested in staying connected to the field in different ways.

Alli reflects on the power of peer-to-peer networking, reconnecting with colleagues, and finding inspiration through conversations with other independent museum professionals. Together, they explore how conferences can create meaningful opportunities for collaboration, problem-solving, and professional growth.

The conversation also covers:

• How to approach networking when you don't know anyone
• Why smaller gatherings can sometimes be more valuable than large networking events
• The importance of planning for rest and recharging during conferences
• How to follow up after a conference so those connections don't disappear
• The value of attending conferences outside your immediate field
• Emerging ideas for building community beyond annual conferences

Plus, Elin and Alli introduce an early concept they're exploring: Curate Your Community, a potential initiative focused on creating more opportunities for museum professionals to connect in person throughout the year, not just at conferences.

Whether you attended AAM this year, are considering a conference in the future, or simply want to build stronger professional connections, this episode offers practical advice and honest reflections on what makes these gatherings meaningful.

In This Episode

• Elin's "conference floor hustle" and what she learned from museum vendors
• Museum-adjacent industries hiring right now
• The surprising value of informal networking
• Why knowing your personality matters when planning conference experiences
• Post-conference follow-up strategies that actually work
• The role of community in sustaining museum careers
• Early thoughts on Curate Your Community

Mentioned in This Episode

• American Alliance of Museums (AAM)
• Museum Archipelago
• American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
• Science History Institute
• African American Museum in Philadelphia
• Museum Workers Advocacy Day
• Curate Your Community (in development)

We'd Love to Hear From You

Did you attend AAM? What was your biggest takeaway?

And what do you think about the idea of Curate Your Community? We'd love to hear your thoughts, feedback, and ideas as we continue exploring what meaningful connection and community could look like for museum professionals.

For two years, Will did everything he thought he was supposed to do.

He applied for museum jobs. He followed up. He networked. He hired a resume writer. He earned a master's degree. He volunteered.

And still...nothing.

In this episode, we sit down with Will Turner, a former high school history teacher who spent two years trying to break into museums before finally landing his current role as Curator of Education at the Museum of Florida History.

But this conversation isn't just about a successful career transition.

It's about what happens when you're qualified, motivated, and doing the work... but your applications still aren't landing.

Will shares the realities of transitioning from education into museums, including:

• why his teaching resume wasn't working
• the biggest misconceptions he had about museum hiring
• how volunteering and relationship-building opened doors
• the role networking actually played in his transition
• why generic resume advice often falls short
• how interview preparation became the missing piece
• and what finally helped him stand out in a crowded applicant pool

We also discuss the emotional side of career transitions: rejection, confidence, geographic flexibility, and learning how to tell a compelling story about your experience.

If you've ever thought:

"I know I have the skills. Why isn't this working?"

This episode is for you.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Museum hiring often requires translating your experience into museum-specific language.
• A strong resume alone isn't always enough, interview preparation matters too.
• Volunteering can be a powerful way to gain experience and build relationships within the field.
• Networking works best when it happens through genuine involvement in the community.
• Teachers often underestimate how many leadership and project management skills they already have.
• Rejection doesn't always mean you're unqualified. Sometimes it's simply about fit, timing, or competition.
• Confidence is often built through the process, not before it.
• Breaking into museums can take longer than expected, but strategic adjustments can make a huge difference.

We get asked about resumes.
We get asked about cover letters.
We get asked about interviews.

And we get a lot of questions about LinkedIn.

How often should you post?
Do recruiters actually find people there?
Do you need LinkedIn Premium?
Should you be networking with strangers?
And what does it actually mean to have a "personal brand"?

In this episode, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell break down what LinkedIn is really good for and what people tend to overthink.

Whether you're trying to grow your museum career, build your professional reputation, transition out of the field, or simply understand why everyone seems obsessed with LinkedIn, this episode covers the practical strategies that actually matter.

They discuss:

• why LinkedIn is less about being discovered and more about being seen
• how museum professionals use LinkedIn differently than many other industries
• networking tips that don't feel transactional or awkward
• how to make your profile stronger without spending hours updating it
• using LinkedIn as a research and job search tool
• personal branding without becoming a "thought leader"
• and why you probably don't need LinkedIn Premium

They also cover:

• profile headlines and About sections
• networking messages that actually get responses
• using LinkedIn to explore new industries
• following companies and professionals strategically
• the Featured section and portfolio content
• and why "Easy Apply" isn't always your friend

Throughout the episode, they come back to one core idea:

You don't need to become a LinkedIn influencer.

You just need a profile that tells a clear story about who you are, what you do, and where you're headed.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• LinkedIn is often more valuable as a networking and research tool than a recruiting tool for museum professionals.
• You are the curator of your own LinkedIn algorithm, engage with the content you want to see more of.
• Following people and companies strategically can improve both networking opportunities and job discovery.
• Thoughtful connection requests outperform generic networking messages.
• Personal branding doesn't require posting every day or becoming a content creator.
• Your headline and About section are opportunities to tell a story, not just list job titles.
• Museum professionals looking to leave the field should focus on translating (not hiding) their experience.
• Most people are paying far less attention to your profile changes than you think.
• LinkedIn Premium is rarely necessary.
• "Easy Apply" should be approached with caution.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 Welcome to LinkedIn Baddie School
02:00 Love it or hate it: our honest LinkedIn opinions
10:00 You are the curator of your algorithm
13:00 How museum professionals actually use LinkedIn
17:00 Networking without being weird
24:00 Informational interviews and career exploration
29:00 Personal branding without becoming an influencer
33:00 What kind of content should you post?
40:00 How to translate your profile for a career change
43:00 Headlines, banners, and About sections
52:00 What belongs in your experience section?
56:00 Job searching on LinkedIn
1:00:00 Why Easy Apply can be a trap

If writing a cover letter feels like staring at a blank screen while questioning every career decision you've ever made... you're not alone.

In this episode, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell tackle one of the most frustrating parts of the job application process: the cover letter.

Because despite what many job seekers hope, a cover letter isn't just a formality. In museums especially, it can be the difference between getting an interview and getting passed over.

The problem?

Most people were never actually taught how to write an effective cover letter. Instead, they rely on outdated templates, generic examples, or end up treating the cover letter like a second resume.

Throughout the conversation, Elin and Alli break down:

• why cover letters feel so overwhelming in the first place
• the biggest mistakes they see museum professionals making
• why your cover letter is not a resume in paragraph form
• how storytelling can strengthen your application
• and why hiring managers are not going to "connect the dots" for you
  

They also dive into:

• how to identify the most important themes in a job description
• why you should focus on a few strong examples instead of trying to include everything
• how to create reusable "core stories" that make future applications easier
• why your opening paragraph matters more than you think
• and how to explain career transitions and transferable skills more effectively
  

One of the biggest themes throughout the episode is the importance of answering a simple question:

Why you? Why this job?

Because the strongest cover letters don't just summarize experience. They help the hiring manager understand why you're a fit and envision you in the role. The goal is to make it obvious why you belong there.

Whether you're applying for museum jobs, fellowships, internships, or trying to transition into a new role, this episode will help you rethink your cover letter strategy and approach applications with more confidence (and hopefully fewer tears).

Chapters

00:00 Why cover letters feel so hard

01:45 What cover letters are actually supposed to do

04:00 Why museum employers still care about cover letters

07:00 Cover letter formatting and length

10:00 The mistake of treating your cover letter like a resume

12:00 Using storytelling to strengthen your application

15:00 Building reusable "core stories"

18:00 Balancing customization with application volume

20:00 Why your opening paragraph matters

22:00 Don't bury the lead

24:00 Answering "Why you? Why this job?"

28:00 Speaking directly to the job description

31:00 Connecting the dots for hiring managers

34:00 Showing impact through stories and examples

37:00 The fine line between too vague and too detailed

40:00 Cover letter alternatives and hiring trends

42:00 Internships, fellowships, and statements of interest

45:00 Final takeaways: clarity, storytelling, and alignment

Keywords

museum careers

cover letter tips

museum cover letters

museum professionals

job search strategy

museum job search

museum jobs

career transitions

transferable skills

museum internships

museum fellowships

job applications

career coaching

museum career coach

cover letter mistakes

hiring managers

storytelling in job applications

In this special live episode of Curate Your Career, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell take the podcast on the road to the American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting for their very first live audience recording.

What started as a shared idea between two internet friends became a candid, funny, and deeply honest conversation about the realities of museum careers and the questions museum professionals are actually asking behind the scenes.

Using audience-submitted questions, Elin and Alli tackle topics including:

• toxic workplaces and difficult bosses
• leaving museum jobs without another role lined up
• navigating specialization vs. being a museum “generalist”
• museum grad school and higher education realities
• resume strategy and transferable skills
• job searching outside the museum field
• networking (or “fellowshipping”)
• and how to build sustainable careers in and beyond museums

They also discuss:

• the emotional realities of burnout and underemployment
• why museum professionals often undersell their skills
• the importance of hands-on experience in today’s hiring market
• and how career conversations in museums are often happening quietly behind the scenes instead of openly on conference stages

Throughout the episode, one thing becomes clear:

👉 Museum professionals are incredibly skilled, adaptable, and resourceful
👉 But many are navigating systems that make career growth and sustainability difficult

This live conversation creates space for honesty, nuance, and practical advice. Whether you want to stay in museums, leave museums, or simply feel less alone while figuring things out.

And yes… there are also several references to fantasy romance novels, networking awkwardness, and museum people being “emotional scapegoats for the board.”

⏱ Chapters

00:00 Live from AAM: introducing the podcast
03:00 Why we started Curate Your Career
05:00 Grad school discourse and the 3-part series
08:00 “Aching in the Archives” — feeling isolated in museum work
15:00 Transitioning from archival work into public-facing roles
16:00 Toxic bosses and leaving difficult workplaces
20:00 References, reputation, and museum world politics
24:00 Being a museum generalist vs specialist
31:00 Career advice for museum studies students
35:00 Grad school myths and “the hustle”
38:00 Leaving museums for full-time work and stability
44:00 Networking, LinkedIn, and building community
46:00 Labor organizing and transferable skills
49:00 Museum job boards and accessibility issues
54:00 Elin’s career transition story
57:00 Why these conversations matter

🔍 Keywords

museum careers
museum jobs
museum professionals
museum burnout
museum grad school
career transitions
museum networking
museum resumes
museum job search
museum career advice
AAM conference
museum studies careers
transferable skills
leaving museums

If you’ve been applying to jobs, getting auto-rejected, or hearing absolutely nothing back… this episode is for you.

Elin Filbey and Alli Schell break down the biggest resume mistakes they see museum professionals making and why so many resumes fail before a hiring manager even seriously looks at them.

Because most of the time, it’s not that you’re unqualified.

It’s a strategy issue.
It’s a communication issue.
Or your resume simply isn’t making it easy for someone to understand why you’re a fit.

Throughout the conversation, they unpack:

• why a resume is a marketing document, not a full record of your career
• the difference between resumes and CVs
• how museum professionals often write for the wrong audience
• and why hiring managers are not going to “connect the dots” for you

They also dive into:

• tailoring resumes to specific job “lanes” instead of sending the same one everywhere
• why focusing only on tasks (instead of impact) hurts your applications
• how to better communicate scope, leadership, and responsibility
• and why so many museum professionals undersell the complexity of what they actually do

The episode also tackles one of the most common areas of confusion in today’s job market:

ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)

Elin and Alli explain:

• why overly designed templates often backfire
• why Canva/Etsy-style resumes can create technical issues
• what actually makes a resume easy for both humans and software to read
• and why “standing out” visually is outdated advice in a digital hiring landscape

Throughout the episode, they come back to one core idea:

The goal of your resume is not to sound impressive.
It’s to make it obvious why you’re a fit for the role.

If your resume hasn’t been getting traction lately, this episode will help you step back, rethink your strategy, and understand what might actually be getting in the way.

**If you want to meet up with Elin and Alli at AAM in Philly, fill out this short form to be included in updates on where we'll be.

Chapters

00:00 Why resumes get auto-rejected
02:00 Resume myths and “standing out” advice
03:30 A resume is a marketing document
05:00 Resume vs CV: what’s the difference?
08:00 One page? Two pages? Resume length debates
13:00 Who are you actually writing for?
15:00 Tailoring for museum vs non-museum audiences
18:00 Why you need to “connect the dots”
20:00 Don’t bury the lead: highlighting relevant experience
23:00 Tasks vs impact in bullet points
28:00 Showing scope, outcomes, and responsibility
31:00 ATS systems and resume formatting mistakes
35:00 Why Canva/Etsy templates can hurt your applications
38:00 Keyword stuffing vs strategic alignment
39:00 Why generic resumes don’t work
43:00 Leadership resumes and organizing complex experience
45:00 Final takeaways: clarity, strategy, and alignment

Keywords

museum careers
museum resumes
resume tips
museum professionals
ATS resume tips
job search strategy
museum job search
career transitions
resume formatting
transferable skills
museum jobs
resume mistakes
career coaching
museum career coach

Leaving the museum field is often framed as a choice.

Better pay. Better work-life balance. A new career path.

But sometimes… it’s not a choice at all.

In this episode, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell talk with Sam McLaren-Fahey about what it looks like to leave museum work because life requires it, not because you want to.

Sam spent years working in museum education and nonprofit programming before transitioning into real estate. But her decision to leave the field wasn’t about career growth or dissatisfaction with the work.

It was shaped by:

• chronic illness
• physical limitations
• becoming a parent
• and needing to build a life that was actually sustainable

This conversation gets into what that looked like in real time, including navigating years of undiagnosed illness, pushing through work while her health declined, and ultimately having to make a decision she didn’t feel ready for.

They also talk about:

• the emotional impact of losing your professional identity
• what it means to grieve a career you loved
• and how museum work can stay with you—even after you leave

Sam shares what it was like to:

• move from a physically demanding museum role into more sustainable work
• navigate job loss during maternity leave
• and eventually build a new career in real estate—one that still reflects her values around education, empathy, and helping people

Throughout the conversation, one thing becomes very clear:

👉 Leaving doesn’t mean you stopped caring
👉 And it doesn’t mean that part of you is gone

It just means something in your life needed to change.

This episode is for anyone who has ever felt like they were pushed out of a career they loved or had to make a decision they weren’t ready to make.

⏱ Chapters

00:00 When leaving isn’t a choice
02:00 Sam’s background in museums and education
05:00 Early health challenges and undiagnosed illness
08:00 Working through severe physical decline
12:00 Medical gaslighting and finally getting answers
17:00 Adjusting roles and leaving museum work
20:00 Losing professional identity
25:00 Becoming a parent during a pandemic
28:00 Forced career break and mental health challenges
32:00 Finding real estate (and why it made sense)
36:00 Building a new career from scratch
41:00 Transferable museum skills in a new field
46:00 Collaboration vs competition in different industries
50:00 Money, value, and mindset shifts
55:00 What Sam still misses about museum work
58:00 Flexibility, health, and redefining success
1:00:00 Advice for people navigating similar situations

🔍 Keywords

museum careers
leaving museums
career transitions
museum professionals
chronic illness and work
nonprofit careers
career identity
working with chronic illness
museum education careers
career change stories

If you’ve made it this far in the series, you’re probably sitting with a big question:

If I don’t go to grad school… what are my options?

In Part 3 of this series, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell break down what it actually looks like to build a museum career without relying on a graduate degree and why that path is more viable (and necessary) than the field often acknowledges.

Because while museum grad school is often presented as the “next step,” the reality is:

• it’s not the only path
• it’s not always the most effective path
• and it’s definitely not a guarantee of a job

This episode explores:

• how the museum field has shifted (but expectations haven’t kept up)
• which roles actually require degrees and which don’t
• how to use job descriptions to reverse-engineer your career path and necessary education
• and how to identify the difference between “required” vs. “preferred” qualifications

They also get candid about where the field itself needs to do better... from over-reliance on degrees to lack of training, inaccessible internships, and unrealistic hiring expectations.

Because this isn’t just an individual problem. It’s a structural one.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• There is no single path into or within museum careers even if it’s often presented that way
• A graduate degree is not a “silver bullet” and does not guarantee a job
• Many roles value hands-on experience more than degrees
• Job descriptions are your best data source. Look for patterns, not one-offs
• “Required” vs. “preferred” qualifications matter when evaluating roles
• You can build skills through targeted, lower-cost alternatives instead of full degree programs
• Transferable skills (project management, communication, collaboration) are highly valuable across roles
• If you’re investing time in learning, you need to reflect that on your resume
• The museum field still has major gaps in training, accessibility, and hiring practices
• Choosing not to go to grad school is not opting out, it’s choosing a different strategy

⏱ Chapters

00:00 Where you might be after Parts 1 & 2
02:30 The disconnect between degrees and ROI
05:00 The “grad school or nothing” mindset
08:00 How the field has shifted (but expectations haven’t)
12:00 Roles that do require degrees
15:30 Starting with job descriptions (your data set)
20:00 Identifying patterns: requirements vs preferences
24:00 Using AI, spreadsheets, or manual tracking
28:00 Certifications and targeted training programs
34:00 Webinars and free/low-cost learning
39:00 Libraries, online learning platforms, and YouTube
45:00 Transferable skills and broad skill-building
52:00 Strategic volunteering as professional development
55:00 Internships and fellowships (and their limitations)
59:00 Mentorship, networking, and informational interviews
1:03:00 Conferences, vendors, and hidden opportunities
1:06:00 Where the field needs to do better
1:12:00 Rethinking grad programs (trade school model)
1:18:00 Final reframes and decision-making

🔍 Keywords

museum careers
museum grad school alternatives
museum jobs
museum professionals
career development museums
museum education careers
transferable skills
museum job search strategy
GLAM careers
professional development
museum internships
career transitions

If you’re considering museum grad school, this is the episode where things get real.

In Part 1, we talked about whether grad school makes sense in the first place.

In this episode, we’re assuming you are considering it and walking through how to actually evaluate programs so you can make a smart, informed decision.

Because here’s the truth:

Grad school is not just an academic decision. It’s a financial, professional, and strategic one.

And not all programs are created equal.

In this episode, we break down:

• how to approach grad school like a mutual selection process (you’re interviewing them, too)
• the questions you should be asking before committing
• how to think about ROI (beyond just “getting a job”)
• what actually matters when comparing programs
• and where a lot of museum grad programs fall short

We’re also very honest about something that doesn’t get talked about enough: Many museum grad programs are revenue generators for universities.

Which means you need to approach this as an informed consumer... asking for data, not just vibes.

This episode is here to help you slow down, ask better questions, and make a decision that actually aligns with your goals.

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Grad school should be evaluated based on what you want to get out of it... not what the field says you “should” do
• You should approach programs like a two-way interview, asking clear and specific questions
• ROI matters and that includes cost, time, lost income, and realistic salary expectations
• Location can significantly impact your access to internships, networks, and job opportunities
• Online programs can work but often require you to create your own hands-on experience
• Internships are critical, but not always built into programs in a meaningful way
• Not all programs provide career support tailored to the museum field
• Alumni networks and faculty connections can be one of the most valuable parts of a program
• You are often paying for access and networks, not just coursework
• Transferable skills matter both inside and outside the museum field

⏱ Chapters

00:00 Why you need Part 1 before this
02:30 Treating grad school like an interview
04:00 What do you actually want out of a program?
07:00 Using job descriptions to guide your decision
10:00 Location, cost of living, and opportunity access
13:00 Online vs in-person programs
16:00 “Be a smart consumer”: programs as revenue generators
18:30 Time to completion + working while in school
21:00 Financial realities (tuition, scholarships, hidden costs)
24:00 Faculty connections and real-world experience
28:00 Hands-on skills vs theory
32:00 Internships: required, paid, and competitive
37:00 Job placement transparency (what to ask programs)
39:00 Career support: resumes, interviews, and beyond
40:30 Alumni networks and long-term value
42:00 Transferable skills (and why they matter more than you think)
52:00 Final thoughts + how to make your decision

🔍 Keywords

museum grad school
museum studies degree
museum careers
museum jobs
graduate school evaluation
museum professionals
career development museums
museum internships
arts careers
GLAM careers
museum education
career strategy

This is one of the most common questions in the museum field: Should I go to grad school?

And the honest answer is… it’s complicated.

In this first episode of a three-part series, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell break down what actually goes into that decision... beyond the default advice to “just get the degree.”

Drawing from their own experiences (both GW grads), insights from the Museum Pros subreddit, LinkedIn conversations, and years of working with clients, they unpack:

• why this question is so emotionally loaded
• what museum grad school can offer (and what it can’t)
• the reality of salaries, competition, and job markets
• how much of grad school is really about access and networks
• where programs often fall short (hint: career prep and real-world skills)
• and the biggest question you should be asking yourself before applying

They also talk candidly about:

• the pressure to “do the right thing”
• the financial reality (and tradeoffs) of grad school
• and why a master’s degree does not guarantee a job

This episode isn’t here to tell you yes or no.

It’s here to help you make a smarter, more informed decision.

👉 Part 2 will cover how to evaluate grad programs
👉 Part 3 will explore alternatives to grad school

🔑 Key Takeaways

• Museum grad school is often presented as the default path but the reality is far more complex
• A degree does not guarantee a job, especially in a competitive, low-salary field
• What you’re really paying for is often access, networks, and opportunities, not just knowledge
• Many programs are too theoretical and don’t adequately prepare students for the job market
• Hands-on experience (internships, projects, portfolios) is critical early in your career, when pivoting, or when trying to move up in the field
• The financial ROI of grad school is often unclear or limited
• Your location and target job market can influence whether a degree is necessary
• The most important question isn’t “Should I go?”
  → It’s: “What am I trying to get out of this?”

⏱ Chapters

00:00 DC food nostalgia + intro
06:40 Why this became a 3-part series
08:00 Why “Should I go to grad school?” is everywhere
10:30 Why this question is so complicated
14:00 The reality of museum jobs (salary, competition, structure)
17:00 What grad school doesn’t prepare you for
18:30 Alli’s experience: expectations vs reality
22:30 Elin’s path to grad school
29:00 Alli’s path + pressure to pursue a master’s
33:30 What you actually get from grad school
36:00 The power of networks + “GW mafia”
40:00 Hands-on skills vs theory
44:00 When grad school is necessary (specific roles)
48:00 Where programs fall short
52:00 Real-world skills you actually need
54:30 Financial reality + ROI
59:00 Location, access, and strategy
1:01:00 The question you should actually be asking
1:02:30 Preview of Part 2

🔍 Keywords

museum grad school
museum studies degree
museum careers
museum jobs
should I go to grad school
museum professionals
career transitions museums
museum education careers
graduate school decision
arts careers
GLAM careers
museum job market