Take action to find heritage work :: The Art of Story Telling :: Careers in Heritage

Careers in Culture Introduction What You Need to Know What You Need to Do What "heritage" people do Career Routes Work Search Stategies Take action to find heritage work The cover letter Target your résumé How to ace an interview Know the lingo Credits Want More Information? Printable version		Careers in Culture – Careers In Heritage > Take action to find heritage work Do you want to know what it's like to work in the heritage field? Find your way to the future by: Using available resources - call or write to professional organizations. Gathering information - read about the heritage sector in magazines, newspapers and online. Staying abreast of technological trends - spend time on the Internet to see how information presentation is developing. Volunteering - to gain experience and make useful contacts. Attending community events - visit Canadian heritage fairs, historical and genealogical society events, and art gallery and museum activities. Going to conferences - find out about upcoming events through your local heritage society and organizations. Visiting career events - attend career days and job fairs to find out about work opportunities in heritage organizations. Building your network - keep in touch with people in careers in heritage. Research Tips Make Heritage Day, which occurs every year on the third Monday of February, part of you work search strategy. Check out what your community is doing during this national event. This could be a great day for learning more about local heritage people and organizations. Don't be afraid to call up an organization and explain that you're researching facts and work opportunities. Say, “I am curious about what you do and would like to learn more. Do you have any in-house publications or is there anyone who can help me? I only need a few minutes of someone's time”. Your Education Will Give You a Boost! Your high school diploma is a good start towards a career in heritage, but a post-secondary education in today's workplace is usually a requirement. Employers want people with college / Cégep diplomas or university degrees in a variety of disciplines. What's important about your education is the knowledge you gain about heritage, and the learning skills you develop during your studies. The heritage marketplace is diverse, and technology is changing how heritage work is done, you should consider taking specialized courses to hone other important skills. Here are some examples: Accounting Business Creative writing Entrepreneurship Fundraising Public relations Web design Writing Web Communicate Your Work Search Message A wide variety of people do the hiring in the heritage field, including museum curators, directors of heritage organizations, historians, park superintendents, project managers, and human resource managers. A large part of their job is communication. What does this mean for you? You must ensure that your cover letter and résumé are impeccably written, and demonstrate excellent listening and speaking skills during the interview.