Some folx bring the Teeming Millions their 'puter problems, some their child challenges or dating dilemmas. I present to you: <drum roll, please!> moi’s career conundrum.
I currently have two job offers on my plate, doing very different things and with very different workloads, responsibilities, challenges, etc. Summarized, they are:
Job A
Graphic and Web site design for my alma mater. I would be working with the head of data/information to create graphic interpretations of key university data and designing and maintaining an outlet for this information on the Web.
This is an 11-month contract that is worth $10,000 more than my current salary, no benefits.
I have about 6 mos. of previous Web design and would like to learn more and to have more of my product “out there.” I’m not going to “grow up and be a Web designer,” but I consider it a useful skill.
I have worked with this woman in the past and get along famously with her. I understand her lingo and her priorities and am successful at creating those things visually.
Job B
The director of the small museum where I currently work is resigning. The interim directorship has been offered to me…basically, this is the craziest promotion I will ever get. I would be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the museum and maintaining the current exhibition schedule, as well as filling in some of our exhibition gaps. I would coordinate all museum events, including our major fundraiser in September, all openings and lectures, and all catalogue materials and continue my job of producing the museum newsletter. I would also maintain the museum Web site.
Because the museum has fallen on hard times financially, I would attempt to maintain the current level of quality, while reducing some of the quantity of what we do, thus getting some idea of how non-profits are run ('cos, well, very few have an excess of money to do their work with). I might also learn a few things about grant-writing along the way.
Part of this offer includes the opportunity for me to work alongside professional registrars (either in Pittsburgh or New York) in order to pick up that skill set and use it in tackling our permanent collection.
After a permanent director is appointed, I would either return to my status as a freelancer producing their newsletter or be written a position as the museum registrar (depending on what I had learned and accomplished thus far).
There’s no time frame to this job…I could have it for 5 months, I could have it for 2 years (the last director search took 18 months). My current salary would increase by approximately $15,000, plus benefits.
This is basically the kind of work that I want to do, I just feel very unprepared for it now. The current financial situation of the museum is also a worry; as cat said, it’s like being told the ship is going down and you’ve just been promoted to captain. <wry grin>
A wee bit about me
I’m a recent college graduate (major: journalism, minor: art history), 23 y.o. and “generically” plan on returning to grad school (for art history or art management) September 2002. After my master’s, I’d like to work in museums, either in publications or development, but eventually working as a curator or a museum director.
Thus far, I’ve been very drawn in by the security of Job A. It’s been offered to me and is just waiting to hear from me. Job B has involved a lot of commotion in my life already and involves negotiating with the dean of fine arts for my job description and what I’m worth. Also, once I get into the job, it’s not like there’s any security for me (once they hire a director, I’m fini) or any long-term reward (I can’t be promoted or kept as director). However, in terms of resume and experience, it makes my eyebrows waggle.
Odieman summarized it as a choice of responsibility–between being a child (Job A) and an adult (Job B). My fiancé says it’s the choice between being a little fish (Job A) and a big fish (Job B).
What say you? Any advice? Any ideas relevant to either job? Suggestions? Questions? Topic for further consideration? I have until June 15th to figure it all out.
–And thanks in advance for anything y’all can offer. My peer group IRL is all 20-somethings in their first jobs, supportive, but limited in experience. Hence my calling out upon your collective wisdom and experience. Again, danke. 
