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Re: Job Market



Having recently taken a full-time position in archives
after months of sorting through the logistics of the
archival job market, I can attest to the difficulties
faced by employer and prospective employee alike. To
the money issue: I have little sympathy for someone
who spends the money to earn an advanced degree
without understanding and knowing beforehand the
potential financial rewards for such a degree. Yes,
archival salaries should increase with increased
demand on experience and training. But one cannot
expect average salaries to jump tremendously in the
2-5 years it took them to achieve that new level of
training and experience. Unfortunately, we work in a
fairly non-lucrative field. The pizza boy is making
more than we are because as lucrative food franchises
pizza companies can afford to pay their employees
more. (Its economics people.) But I bet the gas prices
are killin' him.

In my case posted archival salaries were all
relatively the same; although, listing a position's
salary as a range ($28,000-$40,000) did make it a
somewhat more inviting offer. With a salary range, a
prospective employee at least knows that they can
bargain over salary. Whereas, most grant-funded
positions lose out here because they have a somewhat
set salary and cannot provide a range. Hence, the
employee understands first-off that there will be
little if any bargaining.

But to all prospective employers I implore you to
respond to your applicants as quickly as possible.
Respond first with a "we've received your application
and will be reviewing them..." But quickly thereafter
arrange for interviews with those whom you are
interested. I had been interviewed for my future
position before many prospective employers had even
responded to my cover letter of interest. By being
extremely prompt, my future employer made me feel that
they were really and truly interested. While other
criteria helped form my final decision to take the
job, the professional nature of the organization, and
not necessarily salary, was the determining factor.

Of course the repostings and readvertisements could
just be a case where an otherwise qualified
entry-level introvert was forced into a panel
interview and flat succumbed to the pressure.

I'll take your two cents and raise ya.

Alex Lorch
DeGolyer Library of Special Collections
Dallas, Texas


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