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My heart goes out to everyone dealing with #museumlayoffs these past few months. No two ways about it, this sucks...
As someone working outside the field for four years now, I want to offer a few words of comfort. #museumlayoffs
After 10 yrs in museums, I took a job in digital marketing for a natural health company. I needed $ after being let go, and consulting really wasn’t for me. Moving out of LA wasn’t something my family was interested in. #museumlayoffs
My first few months were a strange personal reckoning with my identity. Who am I if Im not working in an art museum?? It feels weird to say that now.
As I settled into it, I became more comfortable with my job not being so wrapped in how I see myself. And surprisingly, that has led to really great things.
For starters, I'm able to be more objective about the work. I can separate the content from the process, which has made me a better writer. My work is simply my work. I can leave it easier at the end of the day.
Working towards the bottom line has been extremely clarifying for me. We have one ultimate goal (sell product) by which everything is ultimately measured. This means that it's MUCH easier to understand and track success.
Because my company is for-profit, my job doesn't come with the confusing added layer of being expected to do the work for cheap for the love of the mission. We all understand we are there for employment and want to be fairly compensated. #museumlayoffs
These three things combined have simplified advocating for myself A LOT. It's not personal. It's my job. And negotiating my responsibilities, promotions, raises, are simply a part of that. #museumlayoffs
(side note: everyone in museums might not feel like this, but I personally struggled with this in museums and it has gotten easier since I left. Could also be age and experience?)
Other things have turned out to be great, too.
I don't work for a lavish company. It's a 115 yr old family brand. But my dept, & my projects within it, have real budgets. If we want to do things, we either fund them or we don't do them. We aren't doing things on a shoestring.
I don't work for a lavish company. It's a 115 yr old family brand. But my dept, & my projects within it, have real budgets. If we want to do things, we either fund them or we don't do them. We aren't doing things on a shoestring.
This is directly related to the discussion currently happening about "core roles". Leadership doesn't see marketing or digital (or anything) as second-tier functions. It's all part of what we need to do to to be successful. #museumlayoffs
My pay is better. #museumlayoffs
I've gotten yearly raises and bonuses. Nothing ridiculous, but tied to good performance reviews, a nice reward for hard work. #museumlayoffs
I also have opportunities to lead my own work & this means I get to learn a lot. I’ve taken over portions of our digital advertising over time & I feel empowered to learn what I need to know then execute against goals I set. Truth is, this is what keeps me there. #museumlayoffs
None of this is to say my job or company is perfect. I have had ups and downs like anyone else, anywhere else. And I *still* dream about coming back to the museum world some day, because I do really love it. #museumlayoffs
My point in posting all of this is to say: you can find good work elsewhere, even happiness and growth. You may be surprised where it comes from. #museumlayoffs
I thought my weird trajectory through museum digital/education/marketing meant I wasn’t specialized enough to be able to compete with people who had specific training. But a career in museums does prepare you really well to be scrappy... #museumlayoffs
There’s almost nothing I don’t know a little bit about, and i love learning more about what I need to do to tackle the next project. I like thinking about the strategy behind the work. I think this is what has made me successful in my current role. #museumlayoffs
