Curate Your Career

Curate Your Career
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Arts

Curate Your Career is a podcast for museum pros who are staying, leaving, and everything in between. Hosted by Elin (Deaccessioned Career Coaching) and Alli (Your Museum Career Coach), we dig into the real, messy, hilarious, and hopeful parts of museum careers. From burnout and bad bosses to career pivots, salary jumps, and rediscovering what you actually want. 

  1. 4d ago

    35. August Job Search Reset: And Now We Wait...

    35. August Job Search Reset: And Now We Wait...Tips for Surviving the Job Search Waiting GameElin and I are taking a short summer break, so we’re bringing back a few episodes that feel especially useful as we head into late summer and the post-Labor Day job search push. And if your job search feels especially quiet right now? You’re probably not imagining it. July and August are often one of the slower times of year for hiring. People go on vacation, museums are busy with summer programming and application processes stretch out. You’re left refreshing your inbox wondering, Should I follow up again? Should I keep applying? Is this normal? What am I supposed to be doing while I wait? That’s why we’re revisiting And Now We Wait..., an episode all about navigating the frustrating in-between periods of a job search. Because while you can’t control how quickly an organization moves, whether someone responds to your email, or when the next opportunity gets posted, there are still things you can do to keep your job search moving forward. In this episode, we talk about: why hiring processes can take so long—and why the silence isn’t necessarily about youwhen you should follow up during an interview processwhy you shouldn’t stop applying just because one opportunity feels promisinghow to use the waiting period to prepare for potential next-round interviewsways to organize and refine your job search systemswhy keeping a workplace diary can make future resumes and interviews much easierhow to reconnect with and expand your professional networkhow to identify skills you may want to intentionally buildways to use courses, volunteering, shadowing, projects, and other opportunities to fill experience gapshow slower periods can give you space to strengthen your professional visibility and explore new ideasand why sometimes the most productive thing you can do is give yourself permission to rest The waiting game is one of the hardest parts of searching for a job, especially when so much of the process is outside of your control. If August has you hearing crickets, use this episode as an opportunity to reset. Instead of asking, “Why isn’t anything happening?” consider asking: “What’s one thing I can do now that will make me more prepared when things start moving again?”

  2. Aug 19

    34. August Job Search Reset: Stretch, Match, Mismatch

    August Job Search Reset: Stretch, Match, or Mismatch?Elin and I are taking a short summer break, so we’re bringing back a few episodes that feel especially useful as we head into late summer and the post-Labor Day job search push. This week, we’re revisiting our episode on one of the biggest questions museum job seekers face: Should I actually apply for this job? It’s easy to look at a job description, recognize a few responsibilities, and think, “I could do that.” But knowing how to do something isn’t necessarily the same as having done it at the level, scope, or responsibility the organization is looking for. That’s where our Stretch, Match, or Mismatch framework comes in. In this episode, we talk about how to look beyond job titles and percentages of qualifications to more honestly assess where your experience aligns, where you might be ready to stretch, and when a role may be better treated as a future goal. This episode focuses on: how to recognize your strongest-match or “anchor” applicationswhat makes a role a strategic stretch versus a mismatchwhy years of experience can signal scope and responsibility, not just timethe difference between participating in, assisting with, and owning workhow to assess your level of responsibility and autonomywhy job titles don’t always reflect the work you’ve actually donehow to identify skill and experience gaps you can intentionally buildwhy both overselling and underselling your experience can hurt your job searchand why applying more strategically can be more effective than simply applying to more jobs Not every job you could apply for deserves the same amount of your time and energy. If you’re getting ready for the fall job search season, this is a great episode to revisit before you start hitting “apply.”

  3. Aug 12

    33. August Job Search Reset: Cover Letters

    August Job Search Reset: Cover LettersAlli and I are taking a short summer break, so we’re bringing back a few episodes that feel especially useful as we head into late summer and the post-Labor Day job search push. This week, we’re revisiting our episode on cover letters. Love them or hate them, cover letters can be one of the most helpful places to connect the dots between your experience and the role you want next... especially if you’re applying outside museums, changing lanes, or trying to explain work that doesn’t fit neatly into one job title. In this episode, we talk about what cover letters are actually for, how they differ from resumes, and why a strong cover letter should not just repeat everything in your resume in paragraph form. We cover: why cover letters still matterwhat a cover letter can do that a resume cannothow to explain why you want this role and this organizationhow to connect your experience to the job descriptionhow to avoid generic or overly formal languagehow to write about transferable skillswhat to include when you’re changing fields or job familiesand how to make the whole thing feel a little less painful If you’re refreshing your application materials before the fall job search season, this is a great episode to revisit.

  4. Aug 5

    32. August Job Search Reset: Why Your Resume Isn’t Working

    August Job Search Reset: Why Your Resume Isn’t WorkingAlli and I are taking a short summer break, so we’re bringing back a few episodes that feel especially useful as we head into late summer and the post-Labor Day job search push. This one is all about resumes... because before you start applying to everything, it’s worth asking whether your resume is actually doing its job. In this episode, we talk about why museum resumes often don’t land the way people hope, especially when applying outside the field or trying to communicate complex experience clearly. We cover: why your resume is not your full life storythe difference between a resume and a CVwhy formatting matters more than you thinkhow to write for the person actually reading your resumewhy museum jargon can get in the wayhow to focus on outcomes instead of taskswhy tailoring mattersand how to make your experience easier for a hiring manager to understand If you’re planning to refresh your materials, get back into the market, or apply more intentionally this fall, this is a great episode to revisit.

  5. Jul 29

    31. Interview Prep 101: What Happens During the Interview

    You prepared your stories. You researched the organization. You landed the interview. Now... what actually happens once the interview begins? In Part 2 of this interview series, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell walk through what actually happens during the interview process, from the initial screening call to panel interviews, presentations, final-round conversations, and everything in between. Interviews are more than just having the perfect answers, it's also knowing how to tell your stories with confidence and remembering that you're evaluating the organization just as much as they're evaluating you. Throughout the conversation, Elin and Alli discuss: what to expect during first, second, and final-round interviewswho you'll likely meet throughout the hiring process, and what each person is looking forstrategies for navigating panel interviews with confidencewhy employers care just as much about your thought process as your final answerinterview presentations, projects, and how to think about unpaid interview workthoughtful questions to ask that reveal an organization's cultureinterview red flags and what they might tell you about the workplacehow to follow up professionally after an interviewwhether you should ask for feedback after a rejection and when it may or may not be worth it Whether this is your very first interview or your fiftieth, understanding how the interview process works can help you walk in feeling more prepared, less overwhelmed, and better equipped to show why you're the right person for the role. And perhaps just as importantly, it can help you decide whether the organization is the right fit for you. #MuseumCareers #MuseumJobs #MuseumProfessionals #CareerDevelopment #InterviewTips #JobSearch #MuseumLeadership #CurateYourCareer #MuseumStudies #CareerCoaching

  6. Jul 22

    30. Interview Prep 101: What to Do Before the Interview

    You got the interview. Amazing. Exciting. Slightly terrifying. Now what? In this episode, Elin and Alli kick off a new series on interviews, starting with everything that happens before you ever enter the Zoom room or walk into the building: the preparation. Because interview prep is not about memorizing perfect answers. It’s about understanding the role, researching the organization, knowing what stories you want to tell, and walking in with more confidence and less panic. We talk about: what to ask when you get the interview invitationhow to prep differently for first round, final round, Zoom, and in-person interviewswhy interviews are not pop quizzeswhat you can and cannot controlhow to research the organizationwhy the job posting is your answer keyhow to anticipate likely interview questionswhy notes are allowedwhat to do if you ramble, freeze, fidget, or over-explainand how to build a pre-interview confidence ritual We also get into the reminder that you are interviewing the organization too. Yes, you want the job. But you also deserve to know whether the role, team, culture, and organization are actually a good fit for you. If interviews make you nervous, this episode will help you feel more grounded, prepared, and ready to show them why you.

  7. Jul 15

    29. Leveling Up Leadership Part 2 of 2: How to Build Leadership Experience Before You Have the Title

    This episode is Part 2 of our conversation about leadership skills. In the previous episode, we talked about how to identify and define your leadership experience, especially if you don’t have a formal leadership title yet. In this episode, we’re getting practical. Once you know where you are and where you want to go, how do you actually build the leadership skills you need? Because here’s the thing: leadership experience does not always arrive neatly packaged in a promotion, title change, or direct report. Sometimes you have to create the opportunity yourself. Elin and Alli talk through concrete ways museum professionals can start building leadership experience, whether you’re an emerging leader, hoping to move into management, advocating for a raise or title change, or trying to strengthen your resume for the next step. They also talk about why it is okay to be a little selfish about your professional growth. Museum professionals are often deeply mission-driven, generous, and very good at over-functioning for the good of the organization. But your growth matters too. If you need a skill for the next role you want, it is okay to look for ways to build it. If your current job is not giving you the challenge or experience you need, it is okay to create opportunities elsewhere. And if something benefits both you and the organization? Great. But you do not have to pretend your own career goals are irrelevant. Key TakeawaysLeadership experience is not limited to managing direct reports.Projects, committees, task forces, boards, and working groups can all help build leadership skills.You need to know where you are and where you want to go before you can build the right experience.It is okay to create opportunities for yourself instead of waiting for your organization to hand them to you.Strategic volunteering can help you build skills, relationships, and context.Your museum is not the only place where you can gain leadership experience.If your current role is not challenging you, look for ways to create your own “extra credit.”You are allowed to pursue opportunities because they benefit your career.In a field that often rewards self-sacrifice, looking out for yourself is not selfish. It is necessary.Chapters00:00 Picking up from the last leadership episode 01:20 What does successful leadership look like? 03:30 Leaders who support, explain, and model the work 05:20 Advocating for people and helping them grow 06:30 How to start building leadership experience 07:30 Know where you are and where you want to go 08:55 Leading projects from start to finish 11:25 Creating opportunities for yourself 13:25 Joining or leading committees 15:00 Professional associations, networks, and peer groups 16:00 Why it’s okay to be strategic about your own growth 18:00 Getting involved outside your organization 19:20 Boards, nonprofits, and volunteer leadership 20:30 Using outside opportunities to support career pivots 21:30 Working groups, task forces, and focused leadership experience 22:15 Building management skills outside the museum field Keywordsmuseum leadership museum careers emerging leaders leadership skills museum professionals career development museum management professional development nonprofit leadership museum career growth leadership experience career advancement museum jobs transferable skills Curate Your Career

  8. Jul 8

    28. Leveling Up Leadership Skills. Part 1 of 2: Are You Already Leading?

    Leadership isn't just about becoming a manager. In museums, many professionals are already leading long before their job title reflects it. You might be managing projects, mentoring colleagues, solving problems across departments, influencing decisions, or becoming the person everyone turns to when something goes wrong. In Part 1 of this two-part series, Elin Filbey and Alli Schell explore what leadership actually looks like in museums and why so many professionals underestimate the leadership experience they already have. Together, they discuss: why leadership and management aren't the same thinghow to recognize when you're already operating at a leadership levelthe different levels of responsibility that exist throughout museum careerswhy job titles often fail to capture the complexity of museum workhow small museum professionals build leadership experience in unique waysthe many forms leadership can take beyond supervising staff They also break down different types of leadership, including: strategic leadershipbudget and financial leadershipproject leadershippeople leadershipinstitutional leadershipthought leadership Whether you're hoping to become a manager, preparing for senior leadership, or simply wondering if you're ready for your next career move, this episode will help you start looking at your experience through a different lens. Part 2 will focus on how to intentionally build leadership skills and communicate them effectively on your resume, LinkedIn profile, cover letter, and during interviews. 🔑 Key TakeawaysLeadership is about more than supervising people or having a management title.Many museum professionals are already demonstrating leadership without realizing it.Your job title doesn't always reflect your actual responsibilities.Leadership can include strategic thinking, budgeting, project management, mentoring, institutional planning, and thought leadership.Small museums often provide opportunities to develop broad leadership experience earlier in your career.Understanding your leadership experience is the first step toward communicating it effectively.Before you can convince hiring managers you're ready to lead, you first have to recognize the leadership skills you already have.⏱ Chapters00:00 Escape rooms, cooking & museum trivia 02:20 Introduction: Are you already leading? 05:45 Leadership vs. management 10:00 Signs you're already operating as a leader 16:00 Levels of responsibility in museum careers 28:00 Small museums and leadership experience 34:00 Strategic leadership 40:00 Budget and financial leadership 43:30 Project leadership 48:00 People leadership vs. management 54:00 Institutional leadership 56:00 Thought leadership 59:30 Why this became a two-part series 1:00:30 Preview of Part 2 🔍 Keywordsmuseum leadership museum management museum careers museum professionals museum career development leadership skills museum managers museum career growth museum job search museum resumes museum leadership development professional development museums museum career coaching career advancement leadership in museums

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About

Curate Your Career is a podcast for museum pros who are staying, leaving, and everything in between. Hosted by Elin (Deaccessioned Career Coaching) and Alli (Your Museum Career Coach), we dig into the real, messy, hilarious, and hopeful parts of museum careers. From burnout and bad bosses to career pivots, salary jumps, and rediscovering what you actually want. 

Information

  • Creator
    Curate Your Career
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Curate Your Career

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