Talk to Quadrivium VII at the University of Glasgow on 17 Feb 2012 on #alt-ac

1. Alternative Careers – Using Your
Postgraduate Degree
#alt-ac

2. #Alt-Academy was created by and for people
with deep training and experience in the
humanities, working or seeking employment —
generally off the tenure track, but within the
academic orbit — in universities and colleges, or
allied knowledge and cultural heritage
institutions such as
museums, libraries, academic presses, historical
societies, and governmental humanities
organizations.

3. mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/alt-ac/

4. http://storify.com/briancroxall/alt-ac-advice/

7. • I randomly and aimlessly decided to do a Ph.D.
• During my Ph.D. I became more interested in
records than history
• I felt I wanted to spend more time with those
records
• I tried for a post in the Public Record Office but
was unsuccessful
• I managed to get a job in the British Library which
was completely unrelated to my interests

8. • While I was in the British Library
• I did a lot of cataloguing
• I was a trade union representative, so learned a
lot about other parts of the Library
• I organised exhibitions and loans
• I had a chance to write some books
• I helped plan the new library building
• I learned about library systems
• I became involved in digitisation of manuscripts
and in planning web sites

9. • I went to the University of Sheffield to
promote the study of Freemasonry
• The library bug bit me again, and I went to
Lampeter as Librarian
• But did I want to help rebuild higher
education in south-west Wales?
• Came to Glasgow – crossing back across divide
again
• Then to London

10. • Is this really #alt-ac or is it #ac?
• Is #alt-ac just libraries, archives, museums?
• The range of potential jobs is immense:
• Auction houses; picture research; theatres;
records management; oral history; family history;
house history; publishing; public history;
document storage; law; parliament; British
Council; exhibitions
• Many ideas at public history websites:
http://www.history.org.uk/resources/public_reso
urce_2914_76.html

11. • Consider a professional qualification: ARA or CILIP
• National institutions
• Not all the best jobs need to be curatorial e.g.
exhibitions
• Volunteering
• Many of the best jobs may not yet have been invented
• Useful websites:
• www.cilip.org.uk/jobs-careers
• www.museumsjobs.com/uk
• http://www.nationalmuseums.org.uk/jobs/

12. Go to the library. Meet the cool info pros who
work there & get new ideas about what to do
with your degree/passion. #altacadvice
Stewart Varner
3 months ago
@briancroxall Most #alt-ac jobs are newly
minted & there is rarely a blueprint. Embrace
the unknowns & have courage. #atlacadvice
shanakimball
3 months ago
#altacadvice: attend as many workshops,
lectures, events, & parties thrown by the
community you're interested in joining as you
can.
ericdmj
3 months ago

13. #altacadvice Thinking "I really want Job X, but maybe this #alt-ac job I
don't much care abt will bridge me there" is a Bad Idea. It shows.
ericdmj
3 months ago
Learn to do a job talk that ISN'T a dissertation talk. #altacadvice (VITAL
for acad libs, so much so I make my libschool students do 'em)
RepoRat
3 months ago
#altacadvice Work to understand the culture of the org/field if you're
stepping out of the academy (e.g. into museums) for the first time.
ericdmj

14. #altacadvice To be really successful in an #alt-ac job
search, you should CHOOSE this path. Don't consider it just a
plan B. #jobmarket
Briancroxall
True, gotta be ready to leap:RT @wynkenhimself: Serendipity
doesn't exist for people who aren't ready to take advantage of
it. #altacadvice
sherah1918
@briancroxall Never use the "alt-ac" in an application:
present yourself as the best "ac" for the job, not the best "alt-
ac" #altacadvice
foundhistory
3 months ago