Naomi had three summer college internships with a Broadway press agent in Manhattan where she was paid minimum wage (and only in her 3^rd summer!).  She “ran around Manhattan in a suit and high heels every day” delivering press releases – a truly valuable experience for her due to the amazing people she met and contacts she made.  Upon graduation, she moved quickly through “progressively larger theater organizations and positions” including the

Association of Theater Press Agent Managers and a regional theater.  After getting her Master’s in Arts Management at the Yale School of Drama, Naomi got jobs at a variety of premiere regional theaters throughout the U.S., rising up through the ranks to become Managing Director at the Wilma Theater in Philadelphia where she served for three years.  When the Kimmel Center invited her to be their new Vice President of Marketing and Communications, she couldn’t turn it down and is loving her position there.  She supervises a staff of 20 and works on all aspects of the Center’s marketing, PR, and communications efforts. 

• Job Search Advice:  

* Informational interviews are fantastic – Naomi gives them to everyone who asks. Twice recently, Naomi gave jobs to people who had come to her for informational interviews.  Seek them “at all stages of your career.”   

* Talk to people, “get out and about – don’t be shy.” 

* Pursue internships and “take them with humility”.  Have a positive, enthusiastic attitude and do not complain about anything you are asked to do.  “Attitude is everything from the entry level on up.” 

* Good people really do move up fast – “in a blink.” 

* If you’re good, opportunities will often materialize straight from internships. 

* BE PERSISTENT – stay in touch with your contacts and places where you are interested in working. 

Derick Dreher
Director, Rosenbach Museum and Library

• Career Path: Derick’s long-standing interest in art history led him from an undergraduate degree at Princeton to a doctoral program in at Yale where he concentrated his studies on rare books, illustrated books, and drawings – he loves “anything on paper.”  Prior to his Ph.D. program, he learned of a fellowship program in Germany and decided to enroll.  He had a wonderful experience abroad during two very important years in recent Germany history – 1988-1990. 

Additionally, Derick really valued this experience for the time it gave him to think about what he wanted to do with his career and why.  Upon returning to the U.S., he worked on his Ph.D., and was offered the job of Curator with the Rosenbach Museum and Library in Philadelphia.  His initial response to being promoted, next, to Interim Director was disappointment because he had enjoyed hands-on work with museum pieces so much; soon, however, he realized that he very much enjoyed his administrative position and the unique opportunities it gave him to direct arts exhibits.  Derick is now the Director of the Rosenbach.  He recognizes that the pay for museum work is lower than comparable positions in business, but finds himself richly rewarded with many aspects of his work, in particular, witnessing on a daily basis the opportunity for the humanities to “transform people’s lives.”   

• Job Search Advice 

* Feel free to spend time looking around and gaining experiences after graduating from college.  Take time for the things you won’t have time for later on. 

* Timing for great opportunities is usually never the timing you want. “Grab things as they occur and never assume there will be time to do it later.”  “If you want to do something, prioritize it.” 

* Opportunities for advancement in the arts are plentiful. 

* Employers frequently look within their own pool of employees and volunteers to fill positions; therefore, a great way to find great jobs in this field is to become involved at an entry level or as a volunteer and excel.   

* Salaries are not stellar, but they are reasonable.  Plus, arts administration work contains many intangible benefits.  Nonprofit organizations tend to “invest in people.”   

* There is a thriving nonprofit / arts & culture industry in Philadelphia, so much so that corporate employers complain of “brain drain” to the nonprofit field.  This is a great place to pursue work in the arts or in other nonprofits. 

* The Rosenbach [and presumably other similar organizations] advertises most positions *only* online on the website of the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.   

* When you see a position advertised online, don’t wait to apply – jump on it!  As soon as employers get a thick enough pile of resumes, the ad will be pulled. 

* Pay attention to application instructions and make sure you follow them.  PROOFREAD your cover letter and resume and get a 2^nd set of eyes to do the same. 

* Don’t make the resume objective too specific or else it looks contrived.  The resume should be neat, mistake-free, and reverse chronological.  

* Derick reads the cover letters he receives --  the more compelling the letter, the better.  Cover letters should also address any issues potentially affecting your employment such as graduate school plans, time restrictions, etc. 

* In an interview, be prepared to discuss the organization.  If you are interviewing at a museum, for instance, have a passing familiarity with the collections and the website.  Know what’s going on there at the time of your interview.  Use such information as an ice breaker if needed: “It’s really exciting to see that the Rosenbach is featuring the Maurice Sendak tableaus this fall.”   

* The hardest question Derick asks in an interview that many people frequently cannot answer well is: “Why do you want to work here?” 

* Bring good questions to the interview.  Be curious and dynamic.  At a nonprofit organization, you might ask about future projects, funding sources, budget allocation, opportunities for advancement, etc. 

* Don’t ask about salary or benefits during a first interview. 

* Follow-up after an interview, particularly if you were promised a response by a particular date and did not receive one. Employers frequently become busy and the interviewed candidates who follow up have the best chance of rising to the top of this list.   

* A great candidate is a problem-solver who understandings and makes connections with other resources and other great ideas in the arts community.

David Yang
Violist

• Career Path: David is currently a freelance musician, a performer, and the administrator of performances and groups he assembles.  He emphasizes that he did not find, but rather made a job in the arts.  David is originally from New York and comes from an artistic family.  He trained early on in music and was encouraged to develop his musical talent throughout his youth.  When he went to Penn, it was understood that he was to “find a real job” upon graduating.  He stopped playing for several years and got his masters degree from Penn in architecture, after which he obtained several jobs in New York in prestigious architectural firms.  David was not happy with his career in architecture; in short, “It sucked.”  He very much disliked working in an office all day and was very frustrated that he did not have the time or opportunity to spend his day doing the one thing he wanted to do most of all – play music.  He began playing again after moving to a smaller firm, but eventually left architecture entirely to begin a career in music.   

David found it very difficult to make this transition.  He worked in music management at first and briefly at Lincoln Center, and gradually worked his way toward gaining more contacts and more opportunities in performance.  Now David works as a chamber music performer, directs a chamber music festival he started, and coaches chamber music at Penn.  He is also the president of the Philadelphia Viola Society and runs chamber music seminars.   

• Job Search Advice 

* Making your way in music requires not only talent (which is essential), but also aggressive self-promotion.  “The phone won’t ring” on its own.  You have to work hard to make connections and promote your music. “Don’t be embarrassed to promote yourself,” but “don’t be gross” either.  

* Regarding contacts: The quality of your personal contacts is very important: become adept at working with people, be courteous, learn how to deal with annoying people.  Your network will be extremely important in helping you build your career.  Just spending time hanging out with other folks in music and getting to know people in the music community is very important.  Differentiate yourself with your enthusiasm about music (especially if you play classical music).  Know your stuff very well.  Be very well organized.   

* It is extremely important to be a team player.  If you’re not, be sure you have a very clear and important vision. 

* Find something you really love doing.  Figure out what is important to you.  Are you willing to suffer for it because you love it so much?  

* Be willing to take risks and be creative.  It’s not hard to do so when you really love something, when you have a vision. 

* There will always be nay-sayers out there discouraging you. Ignore them!

 Q&A

Q: How do you transition from business into arts administration (question posed by Wharton MBA student)?

A: – Graduate school credentials provide a fantastic and focused foundation for administrative work in the arts and will “open a million doors.”  Use your Penn connections to network and meet people in the arts community. You’ll have lots of opportunities. Make sure you visit the Theater Communications Group website and join (www.tcg.org); this will allow you to search job listings nationwide.  Keep in mind that the arts world values business expertise.  For instance, two recent Kimmel CEOs have come from the business world – Genuardi’s and Wachovia.  (Naomi)

    -- Start your own company!  Why wait?  For instance, a woman in Philadelphia named Andrea Clearfield with an apartment at 14^th and Samson began holding informal monthly concerts at her home.  These events grew in popularity so she expanded by buying the house next door and publicizing broadly.  Now the “1427 Salon” is full-time and has received regional and national press coverage: Andrea thus became a full-time arts administrator.  (David)

    -- A Wharton MBA is one of the best degrees in the world to have.  Today, museum directors tend to be lawyers and MBAs rather than arts Ph.D.s.  Start with the path of least resistance and see what doors are open to you already.  Keep in mind that you will be asked how you expect to make the transition to the arts world. (Derick) 

Q: How should I respond to the nay-sayers when they happen to be my parents? (Asked by a student whose parents are very upset that he wants to pursue music at Penn rather than a “more realistic / legitimate” career path.)

A: -- Parents want what is best for their children.  Try to approach the conversation by responding to their concern for you and your well-being, rather than to their negativity.  You could provide examples for them of people like you who have made a career for themselves out of music.  You might also tell them your Plan B – this can be very reassuring to parents.  Consider reverse psychology and ask them what their dreams were when they were your age.  Perhaps altering the form of your conversation by communicating through writing rather than spoken conversation (i.e. arguments) can be more effective and instructive to both parties.  (David)

Q: What is the best route toward a career in music management?

A: -- Get experience first and develop your contacts and your leadership experience in the field.  Don’t jump into an MBA program until you’ve had experience and have a very specific reason for going to business school (Derick).

Q: How do I develop contacts in the Philadelphia area?

A: -- Consider a Young Friends group associated with a theater or museum.  Go to one of their meetings and become involved with the organization. (Derick)

    -- Go to the theater, to performances. Show up, get out there.  Volunteer. (David)

    -- Campus can be very insular.  Build upon the connections that you have at Penn but then cross the river and get to know people through the events you attend and the groups you join in the Philadelphia region. (Naomi) 

Q: (Question for David) How did you support yourself during the transition from architecture to music?

A: -- I got by on my talents and my contacts.  I was willing to take odd jobs, I had a spouse who supported my work, and I made ends meet through a series of part-time positions. (David) 

Q: I’m going to be graduating with a degree in either Art History or Fine Arts.  What route do I take to move into arts management?  I’m thinking of an MBA or Art History graduate degree.

A: -- Until you know exactly what type of graduate program you want to attend and why, you are not ready to go.  Get some solid experience in the field and the question will answer itself.  There are many options for gaining appropriate credentials for arts management such as the graduate programs you mentioned, certificate programs such as those offered at the University of the Arts, or piece-by-piece graduate courses in selected areas of interest. (Derick)   

-- It’s always useful – in the arts world and in life – to have a real expertise in one particular subject that interests you.  What really excites you about art? Follow it.