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Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:ACGL) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

Arch Capital Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:ACGL) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On December 8, 2016, Arch Capital Finance LLC (the Issuer), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Arch Capital Group Ltd. (the Company), completed the public offering of $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of its 4.011% senior notes due 2026 (2026 Notes)…

EL CAPITAN PRECIOUS METALS, INC. (OTCMKTS:ECPN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

EL CAPITAN PRECIOUS METALS, INC. (OTCMKTS:ECPN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Amendment No. 1 to Equity Purchase Agreement with River North Equity, LLC On March 16, 2016, El Capitan Precious Metals, Inc. (the Company) entered into an Equity Purchase Agreement (the Purchase Agreement) with River North Equity, LLC (River…

EL CAPITAN PRECIOUS METALS, INC. (OTCMKTS:ECPN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement

EL CAPITAN PRECIOUS METALS, INC. (OTCMKTS:ECPN) Files An 8-K Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Item 1.01 Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement Amendment No. 1 to Equity Purchase Agreement with River North Equity, LLC On March 16, 2016, El Capitan Precious Metals, Inc. (the Company) entered into an Equity Purchase Agreement (the Purchase Agreement) with River North Equity, LLC (River…

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) Coping with Professional Rejection: Advice from Conservators in the Field The field of conservation provides opportunities for rewarding and enric

This is a really great post with lots of thoughtful advice for emerging conservation professionals, but a lot of it applies to just about anyone starting out in their career in any field. There are opportunities to learn and grow at every stage, and that includes rejections. Getting a “no” can be a great chance to take a look at how you can improve and to really think about what you are looking for. Stay positive, stay critical, keep an open mind, and keep at it!

Following recent debates on the view that it is extremely hard upon graduating to achieve paid employment in conservation, I know the difficulties involved in getting paid employment in this sector; it’s extremely competitive and starting salaries can be low. However, that being said, it has always been difficult securing well-paid jobs in the arts and heritage sectors, so it would be assumed anybody wishing to take up a career in conservation knows the risks associated with employment before embarking upon the profession. Through this piece I aim to share my experience and hopefully show that it is possible to embark on a career in conservation even at hard times.

Things I would add to this, based on my own experience:

1) Develop an alternative skill set that could make you an extra-special candidate for a conservation job. For me, that was maintaining and increasing my computer and web design skills. Being comfortable using and updating databases, using Excel, or generally having a knack for using technology systems (like library catalog software!) could be the thing that makes you stand out from all the other candidates. Find the thing that you can do that most other people can't, and learn how to do it better, and find a way to make it relevant to the job you want.

2) Sometimes it helps to come in via the "side door" of an institution, by getting a non-conservation job at a place where you'd like to do conservation work. A job is a job, and every job will teach you something useful for the next job you might get. Having familiarity within an institution will also improve your chances as a candidate, and MANY libraries will hire internally before they do external applications. Also, even if you can't have an official conservation job at that institution, you may be able to volunteer in their lab. So you get paid AND you can get some more bench experience. They may not let you work on the big projects, but it's still conservation experience you can put on your resume if another job opportunity pops up.

3) Don't starve. If you can't find a job in ANY sort of cultural institution, don't turn your nose up at a "regular" job like being a barista, temp office work, or whatever else you can get. Employers understand that the conservation job market is tough, but if you don't have ANY work or long gaps between jobs, that is more of a concern than having non-conservation jobs on your resume. Like I said, EVERY job teaches you something. The intangible (and the so-called "soft") skills are just as important as hand skills: point out any supervisory, budgeting, time-management, computer use, or other things that you might have done in these non-conservation jobs, and explain how you might use them in a conservation job. Plus, if you can get and keep a "regular" job, and do well at it, you might gain a good reference to use when you apply for a future conservation job. 

4) Work on small projects in the meantime, when you're not employed in a conservation job, that keep up your handskills and problem-solving skills. When I was underemployed, I dubbed myself a "conservator in private practice": I only worked on a few projects, but I was able to use them as post-graduate conservation experience when applying for jobs. I took in work from friends and family members. I found broken books in used book stores and repaired them for practice.

Beyond the Portfolio: Your Conservation Career

Join the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) for their next webinar discussing career development for the emerging conservator on Thursday, October 16th from 12:00-1:00pm EST.  Suzanne Davis, Associate Curator and Head of Conservation at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology, will present information on:

applying for fellowships and jobs

negotiating compensation

developing your career after graduate school

About the presenter: Suzanne Davis has been developing her post-graduate career since graduating from the NYU program in 1998.  She is a Professional Associate member of AIC and has been promoting advancement in the field as the Chair of the Objects Specialty Group, a member of AIC’s Education and Training committee, and a mentor for ECPN’s Mentoring Program.  Suzanne presented an energizing talk during the ECPN Portfolio Symposium at the 2013 AIC Annual Meeting that was so well received we have invited her to speak once again on career development.

ECPN is seeking question submissions for the Q&A session following the presentation.  Please e-mail ECPN Chair Megan Salazar-Walsh at [email protected] or ECPN Professional Education and Training Co-Chair Fran Ritchie at [email protected] if you have specific questions you would like the speaker to address.

 To register for the webinar, please click on this link.

This webinar will focus on developing a career beyond graduate school and will not touch on managing your portfolio.  For portfolio advice, see Suzanne Davis’s blog post on the AIC blog:

“Portfolios and Career Transitions:  Pre-program, graduate, and post-graduate portfolio tips.” The webinar will be recorded and available for future viewing on the AIC YouTube channel (link below).