The problem with small towns
 

Maybe some of you have experienced the "good ol boy" system first hand. After getting married about a year ago, I moved from a large city to this small Missouri town (my wife's hometown). It's been culture shock to say the least. I've been trying to finish my masters through distance learning and was sure I would get this local museum curating position. I'm half way into a masters degree, and had high-hopes for this job, as did my wife. Anyway, come to find out a local was picked (and according to my wife, this individual had inside connections, no degree, and no background in historical work). I've come to resent this town, the politics, and the lack of opportunity. I'm teaching part-time now, but I get paid peanuts. I've considered taking an internship for the time being just to get back to St. Louis. Undoubtedly, this will put a strain on my marriage. Maybe it's what I need, or maybe I'm just looking for an escape..I don't know what to do. :confused:

If the town has a museum that has a curator, it ain't a small town.

Welcome to small town Missouri! There are many reasons why I left, what you said is among them.

No offense with this question, but how old are you, and how much experience in the "real world" do you have?

Insiders getting jobs is the rule rather than the exception. You shouldn't be shocked by this, and it happens in big cities as well. A degree (or impending degree) means little - you have to work the problem from all angles.

you would be amazed at some of the po dunk county historical societies out there.

"just to get back to St. Louis"

ouch.

I have relatives in Marshfield, MO and know exactly what you mean. But, I live in a small town and it's the same deal. You need to join some locale organizations and do volunteer work. In my area, a guy that was new wanted to run for public office. He joined the "Cattleman's Assoc" even though he's never been near any cattle....

Well, it's the curator/administrator/archivist all in one, and the only paid position in the museum. From what I'm used to, it is a small town.

Big town, small town, the world...that's how things work. it's not what you know, it's who you know. best to find that out now at a tender young age.

That's a thought, I guess I need to become one of them, to get ahead.

Ditto. I'm in a very technical field, but it's rarely the best qualified person that gets the job. It's often the one that knows someone whether it's a big corporation or a small company. And cities don't get much bigger than Houston.

Still, in a small town with such limited options, running up against that is probably more frustrating.

That's a good point. I guess the "having connections" part is what I need to work on, it just seems the need for connections is exaggerated out here, as if training is completely irrelevant if you are so-and-so's nephew, or brother, husband, etc. I'm 27, btw, and have spent most of my twenties either in the military or in college...so you're right, I don't have much experience in the civilian marketplace yet.

Just take this as a life lesson...

Get the job... then move... not the other way around.

Best of luck!

SmileWavy

You have plenty of times to repeatedly get your hopes dashed and your outlook darkened :D

A small town is like any other organization - by their very nature they are incestuous. So start pressing the flesh. So to speak. Competence actually does win out much of the time, but in order to show that you have to get in the door. So start building your social network, and be prepared to take gigs that you might not want. I view every job (even now) as preparation for my next career.

+1

Don't blame the town. Blame yourself for moving somewhere, expecting to get a job based on your resume alone, without having any inside connections.

Many (some say most) jobs are awarded through networking. Hell, even if you did have connections and you were promised the job, that would have still been a huge risk.

Small town living be lonely, next thing you know, you end up on a midnight train going anywhere.

I don't want to piss any one off, (if I do, too bad), but the biggest problem with small towns is city folk moving in and thinking that we need to do things like they do "back home". They move in for the small town feel but then b**ch when they realize it's real, not some made for TV movie and they can't change the channel.

Actually I find a lot of times it's not who you know but rather who knows you.

+1!

+2