Getting a job in the arts

I am frequently asked how someone can find a job in the non-profit arts industry. Here are my six pieces of advice.


1. Make a list of the websites of all arts and cultural organizations in the community in which you want to work.
Check their websites religiously to see if new job openings have been posted. Apply to openings with a resume that has been proofread five times and that reflects skills relevant to the job. Reference the organization and the position in your cover letter. Be flexible about the openings you will consider at a particular organization. Concentrate on getting your foot in the door.

2. Secondly, pay attention to job websites – but if you see a job you like on a public job listing site, immediately go to the organization’s website.
Some good sites for finding non-profit/arts jobs are:

Craigslist.org
Idealist.org
Nonprofitjobscoop.org
Afpnet.org

But remember two things: these sites should be secondary to your list of organizations you’ve identified as being of interest. If you find a job listed on one of these general job posting sites, go to the organization’s own website. And if an interviewer asks where you learned about the job, say you read about it on the organization’s website.

3. Be willing to accept a standard non-profit, entry-level salary.
Entry-level non-profit jobs don’t usually make you rich. But neither do rewarding entry-level jobs in many fields. Non-profit work can be incredibly fulfilling – I am one of the few people I know who can truly say I enjoy my job and look forward to it! And you can certainly make a very good living in this career once you have been in it for a few years.

4. Volunteer.
Many non-profit arts organizations have structured volunteer programs. Those that do not will still usually accept volunteers who reach out to them. Call the top organization on the list you made in Number 1 and say that you’d like to be an unpaid volunteer or intern for X hours per week. This is great experience; it adds to your resume; and it gives you invaluable connections. This is probably the most practical item on the whole list, in that volunteers are often the first people to get hired when jobs become available.

5, In the meantime, build transferable skills in a different industry.
Let’s say you are looking for a job in the arts but the search is taking too long, and you just need a paycheck and some work experience. Remember that there is nothing wrong with accepting a job in a different field. (Volunteering in the arts in the meantime becomes even more valuable.) Arts organizations and other non-profits are businesses and they work on many of the same principles as for-profit companies. When you list these jobs on resumes that you send to arts organizations, consider whether you have built any of the following skills that are very relevant to jobs in the arts (and this is certainly not a complete list!).

• Customer service
• Writing
• Computer skills
• Database skills
• Bookkeeping
• Graphic layout
• Sales
• Hospitality
• Administrative duties

Just as a side note: on your resume, when you list past jobs that are not directly related to the one for which you are applying, be mindful of the duties you list. For example, if your past job was as a Camp Counselor, someone interviewing you as a Development Assistant at an arts organization doesn’t really care if that job taught you canoeing, archery and folksongs. In fact it comes across as unprofessional to list these. But the potential employer does want to know that the Camp Counselor job taught you leadership skills and how to coordinate large groups of people. Be strategic about how you present each past job.

6. Finally: It doesn’t matter that it’s an arts job. Show up to the interview in a suit, bring copies of your resume, and send a handwritten thank you note.
Many job candidates assume arts interviews are less formal. Personally, I don’t hire those candidates.


If you are looking for jobs in the arts, good luck. You are also welcome to contact me with specific questions using the email listed in my profile.