The Georgia Museum of Art is looking to fill a position in communications. The assistant editor will help research, edit and produce the publications generated by the museum, both exhibition-related and general. A bachelor’s degree is preferred (in English, journalism, art history or related), and candidates should have demonstrated abilities in writing, interpersonal, organizational, multi-tasking and problem-solving skills.
I read these exact same words a year and nine months ago. A month after that, I was being guided around the museum for the first time as a staff member, meeting all my new co-workers and being completely overwhelmed by all the names I knew I would never learn.
But I did learn their names. I learned who was soul-crushingly devastated by the National Championship slipping from the Georgia Bulldogs’ grip in overtime on January 8, 2018, who got super into completing 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzles in the workroom, who needed to have a Game of Thrones breakdown on Monday mornings because they couldn’t keep all the characters straight and who jumped at the opportunity to dress up on Halloween. Over the last year and change I have learned so much more about the museum and its staff than I ever would have imagined on that first day.
As this is technically a call for job applicants, I should be telling you about the benefits of the job itself. How it’s great for someone who is hyper-organized and loves making spreadsheets. How fun it is to go to freshman orientations and tell incoming students about why they should stop by the museum. How exciting it is the first time a book you worked on arrives at the loading dock in its glorious physical form.
And all of that is true. I know this job is going to be the perfect fit for someone who gets excited about making buttons and taking pictures at Family Day and reading a shockingly enthralling essay about the foundation of Georgia. I know it will be perfect for someone new because it was perfect for me.
I’m leaving to start law school in just a few weeks, and even though I’m extremely, hugely, exaggeratedly excited about that new chapter, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little bit devastated about leaving this museum.
So if you’re reading this, and any of it sounds like you might be a good fit, apply! I promise it’s a great place to work, where people you thought you had all figured out continually surprise you every day.
By Taylor Lear
