Curators

Career Description: Administer affairs of museum and conduct research programs. Direct instructional, research, and public service activities of institution.

Industry: Education, Training, and Library

Other Job Titles for Curators:

• Realistic: Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.
• Investigative: Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
• Artistic: Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.
• Social: Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
• Enterprising: Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
• Conventional: Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
• First Interest High-Point: Primary-Rank Descriptiveness
• Second Interest High-Point: Secondary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness
• Third Interest High-Point: Tertiary-Cutoff/Rank Descriptiveness

• Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs.
• Develop and maintain an institution's registration, cataloging, and basic recordkeeping systems, using computer databases.
• Provide information from the institution's holdings to other curators and to the public.
• Inspect premises to assess the need for repairs and to ensure that climate and pest-control issues are addressed.
• Train and supervise curatorial, fiscal, technical, research, and clerical staff, as well as volunteers or interns.
• Negotiate and authorize purchase, sale, exchange, or loan of collections.
• Plan and conduct special research projects in area of interest or expertise.
• Conduct or organize tours, workshops, and instructional sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.
• Confer with the board of directors to formulate and interpret policies, to determine budget requirements, and to plan overall operations.
• Attend meetings, conventions, and civic events to promote use of institution's services, to seek financing, and to maintain community alliances.
• Schedule events, and organize details including refreshment, entertainment, decorations, and the collection of any fees.
• Write and review grant proposals, journal articles, institutional reports, and publicity materials.
• Study, examine, and test acquisitions to authenticate their origin, composition, history, and to assess their current value.
• Arrange insurance coverage for objects on loan or for special exhibits, and recommend changes in coverage for the entire collection.
• Establish specifications for reproductions and oversee their manufacture, or select items from commercially available replica sources.
• Serve on academic or administrative committees that deal with institutional policies, departmental matters, and academic issues.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• Participate in student recruitment, registration, and placement activities.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Perform administrative duties such as serving as department head.
• Participate in campus and community events.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Compile bibliographies of specialized materials for outside reading assignments.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Act as advisers to student organizations.
• Write grant proposals to procure external research funding.
• Provide professional consulting services to government or industry.
• Collaborate with other teachers and professionals in the development of instructional programs.
• Participate in publicity planning, community awareness efforts, and student recruitment.
• Attend staff meetings and serve on committees, as required.
• Plan and supervise class projects, field trips, visits by guest speakers, contests, or other experiential activities, and guide students in learning from those activities.
• Advise students on internships, prospective employers, and job placement services.
• Select and schedule class times to ensure maximum attendance.
• Write grants to obtain program funding.
• Provide disabled students with assistive devices, supportive technology, and assistance accessing facilities such as restrooms.
• Train and assist tutors and community literacy volunteers.
• Confer with leaders of government and community groups to coordinate student training or to find opportunities for students to fulfill curriculum requirements.
• Observe and evaluate the performance of other instructors.
• Write instructional articles on designated subjects.

Emerging Tasks

• Design, organize, and conduct tours, workshops, and instructional/educational sessions to acquaint individuals with an institution's facilities and materials.
• Plan and organize the acquisition, storage, and exhibition of collections and related materials, including the selection of exhibition themes and designs, and develop or install exhibit materials (e.g., labels).
• Serve on committees or in professional societies.
• Provide students course-related experiences (e.g., field trips) outside the classroom.
• Review papers for publication in journals.
• Write letters of recommendation for students applying to graduate school.

• Analyzing Data or Information: Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
• Assisting and Caring for Others: Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
• Coaching and Developing Others: Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
• Communicating with Persons Outside Organization: Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates: Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Controlling Machines and Processes: Using either control mechanisms or direct physical activity to operate machines or processes (not including computers or vehicles).
• Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others: Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
• Developing and Building Teams: Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.
• Developing Objectives and Strategies: Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
• Documenting/Recording Information: Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment: Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships: Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information: Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.
• Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards: Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
• Getting Information: Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates: Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.
• Handling and Moving Objects: Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events: Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Material: Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.
• Interacting With Computers: Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others: Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
• Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People: Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems: Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
• Monitor Processes, Materials, or Surroundings: Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
• Monitoring and Controlling Resources: Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
• Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment: Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or water craft.
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work: Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
• Performing Administrative Activities: Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public: Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Performing General Physical Activities: Performing physical activities that require considerable use of your arms and legs and moving your whole body, such as climbing, lifting, balancing, walking, stooping, and handling of materials.
• Processing Information: Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Provide Consultation and Advice to Others: Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
• Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment: Servicing, repairing, calibrating, regulating, fine-tuning, or testing machines, devices, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of electrical or electronic (not mechanical) principles.
• Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment: Servicing, repairing, adjusting, and testing machines, devices, moving parts, and equipment that operate primarily on the basis of mechanical (not electronic) principles.
• Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others: Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
• Scheduling Work and Activities: Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
• Selling or Influencing Others: Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
• Staffing Organizational Units: Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.
• Thinking Creatively: Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
• Training and Teaching Others: Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge: Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Detailed Work Activities

• analyze artifacts to determine age or cultural identity
• appraise artifact value
• catalog or classify materials or artifacts
• communicate visually or verbally
• develop arts-related information or index systems
• develop plans for programs or projects
• develop policies, procedures, methods, or standards
• direct and coordinate activities of workers or staff
• evaluate documents or manuscripts
• evaluate photographs or art objects
• index information resources
• inspect premises or structure for evidence of deterioration or damage
• maintain records, reports, or files
• make presentations
• monitor and control museum or institution resources
• oversee execution of organizational or program policies
• plan art or museum exhibits
• plan or organize work
• provide information about facilities
• schedule activities, classes, or events
• schedule or contract meeting facilities
• use current social research
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use teaching techniques
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use computers to enter, access or retrieve educational data
• use differential equations in computer programming
• use geographical information system (GIS) software
• use knowledge of mainframe computers
• use mathematical or statistical methods to identify or analyze problems
• use object-oriented computer programming techniques
• use oral or written communication techniques
• use public speaking techniques
• use relational database software
• use structural analysis techniques to analyze computer systems
• use teaching techniques
• write research or project grant proposals
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• write scholarly or technical research papers
• use teaching techniques
• write public sector or educational grant proposals
• write research or project grant proposals

Overall Experience
A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Job Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Education
Most of these occupations require a four - year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Examples
Many of these occupations involve coordinating, supervising, managing, or training others. Examples include accountants, human resource managers, computer programmers, teachers, chemists, and police detectives.

• Average hourly wage (2007) -$22.11
• Average annual wage (2007) - $46,000.00

• Projected growth (2006-2016): 23.25%
• Projected need (2006-2016): 2,410
• Employment (2006): 10,362

• Archeologists
• Archivists
• Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education
• Historians
• Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education
• Museum Technicians and Conservators
• Park Naturalists
• Urban and Regional Planners
• Veterinarians