12 Must-Know Tips for Landing a Job at an Art School

If you’re looking for a creative and fulfilling career, then finding an art school that’s right for you may be your best bet. However, it can be difficult to land a job in the world of competitive arts schools.

Nowadays, it seems like everybody is looking for a job in the creative arts. There are likely millions of people who have recently graduated from art school and many more that wish they could attend but can’t afford to do so. So how does one get their foot into this prestigious industry?

What should I wear to my interview?

Should I bring any other materials besides my portfolio? What if I don’t speak English fluently or am not fluent in another language? For those applying online: what are some common mistakes applicants make when filling out applications? Muminkaffe will give students all the advice needed as they enter the competitive world of art school.

A. Know the Right People

Knowing who you should talk with can be one of your most important steps in landing a job because it connects you directly with those that have hiring authority within the institution or studio where you are applying to work as well as others that might know about other opportunities available elsewhere; following these connections will help create visibility for you and your work.

Know who the hiring manager is, what their contact information is (this could be a telephone number or email address), and any other important people such as department heads to speak with if possible; know when they are available for meetings so that it doesn’t interfere with them doing their job.

B. Show Up On Time And Stay Late

Showing up on time tells employers that you respect their timeline and budget and will make sure everything runs smoothly during working hours. Work ethic can set one applicant apart from another, especially in competitive fields like arts administration where many candidates have similar degrees but varying levels of experience.

C. Build trust

Staying late at least once every week-helps build trust, show commitment to the institution or studio’s cause, get ahead on tasks, and learn more about the organization.

D. Show work samples

Showing work samples in person is a good way to connect with the employer or hirer because it can create an opportunity for them to see your portfolio and all of your hard work firsthand-which will help you make a better impression than if they only saw what was on paper; by meeting face-to-face, there could be less uncertainty about how well you would fit into their institution or studio’s culture which can lead to smoother negotiations later on. Make sure that everything is neatly presented so that nothing falls out during transportation!

E. Network as much as possible it doesn’t matter where:

At conferences, at art fairs (though these are getting harder and harder to come by these days), on the internet, at other schools’ job fairs.

F. Be as prepared as possible for your interview:

research the institution or studio; know what you want to say about yourself and why you would be a good fit within their organization

G. Send thank-you notes

Send thank-you notes after interviews, follow up with hiring manager periodically throughout process (continue writing)

Make sure you visit the school before applying! The campus and faculty will speak volumes about your potential fit with the program, as well as make it easier to envision yourself there.

Ask current students what their thoughts are on life after graduation, in particular how they feel that certain aspects of their education have prepared them for this next step in their career path? Are they happy? Was getting into grad programs or jobs easy post-graduation? What kind of opportunities did graduate school provide them with that undergrad never could not offer them? These questions can give you insight into what level of success is possible after graduating from this institution.