Navigating Museum Internship Applications: Advice from Tufts

A Tufts University graduate shares strategies for museum internship applications, emphasizing networking over library work. Key documents include a tailored resume or CV, a bespoke cover letter divided into introduction, fit, and why sections, and letters of recommendation from mentors familiar with the applicant's work. The author advises preparing multiple resumes for different role categories (curatorial, collections, education) and addressing cover letters to potential supervisors. Letters of recommendation should be requested at least a month in advance, with the applicant providing their resume and the job posting. The process is acknowledged as difficult, requiring perseverance and self-reward.