Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
So you like art and you know its history. Now what?
Well, chances are you want a job that has something to do with art, though maybe not necessarily making it. Otherwise, you probably would have just taken art and been done with it. Or you might be out there making art right now instead of reading this. Or watching us from the shadows. Hello? Are you there? Uh-oh. It's too quiet…
Anyway, jobs. Right.
Just as the field of study spans many different areas, the type of work you specialize in will be varied, as well. One thing is for certain, though; you'll be working with art. Networking is your friend here. While that's true in any field, it's doubly true whenever dealing with creative types. They like to work with people they know and (if at all possible), get along with.
So you should be making contacts in the art world as often as you can, and when it comes time to look for a job, lean on them. Get really good at baking Nutella mini-cupcakes.
Common Career Fields
Antiques dealer. This is somewhat similar to a blackjack dealer, only no one is gambling, there are way more than fifty-two things in your deck, and if you snap one, you're out a bunch of money. So actually, they're nothing alike. If you're going to sell antiques—they use the word "dealing" to sound more edgy—you need to know what you're selling. That's where the art history comes in.
Agent. As a rule, creative types really hate dealing with the business side of their jobs. This means selling their work, getting gallery appearances, and negotiating contracts. Agents do that for them…for a small cut of the proceeds, of course. If you have people skills, don't mind business, and want to help great artists get paid, this is a great job for you.
Preservation and Conservation. Just about everything in this world is damaging to art. Dust, sneezes, bears, and even Mr. Bean can be devastating to the art world. People have to keep the art clean, keep it from fading too badly, and never use the Mona Lisa as a napkin (no matter how greasy those chicken wings were).
Curator. Where do you see most art? That's right, in…wait, what? No…"museums" was the right answer. That's where you see art. We're not sure how you expected to house paintings in ostriches. Just no. Work in a museum, put exhibits together, take care of valuable collections, and be surrounded by beauty all day. No ostriches. Unless it's an ostrich museum.
Appraiser. People love buying art. It's their second favorite thing to do with art, behind looking at it, and just in front of explaining it so as to seem more cultured. How is the price of art determined? It's not like the masters slapped a price tag on it, and even if they did, some of those currencies are now gone. No one knows how to pay a thousand florins and a hogshead of myrrh anymore. Appraisers solve this problem by figuring out how much art is worth in today's currencies. Like bitcoins.
Art Consultant. Some places (hotels, offices, that kind of thing) want art on their walls. They probably want tasteful stuff, too, because no one wants the crying clowns playing poker painting. For so many reasons. These people make sure that the art on the walls is up to the quality of the establishment. Or at least up to the quality they want to pay for.
Education. Of course this is an option. The great thing about education is that once you have enough of it, you're qualified to give it out. It's a lot like jellybeans in that way, only you don't actually lose any of yours by sharing. Also, get this: some schools don't require an advanced degree to teach art or art history, so you can cartwheel straight into teaching after college.
Current unemployment of the major
7.3%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
35%Stats obtained from this source.