Curator Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Curator resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Curators are responsible for planning and organizing art exhibitions and other special events. They choose the artworks that will be displayed and write the labels that accompany them. Curators are also responsible for researching their subject matter, identifying trends, and building relationships with artists and other creative professionals.
Because curators work in a variety of fields—from art to history to science—there are all kinds of opportunities out there. You might find yourself working at a major museum or gallery, planning an exhibition to commemorate an important anniversary or historical event. Or you might decide to take your talents to a smaller organization that focuses on a particular niche or region. Or maybe you’re interested in the commercial world of art, where you could work at an auction house or gallery.
Whatever your interests and ambitions are, you’ll need a resume that highlights your relevant experience and skills. Here are some tips and an example for reference when writing your own curator resume.
How to Write a Curator Resume
Here’s how to write a curator resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When you’re writing your bullet points, it can be tempting to just list your responsibilities. But that’s not going to make a strong impression on recruiters. Instead, you should focus on the results of your work. So rather than saying you “managed collection of artifacts,” you could say that you “managed collection of artifacts, resulting in 20% increase in collection size over two years.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides specific numbers and details about the project. And it also provides context by mentioning the size of the collection.
Related What Is a Curator? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for a curator role, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This program looks for specific terms related to the job, like “collections management” or “museum exhibits,” in order to determine whether your skills and experience are a match for the job. If you don’t have enough relevant keywords on your resume, the ATS might not forward your application to a recruiter.
To make sure your resume makes it past the ATS, use this list of common curator keywords as a starting point:
- Curating
- Art
- Museum Studies
- Art History
- Conservation
- Conservation Science
- Gallery Management
- Art Conservation
- Visual Arts
- Editing
- Photography
- Exhibition Design
- Exhibition Planning
- Writing
- Public Speaking
- Collections Management
- Event Planning
- Digital Photography
- Photography Editing
- Social Media
- Social Media Marketing
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
- Graphic Design
- Adobe InDesign
- WordPress
- Microsoft Access
- Customer Service
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Research
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a curator, you are responsible for acquiring, organizing, and preserving items in a collection. In order to do this effectively, you need to be familiar with the various tools and systems used in the field.
Some of the programs and systems that curators are typically expected to be proficient in include: museum management software, collections management software, cataloguing software, and research databases.
Related: How Much Does a Curator Make?
Remember The Basics
As you draft your resume, you’ll want to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.
Make It Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to improve the readability of your resume. Left-align your text, use a standard font size and type, and keep your bullets to two lines or less. You should also try to use formatting sparingly, and have a separate skills section. Finally, make sure you leave some white space on the page to make the resume less daunting.
Be Concise
There is no set length for a resume, but a one page resume is the ideal length for most people. This allows you to succinctly communicate your professional experience and skills to an employer. However, if you have more than 10 years of experience or are a senior-level executive, you can make a two-page resume to highlight all of your job skills and qualifications. When trimming down your resume, focus on removing irrelevant information and streamlining the content.
Check Your Work
Proofreading your resume is important to make sure it looks good and professional. Spell check is a good place to start, but you should also have someone else proofread it for you. Beware of easily confused words, and make sure that your tense is consistent throughout the resume.
Consider Including a Summary
When it comes to resumes, a well-written summary statement can be extremely beneficial, as it can help to contextualize your experience and explain why you’re the perfect fit for the role you’re seeking. By highlighting your relevant skills and experiences, as well as your future goals, you can create a snapshot of who you are and what you have to offer. Keep your summary statement brief, no more than three or four sentences, and make sure to target it towards the role you’re applying for.
Related Resume Examples
