We surveyed 1,189 curators to better understand the work environment and required skills of a typical curator. Here are the results.
Can I learn to become a curator?
Intrinsic Talent
Acquired Talent
A career as a curator typically depends predominantly on qualities you can gain through experience, with a small aspect of skills you are born with.
Is it easy to get a job as a curator?
Easy
Hard
It’s typically difficult to find a job as a curator. If you’re curious about the numbers, check out the job market for curators.
Do curators work full-time or part-time?
45% of curators work in full-time roles while 55% work part-time.
Is being a curator stressful?
Low
High
Curators tend not to find their jobs stressful, which likely contributes positively to career satisfaction.
Is being organized important as a curator?
Low
High
Some level of organization is generally required to be a curator.
How competitive is the workplace for curators?
Low
High
Curators see mild competition in their workplace.
Does being a curator require frequent time pressure to complete tasks?
Low
High
Time pressure tends not to be a major contributor of stress for curators.
Are curators allowed to express themselves creatively?
Low
High
Creativity is intrinsic to being a curator, and a highly valuable part of the career.
Do curators have control over the direction of their work?
Low
High
Curators have high flexibility in the direction of their work, allowing them a lot of freedom in how they accomplish their goals.
Is being a curator physically demanding?
Low
High
Work as a curator is not the most physically demanding of careers, falling in the bottom half of all careers.
Are curators exposed to a wide variety of work?
Low
High
While sometimes repetitive, curators tend to have opportunities for variety in their work.
Does being a curator require attention to detail?
Low
High
As in many careers, attention to detail is quite helpful for curators.
Does being a good curator require compassion and empathy?
Low
High
Being compassionate and empathetic is considered helpful to those looking to pursue careers as curators.