8. Leaving Museums Didn’t Mean Failing, It Meant Choosing Myself: Mary’s Career Pivot Story

What happens when your passion for museums isn’t enough anymore?In this episode of Curate Your Career, Elin and Alli sit down with Mary Culler to talk honestly about her decision to step away from the museum field and into a new role in a new field.Mary shares what it looked like to confront financial instability, emotional labor, and work-life imbalance and how she navigated the fear, grief, and relief that came with choosing something different.We talk about turning down job offers, recognizing when a role no longer fits, and translating museum skills into a completely new environment. Mary also opens up about imposter syndrome after the pivot, the power of soft skills, and why career moves don’t have to be permanent to be meaningful.This episode is for anyone who:Loves museums but needs more stability or balanceIs wondering if leaving means “giving up”Is afraid of making the wrong career decisionNeeds permission to choose growth, even when it’s complicatedKey TakeawaysFinancial stability and well-being are valid reasons to change pathsEmotional labor can quietly shape burnout in museum rolesTurning down a job offer can be an act of self-trustMuseum experience builds highly transferable skills, even outside the fieldImposter syndrome doesn’t disappear overnight, but confidence does growSoft skills often matter more than technical ones in career transitionsCareer decisions don’t have to be permanent to be worthwhileChapters00:00 – Introduction: when passion isn’t enough01:47 – Mary’s museum career path03:27 – Recognizing the need for change05:48 – Job searching, offers, and hard decisions08:09 – Transitioning into a new role10:02 – What the pivot revealed14:51 – Settling into something new19:09 – Translating museum skills beyond the field22:40 – Relationship-building and soft skills24:27 – Imposter syndrome after a pivot28:36 – Making peace with career uncertainty31:37 – Prioritizing values and growth35:06 – Finding your voice — and your next stepKeywordsmuseum careers, career transitions, museum professionals, leaving museums, transferable skills, imposter syndrome, career pivot, work-life balance, financial stability, career coaching, personal growth