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Interviewing for a museum job may sound a bit different than your traditional retail or service environment—but the experience is often similar.
Let’s hear about some actual job interviews given to museum job applicants to see how to ace your job interview at a museum.
Just like any job interview, it pays to be prepared. Here’s a few actual questions that folks like you have received in their museum job interview in the past year:
Let’s break each of these questions down. From there, we can explore what a good response might sound like.
Our Advice: While this might be a common first question to any job interview, the key to this particular question is to tie it directly to the museum or exhibition itself. Why do you like museums? What attracted you to that particular museum?
The more you can tailor your answer to the particular museum or department at the museum, the better! For example, you might refer to the museum’s focus on underprivileged and underrepresented artists and your belief in the importance of those efforts.
Our Advice: Since the job is at a museum, you can expect to receive a question or two that is connected to the art or history on display at the location. Again, tying your answer back to that particular location is helpful for making your application and interview stand out.
A helpful tip—arrive early at the museum and take a look at some of the exhibitions. Even the free ones in the lobby or ground floor can give you a window into what the museum and its curators find important. It’s also nice to know what your work environment will look and feel like before you start your first day!
Our Advice: This question is especially important for roles that involve active interaction with the museum exhibits and artwork. It also seeks to understand if you have been in the museum before and spent time at your would-be workplace.
If it’s your first time at the museum, no fear! You can think back to any other museum experiences that you’ve had before. What did you like the most? Why did you come back to one particular museum but not the other? Why would you take your kids to this museum?
Thinking about what you like—or even dislike but can be changed—about your job location is a great thing to think about ahead of any museum job interview; or any interview in general.
Our Advice: Dealing with unruly visitors can be challenging in any role, but there are a few things you can do to help. First and foremost, it is important to remain calm, patient, and empathetic when interacting with a difficult visitor. Listening to their concerns and trying to understand their perspective can go a long way in de-escalating a situation.
Even if you are unable to defuse the situation immediately, you can suggest moving the discussion to a different location that does not interfere with the experience of other visitors, such as the courtyard, outdoor space, or even hallway instead of within an exhibit.
It is of course still important to be clear and firm in communicating any museum policies or guidelines that may be relevant to the situation, and to do so in a way that is respectful and non-confrontational—but still fair to all those involved.
While museum jobs may not be the first role you think of for your next gig, they can be great opportunities for job seekers.
Looking for a museum job or want to interview for similar jobs? Check out Workwise Job Search: the easiest place to find and share high-quality jobs near you.
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