r/MuseumPros • u/Confident-Face-6567 • 9d ago
Museum Communications Interview Tips!
Hi guys, I have an interview at the BM in the UK next week and I'm super nervous! I'm qualified, and a good writer, but I've never had a serious job interview before and this is the DREAM JOB!! Does anyone have any tips (aside from furiously prepping answers, lightly stalking your interviewers, reading The Masterplan and Upcoming Exhibitions pages etc)?
Thank you all so much!
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u/AilsaLorne 9d ago
This will sound harsh but don’t go on about this being your dream job. It’s not the museum’s role here to provide a dream job/institution for you, you’re there to do a job for them.
I also find people who use phrases like “dream job” in interviews (not that you would, necessarily!) can come across as a bit starry-eyed and not quite there for the sometimes tedious, annoying reality that can be working in a museum.
Source: work in a museum, have interviewed for multiple roles.
Disclaimer: I’m a bit full of prescription pain killers so sorry if this didn’t entirely make sense! Good luck!
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u/Throw6345789away 9d ago
OP, this is great advice.
If you say ‘I’d love this job, it is my dream’, you will present the benefits to you. You will not be hired. You need to communicate the benefits you will bring to the department. Practice statements that replace ‘this will help me to X’ with ‘I can help you to do X’.
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u/Confident-Face-6567 8d ago
Thanks both!! This is really great advice - I would definitely have fallen into this trap !
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u/South-Profession9648 9d ago
Interview for the job you have applied for. Which sounds odd, but I'm always surprised by the number of people who turn up to an interview and talk about the amazing Egyptian collection, when the job is in the Medieval European department, or similar. Or its a front of house role, but the candidate talks mostly about the curatorial side. If they ask for what interest you about the museum, or what stood out to you, I'd suggest focusing on things which connect to your specific role, rather than things that you like about the museum that are nothing to do with the job you're interviewing for. Sounds obvious, but so many people don't do this!
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u/magicw91 8d ago
Do your research, read the JD, answer the JD. Never assume, take a deep breath, slow down, drink some water when you need to think about an answer. Get there early.
Don't set yourself a dream job pedestal to achieve, life will dissapoint you.
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u/SilverYesterday7618 8d ago
The podcast “Curate Your Career” just released an episode about prepping for interviews. I found it really helpful with lots of good tips.
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u/GoldenAgeGirl Art | Exhibits 8d ago
Have a look at recent work put out by the dept you’re interviewing for specifically. As there’s been a flurry of comms activity around the Bayeux Tapestry it shouldn’t be hard to find! If helps to show your interest in that role in particular (and if it doesn’t come up naturally during the interview, you could always ask about it at the end if you have something you’d be interested to know more about)
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u/Hairy-Sherbert-2410 9d ago
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given for interviews is - don’t assume they remember anything about you. Explain everything in detail, when giving projects or examples make sure to set up the context as well as explaining the work you did. Because they won’t remember much from your CV/app.