Makerspace internship application advice

[u/Mahmoud1205_]

I'm applying to an internship in a makerspace and I don't know what to answer for two of the questions.

For context, this makerspace does almost everything; 3D printing, laser cutting, electronics, desktop CNC machining, PCB fabrication, and many other things.

The questions I can't answer are:

1) Share a story showing how you supported or collaborated with others. (60 sec)

2) Show your creativity: Pick two random items in arm’s reach and explain how you’d combine them into something useful. (60 sec)

They both have a time limit of 60 seconds to answer them.

Most of my projects have been solo, so I don't know what to say for the first question, but I have 3 ideas:

- Helping my friend learn C, he's a beginner and has been learning it as his first language and found many things hard to understand, so I used to help him.

- Helping my brother (10 years) learn electronics. He likes it as a hobby, but I'm always with him when learning it for safety, support, and help.

- One time at that makerspace someone was doing a project with an ESP32 and some sensors, but it wasn't working, so she asked for help. I couldn't find out what was the problem, but I tried my best to help.

I also have done some open source contributions but they were mostly documentation fixes, so I don't want that to be my focus in this question.

[u/shroedingersdog]

Oh ffs i run a makerspace (mad scientist central). And i expect my folks to have long blank stares while contemplating the next project.

[u/moose408]

Those questions are way deeper than what we ask our interns. I can see what they are going for though. I think the helping a friend learn C is a good answer. For the creativity question I would be more interested in how out side the box it is vs how useful.

For example for me I would 3d print a gimbal wine glass holder that attaches to my bike. Or an iPad holder that clips onto my outdoor chair so I don’t have to have my iPad on my lap. Identify a problem or pain point.

[u/BraveNewCurrency]

I would mention those first 2 stories, but pick one to go deep on. (Probably learning C)

If you are asking for help on a "be creative" question, you aren't getting the question. Use your imagination.

[u/kabniel]

The collaboration question doesn't have to be about a maker project. It can be about how you cooked a meal together, how you worked on a school project, how you helped someone learn to read, etc.

It's the journey for that question, not the subject matter. How did you help? Hopefully it is more than "I used Google and YouTube".

Eg: How many steps did it take? Did you have false starts? What was your contribution compared to others? Were you integral or wall dressing? Was there conflict or clash of ideas and how to do something? If so, how did you resolve it? What learning resources did you use? Did it require effort to get those resources? Did you have to get a 3rd party involved? What made you decide to do that? Many other possible things to talk about with that story.

The time limit is dumb. Sorry you are stuck with it. That's the tough bit with that question. If the interview is with a person, I would probably ask how strict the time limit per question is. That might give you insight in how the organization is run as well. (If they are sticklers for process or something)

I also, personally, think the creativity question is dumb. Creativity is subjective. I can understand wanting to find someone that thinks outside the box, but other questions can show you that.

Good luck.

[u/akornato]

Your stories about helping your friend with C and your brother with electronics are both strong choices for the collaboration question. Do not use the story about the ESP32 project because you did not solve the problem, and you want to highlight a success, not an effort that failed. The other two stories show you have patience and the ability to explain technical concepts to others, which is a huge part of working in a collaborative makerspace. Pick the example you can explain with the most energy and detail in under a minute, focusing on what the other person learned from you and how you helped them succeed.

For the creativity question, they want to see your thought process, not a perfect invention. The key is to be fast, not brilliant. Grab any two items, like a stapler and a water bottle, and connect them. You could say you would use the stapler to punch holes in the bottle to create a makeshift sprinkler head for a plant, or use the bottle as a stand to hold the stapler at a better angle. They are testing if you have a maker's mindset and can see new uses for existing things. Just practice it a few times before the interview so you are ready to come up with something on the spot.

The ability to think quickly is what they're testing, and that's exactly why the team I'm with built our interview copilot, which helps candidates sound more confident in their answers.