My Sister Needs Your Help!

[bohorquez]

For those of you who have gone on interviews (to be honest I haven't been on a real interview for about 3-4 years!) my sister and I need your help!



So my sister has the greatest opportunity to work at the Field Museum here in Chicago as an adminstrative assistant.  She's been dying to get into the Field Museum since who knows when!  She's knows she's going before a panel of interviewers and I can help her with an outfit to wear and how to act.



But can some of you guys give me some interview questions so we can practice tonight?  I can give her tips on how to be confident but this is her first really big interview and I don't want her to freak out and not get the job.  I know she's really nervous so that's why I want to practice with her.



Please please help me and send any tips you find helpful!!



Thanks soooo much!!



Bridget

[phoenix55]

So here's one I use that I like....



Everyone, at one time or another, has had their work critiqued or even criticized.  Give me an example of one time this happened to you and how did you handle it?  (The first time I asked that question, after the interview was over my partner said she wanted to add to that, "And what caliber did you use?")



And then there's always the standard:



Do you prefer to work individually or as part of a team?



Everyone knows the old what are your weaknesses and strengths question--my partner usually asks that and I don't know why.  Seems this one has become so popular, there's some stock answers to it.



Let's see, what else?   (I wish I had my list of 101 interview questions at home with me.)  One of the more unusual ones I've heard people being asked:  "If you were one of the animals on a carousel, which would you be and what tune would be playing?"  I'm sure there's a point there, but I don't know what it is.



Generally, I would say to your sister, relax as much as possible, let her personality shine through and try, try, try to forget this is her dream job.  Many years ago when I interviewed, I always got into the mindset that if I was honest, upfront and relaxed, if they didn't choose me for the job, then based upon what I presented, I wouldn't have been happy there anyway.  



Also--very, very important and you wouldn't believe how many people do this--don't "dis" your former employers!!!!  If you worked for Scrooge, you didn't leave the job because he was an S*O*B, you left because your plans for your careerpath didn't match his plans for you.



A particular gripe of mine:  Please don't say this is a "foot in the door."  If you truly want to advance, say so but emphasize that you will discuss your plans for your career with your supervisors.  So many times we've hired people who were interested in the job above the position they're taking and just didn't do the job they were hired for well at all because they've had their on the "prize" and not on the duties at hand.



Probably I've said too much, but just my two cents!



Wish your sister luck for me.  Let us know how everything goes!

[countrigal]

I don't know if everyone is doing this, but my company is big on Performance Based Interviews...  So they ask questions pertaining to the job you're interviewing for and ask to show an example of when/where you've done this.  Ie.



Give an example where you dealt with an irate customer.  How did you handle it?  What was the outcome?



Give an example of a time you made a suggestion for improvement.  What was the improvement?  What was the outcome?



Give an example of a time you had to work "outside the box".  What did you do?  How was it accepted?



Give an example of a stressful event in your present job.  How did you handle it?



Give an example of a time when you worked without direct supervision.  What was the task?  What did you like about it?  What did you not like about it?



Give an example of when you did something not in your job description.  How did you get this duty/task?  



Give an example of a time you were asked to do something that you didn't have all the connections or authority to do.  Did you get it done?  If so, how?



Give an example of documents you have created using computer software (ie. word documents, Excel, Powerpoint, Access). (this normally is referring to graphing, presentations, etc)  What was the intended audience of this work?  How was it received?



How do you handle personality conflicts?  GIve an example of a time you had to work with someone you didn't like/respect.  How did you handle it?  What was the outcome?  (stress here not to mention names - you never know who knows who... be generic such as "a peer from another office" or "a manager for a different branch")



You get the idea here though...  If I think of any others I'll post them.

[deedeeb]

I like to have some questions for the interviewer(s); my favorite goes something like:  "I'd be interested in hearing about someone who worked for you in the past in a similar position who did a superior job, and what that looked like.  I'd also be interested in hearing about someone who worked for you in the past whose work you valued less, and why."  You would be surprised how often people are asked by the interviewer, "Do you have any questions?" and the person responds that they don't.  Your sister needs to know what specific traits and skills they are looking for, and often, even the interviewers can't say specifically.  Asking them about someone else and how that person worked can give her some clarity about what their priorities in hiring are.  She might also want to ask "What improvements would you like to see here in 6 months to a year from now?"  This gives her some idea what results she will want to focus on.  Or maybe it will give her the idea that she doesn't WANT that job!

[jadegrniiz]

I think you have gotten a good round of questions....  so, I'll throw in just a tidbit of information that might be helpful for your sister.



You said it was a museum....   9 out of 10 museums are non-profit. If this is in fact the case with this one, then there are some things she needs to know (if she's never worked for non-profit before).



1. Money doesn't grow on trees in non-profit world. You are at the constant mercy of donations, grants and such. This means she won't be able to go in and expect all her wishes for the perfect workspace to be met, supplies to be bought, computer equipment updated.....   etc.



2. Salary. They will undoubtedly ask her salary requirements. Depending on her financial position, she needs to stick to the minimums. For example, she could say "In order to consider this position, I'd require a minimum offer of $XXX, but my past history is $XXX."  If she goes in with the hopes of bettering her current salary and shoots off some outrageous figure, she is in for a big disappointment. Non-profits usually have very low averaging salaries.



3. Flexibility. In non-profit, admins wear MANY hats. Don't go in expecting to stick to a written job description and think your job is safe. She will need to be flexible on her hours and duties. Most non-profits have fund raiser events in order to bring in boatloads of cash. This means overtime, occasional weekends....   Her director will need her to be there and do the job, not whine about it not being in her job description, or complain about missed family time and lack of babysitters. If she isn't sure about those items, she will need to put together a well thought out question for her interviewer regarding the overtime issue.



That's about the jist of the general stuff....  if you know what department she's interviewing for (like Development, Administration, Marketing...etc) I can give more info.



 

[dettu]

ITA about non-profits, but also about the Field being a great place to work.  If she is interested in the museum and its work, and asks questions along those lines, and shows a genuine interest in it, I think it will go a long way.  They would probably rather hire someone to whom this isn't just another admin job.  Hey, *I* would like that job, if I still lived in Chicago.  Although for her sake I hope they have underground parking in the winter...brrrr!

[phoenix55]

CountriGal,



Great questions--I'm sure we'll see a lot of employers moving back to asking questions like this.  But in the back of my mind, I kept hearing my friend say, "And what caliber did you use?"



I think she and I have spent far too many years in criminal justice!

[bethalize]

When answering a question, use it to jump off into showing how good you are.

For example:

"What would you say your weaknesses were?"

(at this point I make a small joke about how everyone always answers that they are a perfectionist, but it's true that I am not happy if I'm not doing my best and succeeding in what I have to do).

After the above I say something like:

"I sometime find myself wanting to put off mundane tasks if something more interesting is at hand"

Then, I would launch in to a bit about how I have learned self-discipline through experience, and that I make sure that I manage my time carefuly, prioritising my work and scheduling to ensure that something that isn't initially important or urgent doesn't become both.

Then I would give an example from my work history.

Best of luck!

 

[bohorquez]

!



Thanks for the information!  Oddly enough my sister current job is with a non-profit information so she knows all to well about the many hats and the low pay.  



I know all about her job because I used to work there too!  



Thanks again!



Bridget

[ocblnd]

One I was asked when I applied for this job.....after the interviewer and I had talked for awhile......"What is the biggest misconception you think I might of you right now?"  Sure gave me pause.....then I came back with a light comment, "well since we are both blonde that can't be the issue, I'm sure I am much older than you and you might be wondering if you can really teach old dogs new tricks." then went on to comment on my love for learning new and different things and my eagerness to do so.



and one big question I was taught to use to end an interview..."when would you like me to start?"          

[laundryhater]

The interview questions I always have to prepare for the most is...



"What are your weaknesses?"



and



"What are your strengths?"



I always have to be prepared ahead of time for these questions instead of winging it because I want to have a really good answer. I don't want to just sit there and say, "Well gee, I don't know." And I definately don't want to make myself sound really dumb with the "weaknesses" question and I don't want to sound like an egotist with the "strengths" question. I want to strike a balance of sorts.



I wish your sister lots of luck. Sounds like a great job!

I've often considered being a tour guide or an admin for a museum or something too. Sounds really interesting.

[superninjaadmin]

I read all of the excellent comments and suggestions above, but here is one that will really impress and flatter the interviewers:



Suggest that your sister does some homework/investigating and learn as much as she can about the museum, its history, its target audience, its future, who operates it, its affiliations, connections, etc.  That way, she can interject some plugs during the interview.  She can also ask some questions prefacing some of the knowledge she has about the museum already.  

[vegasadmin]

This is a great thread; I'm very uncomfortable with interviews and I'm sure I'm not alone.  I know the responses here are for Bohorquez's sister, but I'm definitely keeping them in mind.



Bohorquez, how wonderful for your sister to have an opportunity to work at the Field Museum.  I hope one of the perks would be free admission any time she's not working!  Please let us know how things work out for her.  I hope she gets the job if it's what she truly wants - I imagine that (barring bad office politics!) it's one of the more interesting places to work in Chicago.