Role-specific Museum Interpreter Interview Questions & Answers:

1. Do you know what is Colonial Williamsburg?

The largest living history museum in the United States, Colonial Williamsburg is a private not-for-profit foundation that operates the restored 18th-century capital of colonial Virginia and the adjacent all-encompassing resort.

2. Tell me how to deal with children?

They might have worked at a children's museum or been a teacher.

3. Do you know how to deliver customer service?

Customer service experience--hospitality--is a key role for interpreters. They're the people that our guests, who coming here on their free time--on the weekend or maybe on vacation--interact with They want to learn, but they also want an enjoyable experience.

4. There are 3 light bulbs in a hidden room and 3 switches outside the room that correspond to those light bulbs. You do not know which switch affects which bulb and you cannot see inside of the room. You are allowed to go inside of the room only one time. How do you find out which switch corresponds to which bulb?

Turn on two switches and wait for a while. Then turn off one switch and go inside the room. The bulb that is still on corresponds to the switch that is still on. Touch the remaining bulbs. The hotter bulb is the switch that you turned off, and the remaining bulb is the switch that you never turned on.

5. General Museum Interpreter interview questions:

☛ What has been your most successful Museum Interpreter experience in speech making?
☛ What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Museum Interpreter?
☛ Tell me about the most effective presentation you have made.
☛ What was the most complex assignment you have had?
☛ How long will it take for you to make a significant contribution?
☛ Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you handled implementing it.
☛ Tell me about an important goal that you set in the past.

6. Basic History Museum Interpreter interview questions:

☛ Do you know anyone who works with our company?
☛ How long would you stay with our company?
☛ What is more important to you: the money or the work?
☛ Have you ever had to deal with conflicting deadlines?
☛ Do you have any questions for me?

7. Basic Museum Interpreter interview questions:

☛ What is more important to you: the money or the work as Museum Interpreter?
☛ Your greatest weakness in school or at work?
☛ How do you handle failures? Provide examples.
☛ What motivates you to do a good job?
☛ How would you describe your presentation style?
☛ Have you ever acted as a mentor to a co-worker?
☛ Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

8. Phone Based Museum Interpreter interview questions:

☛ Explain a time that you took initiative as Museum Interpreter.
☛ Are you planning to continue your studies and training for Museum Interpreter?
☛ Tell me about an important issue you encountered recently.
☛ How do you show an interest in what another person is saying?
☛ What are your weaknesses?
☛ What was your most difficult decision?
☛ Do you prefer to work independently or on a team?

9. Behavioral History Museum Interpreter job interview questions:

☛ Tell me about how you worked effectively under pressure.
☛ How do you keep track of things you need to do?
☛ What kinds of situations do you find most stressful?
☛ How do you decide what gets top priority when scheduling your time? Give examples of ideas you've had or implemented.

10. First Museum Interpreter interview questions:

☛ What have you learned from mistakes on the Museum Interpreter job?
☛ What is the most recent skill you have learned that related to Museum Interpreter?
☛ What was the last project you headed up, and what was its outcome?
☛ What is your greatest fear?
☛ What did you like least about your last job?
☛ What is your biggest regret and why?
☛ How do you manage your time?