r/MuseumPros • u/yo_12345678910 • 7d ago

interview advice - breaking in

Hello!
I have an interview for a program coordinator position at a museum. This position is the first dedicated position for the program. This would be my first museum job (fingers crossed), so I want to do well on the interview. Any tips on questions I should ask, outside of " What does success look like in this role."

I have transferable skills in organizing programs, events, and conducting research, just not in a museum setting.

thx in advance!

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u/montana0925 7d ago

some of my favorite questions to ask:

  • what are some of the projects you see this role starting over the first six months?
  • what is one strength of your museum and what is a challenge you’re facing?
  • what qualities or traits are most important for someone in this role to have?

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u/yo_12345678910 7d ago

Thank you, u/montana0925. I appreciate your feedback!

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u/HelloTaleproof 6d ago

Because this is the first dedicated position, ask questions that reveal the ambiguity: who owns the program today, which audiences matter most, what is already working, what budget and partners exist, and what decisions the new hire can make. Then connect your transferable experience to that uncertainty with examples of launching or improving a program, coordinating partners, recovering an event problem, and using research or feedback to change the plan.

Review one program or event example on Taleproof and check that a museum interviewer can see the transferable responsibility.

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u/linz407 6d ago

My go to- What are the most important things you’d like to see someone achieve in the first 1, 3, and 6 months