Week 3: The Interview

Last week I discussed the application process for this specific D.C. internship, and figured this week I would talk about the next step: the interview. The first thing everyone should know is that the response time is not immediate from the day you submit the application to the day you receive an email saying that you either did or did not get an interview. I submitted my application in early October and found out the Wednesday before Thanksgiving that I was chosen for a phone interview that next week. So do not get discouraged if a month passes and you still do not hear from them. I scheduled my interview for a day and time when I knew I would be free and someplace quiet. Do not schedule an interview time for an hour before your class starts, you do not want to feel pressured or rushed during the interview. I spent a few days before the interview preparing my answers to all the basic interview questions I assumed they would ask: 

Why do you want to intern at this museum? Why should we choose you among other applicants for this internship?

I created a list of all of the qualifications and experiences I wanted to mention in the interview so I didn't forget any vital information that could win me the internship. The list included the number of Holocaust survivors I met, the names of the Survivors I interviewed, the camps I visited in Poland, the museums I volunteered at and what I specifically did in those museums. This really kept my mind clear from roaming because I didn’t have to pause and think about an answer. The interviewer called me at exactly the time I was scheduled for and the first thing he did was discuss what position I was interviewing for and the jobs I would be performing in that internship. Once I said that I understood the position, he moved onto the questions.

They did ask the basic questions I mentioned above, so be prepared to tell them what you can bring to the museum and make sure to complement the museum's offerings; such as the large archives or their Passport project. It's good to let them know that you are familiar with the place and what they have to offer, so that you can tell visitors. They also asked how I deal with children and, due to my education minor background and the many hours of service I spent in schools, I was able to give an answer that pleased my interviewer. They also asked if I am okay with lifting heavy objects weighing up to 25 pounds. Seeing as how my job on campus is delivering packages to on-campus students, I was able to tell him that I have carried TVs and printers before and that 25 pounds would not be an issue. As the interview went on, he began to ask deeper questions, including "Would you be able to emotionally handle working at the museum?" I told him of my time visiting the concentration and death camps in Poland and that if I can get through that, I can get through ten weeks of working at the museum. He then asked the what if questions:

What if a visitor came up to you and asked you a question that you did not know the answer too? I said I would give my best answer, but direct them to the many resources the museum has to offer to answer their question, including the museum's website. This seemed to be the answer they were looking for,
What if someone walked in and told you the Holocaust never happened. How would you respond? Cursing and screaming is not the appropriate response, though you may want too. I simply mentioned that I would again direct them to the many facts and evidence in the museum that prove otherwise and give them videos of survival testimonies. You most likely won't be able to change a person's mind, so trying to say that you will is false hope. Simply say what you are able to do and that the visitor can decide what they wish to do with that information. 

The last question asked was, "What is your mission statement?" This question threw me off guard and I had to take a long pause to think of what the question was even asking. I started to talk about how my mission is to educate the general public about what prejudice and hate can do. To this day I still don't know if that was the answer they were looking for. I got the internship though, so maybe it was?
I heard back from the museum exactly two weeks after the interview after receiving a call asking if I was still interested. I practically screamed that I was, and was told that I would hear from someone in a few days about the next steps. It took a month to hear from someone. I was so nervous that they decided not to give the internship me, that I ended up having to call them before my school's add/drop deadline to know if I should withdrawal from my classes. Do not be afraid to take initiative and email or call if you have any questions or concerns, everyone I spoke with was super nice and understanding. 

Week 2: The Application Process

Happy weekend everyone! Seeing as how I have not started my internship yet- three more weeks-  I figured I would take this week to explain the process of applying for this D.C. internship. It was a very straight forward, simple application process and I was able to complete the entire document during my work hours.

The first step is seeing what the museum has to offer, this goes for internships and volunteer opportunities. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has an amazing website full of articles and information about much of the Holocaust. It is actually just a great website to visit in general if anyone is looking for information on certain topics or subtopics of the Holocaust. By going to USHMM.org, clicking on the menu option at the top left of the screen and scrolling down to career and volunteer opportunities, you will be directed to a web page providing three options: Careers, Internships and Volunteering. Unfortunately, due to the new semester of interns, information on internships is closed until March. Some of the internship opportunities I remember off the top of my head are library science, collections management, outreach, and the one I was chosen for: visitor services. However, there are at least ten more options available for applicants to choose from.Once the options have been looked over and you understand what an internship entails, such as the minimum ten-week commitment and the age requirement, then you can go to the application section of the internship page.The first few questions are the average name, age, residency questions. The six other students I will be interning with this semester are from all over the country!

Next, they ask for two personal references, this is different from professional references. I used a family friend who owns his own business and a teacher that I have stayed in contact with over the past several years. Later on in the application they will ask for professional references, and though not mandatory to fill out, I highly recommended submitting at least two for it could increase the chances of acceptance. For these, I used my supervisor at the Holocaust museum in Maitland, my supervisor at the museum in Naples I used to volunteer at, and my employer on campus. I was fortunate to have more experience than most. The next few questions pertain to availability and areas of interest, which is where the research from the beginning comes in handy. They list all of the available positions and allow you to choose as many as your heart desires. I recommend choosing as many as possible without seeming to eager, so that you paint yourself as flexible and open to trying new things. The next couple questions ask about your education, where you go to school, your GPA, and any relevant courses taken and passed (passed being the key word). They do ask for grades, so I suggest leaving any class with a C or lower off the list. As mentioned in my first blog post, many of the classes offered at UCF were great to add to the list, and something the museum brought up in my interview. The whole point of the application is to prove your qualifications, the phone interview proves your passion.

Luckily, there are no letters of recommendation required for this internship even though most internships ask for them. I had two letters on hand just in case, one from my supervisor at the Maitland Holocaust Museum and one from a Holocaust teacher I had a few years back. The last few things they ask are basic interview questions: how did you hear about the internship and why are you interested?

The application process is your first impression, which is why taking your time and mentioning all of your experiences, education and assets is crucial. It is important to keep in mind that the question isn't what can the museum do for you, but what can you do for the museum? How will them choosing you over all other applicants be beneficial to them in the long run?

Introduction

     Hello to everyone and thank you for taking the time to read this blog! My name is Lauren Geller and I am currently in the final semester of my junior year at UCF. I have recently been given the amazing opportunity to partake in a 10 week long internship program at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington DC starting February 28th. Myself, along with six other interns from across the country, will be representing the Museum Services Operation Department responsible for managing visitor services, group schedulings, volunteer services and providing further support to the museum where needed. Though unpaid, the experience and knowledge gained will be reward enough.

     My future plans upon graduation are still being determined, but I hope this internship will open me up to new opportunities and choices of future career paths, and the connections I make will hopefully lead to job offers or other internship opportunities. Though majoring in History as a general subject, my interest lies in Holocaust and Genocide Studies specifically. I have recently taken up a minor in Judaic Studies to learn about the persecution of the Jewish people and their heritage before and after World War II and the rise of Hitler. UCF has been super helpful in offering classes that parallel my intended interest, including classes on Nazism and Fascism, the rise of Hitler, and Literature in the Holocaust. I believe this education to truly be one of the reasons I was chosen among hundreds of applicants for the internship.

     However, no matter how many times I study or read or watch about this terrible era of human history, the pain never seems to disappear; it just becomes numb. One question the Museum asked in my phone interview was, "Will you be able to handle emotionally your surroundings?" I don't think any decent human being can say that they aren't emotional when it comes to this subject area, even those who have studied and researched it their whole lives. It's a personal and real horror that many can't understand or grasp no matter how much time or research one spends in the topic. This is why the Museum, and all Holocaust museums, are so important to society and to people. Educating people about what the horrors of discrimination and prejudice can bring about and telling the stories of those lives taken by such, is the closest thing the general public can learn about human nature. This is what the internship means to me and why it is so important; reminding people what hate can cause by providing proof and resources for those interested and willing to look, ask questions and understand.