Tips for a School Technician Interview

[lxboss]

right, not sure if this is in the right topic area so sorry if its not but I have a dilemma. I am a 17 year old student just finishing a BTEC National Award level3 in stage managemetn and technical theatre, I have a job interview as a performing arts technician at a specialist school on thursday morning and I need to know if anyone has any tip son how to do it. I have a portfolio of work that is ok but if anyone has tips on that id like it as well. mainly how would you answer questions. I have been doing this for well 11 years now eefectively but I dont want to say that and then give my lifs story so any tipes on how to answer questions maybe example questions and answers?

 

Thanks in advance for any answers

 

Thanksssss

 

Callum :** laughs out loud **:

[Brian]

An interview is really a verbal exam and the same 'rules' apply.

 

1) Be yourself.

2) Don't bullshit - if you don't know then say so. By all means have a go at answering but say that you're having a go. Explain your thought process as you go along.

3) Don't waffle.

4) Stay on topic.

5) Dress appropriately.

[paulears]

You always get better answers when you provide a proper title - many people won't bother to read this. I'll fix it when I've typed this.

Sorry to invade I think But heeellpp!!!!!

 

First thing is to do the research about the school. Do you know it well?

 

Find out what they have done in the past. If they have a web site, and it talks about the productions they've done, this will give you an idea that they do do proper shows. If your research suggests that they don't do BTEC, like you took - but offer A Levels and GCSEs in theatre studies, drama, that kind of thing - then they may not do proper shows at all. In fact, they might not be keen to ever do them, as they're not needed for what they do. Short bits of drama don't need lights, scenery or even proper costume - so the technicians job could be setting up rooms, recording things for them, maybe focusing a few lights, but nothing like you are used to. If they do BTEC, then it could be amazingly busy, or just the same as A Level.

 

If the job description is vague, then at the interview, ask them what your duties really would be in a typical week. If they talk about things you cannot do, then be honest - "I've never done that, but it will be really interesting to learn" works well. DO NOT BLAG. At your age, they'll realise you simply cannot have the experience - so what they'll be interested in is your attitude, your ability to take on new concepts and skills, and your communication skills. They'll need you to be able to respond on the teachers level as well as the student's. Do not get stressed by the interview - there's no need. My experience is that you will either fit in or not. Sometimes schools and colleges employ people because they will be easy to work with and are not bolshy, or clock watcher. A highly qualified skilled and experienced candidate can get wiped out after just their first sentence. Teachers sometimes are a little unsure of their own abilities, and to be honest are scared silly that people will find their weaknesses out. So having a keen technician who might stretch them may not be welcome. I remember going to work at the college very well. I'd been teaching a two hour a week class on lighting, and enjoyed it - Two years later, I'd got a PGCE and they offered me a job - teaching 50%, technicianing 50%. I mentioned to the drama teacher on the first day that maybe between us we could put on a show. He took me to one side and said "Never, ever suggest that again. I start at 9, finish at 4 and I do not work outside that time. I especially don't want to work evenings - and if you do, then I will have to as well!". I ignored it, and he was right - evening shows became the norm, he took early retirement and I got a full time teaching post.

 

So you might want to find out if they work evenings and weekends.

 

Give it a shot, be nice, be polite and if they put you on the spot, answer positively, even if the answer is no. Turn a negative into a positive if you possibly can. If they ask you if you can operate a 16mm projector, tell them you're very comfortable with DVDs and video projectors, but learning how to work with old fashioned film could be exciting (which, of course, it isn't!).

 

Good luck

Paul

[Ynot]

Well, I can give you some DON'Ts...

 

Firstly DO NOT say that you've been 'doing this' for 11 years. Because quite simply you have NOT. There is just NO way that you can have been working responsibly in tech theatre since you were 6 yrs old!

 

Secondly, DO NOT claim that you are a professional theatre tech. Again, pure and simple you are NOT. Unless you are earning at least a part-time regular wage with theatre (and are registered with HMRC, insurance etc etc etc and all the other things we bang on about here on the BR) you are quite simply a student and an amateur who dabbles. It matters not a jot to your status how much gear you have or whether you hire it and yourself out for friends' parties/school discos or band gigs. You are NOT a professional. <_<

 

What you CAN show, hopefully, is a professional attitude. that basically means confidence in yourself and what you can do, together with the knowledge/acceptance of what you do NOT know or cannot do. In interview (or on a CV) the worst thing you can do is make a claim that you can't substantiate, or worse, which can be blown out of the water at a stroke.

 

What sort of things were on your CV? because any interviewer worth his salt will rip apart the above claims if you've made them in writing. (In a practical way, I'm sure).

 

Did your school/college not give you any guidance on how to handle an interview?

because the best way to succeed at interview is to have practiced the experience beforehand - preferably with someone who will in fact rip your negative points to shreds then tell you how to rebuild the process.

[Andrew C]

All of the above plus - at 17, can you differentiate yourself from the 16 yr old kids? Will the interviewers think you can? It is down to your attitude and "life skills".

 

You may need to be able to stop some keen 16 yr old doing something dangerous without it turning into a fight. I can do it as I'm nearly 50, and 'look like' a proper 'grown up'; you may need to find another way (for much less time than you realise!)

[WiLL]

The simplest answer to this is just be yourself and be honest. Do not feel the need to stretch a few truths to make your CV look more substantial. I caught out an applicant once who claimed to have been a stage manager at a venue I am very familiar with. The venue was on the far side of London near where I live but he clearly thought that no-one south of the river ever worked in venues in Essex. I asked a few questions about the venue and then had to ask him why he was lying to me. He was savagely embarassed, and didn't get the job.

If someone asks you if you have experience with something which you do not, just say 'I haven't had a chance to work with that equipment/media/person yet, but it's something I've wanted to do for a while.' UNLESS you think you'd hate it. In which case you probably wouldn't enjoy the job.

Be friendly.

Dress smartly, many schools accept that their non-teaching staff have to wear jeans and tee-shirts in their working day, but this doesn't mean you go to an interview dressed that way. A suit is always acceptable, shirt, tie and trousers at least. (and pull the trousers up, you'd be amazed how youth fashion doesn't go down well in a formal situation)

Be honest.

Prepare some questions you may want to ask them, they will be expecting you to ask questions about the type of productions, how many students study technical theatre etc..

If the salary was unstated in the advert, ask what it is, as well as holiday days per year. If they offer you less than 11k per annum for a full-time post then I'd recommend laughing and leaving.

 

..and lastly if you don't get the job, just accept it and keep applying elsewhere, your lack of professional experience will inevitably put them off hiring you as it would anybody, but sooner or later someone will chance their arm on you and then you'll have something on your CV more useful than am-dram and volunteer work.

 

Good luck.

[lxboss]

Well, I can give you some DON'Ts...

 

Firstly DO NOT say that you've been 'doing this' for 11 years. Because quite simply you have NOT. There is just NO way that you can have been working responsibly in tech theatre since you were 6 yrs old!

 

Secondly, DO NOT claim that you are a professional theatre tech. Again, pure and simple you are NOT. Unless you are earning at least a part-time regular wage with theatre (and are registered with HMRC, insurance etc etc etc and all the other things we bang on about here on the BR) you are quite simply a student and an amateur who dabbles. It matters not a jot to your status how much gear you have or whether you hire it and yourself out for friends' parties/school discos or band gigs. You are NOT a professional. <_<

 

What you CAN show, hopefully, is a professional attitude. that basically means confidence in yourself and what you can do, together with the knowledge/acceptance of what you do NOT know or cannot do. In interview (or on a CV) the worst thing you can do is make a claim that you can't substantiate, or worse, which can be blown out of the water at a stroke.

 

What sort of things were on your CV? because any interviewer worth his salt will rip apart the above claims if you've made them in writing. (In a practical way, I'm sure).

 

Did your school/college not give you any guidance on how to handle an interview?

because the best way to succeed at interview is to have practiced the experience beforehand - preferably with someone who will in fact rip your negative points to shreds then tell you how to rebuild the process.

 

 

I can claim to be a theatre professional as I am currently a registered as freelance with HMRC and with BECTU. I have been registered since I turned 16 in fact when I began proper professional work freelance. when I was 6 I went to my local professional theatre during panto season and was helping with scene changes and DSM work calling entire shows etc so I think I can say I never said I had been doing it professionally but I say that I have been doing it as in I have been interested in and practising for 11 years. Oh and there was no help in your answer so thanks for nothing :)

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

All of the above plus - at 17, can you differentiate yourself from the 16 yr old kids? Will the interviewers think you can? It is down to your attitude and "life skills".

 

You may need to be able to stop some keen 16 yr old doing something dangerous without it turning into a fight. I can do it as I'm nearly 50, and 'look like' a proper 'grown up'; you may need to find another way (for much less time than you realise!)

 

 

This is something I have alway been worried about. I know that I can and I think I can come across as being able to do so but again I guess I can only try my best on this one. I cant get any other work as most theatres only insure over 18s so a school is really the only option I can see. Apart from my freelance which is too irregularly paid for me to be saving up for uni :S

 

Thanks for the help though :) appreciated

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

The simplest answer to this is just be yourself and be honest. Do not feel the need to stretch a few truths to make your CV look more substantial. I caught out an applicant once who claimed to have been a stage manager at a venue I am very familiar with. The venue was on the far side of London near where I live but he clearly thought that no-one south of the river ever worked in venues in Essex. I asked a few questions about the venue and then had to ask him why he was lying to me. He was savagely embarassed, and didn't get the job.

If someone asks you if you have experience with something which you do not, just say 'I haven't had a chance to work with that equipment/media/person yet, but it's something I've wanted to do for a while.' UNLESS you think you'd hate it. In which case you probably wouldn't enjoy the job.

Be friendly.

Dress smartly, many schools accept that their non-teaching staff have to wear jeans and tee-shirts in their working day, but this doesn't mean you go to an interview dressed that way. A suit is always acceptable, shirt, tie and trousers at least. (and pull the trousers up, you'd be amazed how youth fashion doesn't go down well in a formal situation)

Be honest.

Prepare some questions you may want to ask them, they will be expecting you to ask questions about the type of productions, how many students study technical theatre etc..

If the salary was unstated in the advert, ask what it is, as well as holiday days per year. If they offer you less than 11k per annum for a full-time post then I'd recommend laughing and leaving.

 

..and lastly if you don't get the job, just accept it and keep applying elsewhere, your lack of professional experience will inevitably put them off hiring you as it would anybody, but sooner or later someone will chance their arm on you and then you'll have something on your CV more useful than am-dram and volunteer work.

 

Good luck.

 

 

Thanks very much for such a helpful reply and to everyone else for all the help, but everyone else thank you you have helped a lot any more help would still be appreciated, the more the better.

[paulears]

It's probably worth noting that the insurance thing is rarely the truth, just a convenient excuse. After all, the school won't have issues with insuring you, and most theatre employ students front-of-house don't they? My own venue - who are permanently 'mean' - are quite happy insuring any of their staff worth employing.

[Brian]

It is down to your attitude and "life skills".

 

...so thanks for nothing <_<

 

Please take this as it's intended - a helpful hint (in my professional career I've probably interviewed over 500 people) but the slightest sniff of an attitude like that would make for a very short interview.

 

 

 

And remember that your prospective employer could be reading this.

[Andrew C]

when I was 6 I went to my local professional theatre during panto season and was helping with scene changes and DSM work calling entire shows etc

Illegally then. It is illegal for someone under 16 to work in theatre (or an abattoir). Not strictly relevant to your question, but it will explain why some may find your claim "far-fetched".

[Maddison]

when I was 6 I went to my local professional theatre during panto season and was helping with scene changes and DSM work calling entire shows etc so I think I can say I never said I had been doing it professionally but I say that I have been doing it as in I have been interested in and practising for 11 years.

 

 

You must have been an incredibly literate 6 year old...

[lxboss]

I appreciate all the posts but any chance I can ask to keep on topic of actually helping me? I know it seems far fetched and unbelievable but it's true and explainable I didnt think it was approproiate for me to post my explanation on here I just wanted some help.

 

Thanks

Callum

[Brian]

... but it's true and explainable I didnt think it was approproiate for me to post my explanation on here ...

As long as you can explain it in the interview without getting bogged down then that's all that matters.

[lxboss]

... but it's true and explainable I didnt think it was approproiate for me to post my explanation on here ...

As long as you can explain it in the interview without getting bogged down then that's all that matters.

 

thanks I can.

 

Once again thanks for all the help and advice.

[OllieH]

I appreciate all the posts but any chance I can ask to keep on topic of actually helping me? I know it seems far fetched and unbelievable but it's true and explainable I didnt think it was approproiate for me to post my explanation on here I just wanted some help.

 

Thanks

Callum

 

 

Just to clear up this thing of pro or not, until you're doing something that only a trained professional in the industry can do; you can't claim you have X years of experience. General dogsbodymanship at the age of 6 doesn't compare to the years of experience some of the people on this forum have. I helped my dad to plant flowers at the age of 6, never made me a professional landscaper.

 

I'm about the same age as you and have a similar story; I have interests in tech theatre and may pursue it in the future. I've found that people take a very negative view towards the under 18 group and I'm split, because I've seen some under 18s do some very silly things (as I've seen adults); so this view is partly justified. So, as I think someone mentioned above, part of your interview will be dissuading the employer that your age affects your maturity and decision making skills; whereas other *older* candidates may just have to prove their industry experience. (Did I just reiterate what someone said above?)