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Author Topic: Interview Questions Brandon Henry Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Stacy, Minnesota, US Registered: Jan 2007 posted 10-21-2008 01:01 PM                     Does anyone have a good set of interview questions for your conecssion, ticket and usher positions. I am not looking to have a 2 hour interview but just a few questions that will give me any inidication of a good worker or someone who just wants free movies.  |  IP: Logged Galen Murphy-Fahlgren Master Film Handler Posts: 405 From: Canton, MI, USA Registered: Oct 2007 posted 10-21-2008 01:41 PM                     A 2 hour interview would be excessive for low wage floor positions. I haven't interviewed people, but I have had a few interviews, for work and school. For a floor position, their motives for the job are secondary (unless they are criminal) to whether they will do the job and be able to work in a team. I would just have a very informal sit down and try to get a feel for their interests as well as personal skills. Putting popcorn in a bag is not a demanding job, so previous work experience isn't very important. Whether or not a person can get along with people and will do the work is important. Most people who work floor positions are not looking for a career in theaters, and it would be wrong to expect them to be, so just take people who seem to be genuine and likable. Remember, you can always fire them later on.  |  IP: Logged Mitchell Dvoskin Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1869 From: West Milford, NJ, USA Registered: Jan 2001 posted 10-21-2008 01:44 PM                     You also need to get a sense of whether they understand that they are going to be working nights/weekends, when all their friends are out partying. You don't want someone who calls in sick every time their friends are having a party.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-21-2008 02:43 PM                        My wife does our interviewing. I think she considers their personality more than their experience. Teenage kids can be trained to do just about anything. She'll do some role-play type exercises to see if they can think on their feet at all. Also, our application has a "Read this first!" paragraph at the top that says "Before you apply, please remember that this is a job that will require you to work evenings and weekends, and there may be times when you will have to work when something "fun" is going on. However, we can often work around scheduled events, and all students are guaranteed to have Prom Night off. With that in mind, proceed!" Needless to say, this filters out about half of our applications.  |  IP: Logged Timothy Eiler Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Litchfield , Minnesota, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 10-21-2008 03:59 PM                        The last question I ask is "If a customer buys a $5.50 popcorn and then hands you $20.00 How much change do they get???" If they answer anything except $14.50 they do not get hired.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 10-21-2008 04:33 PM                     I pretty much always ask: "Aside from being paid, why do you want to work here?", "What qualities, abilities, or skills do you feel are your strongest and reasons you will be picked over other applicants?" "What do you feel are your weaknesses and how do you work around them?" I also like to ask about what they do outside of work/school, what their hobbies and interests are. Tells you a lot about them. If they don't have any answer, to me, that's a red flag that they do things they don't want to tell you about. If they're interviewing for a managerial position I like to ask about prior conflicts they've resolved and the like, with coworkers as well as with peers and supervisors. No answer means they roll-over on command or are such a jerk nobody goes near them. I'm looking for folks that are calm and thoughtful. The more thoughtful the better. And if your theater is busy, athletic kids that don't necessarily play an organized sport but are just very active are usually really good -- they have tons of energy and pep, think on their feet, and in my experience get along better. My 2 cents...  |  IP: Logged Justin Hamaker Film God Posts: 2253 From: Lakeport, CA USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 10-21-2008 04:41 PM                        I try to ask some questions that get them talking about themselves and that will give me a sense of their personality. What's your favorite movie, what are your favorite subjects, least favorite subjects. If they don't expand then I usually ask a follow-up. I like the one suggested about how much change they would give back.  |  IP: Logged Scott D. Neff Theatre Dork Posts: 919 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 10-21-2008 11:26 PM                        My old boss (which is to say he's my former boss AND he's old) had the best interview questions ever for floor staff. They had nothing to do with why they wanted to work there and nothing to do with their math skills, but more about how they'd react in a certain situation. Not role-playing sort of stuff, but things like: It's your first night and it's a BUSY Saturday. You're cleaning theatres and a customer walks up to you and asks you something you don't know the answer to. How would you handle that? The applicant can say any number of things, but likely the ones that say "I don't know." or "I'd tell them to ask a manager." aren't the ones you REALLY wanna hire. But the ones that say "I'd take them to the customer service desk to speak to a manager." or "I'd ask them to hang on while I find out the answer for them." would be people you'd more likely want to hire. There were only or three questions, but they were really effective, especially when you're looking to fill one of those "warm body" positions. I wish I could remember all of them...  |  IP: Logged Sam Graham AKA: "The Evil Sam Graham". Wackiness ensues. Posts: 1431 From: Waukee, IA Registered: Dec 2004 posted 10-22-2008 12:38 PM                        At some point during the interview after the applicant answers a question, drop everything, look at them point-blank, and ask "And you expect me to believe THAT?" Then ask them "What's your problem with Korea, anyway?". Then proceed with the interview normally.  |  IP: Logged Adam Martin I'm not even gonna point out the irony. Posts: 3686 From: Dallas, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 10-22-2008 04:08 PM                     Do you like gladiator movies?  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 10-22-2008 04:11 PM                  I think both Sam and Adam have it pretty much dialed in... But of course they both missed asking the MOST important and personality telling question: "Do you wear boxers or briefs?"  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-22-2008 05:36 PM                        Do you have any experience? -If "YES" - See ya. Good luck with the job hunt. -If "NO". - Welcome aboard. Let me mold and shape you.  |  IP: Logged John Wilson Film God Posts: 5438 From: Sydney, Australia. Registered: Dec 1999 posted 10-22-2008 07:27 PM                     Why should experience be thrown out the door like that? Hopefully there are other questions you ask as well. It's not always a bad thing.  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 10-22-2008 07:39 PM                        With experience can come bad habits. Retraining projectionists is always a pain in the ass. It seems like they ALL come with super bad habits these days. Experience certainly isn't always a bad thing, but it rarely seems to be a good thing in this field. What I look for instead is attentiveness, technical competence (and interest), punctuality and efficiency. I once had the usher girl come up and inform me that a movie was supposed to start a three minutes ago (I was busy building a film). No customers were complaining, she just noticed on her own. That impressed me. Unfortunately her availability sucks ass, but otherwise I wouldn't mind training her as she seems strong in other areas of overall work competence goes.  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 10-22-2008 08:01 PM                     If you ask for an example of when someone has had to adapt to changes in their workplace or working practices then the strength of their answer could allay your fears of hiring experienced people. That was one of the better questions I've been asked in an interview. What I really want to do when I get to a stage in my career that I interview people is get the person to shut their eyes and quickly box them in with tensabarriers, then ask them to come stand by me on the other side. If they try to climb over or duck they're out, if they open the tag at the end and walk out they're in!  |  IP: Logged

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