Banham Zoo Interview help for Voluntary role at Banham Zoo!

M

Martynb

New Member
Hi everyone, I'm new around here.

The names Martyn, and I was made redundant from a long time job last week. However I've been wanting to become a volunteer at Zoo for ages, but only now have the time to do so. So I applied to be a Volunteer at Banham Zoo, in Animal Management department, and low & behold, I got a phone call today from Banham Zoo, wanting to arrange an interview.

The interview is on Thursday morning, and I'm bascially after is some advice! I haven't done an interview in many, many years, let alone an interview for a voluntary position.

How should I dress? Wearing a suit seems a bit OTT to me, so I was thinking about wearing some smart jeans with a nice top and some nice boots I have.

Any idea on what kind of questions I'm going to have fired at me?! Anything I should take a long? (wasn't even asked for CV to be sent with application form, so I doubt they'll want that, but you jut never know).

Sorry if this all seems a bit silly, but I REALLY want this, REALLY.

Any help would be much appreciated and I saw through Google that there is aready a Banham Zoo volunteer on here, so they could pop up that would be fab!

Many thanks in advance, Martyn :)
 
I have recently acquired a position at another zoo as a keeper volunteer so I can tell you about my interview :)

First off it was stated that the interview was informal, so when I went I wore a nice shirt, nice trousers and nice shoes. I was asked to bring my passport with me so that may be something for you to bring along just in case they want a photocopy. I had sent an application form before the interview so they already knew some stuff about me :)

I was asked some pretty standard interview questions (Why do you want to work here? What do you feel you would bring to the position? What do you think a keeper volunteer should be like? Etc.), some more specialised to the role (What would you do if you saw a member of the public feeding an animal?) and some slightly odd questions (What frustrates you? Can you give an example of when you have been in an extreme situation?). The interview went very well. It seemed as if all my answers were okay and I got a phonecall a day or two after saying I got it :D

I think above all you just need to show an interest and passion for animals, which I'm sure you will be able to do otherwise you wouldn't have applied! Good luck! :)
 
Thanks for the advice Adam.

I've done a large application form but I'll still take a few things, just to look prepared.

I really don't know about the dress code though, I tihnk I'm going to go for smart/casual, I've got some nice dark jeans and shirt that go well together.

Its been so long since I've had to do an interview!ARGH!
 
Martynb said:
Thanks for the advice Adam.

I've done a large application form but I'll still take a few things, just to look prepared.

I really don't know about the dress code though, I tihnk I'm going to go for smart/casual, I've got some nice dark jeans and shirt that go well together.

Its been so long since I've had to do an interview!ARGH!
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For interviews I have a file that I always take that has a few forms of ID, my school and sixth form results sheets, any relevant certificates from school/sixth form/external courses [first aid, attendence and general certificates that reflect well on me], and of course several copies of my CV [there may be more than one interviewer] - also take some notes about the place I'm being interviewed [brief history, their aims/targets, what they do, why they do it etc].

I can honestly say I've never needed this, but I can also honestly say that I've never wished I hadn't taken it. Better to have and not need, than to need and not have :p
 
Congrats :) you will love it! I started my animal career with volunteering and it's one of the best ways to get into the animal sector!
 
Thursday and Friday were brilliant! Just been with the Giraffes so far, but its been so fun, yet hard work. It genuinely doesn't feel like a job at all, not once was I clock watching or even wanting to go home. Been a bit gutted that I've been at home over the weekend, but oh well, back there tomorrow until Friday!
 
Nice one Martyn, I too am a volunteer at Banham (although, it's only during the summer months as I'm at university). Are you still there? Still enjoying it?
 
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