Seasonal heritage tour guide jobs

Denerick

The Office for Public Works are hiring a number of tour guides and other general heritage workers for the summer season. The rate of pay is a measly 7.65 per hour, but I reckon the experience would be quite good and may even be exciting. I'm mulling over whether I should apply (It will entail moving to another part of the country and for lower pay than I'm currently on)

http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/media/Seasonal%20Guide%20Recruitment%202011.pdf

Lux23

I applied for these too and I think out of all the minimum wage jobs its probably one of the more interesting ones. I would be happy enough to do it for the summer but I couldn't afford to pay rent and my debts on that wage, so it would mean a summer on the couch!

Denerick

Anyone go for it then? I decided not to bother.

dan_d

I was mulling myself, but decided not to either.
Can't remember my reason...but I'm sure it was valid at the time...

AnnyHallsal

I'm just trying to rack my brains for relevant work experience

AnnyHallsal

Well, I came up with something and applied. I decided I'd prefer to work for minimum wage in something Heritage related than as a Temp Clerical Officer for a little more.

Quinzy

I am in my final year of a degree, so I haven't actually got one yet. What am I to put down on the form, does anyone have an idea?

AnnyHallsal

Quinzy wrote: »

I am in my final year of a degree, so I haven't actually got one yet. What am I to put down on the form, does anyone have an idea?

I'd put down the results of my most recent important exams.

mikemac

Sounds like an interesting job.

Deserves more then minimum wage imo, you do need knowledge and skills for it.
Ah well

kkumk

Did anyone get called for an interview? I've mine on Thursday! I've never gone to an interview before; I'm so nervous!! Anyone got any idea what it will be like?

AnnyHallsal

kkumk wrote: »

Did anyone get called for an interview? I've mine on Thursday! I've never gone to an interview before; I'm so nervous!! Anyone got any idea what it will be like?

Best of luck, kkumk!

I got me PFO in the post last week.

V480

I'm jealous didn't know when they were recruiting this year.

Must be three years since I did my interview with them but from what I can remember it was fairly intensive, about 30 minutes maby...they will ask all the usual stuff about yourself, your education, your backround, work experience, ect.

Essentially the interview is all about judging your knowledge and appreciation of history (depending on where you applied for?) and how well equipped you are at dealing with the public and speaking in front of large groups.

They are OBSESSED with health and safety too so be prepared for questions relating to that, i.e. dealing with visitors with disabilities. I found OPW folk generally a very dry and humourless lot so don't be put off if they come across that way when you meet them.

Above all else, smile alot and dress well - they are picky about appearance too.

Best of luck and let us know how you get on

genie

feelingstressed wrote: »

Sounds like an interesting job.

Deserves more then minimum wage imo, you do need knowledge and skills for it.
Ah well

This is the first year it has been minimum wage, used to be considerably more, and should still be considerably more IMO.

PrinceMax

Got rejected. Pretty depressing. It is 7.65 an hour, but it was something I was really enthusiastic about and would put up with that wage. I have a BA in History and know a great deal about the site I applied for. This has confirmed my suspicion that I'm never going to get any sort of work I'm interested in, in Ireland. I mean, everyone's always saying that no one wants to work for so little, and that they'd prefer to be on the dole. I was hoping that was the case when I applied for this, but it appears that there are enough people willing to work for 7.65 to mean there wasn't a job for me.

V480

PrinceMax wrote: »

Got rejected. Pretty depressing. It is 7.65 an hour, but it was something I was really enthusiastic about and would put up with that wage. I have a BA in History and know a great deal about the site I applied for. This has confirmed my suspicion that I'm never going to get any sort of work I'm interested in, in Ireland. I mean, everyone's always saying that no one wants to work for so little, and that they'd prefer to be on the dole. I was hoping that was the case when I applied for this, but it appears that there are enough people willing to work for 7.65 to mean there wasn't a job for me.

Sorry to hear you didn't get it. I'd say what's happening is that the OPW are taking back alot of their old cronies, they prob don't want the hassle of training in loads of new staff.

Denerick

PrinceMax wrote: »

Got rejected. Pretty depressing. It is 7.65 an hour, but it was something I was really enthusiastic about and would put up with that wage. I have a BA in History and know a great deal about the site I applied for. This has confirmed my suspicion that I'm never going to get any sort of work I'm interested in, in Ireland. I mean, everyone's always saying that no one wants to work for so little, and that they'd prefer to be on the dole. I was hoping that was the case when I applied for this, but it appears that there are enough people willing to work for 7.65 to mean there wasn't a job for me.

To be fair, the one thing that prevented me from applying was the thought that tour guiding isn't really history, its entertainment. I have a BA in history as well. So even if you wrote a PHD on Trim Castle say, chances are you'll just be given a script and told what to say. Level of historical knowledge is irrelevant really.

PrinceMax

Denerick wrote: »

To be fair, the one thing that prevented me from applying was the thought that tour guiding isn't really history, its entertainment. I have a BA in history as well. So even if you wrote a PHD on Trim Castle say, chances are you'll just be given a script and told what to say. Level of historical knowledge is irrelevant really.

Disagree. Yes on these things you get a script, but people do ask questions which your script doesn't necessarily tell you the answer to. One of the 'essential' requirements was an 'appreciation & interest in history.' What good is a tour guide who just reads a script?

Denerick

I'll be frank. I've been to some historical tours before, some are genuine history with informed guides, most are invented pop history by misinformed guides... I'm sorry but its true. Its entertainment where popular myth gets recycled.

kkumk

PrinceMax wrote: »

Got rejected. Pretty depressing. It is 7.65 an hour, but it was something I was really enthusiastic about and would put up with that wage. I have a BA in History and know a great deal about the site I applied for. This has confirmed my suspicion that I'm never going to get any sort of work I'm interested in, in Ireland. I mean, everyone's always saying that no one wants to work for so little, and that they'd prefer to be on the dole. I was hoping that was the case when I applied for this, but it appears that there are enough people willing to work for 7.65 to mean there wasn't a job for me.

Did you go for an interview and everything? I'm half way through a BA in History... very worried now... lol :S

PrinceMax

kkumk wrote: »

Did you go for an interview and everything? I'm half way through a BA in History... very worried now... lol :S

Nah, I didn't get an interview. Don't worry, it will work out. I did get some interviews in London for jobs in archives. Haven't managed to secure a job yet though. I'm only just under 2 years out of university. Off to Canada in two weeks.

xo.mary

PrinceMax wrote: »

Got rejected. Pretty depressing. It is 7.65 an hour, but it was something I was really enthusiastic about and would put up with that wage. I have a BA in History and know a great deal about the site I applied for. This has confirmed my suspicion that I'm never going to get any sort of work I'm interested in, in Ireland. I mean, everyone's always saying that no one wants to work for so little, and that they'd prefer to be on the dole. I was hoping that was the case when I applied for this, but it appears that there are enough people willing to work for 7.65 to mean there wasn't a job for me.

I'm doing Heritage Studies i.e. a BA in History and applied and got rejected. I thought I'd at least get an interview.

It got me wondering, are the people who were successful, just random people or do they have degrees/an interest in heritage.

V480

xo.mary wrote: »

I'm doing Heritage Studies i.e. a BA in History and applied and got rejected. I thought I'd at least get an interview.

It got me wondering, are the people who were successful, just random people or do they have degrees/an interest in heritage.

No I think they look for people who have an interest in history/heritage, if you are studing/have a degree in that area then all the better but primarily they look for people who are very interested in history and would have an ability to project their enthusiam to an audience (who frequently don't care less).

To be honest if you really care about history then it can be a fairly dispiriting job. You will have school tours and groups of foreign students who, no matter how you try, will not give a damn about what you are talking about and are often more interested in taking the piss out of you and Ireland in general. The site I worked at was beautiful but was constantly being abused by children and adults alike...I could complain and give so many examples of peoples ignorance but I won't.

Having said all that it was far better than working in a pub or supermarket for the summer. I've spoken to some people who know OPW inside out and they reckon this years recruitment is simply an opportunity for them to get rid of ones they don't want and rehire some of the old cronies, getting cheap minimum wage labour while they are at it. They are not necessarily looking for the most qualified applicants.

redstoat

Hi all,

I have an interview for one of the sites too, don't have a history degree, just interest and lots of experience dealing with the public and that. Am pretty nervous about the interview though- long time since I had one and even longer since I had one that ended up with me being offered the job..

To ye who didn't get interviews- It may just be the sites ye applied for, when I lived in Dublin I applied for Kilmainham jail and places like that- but I think they have huge numbers of applicants, now I am back down the country, and there's just less competition!

kkumk

xo.mary wrote: »

I'm doing Heritage Studies i.e. a BA in History and applied and got rejected. I thought I'd at least get an interview.

It got me wondering, are the people who were successful, just random people or do they have degrees/an interest in heritage.

I'm doing History at the moment in college and I have a lot of experience dealing with the public. In the interview they were more interested in how I would deal with certain situations than about my knowldge of history, although they did ask some really random questions like what my favourite historical building is (not like Trim Castle, Dublin Castle etc, like a Norman Castle?)
As for what Denerick said about the tour guides reading off a script, they told me in the interview that I would be expected to do my own research and develop my own tour and that all information has to be factually correct!

redstoat

Thanks Kkumk,

On the application form it state "Developing your own tour commentary in conjunction with supervisor and other guides" and in speaking with a girl who previously worked at the site that seems to be pretty much on the ball- you give your own unique tour and adapt it to each group.

Favourite historical building? hehe, I suppose every interview throws in something wacky but still suitable:) must look up the different types of historical buildings the OPW run or just name some from outside of Ireland:)

nicola09

hey everyone, I applied for this as well but have heard nothing, just wondering how people found out if they were rejected?
Or should I presume I was rejected and await the dreaded "thanks but no thanks" letter in the post!

redstoat

hey everyone, I applied for this as well but have heard nothing, just wondering how people found out if they were rejected?
Or should I presume I was rejected and await the dreaded "thanks but no thanks" letter in the post!

Hi Nicola09,
I had a rejection email for one of the posts I applied for, and then a letter a week or so later with interview details for the other one. So hopefully no news is good news for you, in this case.

V480

Did anybody get one of these jobs?

Heard that there were not that many applicants...