We’ve all heard about nightmare auditions. But the good news is there has been progress. Blind auditions, more transparency, and ongoing conversations in the sector about how to improve them with union input. The way we recruit musicians is improving. Sadly, the same can’t be said for how we recruit and interview our administrators, and to be honest, it’s a complete mess.
I was recently talking with friends who work in other industries (like healthcare, government, and business) about recruitment and the interview process for arts administration jobs, and they were shocked when I shared what it’s like.
I’m going to share some examples. These are things I’ve experienced, but they share the themes of so many stories I’ve heard from others. I understand this may feel like sour grapes, but if it is happening to me, it’s happening to everyone else who applied.
There are countless examples of not outlining the process and timeframe for recruitment. This includes not letting people know when they will hear back and where or when interviews will happen. In some cases, there is a timeline, but it is not kept, leaving candidates in the dark, not sure when the interview is, and thinking they may have been unsuccessful. It is almost unimaginable to think that auditions would be advertised without an audition date or that the date would be moved for no clear reason.