Newport Aquarium Interview Questions
& Process

I applied online and the very next day, I had a phone interview with someone from HR. After that, I had an in person interview with the cafe manager, and they offered me the job later that same day.

First, I had to do an online application and give them three references. Then I had two interviews, one with the guest service manager and one with the HR manager. They were both really nice and respected my time.

This was the strangest interview ever. It was a phone interview on a weekend with an HR person. My experience and skills fit the job, but from the start, the interviewer overshared personal details. She mentioned the company has a Christian environment where employees can talk about Jesus, even though it's not a Christian company. I didn't respond positively to that. She then spent the rest of the time talking about negative aspects of working there, like the cramped, shared offices. She asked standard questions without seeming to know my resume. When I stated my salary expectations, within the posted range, she doubted I'd get a second interview and proposed a lower salary. I realized she never mentioned the animals, conservation, or anything positive except one funny staff member. I suspect she might filter candidates based on religious beliefs, as the whole interview felt strange after the mention of Jesus. I didn't get a second interview.

I had my first interview with the HR manager, and then right after that, I met with the Housekeeping manager. They decided they wanted to move forward with me, so I had to take a drug test a few days later. Once my results were back, they offered me the job, which I accepted. About a week after that, I did orientation, and then two days later, I started working.