The New York Botanical Garden Interview Questions
& Process

I interviewed for an Associate Supervisor, Commerce Experience role. The interview was really bad and unprofessional. They were aggressive and condescending, laughed at my answers, and used intimidation tactics. I felt unsafe. It was very disappointing and not what I expected from this place. I left feeling shaken. I don't think this reflects their values. Hopefully, leadership knows about this toxic environment this person is creating, which might be hurting current employees and discouraging good candidates. Nobody should be treated like that.

I had a Zoom interview with the director of advancement. It was a pretty standard interview covering typical questions about development, advancement, and donor cultivation. We specifically talked about how to keep donors engaged and maintain relationships during the COVID-19 pandemic and in these unusual times.

I applied online and went through three interviews. After the second interview, they requested professional references, who were contacted and given a pretty long questionnaire to fill out. What really bugs me is that after all this, HR totally ghosted me and didn't reply to any of my requests for info. They were great at communicating before this. I get that they can't reply to everyone, but if you've gone through multiple interviews and reference checks, the least they could do is send a generic email saying what happened. It's just disrespectful.

I applied for a special role focused on an upcoming Frida Kahlo exhibition next year at the Botanical Garden. This was a grant-funded, two-year position, and part of a new initiative to introduce formal Spanish language programming at the institution. About five days after applying, HR contacted me for a phone pre-screening. Three days later, I was invited for an interview and asked to bring three signed letters of reference and my undergraduate and graduate transcripts, which felt like a lot to gather. During the interview, I met with HR again and they asked detailed questions about my qualifications and interest in the role. Afterward, I met with the Associate Vice President for Exhibitions and Public Engagement and an Exhibitions Manager. Although the interview was pleasant, it felt less like a skills assessment and more like an intense review of my resume and background, which was a bit off-putting. However, I confidently answered all questions related to my expertise in the subject matter. Following this, I had a written assessment where I had to create a wall label for a Frida Kahlo artwork and translate it into Spanish. About ten days later, I was invited for a second interview, having already submitted a writing sample they requested. This second interview involved a committee of four people: the initial two staff members, someone from the Education Department, and a librarian. I found this interview experience confrontational and aggressive rather than collaborative, with some questions feeling inappropriate and seeming like an attack.