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Archivist interview questions and how to answer them

Archivist interviews are slower and more formal than most, and the committee usually includes someone who'll quietly test whether you've really processed a collection. They want to hear how you make judgment calls with too little time and too much paper. Bring specific collections, specific decisions and the reasoning behind them.

11 questions6 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk us through how you processed a collection from accession to finding aid.

Why they ask

It's the core of the job, and a detailed answer proves you've done it rather than read about it.

How to answer

  • Name the collection type and its rough state when it arrived
  • Explain the survey you did before touching anything and the processing level you chose
  • Describe how you arranged it, including series you created and why
  • Say which standard and system you described it in, such as DACS in ArchivesSpace
  • Finish with what researchers could do afterward that they couldn't before

2.What does More Product, Less Process mean to you in practice?

Why they ask

Every repository has a backlog, and they want to know whether you'll clear it or polish one collection forever.

How to answer

  • Explain minimal processing in plain terms: arrange and describe at the series or folder level first
  • Give an example of a collection you processed minimally and got open to researchers
  • Name when you'd go deeper, such as high-use material or privacy risks
  • Mention revisiting description later based on reference demand

3.A donor offers a large collection, but much of it duplicates what we already hold. What do you do?

Why they ask

Appraisal and donor relations are where archivists earn trust or lose it, and the answer shows both.

How to answer

  • Check the repository's collecting policy before promising anything
  • Survey the material or ask for an inventory to see what's unique
  • Talk openly with the donor about what you'd keep and what you'd return or deaccession
  • Put the agreement in a signed deed of gift that covers copyright and disposal
4.How would you handle born-digital material that arrives on old hard drives and floppy disks?

Why they ask

Digital records are a growing share of every accession, and many candidates only know paper.

How to answer

  • Start with a write blocker and a disk image so the original isn't altered
  • Name tools like BitCurator for imaging and scanning for sensitive data
  • Run files through a preservation workflow such as Archivematica, capturing checksums and format identification
  • Explain how you'd give researchers access while protecting personal information
5.A researcher asks to see a file that contains medical or student records. How do you respond?

Why they ask

Restricted material is a legal and ethical risk, and they want someone who slows down.

How to answer

  • Check the deed of gift and any restrictions noted in the finding aid
  • Mention the privacy laws that might apply, like FERPA for student records, and say you'd consult the institution's counsel or policy
  • Offer alternatives, such as redacted copies or mediated access
  • Record the decision so the next staff member handles it the same way

Part 2

6.What's in a good finding aid, and what makes a bad one?

Why they ask

Finding aids are the product researchers actually use, and this checks your standards and your empathy for users.

How to answer

  • List the essentials: scope and content note, biographical or historical note, arrangement, container list and access terms
  • Say that a good one lets a stranger judge relevance without calling you
  • Point to common failures, such as vague folder titles or missing date ranges
  • Mention encoding it in EAD so it can be shared with aggregators
7.How have you worked with reparative description or outdated language in older records?

Why they ask

Many repositories are revising harmful or outdated terms, and they want to know you'll approach it carefully.

How to answer

  • Give an example of a term or subject heading you changed or flagged
  • Explain that you kept original titles where they're evidence, with a note
  • Mention consulting affected communities or following your repository's guidelines
8.Tell us about a time you had to say no to a colleague or department.

Why they ask

Archivists push back often, on storage requests, loans and early destruction of records, and they need to do it without burning bridges.

How to answer

  • Set up the request and why you couldn't meet it as asked
  • Explain what you offered instead
  • Say how the relationship held up afterward
9.How would you plan outreach for a collection nobody uses?

Why they ask

Use justifies budgets, and archivists are increasingly expected to bring people in.

How to answer

  • Find the natural audience, such as a course, a local group or a genealogy society
  • Name concrete formats: a class session, a small digital exhibit in Omeka, a social media series
  • Say how you'd track whether it worked
10.How do you decide what to digitize first?

Why they ask

Scanning budgets are small, and they want to see priorities tied to use and risk.

How to answer

  • Weigh researcher demand, fragility of the original and copyright status
  • Mention scanning standards and metadata you'd capture
  • Explain where the files would live and how they'd be preserved, not just displayed

Part 3

11.Why this repository?

Why they ask

Committees want someone who'll stay, and they can tell a generic answer instantly.

How to answer

  • Name specific collections or collecting areas you looked at
  • Connect them to something you've processed or studied
  • Say what you'd want to work on first

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • How big is the processing backlog, and how do you decide what gets worked on next?
  • Where do born-digital accessions go today, and who owns the preservation workflow?
  • How much of this role is reference and outreach compared with processing?
  • What does the archive's relationship with IT look like when you need storage or new tools?
  • Is this position permanent, and if it's grant-funded, what's the plan when the grant ends?