Interviews desk

Interviews desk

This is The Signpost's interviews desk, for formulating interview questions for various and sundry interview series.

Some questions

The following is a set of standard questions for use in opening interviews with WMF staff.

How long have you been working for the WMF? (This question might not be necessary, since it's often a matter of public record)
What projects have interested you the most, and why? (Some preparatory research may answer this question for you)
What is your background?
When did you get started on the projects? Username? :) (Again, research may take care of this question)
There are so many volunteer projects out there clamoring for our attention; what inspired you to get involved in Wikipmediawiki?

What's your area?
So what do you do all day, anyway?
Any exciting projects you've been working on lately?
What part of this job/role do you personally find most satisfying? Most challenging?
What are the major frustrations of this job/role? (Not sure if we'll get honest/complete answers to this one from employees; maybe it's more suited to non-paid users, or to an interview that won't be publicized)
If you could do things all over again with the knowledge you have now, what would you change?
Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field/job/role?
Are there any written materials you suggest prospective __________s read? (Aside from the pertinent policies/guidelines, if the interviewee is a community member such as an admin)
What abilities or personal qualities do you believe contribute most to success in this field/job/role?
Do you have any special word of warning or encouragement as a result of your experience?
What are your long-term goals / what is your long-term vision for __________ (e.g., the MediaWiki codebase, the WikiProject, the business development department, or whatever else the person is involved with)

See also the WikiProject desk, which coordinates interviews with project members as part of the weekly WikiProject report.

User:Happy-melon — Volunteer developer (specialties: core, code review)
User:Mr.Z-man — Volunteer developer (specialties: bots, code review), oversighter
User:Siebrand — Volunteer developer (specialties: bots, MW 1.16wmf)

Wikipedia:Wikipedia Signpost/2010-11-29/Interview (with Johanna Niesyto and Nathaniel Tkacz from "Critical Point of View")
(check this gap)