Name: Trubie-Dylan Smith (25)
Job title: Front of house officer
Q How long have you been in the job?
A Six months, but I've had other positions within the museum for the past three years.
Q What are the high points of the job?
A For me, definitely talking to the visitors, interacting with them, telling the stories of the museum and the collections.
It used to be I'd give the tours and I'd give the information on tours; now I give information from the info desk.
It's more helping people to get to where they need to go.
Q And what are the lowpoints?
A If there's any sort of feedback, this is the place where they come to.
I don't have anything in particular against feedback, it's just sometimes that feedback is very passionate, and that starts to blur the line between what's emotional feedback and what's professional feedback.
Q Can you describe a normal day of work?
A I start about 8.30am-9am, opening the doors, which is sometimes the entirety of the galleries, and setting up the info desk.
The galleries open at 10am and run through until 5pm.
During that time is when you're going to get the majority of visitors through; it's when you're performing the title part of your job, really.
During the day, I'm largely helping people to get where they need to go, and helping them understand exactly what they can do at the museum.
Some people, all they know is that it's a museum - they're not aware of the specific exhibitions or galleries that are on.
It's my job to make sure they can get the best out of their visit.
I usually finish up between 5pm and 5.30pm.
Q Do you normally work through the summer holidays - and if so, why?
A Yes, almost always.
If I do take a break during the summer, it would be a small break because the museum is open every day except Christmas and you just need staff at that time.
Q Do you get paid more for that?
A Only on public holidays.
Q If you were on holiday, where would you be and what would you be doing?
A I sort of need to be pushed into holidays, otherwise I'm happy just working through.
I don't even think to [take them].
If I did, I'd probably go back home to Rangiora.
But I actually just took a large working holiday.
I spent a year in Canada doing retail work and taking part in "improv'' comedy shows at night.
Q Does it annoy you that you're at work while everyone else is on holiday?
A I don't particularly want to take holidays, I'm happy with staying here over summer.
Some of the staff want it more than I do.
I'm happy for them to have their holidays and I'll just take mine after the holiday period or after the summer.
I can appreciate for my division they need someone to stay here, so I'll be that person.
I don't really mind.
