The “get to know you” interview is a valuable experience for any prospective Mason. This is an opportunity for you to get to know your potential Brothers and for them to provide you with insight into what Ohio Freemasonry truly is. James Hall, Director of Programs for the Grand Lodge of Ohio, has provided a few tips and words of advice for future Ohio Masons.
The value of the “get to know you” interview is truly for the benefit of the petitioner or future Mason. We want to make sure that we, as Brothers, can answer any questions the man may have about the application process, Ohio Masonry, or Freemasonry in general. This is an opportunity for Brothers of the Lodge to interact with him and get to know him. Their ultimate goal is make sure that Lodge is a good fit for the individual and that the individual is a good fit for their Lodge!
The interview portion is the 4th step in the application process. It takes place after you’ve asked for more information or reached out to a local Lodge and filled out a petition for membership. After your petition is read in Lodge an Investigation Committee will be created to conduct your interview. Sometimes this interview is done at your home and sometimes you will be invited into Lodge – it varies from Lodge to Lodge. You’ll be made aware of what setting the interview will take place once you’ve been contacted to set up the meeting.
There are three Brothers who are assigned to an Investigation Committee and will attend the interview. Usually one of the Brothers will lead the conversation and ask the main questions. The other two will observe and chime in with items that may have been forgotten. In general, they will rehash the questions on the back of the petition: making sure you believe in “a God,” asking how you found out about Freemasonry and what ultimately drove you to fill out your petition. We will also ask a few personal questions: what you do for work, what are your hobbies outside of work, are you married, or do you have children etc. We suggest you prepare to dedicate at least 20 to 30 minutes for this conversation. With that said, some interviews have been known to last up to an hour depending on the flow of the conversation!
It’s also important to note that some Ohio Lodge’s require background checks as part of their application and vetting process. Lodge’s hold the honor and reputation of Ohio Freemasonry to the highest standards. Since they expect a high moral standard you may be asked by the Lodge to have a background check done.
Leading up to the interview, many prospective Masons ask what they should wear. We recommend suit and tie as that’s the standard for how you would normally dress at Lodge. This is however not set in stone and there are many Lodges around Ohio that dress business casual. The Lodge member who contacts you will usually go over this when setting up their meeting and if they do not, don’t be afraid to ask.
Most importantly: relax, we want you to be in an environment where you feel comfortable asking any questions that you deem relevant to joining. This is a great time to show off why you’re interested in Freemasonry and to get to know your prospective future Brothers!
If you have any other questions about the “get to know you” interview please email MemberServices@Freemason.com!