Academic Job Interview 1. Types of Interviews a. Phone: may be screening, with one or more members of Selection Committee . Skype: starting to gain in popularity ¢. Convention: may be at booth, or scheduled later during conference . On-site: those on “short list” are invited to come to campus 2, Interview Questions a. Teaching: what classes taught or comfortable teaching, type, former responsi . Research: past, present and future; know what is cutting-edge in your area of expertise ¢, Interest in the job: why that college/university/position d. Fitwith the Dept: greatest fear is you will not fit in, will not be a colleague e. Questions you ask them i. Departmental goals in next 3-5 years (unless found on the website!) i. How they see you fitting into their plans |. Greatest strengths of this university/students/department iv. _*2-body problem" if not a deal-breaker, no need to mention; if tis, some suggest that you wait until the job is offered; others say earlier is better vy. No questions for which answers can be found on the website Screening Interviews a. Phone . Use landline, if possible; if not, make sure you have excellent reception. ii. Answers should be 2-3 minutes long; prepare both 30-second and 2-minute answers to “tell us about your research” (plus 5-minute answer) iii, Smile when you answer; you'll sound more animated iv. No non-verbal cues are present; verbalize everything (“that's an excellent question—let me think about my answer”) Speak distinctly and slowly (think Fareed Zakaria, CNN) v. b. Skype i, Prepare for phone interview, plus... Check the background of a Skype call where you'll be sitting (no dirty clothes piles, no partisan posters on the wall, etc.) iii, Dress professionally; may not require suit, but close ¢. Convention Interviews i. May be in conference room, hotel room, lobby—anywhere Check with your mentors on whether a suit is expected for your discipline/convention iii, Don't schedule back to back 4, On-Campus Interview a. Appropriate Attire i. Suit for interview day; 2 days = 1 suit, 2 shirts/ties/blouses ii, Varies by discipline, geographical location, institution iii, Business Casual for informal receptions/dinner (ask contact for details) b. Structure of the Site Interview 1-3 days Job Talk: adhere to time requirements, backup on flash drive, take hard copies iii, Formal interview w/Selection Committee iv, Social events: lunch, dinner, mingling, perhaps parties c. Meetings: Selection Committee, Dept Head, Dean, students, facultya. Beprepared: research the dept/university; take copies of all documents that support your application, b. Practice, practice, practice Job Talk! c. Youare always being evaluated: treat the executive asst who sets up your travel arrangements with great respect, as well as the Dean Ask questions ahead of time: you will have a contact—ask if you are unsure Take a snack in your bag (not a backpack)—you may have limited time to eat Wear comfortable, but professional shoes (NOT brand new); cut tags off suit sleeves Beware the effects of alcohol! emee Additional Resources Website The Chronicle of Higher Education: http: /chronicle.com/advice ‘© Vanderbilt has a campus-wide subscription; set up an account from any campus computer. However, many articles/eolumns do not require a subscription, Books Vick, Julia Miller and Jennifer S. Furlong. The Academic Job Search Handbook. Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2008 (4"* ed). ISBN 978-0-8122-2016-2 ~all disciplines Hume, Kathryn. Surviving Your Academic Job Hunt: Advice for Humanities PhDs. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2010 (2 ed.). ISBN 978-0-230-10946-9 Feibelman, Peter J. A PAD is Not Enough! A Guide to Survival in Science. New York: Basic Books, 2011 (rev.). ISBN 978-0-465-02533-6 Reis, Richard. Tomorrow's Professor: Preparing for Careers in Science and Engineering. New York: IEEE Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0780311367 VANDERBILT YW Graduate School Ruth Schemmer, Ph.D. Assistant Dean for Career Development 411 Kirkland ¢ Appts: (615) 343-2727 # Direct: (615) 322-8088 ¢ ruth.schemmer@vanderbiltedu‘Academie Job Interview Questions Inp/otal.umd.edu/~siesjobquess html 1of2 QUESTIONS ONE SHOULD BE PREPARED TO ANSWER FOR JOB INTERVIEWS Mary Corin Ses, Dept of Ais Scie, University of Mayland Calta Pak “hiss ats ofjobinerviow gusto compe whe was ayn fr elles uit posonin Amaia sue Kis, ad acetal hay have kept it po date, ve exter question hve ee bo ake job nei srepeseted low Yeu me lean ik to std setae uns 0 gare sve re ‘nce att yon do ot alter he ote you choose lo rrdue ispog.I Woud be eesti ening utc sou the anes te it nw a ‘pda her om you-Good lick in you job seach, ‘Send mai | esesibe yesh, (Hava god atte ap don pt in br 2 ong versions fr exper a un eper). a, Wha adienes se you aesig wat eth ert books or acolsin your al ow docs your work opt wii? 1a Repro sthe citing een you fda how dos you wok exe) {ni (Answer his uso on you tes, at hase yu cmpition 10, How wl you go abou sevsing you deat for pbiton? i (oe sbleto aswel gveal and specif wa), "i, Queion may py oyu ave an need pubis nd whe do you sand your mgaistons wi puis? es. Queson ay ho mp: we hugh haters ne pic shortcomings yours bi wee ou, 0 wee giving yo thee to econ youl hy nding ‘hayeseia he paces adsung thee hae nay tale Bk prope 1d somtines te br on the chooses) esse, aiguari (df ema) ils? ig ay stowed, humane hoats? 6. Wha yx isl eyeing bat ds work our ‘Wats tne eae yours? Hv doe expand ohn ei Renaber ht isi eine md npr etn Be he topes oe 30 ge ei, Uy se by somone ete ou Fld Con yu explain hele af your wor sheet aye le Asks ou pple wlan in your ese, Do ead acknowl these, partly you an se sac a setulae inde whee yin a ‘in. you res aris. (My deo esearch, yous sony he ees step) 2. Wie xo bt tenhingphiloapy? 25 Question might eased ules ete sal Hb ans cole, at mich nversty wien sie tshing lo or ra ete ong nin, 3 How would you each? Sabi eve coun your Feld Se, Wha couse wou you ke fei you ha your dur? how wold you teach has 2 nay commits wll van a Kw which specifi bok yo wold) {4h be a nde ay of ateaning wheheryu sendy have te cous i tem {i Do yu, fare, ka what ani ot nip os? 34, Which ext woud yo se (hve you us forthe US. Survey Fr Eli compstn fr Am i 1 (Berar: scan tu intone est f your poise an posal ono sexe amie ener ysl love ht Bok dhe et 1 woul Be caged ing tt eto MY abs") ‘Be pre ak sever otter ving size phe atone {i Do your bomewoik ance wha depment ees Sei Be royred alk aout eacingitsase esc cores yore npn asl rl as College, his counting ie Westen Clit, Westen argent ier Ba Li {ei Be ely otk nel aot an innovative consort hyo nk he Dene wight lly yo asain ewan wi your exe, 5 Take ose Xs yu mold ech twa egos wld the coe ae? When seta compl your cote, wht wa they hve lest at i ing salve? 4. Telles hw your een hasiaeced your exci. In wha way tae you Bes beta in thee of your tesewshoyoureuse tthe dent lvl? We mea seine sate anc versity Wiha momen fhe sion sem re her per seer, most em in tebe ered coe. Every, eee, 11/13/2012 2:19 PM