Campus Interview Advice

Campus Interview Advice

Anon Applicant (guest) 24 Nov 2010 15:25

I have several upcoming campus interviews and have talked with advisors, read over some articles/books with suggestions, etc. but still feel quite intimidated by the whole process. This is my first time on the job market so I don't know really what to expect. I was hoping that people might be interested in sharing some genera/specific tips/advice for campus interviews. I also have a few specific questions:
1. How much do I need to know about the university, department, etc.? Is reading over the website enough?
2. How much about other faculty's research do I need to know? Do I need to read articles of every faculty member in the department or just those with whom I could potentially collaborate with?
3. Any advice for handling questions during the job talk that are totally unpredictable/unclear/etc.
4. At the social events (ride from the airport, meals, etc.) how much are talking shop and how much is more lighter conversation? I am guessing to just follow the lead of the faculty?
5. Any other tips/advice for surviving this process?

Anon Again (guest) 24 Nov 2010 16:18

I remember being very intimidated by this process, but it actually wasn't half as bad as I thought it would be.

1. Reading over the website should be enough - what else could you reasonably know. But you should definitely have a sense of the department - what degrees do they offer? What are subareas? etc.

2. I think this varies by the size of the department you are interviewing at. If there are 30 faculty members then it wouldn't make sense to read a paper by everyone. My suggestion would be that if the department has sub-areas and you are being hired into a sub-area (say clinical) to try to read one paper by everyone in that area (or at least visit their websites and have a really strong sense of the work that they do) - for the rest of the department try to at least have a broad sense of what people do. If the department is large but doesn't have sub areas, then try to identify the people who you might collaborate with (think broadly here - for example if you are cognitive then try to identify all cognitive folks). If it is a smaller department (under 10 members) then I would try to brush up on everyone in the department.

3. If it is unclear, simply ask to clarify. If you get a total off the wall question that you have zero idea how to answer say something like "That is a really interesting idea. I'll have to put some thought into that/I haven't thought of that, but that might be an interesting approach/analyses/future direction." Though, I never encountered a question that was so crazy I couldn't think of at least a reasonable response.

4. I found that social events often focused on lighter conversation. Often this might be when you focus on what it is like to live in the city.

I was very nervous about all the meetings I would have and thought it would be intimidating trying to impress all of these very smart people. But I found all of the meetings really flew by and I really had fun. Just relax and enjoy the opportunity to get to meet and talk with new people and share the passion you have for your research and/or teaching and it will go well.

anon8585 (guest) 02 Dec 2010 05:09

I interviewed and landed a good job (for me) from last year's market. Based upon my experiences here what I suggest:
1. Website, any mission statements, for clinical know their retention and internship match rates, percieved strengths and weakness, etc.
2. I did a 3x5 index card on each faculty member I was meeting with that included notable accomplishments (awards, grants, etc), research synoposis of their papers (I skimmed/read 3-5 most recent), and developed 3 questions to ask based upon their bio and research. Just before sitting down to meet with that person I would pull out my index card and refresh my memory. No way to keep it all in my head. One place saw my cards and was impressed with my preparation.
3. Agree with other comments - just ask to clarify the question. It's okay to say, "I don't know."
4. Follow the lead, but remember these discussions will also be parsed and analyzed.
5. Try to display some humor and be a gracious guest, they invited you.

Deans - somewhere on the web there is a list of questions to ask and to expect to be asked by deans. Generally ask how the department is perceived within the larger university. Don't be afraid to ask questions about any red flags that have arisen during your interview. One place I interviewed, the PhD program was threatened to be shut down a couple of years prior. I asked the dean about that set of circumstances.

Start-up $ - have a ballpark estimate ready, but only share if asked. An excel spreadsheet with everything you can dream up with costs estimated is helpful. Salary, make them tell you first. But look at AAUP and APA salary averages to get an idea of what to expect.

Senior faculty - talk about teaching. They have to do it, and so will you.

anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 16:31

My feedback from having one recent interview:

1. I read the website of the department and the school (this may be more important at smaller schools). I familiarized myself with the mission of the school (often VERY important at religious schools). I also looked through the course offerings for the department. They WILL ask you what courses you could teach, so I thought it looked good to use their lingo (i.e., calling it general psych instead of intro psych, etc.).

2. I interviewed at a smaller department so I read an article by each faculty member. I just skimmed to get the general gist and would ask questions like "I recently read your article about X, which I found fascinating. What are you currently working on?" Man, this gets them going!!! You can just relax now and nod and interject occasionally. People get REALLY excited about their own research. I found this helpful for faculty outside your area….where you will never collaborate. Also, you should get a schedule of who you will be meeting with…read up on those people!

3. I didn't really get any crazy questions, but Anon Again's response is perfect for just about any weird question…something like "Oh wow, that is a really good suggestion. How could you implement that idea?" Throw it back to them :-)

4. I also found the social events to be lighter. Often the focus will be on the community/city. My social events had outright questions of "So, in layman's terms, tell me about your research" from a non-academic spouse to "What does your husband do?" by a non-faculty member. Be prepared for them to sneak in the questions about spouses, children, etc.

I was so stressed during the first meeting, but by the end of the day I had the suit jacket off and was laughing and having a great time.

Also, I found things like talking about their graduate/undergraduate institutions to be real mood lighteners. Often this led into sports talk (I love sports, so this was a great way to pass some time)…and even a real serious debate about the BCS set-up (I was interviewing at a BCS school). I had people talking about their private family situations as it related to my research….and other researchers showing me their rats. It was fun!

Anon Applicant (guest) 24 Nov 2010 16:34

Thanks so much for all of the helpful advice? Just to clarify, it is OK to email the search chair and request a schedule a few days before the interview, so request that they email it to you if it is ready? That seems like it would be so helpful to have an idea of what Iam doing, who I am meeting with, etc. All I know is that I am doing a job talk and that is it!

Anon Again (guest) 24 Nov 2010 16:57

You will almost definitely get an itinerary beforehand. If you don't then I think it would be okay to email and request one, but I don't think you will have to do this.

anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 17:02

I would definitely ask (in fact, I just emailed my upcoming interview place and asked). Just email and say something like "I was wondering if it would be possible to receive a copy of the schedule so that I can prepare for the individual meetings." Or something like that :-)

anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 18:00

This is a really useful set of postings. To add to the questions - I have a few of my own:

1) I am still a little bit confused about what is supposed to take place in the meeting with the Dean.

2) Should you expect to be asked about salary and startup in terms of actual $?

3) What kinds of questions would be appropriate for meetings with senior faculty members who
-you don't have much in common with research-wise
-may not have an active research group (thus may not be able to talk about the grad students much)
-went through the tenure process long ago
- you have little in common with lifestyle-wise (so, where they live/how they enjoy the area would not be all that self-relevant)

Thanks!

anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 18:59

1. My meeting with the Dean was weird. He was kind of gruff and off-putting. Nonetheless, he asked about my research and that was about it. I asked questions about grant support (i.e., is there an office of research), the direction he hopes the department will go in the future, his expectations for grant funding. I was also told you can ask him about start-up & salary. Oh, and I also asked about university-wide research support (i.e., internal grants), etc.

2. I asked about both and the department chair didn't seem offended. For me, this is a HUGE thing and you want to know this early (this could be a potential make or break with an offer). For example, I have a # in my head and if they are coming in WAY below that (as in, negotiations won't even come near my number) then I know I don't need to think more about the job.

3. Senior faculty: If they are doing research, just ask about it. Ask what they are currently working on or what their students are doing.
If they have no active research, then ask about what they like about the university, what does the department have to offer, what are they looking for in a new hire (I asked this of every single member).
How do you know you don't have anything in common? Just ask! Ask about the community, the campus. Ask about the undergrads. Ask about department collaborations and general collegiality within the department.

anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 19:01

My bad….I thought you meant about asking them about salary/start-up.

They won't ask you about money, but they will ask you about what resources/equipment you might need.

Also, if you do work with a non-college aged population, expect to be asked questions about how you'll get your population in town X. So if you have an unusual population, do some research ahead of time.

Anon Applicant (guest) 24 Nov 2010 19:57

How soon is too soon to email and ask if I have not received the schedule yet? My first one is next week and then two the following week. I don't have any schedules yet. Thanks again for all of the very helpful advice!

vd 24 Nov 2010 20:09

I would e-mail them two or three days before your visit if you haven't received an itinerary by that time.

On one of my interviews, I didn't get an itinerary until the morning of my first interview day while sitting in a faculty member's office. However, prior to visiting I had looked over the website and familiarized myself with the work of the people whom I was most likely to meet, so it wasn't a big deal.

Last edited on 24 Nov 2010 20:10 by vd Show more

Anon (guest) 24 Nov 2010 18:58

anon - In meeting with the Dean, he/she will try to sell you on the college and its resources, and often will tell you something about the tenure process, internal grant resources available to faculty, etc. I spent most of the time smiling and nodding. They might ask general questions about your CV, or to tell them about your research, it really wasn't stressful.

Usually you won't be asked about actual $ amounts. I was asked what kind of things I'd need for startup, they were trying to get a general idea but no specifics.

For senior faculty members, I found it helpful to ask them about the department - what the atmosphere is like, how it has changed over time, what its future directions will be. They like to talk about the history and share their perspective. You can also ask questions about the undergraduates, teaching requirements, how decisions are made about who teaches what. Or about the administration and how the department fits into the campus as a whole. They have a lot of departmental and institutional knowledge so think of it as your chance to get those types of questions answered.

anon (guest) 01 Dec 2010 15:05

Probably a silly question, but if no one has mentioned anything about hotel arrangements, is it safe to assume that's taken care of? I have this irrational worry that I'll get there and have no place to stay….

Anonymous (guest) 01 Dec 2010 15:21

Yes, they will take care of that. Accommodations vary widely; at SLACs, it's likely to be the Alumni House, which can be a bit deficient in the things you'd expect from a normal hotel (e.g., iron). At most places, it'll be a mid-range hotel (Sheraton, Marriott). Also: it can be unclear what will happen after you are picked up, so you should be sure to exit the plane in clothing you want the search committee to see you in. (I flew in jeans, changed in the airport bathroom); sometimes they will take you straight to dinner or whatever

anon (guest) 02 Dec 2010 04:19

After I bomb a job talk, I enjoy going back to the hotel and clearing out the mini-bar.

I'm tired (guest) 02 Dec 2010 19:36

Never assume that everything is taken care of. I once assumed that someone would be there to pick me up from the airport (which is what happened on a previous interview) because no one told me otherwise. I had the sense to ask the day before the interview and was told I was supposed to arrange my own transportation (which had to be a rental care) from the airport to the university. Apparently the administrative assistant was supposed to tell me and she forgot.

In sum, if they don't mention the hotel, ask because they may expect you to book the hotel. Departments with more funding will often take care of that for you, but they will probably tell you if this is the case.

anon (guest) 02 Dec 2010 08:54

LOL!