Transcription
Academic Job Interviews:Questions and AdviceRoseanne J. Foti, Ph.D.
Overview GeneralAdvice Typical Schedule The QUESTIONS– What will you BE asked?– What should YOU ask? Advicebased on the ResearchAcademic Job Interview2
Academic Job Interview3
General Advice Attendcandidate interviews in yourown department Want to portray an image of yourselfas a colleague So, what to do?– Show excitement and enthusiasm– How invested you are in your work– Think of yourself as a faculty memberfrom the time you start applying forjobsAcademic Job Interview4
General Advice Wantto be prepared– Research the institution– Research the program and department– Research the people who will interviewyou Thenyou can mention ways you cansee yourself contributing to thedepartment– Helps you be seen as a colleagueAcademic Job Interview5
Typical Schedule Typically1.5 to 2 days Must give seminar 30 min meetings from breakfastthrough dinner Plan to be exhausted, drink lots ofcaffeine, yet have no time to go tothe bathroomAcademic Job Interview6
Questions You WILL Be Asked Partof being prepared is prethinking answers to typical interviewquestionsAcademic Job Interview7
Top 5 Questions Describeyour research– Need a short and long answer forexperts and non-experts– Corollaries Whatis the broader significance of yourresearch? What are the limitations of your research? What research will you do next?Academic Job Interview8
Top 5 Questions Howwould you teach.– A service course in your field– Any of the courses on your CV that yousay you can teach– Corollary Whatcourses would you like to teach andhow would you teach them?Academic Job Interview9
Top 5 Questions Tellus how your research hasinfluenced your teaching? In whatways have you been able to bringthe insights of your research tocourses at the undergraduate level?– Try to focus on specific examples– Using specific examples will ground you,may make you less nervousAcademic Job Interview10
Top 5 Questions Whydo you want to work at ShallRemain Nameless College orUniversity?– Corollaries Howdo you see yourself as contributing toour department? What are the top 3 things you are lookingfor in an academic job? Your degree is from Prestige Research University - what is it about Mediocre U that interests you?Academic Job Interview11
Top 5 Questions Doyou have any questions? Need to have some!!– I have some suggestions to get youthinkingAcademic Job Interview12
Questions that Surprised me Whatwill be the first studentresearch project that you supervise? How do you evaluate research inyour area?Academic Job Interview13
Questions about marital/familystatus, religion, etc. Youcan answer You can answer by saying it won’tinterfere with doing the job– “I can definitely work the hours required?"– "If you're concerned that I won't be able toperform the duties of the job, I'm sure I can."– "If you're going to ask next whether or not I'mauthorized to work in the USA, I am." Youcan decline to answer and stateit makes you uncomfortableAcademic Job Interview14
What are the Illegal Questions Nationalorigin or descent:– "That's an unusual name. Where is itfrom?“ Citizenship:– "Are you a U.S. citizen?“ Marital/familystatus:– "Are you married? Engaged? Divorced?""With whom do you live?""Do you plan to have a family? When?""Do you have children?""What are your childcare arrangements?"Academic Job Interview15
What are the Illegal Questions Age:– "How old are you?""What is your date of birth?""When did you graduate?“ Affiliations:– "What organizations or groups do youbelong to?"Academic Job Interview16
Questions about marital/familystatus, religion, etc. Ifyou feel that your partner is anasset, nothing stops you fromadding (nothing stops you fromvolunteering information) Similarly, you can reference family,friends, and other links to the areaAcademic Job Interview17
Questions You SHOULD Ask ToSearch Committee Chair– Are there any “surprises” on myitinerary? Touchytopics, difficult people, faculty withdifferent expectations from those of thesearch committee– What, in particular, are you looking forin filling this position?Academic Job Interview18
Questions You SHOULD Ask ToCollege Dean– What research funds are available atdifferent levels of the university?– How would you describe the ShallRemain Nameless department to afellow dean? Tryingto assess his/her evaluation of thedepartmentAcademic Job Interview19
Questions You SHOULD Ask ToDepartment Chair and SeniorFaculty– What, in particular, are you looking forin filling this position? let’syou assess whether different facultyhave different agendas– What type of summer support isavailable?– Pre-tenure teaching release?Academic Job Interview20
Questions You SHOULD Ask ToJunior Faculty– What classes did you teach in the lastyear? How much influence did you haveregarding: number of students? howmany preps? which classes taught andwhen?– What support do you receive for yourresearch?– What is your greatest frustration withyour job?Academic Job Interview21
Questions You SHOULD Ask ToGraduate Students– Why did you choose to get yourgraduate degree at this school?– Do graduate students get travel funds?Academic Job Interview22
Questions You SHOULD Ask Exitinterview with Chair– Will you be interviewing othercandidates?– Who makes the decision regardingwhom to hire?– What is your timetable for filling thisposition?– If you are asked about salary. knowthe range for the position, aim a bit highand have a good rationaleAcademic Job Interview23
Questions You SHOULD Ask Exitinterview with Chair– Need to be prepared with start uppackage with justificationAcademic Job Interview24
Research on Interviewing andGender Differences Muchinterview advice involves theuse of impression managementtactics Self-promotion– Speaking with pride about youraccomplishments– Speaking directly about your strengthsand talents– Taking responsibility for youraccomplishmentsAcademic Job Interview25
Research on Interviewing andGender Differences Researchshows women areperceived as less competent andcompetitive than men– Self-promotion seen as a way ofcounteracting gender schemas andstereotypes Womenwho self-promote are givenhigher competence ratings– But, lower interpersonal skills ratingsAcademic Job Interview26
Research on Interviewing andGender Differences Thisresult is stronger when– the interviewer has less vested interest– when the job requires good listeningskills and being sensitive to othersAcademic Job Interview27
Research on Interviewing andGender Differences So,what to do. Most common advice is to stress thecharacteristics associated withcompetence– independent, ambitious downplaythose characteristicsassociated with dominance– aggressiveAcademic Job Interview28
Conclusions Tohelp you self-promote, try thefollowing Think about your grad school/postdoc experience in terms ofaccomplishments NOT responsibilities Rework vitae as much as possible interms of accomplishments Keep a file with letters, emails,notes, etcAcademic Job Interview29
Academic Job Interview 25 Research on Interviewing and Gender Differences Much interview advice involves the use of impression management tactics Self-promotion -Speaking with pride about your accomplishments -Speaking directly about your strengths and talents -Taking responsibility for your accomplishments
