THE INTERVIEW

Job Seach Handbook >> The Interview

Congratulations on getting an interview! The institution is now telling you that you meet the expectations of the search and are qualified for the position; now it wishes to explore how well you will “fit” into the department and university.

Things to Do

• Make sure that you are well-rested before your visit. Although a one to three-day visit may not seem very long, it is plenty long enough to thoroughly exhaust you. The search committee probably has already decided that you are capable of doing the job; your campus interview is your chance to show you will be a good colleague. Don’t ruin your opportunity by being too tired to interact effectively.
• Remember that you are being watched every moment. During every interaction, no matter how small, someone is wondering whether or not you would be a good fit for the institution. Be polite and act professionally, at all times and in all places.
• If you haven’t gotten an itinerary for your visit yet, politely ask for one when you arrive.
• Recognize that an on-campus interview involves more than one interview. You most likely will interview with the department’s faculty as a whole; you also may meet with each member individually. You will interview with the dean, give a research and/or teaching presentation, and possibly meet with some students. The institution wants to find out as much about you as possible during the one- to three-day interview marathon. Stamina is required; it will be an exhausting process.
• Be professional. Pay close attention to dress, grooming, demeanor. Err on the conservative side.
• Think about what you order to eat during your meals there (e.g., watch out for black pepper, broccoli, and other things that may upset your digestive system or get stuck in your teeth!). Be very wary about drinking alcohol and/or smoking while on your interview.
• Anticipate possible questions. You probably will be asked why you are interested in the particular position / institution, about your future research, why you went to your present institution for graduate work, what you would like (or not like) to teach and why, etc. If you ever are asked to simply tell them about yourself, be sure your answer is about your professional, and not your personal, life.
• In addition to your presentation materials, bring additional copies of your vitae and selected publications. It also may be useful to bring examples of your work and that of your students (if you have done some postsecondary teaching).
• Bring a carefully worded research agenda and be able to elaborate on it for the search committee. Keep your research agenda focused - don’t use a shotgun approach.
• Try to integrate and weave into your interview your philosophy statement, research agenda, and strategic plan. Keep your responses focused - don’t run off at the mouth!
• Be able to discuss your personal strategic plan for your pre-tenure years (or for the next few years if you are a tenured applicant).
• Remember that you also are interviewing the institution. Develop a set of general and specific questions to ask of the program faculty, department chair, and dean while visiting. Ask questions about how long the faculty members have been there, why they came here, why they stay, etc. Answers to these questions can reveal the culture of the institution and the community (or lack thereof ) among faculty. You can put these questions very simply: What’s the best thing about working at the university? What the worst thing? What would you change if you could? Remember that although the initial offer is up to the search committee, you are not an insignificant player in this process. Do everything that you can to get the information that you need to decide whether or not you want to be there next year. Ask lots of questions, especially of people who are in situations similar to what you will be in next year. For example, ask faculty who are relatively new what it’s like to be a new faculty member there. Similarly, if you are a person of color, are a woman, are gay, or have some other “minority” characteristic, try and ask people there who share that characteristic what it is like to work at that institution. Don’t be afraid to ask tough questions like “What kind of working environment and relationships exist at this institution?” or “How would you describe your relationships with practitioners in the field (or the state department of education)?” Follow up on answers until you are satisfied you have a decent understanding of the scene there. Ask the same questions of multiple persons to get different perspectives.
• Ask questions related to your life there as a new professor. Ask about teaching load, expectations for promotion and tenure, supports and protections for new faculty members, etc. Ask about the student body, relationships between divisions, and expectations of the dean. Try and find out the strengths and weaknesses of the department and where it sees itself heading over the next five to ten years. Find out how much say you will have as a new faculty member in the governance of the department.
• Ask what is required / expected to get tenure and what the department’s record is for promotion. If there have been unsuccessful candidates for tenure in recent years, find out why they were unsuccessful.
• Ask about the teaching and advising load. How many courses will you teach (at what level and with how many students per class)? What is the typical advising load? Ask if the position requires you to travel or teach at branch campuses.
• Ask about travel money, campus resources (e.g., statistics consulting services, faculty teaching resource centers), etc.
• Inquire about having a mentor (or two).
• Do everything you can to meet informally with graduate students. Ask them about the department’s climate. You can find out a lot from questions like “Do students call the professors by their first names?” “What do you see as the program’s greatest strength?” and “What has been the most challenging part of being a graduate student here?”
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions about salary and compensation (this should not be your first question, however). Find out how raises are determined. Be clear about your own expectations but be sensitive to the realities of the institution to which you are applying. For example, usually you can expect that a smaller school will offer a smaller compensation package than a larger institution. Your prior research can help prevent surprises in this area.
• Expect to be asked what you will need as a new faculty member. Be reasonable and as explicit as possible. If you are uncomfortable stating what you will need, frame your request in terms of what previous faculty have received. Items you could inquire about include a new computer, a research assistant, travel or conference money, moving expenses, research startup money, expenses for a return visit to find housing, money for professional memberships or subscriptions, a parking subsidy, etc.
• Don’t be surprised to get asked questions about your personal life. Although technically you are not supposed to be asked if you are married, have children, go to church, etc., many people will ask you anyway. Usually such questions are asked with the helpful intent of assisting you with your transition to a new community. Decide beforehand which questions you are willing to answer and which you are not; politely sidestep the latter. Remember that you can always volunteer any information about which you want the institution to know.
• At a research presentation, audience members generally will ask you questions about your work and may question your methodology or outcomes. Realize that this is usually done with a genuine sense of collegiality and respect. If your work is solid, it will hold up to scrutiny. However, if an audience member is openly hostile, it should serve as a red flag and warn you about the department’s climate (especially if it’s a faculty member). Try not to get too nervous about your job talk. By now you should have practiced your presentation enough to be thoroughly comfortable with it. While you should be able to intelligently discuss and answer reasonable questions about your topic, you are not expected to be the world’s leading expert in that area. Be sure to politely maintain control of your presentation. Anticipate possible questions and have answers ready for them. Be sure and listen to the questions you get asked and think for a moment before you answer them. Don’t be surprised to get a question that you can’t answer; if that occurs, sidestep as gracefully as you can without dodging the question. If faculty members begin arguing with you or each other, try and guide the conversation back toward a more productive direction.
• Be sure to note names and positions of everyone you meet while on campus. Write them down if necessary; you do not want to forget anyone later when you write thank you notes.
• Although the institution should pick up all of your expenses while you are there on campus, also keep track of any expenses you happen to incur.
• Try and enjoy your time on campus. Even if the position doesn’t work out, you are meeting future colleagues in your field. Take advantage of the opportunity to meet new people and to see how other institutions do things.
• Be sure to ask when you can expect to next hear from the institution, and ask about the tentative timeline for decisions. Also ask whom you should contact if you have follow-up questions.

Things to Avoid

• Don’t be egotistical. Show humility.
• Don’t make up responses when you don’t know the answer to a question; don’t say you can do everything. The faculty can tell when you don’t have adequate knowledge / experience; they also can tell if you will be stretching yourself too thin. Be honest and realistic about what you have done and will do in the future.
• Don’t answer questions from the search committee based on what you think they want to hear. Try to answer all questions directly - don’t be a politician and try to dodge questions or answer them indirectly. You often will experience an adrenaline rush and a desire to show how quickly your mind is working and can formulate a response; this sets the stage for errors in judgment. Take a moment after each question.  This allows you to fully comprehend what was asked, allows you to formulate a thoughtful response, and non-verbally demonstrates that you are thoughtful and giving considerable weight to the query. Be sure to ask if you need the question clarified.
• Try to avoid petty conflicts. In any disagreements, try to use a win-win approach. Support your disagreement with evidence or foundation to support your perspective, instead of mere opinion, but also recognize the validity and supports for the other perspective.
• Don’t ask for feedback about how your interview is going. The faculty will be reserving judgment until all candidates have interviewed.
• Don’t expect the institution to find a job for your partner or spouse. Although many institutions try to help spouses find jobs in the area, the employee in whom they are primarily interested is you. If you only can take a position if your significant other has a job too, be up front about it.