How to Interview for an Academic Position How to Jump Start Your Academic Career Michael Gooseff Jan. 30, 2008 CEE Penn State University

Resources ► Handout with this presentation  with additional notes ► Web page:  Evolving resource of advice, links, and experiences ► The faculty

Academic Career Workshop Series ► What is an academic career?  Nearly full disclosure on what academic careers are all about ► How to apply for an academic position  Finding, reading, translating position descriptions  Tips on how to write your application materials ► How to interview for an academic position

How to Interview for an Academic Position Overview ► Process & Purpose of an interview  It’s a 2-way street, but they have the upper hand… ► Preparing to interview  Research the institution  Teaching/research seminars  Their questions, your questions ► What to expect on phone or on-campus interviews  With whom you are likely to meet  Fair questions/unfair questions

How Does the Process Work? Position was created Description generated Position was advertised Applications were reviewed For 5-10 candidates – phone interviews For 3-4 candidates – On-campus interviews For ~10 candidates – recommendation letters requested “short-list”

Purpose of Interview - Theirs ► ► Are you the right person for   the position, as described   the duties required   the group of faculty   the mission of the department/institution ► ► Will you be successful? ► ► Will you contribute to the institution?

Purpose of Interview - Yours ► ► Is this a situation to which you want to make a long-term commitment?   Considering professional expectations (theirs and yours)   Considering your personal goals/requirements ► ► Is the vision of the institution similar to yours? ► ► Are you/will you be “comfortable”? You should be a little bit selfish here…

How to Interview for an Academic Position Overview ► Process & Purpose of an interview  It’s a 2-way street, but they have the upper hand… ► Preparing to interview  Research the institution  Teaching/research seminars  Their questions, your questions

Research the Department/Institution ► ► Web pages   Institutional   Others (e.g., professor ratings, US News rankings) ► ► Personal Network:   Colleagues’ opinions   Alumni opinions   Current students?   Faculty in other departments ► ► Remember – they get your best application materials letters of recommendation You need to find comparable info!

Research Seminar ► Captivate and impress them without losing the general audience ► Reach those who are not in your specialty ► Make your seminar relevant ► If possible, reference your publication(s)

Research Seminar ► Plan for ~40 slides for a 45 min. talk ► Do not assume too much or too little of your audience ► Outline:  Background/problem  Your fantastic solution  How you are pushing the cutting edge forward

Research Seminar ► Make sure it is organized and clear ► Do as little as possible to distract the audience from the content/message ► Do NOT go over time ► Conclude with a slide that conveys teamwork The um… sum of these forces is… like zero.

Teaching Seminar ► Subject should not matter  You can demonstrate teaching ability regardless of subject (though you have to know it) ► If possible make it simple (e.g., a statics concepts) ► Employ case studies/real world examples (briefly) ► For a 50 min lecture, ~20 slides

Teaching Seminar ► Balance chalkboard/ppt ► Make up assignments and address them just as you would when you teach ► Make up an example with local attributes ► Have your audience work a problem in-class ► Ask for questions  Before & during Kermit Ridge Aggie Peak Logan Divide

Planning for Questions ► ► They will ask questions about   how you plan to fulfill the role   Your opinions on where the field is going ► ► You should be prepared with questions   Regardless of what they are, it shows you have thought about the position

How to Interview for an Academic Position Overview ► Process & Purpose of an interview  It’s a 2-way street, but they have the upper hand… ► Preparing to interview  Research the institution  Teaching/research seminars  Their questions, your questions ► What to expect on phone or on-campus interviews  With whom you are likely to meet  Fair questions/unfair questions

Purpose of Phone Interview ► ► Theirs: With minimal commitment of time and resources…   Determine which of 5-10 excellent candidates should go through a formal interview   Discriminate among several ‘similar’ candidates, which might better fit a position ► ► Yours: Make a good impression!   Judge their performance (to yourself)

Phone Interviews ► Cons:  No body language (you can’t read them)  You can’t tell who is/is not paying attention  Complications of phones ► Pros:  No body language  You can take many notes  You can be using resources… ► Keep your application materials handy in case any questions arise about it

Their Phone Interview Questions ► Are you still interested in the job? ► Why do you want this job? ► What classes would you like to teach? ► Where do you see yourself in x years? ► Do you have any questions for us?  Always answer yes, have something ready to ask.

Your Phone Interview Questions ► Logistics of hiring process  where are they in the process, etc. ► What is expected of the successful candidate? (teaching, research, service) ► Not a question:  update your application, tell them about new papers submitted, published, etc.

Phone Interview Tips ► Before the interview –  Practice with a friend  Be sure you have the call in a quiet place, on a land line  Turn off any potential distractions ( , other phones, etc.)  Do NOT be late for their call ► During the phone interview  Take notes  Relax, try to be comfortable   Do not smoke, chew gum, eat, or drink.

Phone Interview Tips   Do keep a glass of water handy, in case you need to wet your mouth.   Smile – it will project a positive image to the listener and will change the tone of your voice.   Speak slowly and enunciate clearly.   Use the person's title.   Do NOT interrupt the interviewers.   Take your time - take a moment or two to collect your thoughts.   Give concise, informative answers.

End the Phone Interview ► They will probably say “we’ll be in contact with you” ► Be sure to thank them for their time and consideration of your application ► End with an upbeat message – that you look forward to hearing from them ► After you hang up, review your notes immediately and make sure to add anything that might be missing ► Then, just relax in confidence!

On-Campus Interview ► Typical Schedule:  Day 1- Arrive ► Faculty or grad student will pick you up ► You may go to dinner with them – you are on  Day 2 ► Breakfast with search committee member/faculty ► Meeting with search committee ► Meeting with department head ► Lunch with graduate students ► Meeting with dean ► Research seminar ► Dinner with faculty

On-Campus Interview ► Typical Schedule:  Day 3 ► Breakfast with faculty ► Meetings with specific faculty members and maybe staff ► Lunch with research center director ► Teaching seminar ► Closing meeting with Search Committee ► Closing meeting with dept. head ► Dinner with faculty/head home

Fair Questions from Them ► ► When can you start? ► ► Can you earn a PE license? ► ► To which agencies will you submit proposals? ► ► How big will your research group be? ► ► Will you include undergrads in research? ► ► Are you a team player or an empire builder?

Unfair Questions from Them ► ► Are you married/do you have a family? ► ► Are you planning to have kids? ► ► Would you take this job if offered? ► ► Do you celebrate Christmas? ► ► Are you a Republican? Unfair Statement: You are the front-runner for this position

Fair Questions from You ► ► Resources/Compensation   Lab space?   Student space?   Typical salary offers? ► ► How are young faculty supported? ► ► What are the rates of tenure success? ► ► How much TA support exists? ► ► What is the vision of the department? The institution?

Closing meeting with DH and/or dean ► ► Quasi-negotiating… ► ► What would it take to get you here? ► ► What resources do you need to get started? ► ► Make it clear if there are any deal-breakers…

What NOT to do on an Interview ► Do not come off as over- confident ► Dinner party rules apply – avoid talk of politics and religion* ► Do not dismiss anyone  Students and staff matter just as much as faculty! *this may not hold for religious-affiliated schools

What you should do on an Interview ► Remember that interviewing is a 2-way street  You need to decide if this is the place for you ► Be confident, but humble ► Be professional ► Be Honest  on paper, on the phone, in person ► Ask questions – prove you are interested!

Final Thoughts ► ► Define your career vision   The best candidates often have a clear set of goals they want to accomplish   Sell this vision & integration to the dept. ► ► Plan ahead –   The more you practice the more comfortable you will be   The more effort you put into preparing answers ahead of time, the more they will be impressed

Final Thoughts ► ► Interviewing is a 2 way process   You should impress them   They should impress you ► ► Be honest   You will be miserable if they hire you but expect things you cannot do   To be really happy, your goals should complement the vision/goals of the department

Final Thoughts ► ► You only have to convince a majority that you are the right person for the job…

Follow-up ► What you should expect from them…  No news is good news – for a while ► Should you call/ ?  Sure, at any reasonable time  However, BE PATIENT

The End ► Resources: ► Web page ► ANGEL site ► Please evaluate this workshop via the ANGEL site after it is established; ► All constructive criticism is welcome! ► CEE Faculty