Calling Dreamer, Katamari...

[mayerling]

...and anyone else who might be able to help!

FI just got an interview for a job at a university in the US ( ) and we're looking for advice for the interview. I think we're comfortable with questions on his research, but we're not confident with respect to other questions he might get (about teaching, etc.). Can you think of any questions that consistently come up? Also, what's the dress code (suit, tie, brief-case, clean-shaven, new hair-cut, etc.)?

Thanks!

 

[Dreamer_D]

Goodness, it really depends on the fild. What area is he in? Does he have colleagues or friends who have been recently hired or who have been recently on hiring committees with whom he can speak?

I can give some tips, but they would only be relevant in a field closely related to mine.

 

[slg47]

yeah, I was going to say it depends on the field also. What field is he in? Also, I think it depends on whether or not it is a large/small university. I think some of the smaller universities will have candidates "teach" a lecture (again, depends on university and field!)

 

[mayerling]

I'd rather not get into specifics as you never know who might be reading the boards. It is a big university though.

I guess I was looking for general suggestions on possible questions like "how would you teach an introductory course in your field?", or "how do you see your research fitting in with the department's scope of research?", etc.

 

[Haven]

Congrats to your FI on getting an interview!

May I suggest he check out the Chronicle of Higher Education? http://www.chronicle.com
They have a great forum, and people often post information about interview questions and their experiences interviewing, in general, once they return from such experiences. It was a great resource for me when I prepared for my interviews. People will often post their field, as well, so you may get some better insights there since you don't want to share too much here on PS. (Which is completely understandable.)

Good luck to him!

 

[katamari]

Congrats to your FI!! That is a big, darned deal and a huge accomplishment.

Ditto that it is field dependent. Ditto that you will get tons of wonderful advice from the Chronicle forums and should read them thoroughly. That said, here is what I would recommend (noting that there is much better and more specific advice at the Chronicle).

The best advice I can give regarding dress: if the faculty have an opinion on your attire, it is because the interviewee gave them other reasons to start being critical. A great interviewee can wear anything professionalesque and the faculty will overlook it. However, a fair interviewee opens up criticism on every dimension (especially since, on paper, if you get the invite, you are worthy of the job), including dress. I do think an interviewee can give messages of fit with your attire, though, so it is worth trying (even though it really will be about whether or not you fit or rock the interview). You can get a sense from the faculty profile shots for dress. Yes, they are often tightly cropped, but I do feel you can get a sense of age and style. In my current department, we are fairly fashion forward and an interviewee would score points with us for coming in shirt, tie, sweater versus suit. However, in other departments, it would be the other way around. I assume a man can never go wrong in a current, nicely tailored suit. I also assume there are fields where this is a necessity. In mine, it is not.

The questions will also vary based on the institution type. IIRC, your FI is from the US (or earned his Bachelor's here) but then went abroad for his PhD. I expect he will get questions about how his experiences researching/teaching/service translate into the US context. If he is interviewing with a research intensive institution, he should anticipate talking about his research agenda, how he will incorporate graduate students, plans to earn grants, experiences with collaboration, fit with existing faculty interest, etc. If he is interviewing with a teaching intensive institution, there will be question about how specifically he will teach the courses in the ad, why he is attracted to a LAC, teaching strategies, how he fits with the mission of the university, how he will stay an active researcher in that setting, etc.

Oh, and beyond the Chronicle, most disciplines have specific sites about job search here. Search "(discipline) job wiki" or "(discipline) job rumors" and you should find them.

Again, good luck to him!!

 

[mayerling]

Thanks, everyone! Will check the Chronicle.

 

[mayerling]

Just a quick question everyone.

We've been reading online that it would be good to bring a portfolio along to the interview (containing things like papers, teaching evaluations, etc.). FI already sent those things in when he first applied. Does he really need to provide copies in person as well?

Thanks

 

[mayerling]

{bump}

 

[mayerling]

Just bumping this again...

 

[stephbolt]

Just a quick question everyone.

We've been reading online that it would be good to bring a portfolio along to the interview (containing things like papers, teaching evaluations, etc.). FI already sent those things in when he first applied. Does he really need to provide copies in person as well?

Thanks

I'd bring the documents with him just in case someone he's meeting with didn't get a copy of them. What does it hurt other than to have to carry a little extra paper in his briefcase?

Good luck to your FI!!

 

[katamari]

I don't think he would need evaluations, but I would recommend a couple CVs, one copy of his most important or recent publication, and a couple copies of his teaching philosophy (if it is a teaching school)/his research statement (if it is a research school)/both (if it is a balanced school). If he has courses prepped, a couple syllabi might be a good idea, too, if he is interviewing at a teaching school. There is about a .001% chance that he will need them, but, if he does, and he has them, then he will look good and prepared. So why not, you know?

I will also say that he should carry on his interview attire and to dress business casual for the flight if a member of the search committee is picking him up from the airport. One of my friends recently had an interviewee have to give their job talk in a pair of warm-up pants and sneakers because he checked his bag and it got lost.