Foti Academic Job Interview 3-19-09

8/8/2019 Foti Academic Job Interview 3-19-09

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Academic Job Interviews:Academic Job Interviews:

Questions and AdviceQuestions and Advice

Roseanne J. Foti, Ph.D.Roseanne J. Foti, Ph.D.


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Academic Job InterviewAcademic Job Interview 22

OverviewOverview

General AdviceGeneral Advice

Typical ScheduleTypical Schedule

The QUESTIONSThe QUESTIONS

What will you BE asked?What will you BE asked? What should YOU ask?What should YOU ask?

Advice based on the ResearchAdvice based on the Research


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Attend candidate interviews in yourAttend candidate interviews in your

own departmentown departmentWant to portray an image of yourselfWant to portray an image of yourself

as a colleagueas a colleague

So, what to do?So, what to do? Show excitement and enthusiasmShow excitement and enthusiasm

How invested you are in your workHow invested you are in your work

Think of yourself as a faculty memberThink of yourself as a faculty memberfrom the time you start applying forfrom the time you start applying forjobsjobs


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Want to be preparedWant to be prepared

Research the institutionResearch the institution Research the program and departmentResearch the program and department

Research the people who will interviewResearch the people who will interview

youyou

Then you can mention ways you canThen you can mention ways you can

see yourself contributing to thesee yourself contributing to thedepartmentdepartment

Helps you be seen as a colleagueHelps you be seen as a colleague


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Typical ScheduleTypical Schedule

Typically 1.5 to 2 daysTypically 1.5 to 2 days

Must give seminarMust give seminar

30 min meetings from breakfast30 min meetings from breakfast

through dinnerthrough dinner Plan to be exhausted, drink lots ofPlan to be exhausted, drink lots of

caffeine, yet have no time to go tocaffeine, yet have no time to go tothe bathroomthe bathroom


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Questions You WILL Be AskedQuestions You WILL Be Asked

Part of being prepared is prePart of being prepared is pre--

thinking answers to typical interviewthinking answers to typical interviewquestionsquestions


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Top 5 QuestionsTop 5 Questions

Describe your researchDescribe your research

Need a short and long answer forNeed a short and long answer forexperts and nonexperts and non--expertsexperts

CorollariesCorollaries

What is the broader significance of yourWhat is the broader significance of your

research?research?

What are the limitations of your research?What are the limitations of your research?What research will you do next?What research will you do next?


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How would you teach...How would you teach...

A service course in your fieldA service course in your field Any of the courses on your CV that youAny of the courses on your CV that you

say you can teachsay you can teach

CorollaryCorollary

What courses would you like to teach andWhat courses would you like to teach and

how would you teach them?how would you teach them?


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Tell us how your research hasTell us how your research has

influenced your teaching? In whatinfluenced your teaching? In whatways have you been able to bringways have you been able to bring

the insights of your research tothe insights of your research to

courses at the undergraduate level?courses at the undergraduate level?

Try to focus on specific examplesTry to focus on specific examples

Using specific examples will ground you,Using specific examples will ground you,may make you less nervousmay make you less nervous


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Why do you want to work atWhy do you want to work at ShallShall

Remain NamelessRemain Nameless College orCollege orUniversity?University?

CorollariesCorollariesHow do you see yourself as contributing toHow do you see yourself as contributing to

our department?our department?

What are the top 3 things you are lookingWhat are the top 3 things you are looking

for in an academic job?for in an academic job?


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Do you have any questions?Do you have any questions?

Need to have some!!Need to have some!! I have some suggestions to get youI have some suggestions to get you

thinkingthinking


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Questions that Surprised meQuestions that Surprised me

What will be the first studentWhat will be the first student

research project that you supervise?research project that you supervise?How do you evaluate research inHow do you evaluate research in

your area?your area?


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Questions about marital/familyQuestions about marital/family

status, religion, etc.status, religion, etc. You can answerYou can answer

You can answer by saying it wonYou can answer by saying it wonttinterfere with doing the jobinterfere with doing the job Are you concerned that I won't be able toAre you concerned that I won't be able to

travel or work overtime?"travel or work overtime?" "If you're concerned that I won't be able to"If you're concerned that I won't be able to

perform the duties of the job, I'm sure I can."perform the duties of the job, I'm sure I can."

"If you're going to ask next whether or not I'm"If you're going to ask next whether or not I'mauthorized to work in the USA, I am."authorized to work in the USA, I am."

You can decline to answerYou can decline to answer


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Questions You SHOULD AskQuestions You SHOULD Ask

To Search Committee ChairTo Search Committee Chair

Are there anyAre there anysurprisessurpriseson myon myitinerary?itinerary?

Touchy topics, difficult people, faculty withTouchy topics, difficult people, faculty with

different expectations from those of thedifferent expectations from those of thesearch committeesearch committee

What, in particular, areWhat, in particular, are youyou looking forlooking for

in filling this position?in filling this position?


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To College DeanTo College Dean

What research funds are available atWhat research funds are available atdifferent levels of the university?different levels of the university?

How would you describe theHow would you describe the ShallShall

Remain NamelessRemain Nameless department to adepartment to a

fellow dean?fellow dean?

Trying to assess his/her evaluation of theTrying to assess his/her evaluation of thedepartmentdepartment


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To Department Chair and SeniorTo Department Chair and Senior

FacultyFaculty What, in particular, areWhat, in particular, are youyou looking forlooking for

in filling this position?in filling this position?

letlets you assess whether different facultys you assess whether different faculty

have different agendashave different agendas

What type of summer support isWhat type of summer support isavailable?available?

PrePre--tenure teaching release?tenure teaching release?


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To Junior FacultyTo Junior Faculty

What classes did you teach in the lastWhat classes did you teach in the lastyear? How much influence did you haveyear? How much influence did you haveregarding: number of students? howregarding: number of students? how

many preps? which classes taught andmany preps? which classes taught andwhen?when?

What support do you receive for yourWhat support do you receive for your

research?research? What is your greatest frustration withWhat is your greatest frustration with

your job?your job?


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To Graduate StudentsTo Graduate Students

Why did you choose to get yourWhy did you choose to get yourgraduate degree at this school?graduate degree at this school?

Do graduate students get travel funds?Do graduate students get travel funds?


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Exit interview with ChairExit interview with Chair

Will you be interviewing otherWill you be interviewing othercandidates?candidates?

Who makes the decision regardingWho makes the decision regarding

whom to hire?whom to hire? What is your timetable for filling thisWhat is your timetable for filling this

position?position?

If you areIf you are askedasked about salary... knowabout salary... knowthe range for the position, aim a bit highthe range for the position, aim a bit highand have a good rationaleand have a good rationale


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Exit interview with ChairExit interview with Chair

Need to be prepared with start upNeed to be prepared with start uppackage with justificationpackage with justification


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Research on Interviewing andResearch on Interviewing and

Gender DifferencesGender DifferencesMuch interview advice involves theMuch interview advice involves the

use of impression managementuse of impression managementtacticstactics

SelfSelf--promotionpromotion

Speaking with pride about yourSpeaking with pride about youraccomplishmentsaccomplishments

Speaking directly about your strengthsSpeaking directly about your strengthsand talentsand talents

Taking responsibility for yourTaking responsibility for your

accomplishmentsaccomplishments


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Gender DifferencesGender DifferencesResearch shows women areResearch shows women are

perceived as less competent andperceived as less competent andcompetitive than mencompetitive than men

SelfSelf--promotion seen as a way ofpromotion seen as a way of

counteracting gender schemas andcounteracting gender schemas and

stereotypesstereotypes

Women who selfWomen who self--promote are givenpromote are givenhigher competence ratingshigher competence ratings

But, lower interpersonal skills ratingsBut, lower interpersonal skills ratings


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Gender DifferencesGender Differences This result is stronger whenThis result is stronger when

the interviewer has less vested interestthe interviewer has less vested interest when the job requires good listeningwhen the job requires good listening

skills and being sensitive to othersskills and being sensitive to others


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Gender DifferencesGender Differences So, what to do...So, what to do...

Most common advice is to stress theMost common advice is to stress thecharacteristics associated withcharacteristics associated with

competencecompetence independent, ambitiousindependent, ambitious

downplay those characteristicsdownplay those characteristics

associated with dominanceassociated with dominance

aggressiveaggressive


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ConclusionsConclusions

To help you selfTo help you self--promote, try thepromote, try the

followingfollowing Think about your grad school/postThink about your grad school/post

doc experience in terms ofdoc experience in terms of

accomplishments NOT responsibilitiesaccomplishments NOT responsibilitiesRework vitae as much as possible inRework vitae as much as possible in

terms of accomplishmentsterms of accomplishmentsKeep a file with letters, emails,Keep a file with letters, emails,

notes, etcnotes, etc

Documents

Foti Academic Job Interview 3-19-09