The academic job interview process is long, intense, and exhausting, but it follows a predictable formula:
- In general, the pool of applicants, regardless of the number of applications received, are narrowed down to 7-12 (or thereabouts) candidates who are invited for phone or Skype interviews.
- Usually, 3 candidates advance to the final round of interviews, which includes a campus visit.
If you are invited for a phone interview, here are a few things to consider:
- KNOW THE INSTITUTION: Universities and colleges to which you are applying want to know why you decided to apply. The academic job process is like a courtship in a way, and you want to make sure to do your research. You wouldn’t go on a first date without Googling someone these days, would you? Don’t make the mistake of showing up and just letting the chips fall. It won’t go well. Consider the programs and projects underway on campus: do any interest you? What would you be able to contribute if you were offered a position there?
- KNOW YOUR INTERVIEWERS: If you’re given the name of the Search Committee Chair or other Search Committee members, check out their scholarship and areas of interest. See if you have anything in common that you might work into the conversation (in an authentic way of course!)
- KNOW WHY YOU’RE APPLYING: Across the board, the one interview question you are guaranteed to be asked is, What made you apply to X University or College? Be prepared to answer this question confidently, and with appropriate evidence to justify your response.
- KNOW THE TIMELINE: The Search Committee should tell you at the end of the phone call or Skype session when you’ll be hearing from them. Don’t hesitate to ask if they don’t offer this information — you’re entitled to know.
If you are invited for a campus visit, here are a few more things to consider:
- KNOW THE INSTITUTION: You’ve already done your research for your phone interview, but now you really need to dig past the surface of the home page of the college or university’s website.
- BE PREPARED: Most academic job interviews requires a job talk or teaching demonstration of some kind. Some require both. The job talk is usually a 30- to 45-minute presentation on your current research, with a question-and-answer session. You should be given clear guidelines for your presentations. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification if you’re not certain what they’ll be looking for.
- WEAR PROFESSIONAL CLOTHES: For the most part, academic job interviews still require suits. It might have been years since you’ve worn anything by skinny jeans, but as my advisor shared with me before my interviews, my everyday clothes weren’t going to cut it. And note that unless the interview is local, you’ll likely be staying overnight which means you’ll need two suits. That doesn’t mean you can’t still be yourself: even though I wore suits to my interviews, I still wore my vintage tie-neck shirts and striped socks, which made me feel confident despite my discomfort in a suit jacket all day.
- BRING SUSTENANCE: There’s nothing quite like going through an academic job interview. You should receive a schedule beforehand, and you’ll likely find that you have three or four interviews (one with the Search Committee, one with the Dean of the school, one with the Chair of the department or program, and possibly one with students or other faculty). It’s grueling and exhausting, and having some snacks (granola, nuts, dried fruit, etc.) that will keep your energy levels up is never a bad idea. And don’t forget to stay hydrated.
- BE YOURSELF: This might be the most important aspect of your academic job interview. While you’re of course going to be putting your best foot forward, you want to represent who you are accurately. There’s no sense in hiding your political beliefs, funky flare for fashion, or radical pedagogical ideas — they’re all bound to come out at some point. That being said, you don’t have to feel the need to lead with any of these if the opportunity to share doesn’t present itself.
