Academic Interviewing: Tips For Success
Academic Interviewing: Tips For Success
Academic Interviewing: Tips For Success
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<strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Interviewing</strong>:<br />
<strong>Tips</strong> <strong>For</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
Shefford Baker<br />
Barry Carpenter<br />
Tyler McQuade<br />
Materials Science and Engineering<br />
Chemistry and Chemical Biology<br />
Chemistry and Chemical Biology<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Overview<br />
• Why’d they pick me?<br />
(Elements of a successful application)<br />
• Preparing for the interview<br />
(What to know and do before you ever show up)<br />
• The open parts of the interview<br />
(What are people expecting during your talk, lab<br />
tours, visits with students, etc.?)<br />
• The closed parts of the interview<br />
(What goes on behind closed doors)<br />
• After the interview<br />
(Timescale and negotiations)<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Why’d they pick me?<br />
SPB Experience<br />
• 5 Applications<br />
• 3 Interviews<br />
•1 Offer<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Elements of a <strong>Success</strong>ful Application<br />
Which is most important?<br />
• cover letter?<br />
•CV?<br />
• research plan?<br />
• teaching plan?<br />
• publications?<br />
a successful application shows<br />
that the candidate is likely to<br />
have very high impact over his<br />
or her career<br />
SAME CRITERION FOR SUCCESSFUL<br />
INTERVIEWS AND TENURE CASES!<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
How to have High Impact<br />
⇒ The Keys to <strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
• Know your stuff<br />
What are the issues in your field?<br />
What is important and what is not, now and in the future?<br />
What is the value of your work to taxpayers?<br />
Who are the players in your field?<br />
Why is your approach better?<br />
• Work in an area with long term potential<br />
Breadth and depth of accessible development<br />
Scientific impact<br />
Technological impact<br />
Social impact<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
How to have High Impact<br />
⇒ The Keys to <strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
• Have energy and focus<br />
Do you have the energy to compete at a high level?<br />
Do you have the focus to win?<br />
Do you have the drive to be the best?<br />
Will you have the endurance to keep this up long after tenure?<br />
• Demonstrate outstanding communication skills (a sine qua non)<br />
Written, Oral, Graphical<br />
Quickness to comprehend and respond to input<br />
Ability to efficiently simplify and summarize<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
How to have High Impact<br />
⇒ The Keys to <strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
• Be intensely and broadly curious<br />
How thirsty are you for knowledge both in and outside of your<br />
field?<br />
Will you be engaged with your co-workers?<br />
Will you be a productive collaborator?<br />
Will you be leading or following in 10 years? 20 years? 30 years?<br />
Will you be adaptable to the changes needed over a career?<br />
• Be an inveterate teacher in and proselytizer for your field<br />
Classroom<br />
Professional Societies<br />
Internal<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
How to have High Impact<br />
⇒ The Keys to <strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
• Bring something to the party!<br />
A <strong>Success</strong>ful Faculty is Diverse!<br />
- range of technical areas/styles<br />
» Emerging/mature<br />
» Synthesis/analysis<br />
» Technological/fundamental<br />
- range of people types<br />
» gender<br />
» social/economic/geographic<br />
origins<br />
- some brilliant thinkers<br />
- some brilliant teachers<br />
- some academic diplomats<br />
- some publishing machines<br />
- some empathetic negotiators<br />
- some arrogant bullies<br />
- some administrative wizards<br />
- some student sympathizers<br />
- … !<br />
What faculty members are<br />
thinking during application/<br />
interview process:<br />
what will you<br />
add to this<br />
mix?<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Necessary Conclusions<br />
• Prepare, prepare, prepare<br />
You should at least be able to suggest how<br />
you would fit in.<br />
• Be yourself<br />
You can’t fake it and even if you could, it<br />
would come back to bite you<br />
• Be persistent<br />
Even if you are at the top in your field, the<br />
chances of a good fit are small<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
<strong>Academic</strong> <strong>Interviewing</strong>:<br />
<strong>Tips</strong> <strong>For</strong> <strong>Success</strong><br />
Tyler McQuade<br />
C&CB<br />
http://www.ppco.net/BG%20first%20tv%20interview.jpg<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
<strong>Tips</strong> for <strong>Success</strong><br />
• Before the Interview<br />
– Seminar Preparation<br />
– Research Presentation<br />
• During the Interview<br />
– An overview of the Day<br />
– One on One<br />
• Post-Interview<br />
– Post-interview contact<br />
My Credentials<br />
•32 Applications<br />
•21 Invitations<br />
•16 Interviews<br />
•10 Showed Interest<br />
•1 Choice<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Before Interview Preparation<br />
• Practice Research and Seminar Presentations<br />
– First alone<br />
– Then with critical friends (praise is not useful)<br />
• Constantly Go Over Potential Questions<br />
– Most problems arise when a candidate did not<br />
consider simple points<br />
• Learn About the Institution You are Visiting<br />
– Faculty interests, Centers, etc…<br />
• Consider Jet Lag<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
During the Interview<br />
• Offers Are Conveyed to Those with the <strong>For</strong>ce<br />
– Sweating is ok-never let them see you sleep.<br />
– The days are long.<br />
– During one-on-one’s ask questions.<br />
• Be Willing to Say “I do not know”<br />
– Knowing everything is not the expectation<br />
– Knowing the important features that might impact<br />
your research program is the expectation<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
Post-Interview<br />
• Take Notes<br />
– You have to be self-critical!<br />
– Most communities are small and those who do<br />
nothing to improve on the fly suffer.<br />
– Use airplane time to score your last visit.<br />
• Do Not Waste Time With Thank You Letters<br />
– They fill up email boxes and waste time.<br />
• Contact Chairs When Other Offers Are<br />
Received<br />
CNS CAPES SEMINAR OCTOBER 14 2004
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