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[ANON]

Hi all,

I am new to the academic job search, and have been asked to go for my first interview in three weeks.  I would like to know, from those of you with experience, what are some of the biggest mistakes a candidate may make (or things she should try to say and do).  I am interested to know about:

1) what to wear ( I am female)?

2) refer to people on a first-name basis?

3) worst things to say

4) best things to say

etc., etc.

Thank you all

[Bad Prof]

1. Women should wear a suit with jacket, pants, and a blouse. Show no cleavage, no leg, no shoulder. Otherwise the straight males will not notice anything you say.

2. In my field (a social science) first names are the norm, but stay aware of your surroundings. If someone addresses you formally, respond in kind. Elderly professors should be addressed formally at first encounter. Middle-aged or older minority professors should be addressed formally at first encounter. Later in the conversation, you can usually relax the formality. But with these certain categories, it's best to be conservative at the beginning.

3. Worst things to say--anything negative. Never say anything negative or critical about anyone or anything.

4. Best things to say--you never know. It's a total crap shoot.

[tigerlily]

I wear a nice tailored suit with a skirt that comes a few inches below the knee. I agree about never saying anything negative--and I've had interviews where I felt they really tried several different ways to get me to say bad stuff about wherever I was teaching at the time. Didn't fall for it.

[stay positive]

Just to reenforce the point already made, don't say anything negative.  Another thing, if you're giving a job talk, try to be lively and to have a talk that fits neatly into the time allotted.

Good look,

SP

[Thundering Marshmallow]

A few suggestions and a few cautions, although if you do a search on this forum you'll get far more explanation than these random thoughts:

Remember they are selling their campus as much as you are selling your service. Part of the interview is to pay attention to what they are saying and to acknowledge what they have done and observe your surroundings-- again with no hint of disdain.

Do your homework. If it's on their website, you should be familiar with it, including pictures of people, especially those whose names are written on any correspondence. It is always a courtesy to use names, especially with administrative assistants. It is also a courtesy to bring your own copies of any handouts you expect to use, and to have all your paperwork well-organized so you aren't asking for extra copies of the agenda.

It is possible for you to get a map of the campus from the website, and rehearse the route you will be taking based on the agenda they send, and thus predict how much walking you will do. Because the people you see will be rotating in and out of your day, they may not even know where you will go next, so you should.

It's helpful if you know what courses they offer (by their numbers and names) that you are qualified to teach, and have scoped out through the current online schedule who teaches them.

Not mentioned here but has been extensively in other threads: no alcohol. Even if you can hold your liquor, it is never a good idea. Regarding food served, you know your own diet and stress responses, but I suggest packing protein in some form (nuts, energy bars) and preparing yourself for enduring long stretches without foods of your choice.  

Don't jump to conclusions, i.e., talking about where to buy a house or which office might be yours. There is a measured pace to this courtship.

Finally, don't appear as if you are hoping for immediate validation. Not going to happen, and if it does, someone is being polite. Consider everything like a camera does, taking in every detail, but developing the film later.

[Crash and burn]

Here's what NOT to do, based on being on interview panels and committees and seen it all unfold before my eyes:

Don't do any research on the interests of the staff so that, for example, if you use x theory in your work and you are introduced to Dr Smith who also uses this theory, you appear surprised. Dr Smith immediately tells everyone in the dept that you are a clown who couldn't even be bothered to do basic research on the people you're supposed to want to join.

At the interview when asked what teaching you'd like to do you say "oh, I need to finish my book first so teaching is not so important to me".

At the dinner as a woman you start making enquiries about the other candidates' gender and then say to anyone who's listening that this means that you are only one of two women and so must be the favoured candidate.

At the same dinner you name-drop someone who hasn't even joined the dept yet (but was hired last round) and imply that as a friend of this person, you are the "insider candidate".

I'd say two key things:

1. Don't diss anyone/anything when talking to anyone during your visit.

2. Do your research on what the other people do - teach, research etc. It is a MASSIVE insult to turn up and be introduced to Prof Jones and not know what Jones is doing (even if its not your interests).

Good luck!

[anon]

1) what to wear ( I am female)?  Dress professionally.  An interview isn't the time to express your belief that you should be able to wear whatever you damn well please (e.g., miniskirt, no panties, 6-inch spike heels) because it's "who you are."

2) refer to people on a first-name basis?  Use titles until told otherwise.  If they want you to call them by their first names, they'll tell you.  

3) worst things to say?  Don't say anything negative, especially about past colleagues and past departments. Don't talk about personal political, religious, and social beliefs.  

4) best things to say?  Keep things positive, show an interest in what others have to say, mind your people skills.

[b]

Smile a lot! a while ago when discussing a similar topic, someone said that your jaws should hurt at the end of a camous visit, that's how much u need to smile.
-yes, wear an interview suit
-depending on what school it is, it could be a huge faux-pas to call people on their  first names. As someone say, use titles and last names until told otherwise. Hontestly, i don't even remember having to address anyone.
-as far as alcohol is concerned, if they order drinks and u drink and would like to have a drink, go ahead- but stick to just one drink. But don't be the first one who orders sth alcoholic, bc if they dont drink, it will look bad.
-either have a bottle of water with you or ask for one.

[Ed]

I definitely second the water bottle.  I can't imagine going through interviews without one.

[LarryC]

Have handouts.  "Dr. Anon, what kinds of courses would you like to develop/how would you teach such-and-such course?"  "Well," you say, reaching into your bag for the 2 page syllabus you've prepared. Very impressive.  If you do anything creative int he classroom by way of assignments you might bring one of those as well.

[LM]

-Wear comfortable shoes! While on an interview the SC walked me around for about 30 minutes!

-Ask a lot of questions and see how the answers compare. This will help you to learn about the campus/dept/admin and if there are any red flags.

-Have a sense of how you would teach the intro classes. Often a SC (esp at SLAC) will ask about how you would approach the 100 level courses. And I would avoid mentioning that you do not enjoy to teach the intro classes!

-Be sure to tell them what you can do for them.

-Do not be afraid to ask for a bathroom break. You may be moved from one meeting to another with little time in between. Taking a quick break can help you to relax and gather your thoughts.

Best of luck...

[Larry Pesto]

Has been covered ad nauseum in these fora.  Search.   Good Luck to you.

[straightmale]

Bad Prof:

Believe it or not, some straight men are able to listen to an attractive female speak, and - gasp - evaluate her on an intellectual basis even if she is wearing a skirt and heels.

Not all straight men, but many:-)

[another straightmale]

And for some of us, a little cleavage makes the intellectual evaluation that much less burdensome.  Please don't skimp on the cleavage.

Actually, I'm just being sarastic.  DON'T use sexuality, if you can help it, because women in the department will see right through it and won't appreciate it.  The straightmales, of course, will fall for it every time.

[anonymous historian]

Don't pitch that you're hoping to teach a class that one of the profs on the search committee already teaches and loves to teach.  Find out a class that you know they need to fill (often a survey) and respond to teaching questions by saying how you'd do the survey, then name a list of other classes you'd be interested in teaching, if it works within the department's goals.  Include on that list classes that the previous faculty member may have taught (these may have been left open), a class or two that has never been taught (to show you're a creative teacher), and a few classes that are currently taught by others (in case those faculty are either looking to dump them or are considering retirement.)

In the interview, sell what you can do for them and listen to them when they tell you what they can do for you.  Your goal is 1) to find out if you like the school enough to consider it and 2) to get an offer.  Once you get an offer, then you can delve into the more complex issues, especially if you have multiple offers.