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[taltalim]

I have been invited to a 30-minutes campus interview for a postdoc position in the UK, incl. accomodation and reimbursement for travel expenses. So far, so great.

In the email, the HR person writes that some overseas candidates will be interviewed by "conference telephone" only and that I "would be very welcome" to do so too, if I prefer. I am currently staying in continental Europe for research, something I have made clear in my application.

What do I make from this ambivalent invitation?
Personal considerations aside (the interview is in an university town I already know but I could peruse their magnificent library for one or two days, flying to London is always a PITA, I have a medical examination scheduled on interview day etc.), what should I do? Phone or fly? Could it be that the SC would prefer to meet the candidates in person while HR prefers phone interviews to cut down costs? Should I contact the SCC to find out what s/he prefers?

And what is a British "conference telephone"? Something like skype with poor quality? Or some fancy video conference which I could not set up at the place where I am staying right now?

Thank you for helping me to make the right decision.

[scampster]

Personally, I can think of no situation in which I would be more likely to impress someone over the phone than in person.

My guess is that goes for most people. Unless they have an unfortunate compulsive nose picking habit or the like.

[thundering_m]

No brainer. Campus visit.

I wouldn't see it as ambiguous so much as flexible. Some people simply do not have the time to come to campus. If it is no expense to you, why not?

The purpose of the campus visit is for you to interview each other. Even for a post doc. Enjoy.

[scotia]

And what is a British "conference telephone"? Something like skype with poor quality? Or some fancy video conference which I could not set up at the place where I am staying right now?

A telephone conference call can happen one of two ways. In my university the committee are all in the same room with a special desk-top machine that enables everyone to hear you and everyone to use the same microphone to speak to you. I have been involved in using this method several times for overseas interviews. The alternative set up is that at a preordained time everyone dials into a specific number from their own desk and uses their own handset. I don't like this method as much: the interviewers are not able to see each other's body language and it gets a bit messy when people interrupt one another. 

I would always choose to interview in person rather than by phone: in my experience a good candidate can create a better impression when present rather than at the other end of a phone line. Poor candidates are sunk either way.

[science_expat]

We interview by phone all the time using Scotia's first method. It works fine but an in person interview is always preferred. I agree with the others, go. (And this also demonstrates interest...)

On a side note, we once interviewed by phone someone who was 50 miles down the road. The panel was not impressed!

[bacardiandlime]

If other candidates are there in person, and you're on the phone, you're at a disadvantage already. Sometimes this is unavoidable. But if there's no cost to you and you're not that far away (a 1 hour flight?), you should go: if you actually want this position. The fact that you are posting this query here - rather than having said straight away to the HR person "I'd like to attend the interview, I'll book my flight now" - suggests you are the one who is ambivalent.

[snape]

Go to the campus.
We recently appointed somebody we interviewed over Skype, but not an ideal situation. The line was quite poor quality, but the candidate did extremely well.  From the point of view of the interview panel, I think that being on a phone/ skype would put you at quite a strong disadvantage.

[expatinuk]

I honestly do not see why you're even asking this question. They are willing to pay for you to fly and to pay for your accommodation... why in the world would you even consider a phone interview?

[dyst_uk]

Definitely go if you can afford it.

Conference calls (generally only seen them at my uni in the first method, although I have used the second), are nowhere near as good.

It does not sound as if they are being ambivalent, more as if they are giving you the option.

[taltalim]

Thank you all! So, flying it is....

Why I asked the question at all? I didn't want to come across to the SC as the candidate who wastes their money in a time of dire straits and who *unnecessarily* contributes to global warming by jetting around.

barcardiandlime, I absolutely want the position! Aside from the considerations above, I am currently stuck in a European country which had/has a public holiday yesterday and today. Thus, our university's travel agent will be open again only tomorrow. In any case, no HR person in the UK will check his/her office emails on Sunday, will they? That gave some 48 hours to make the decision and to answer HR person's email.

Again, thank you all.

[qrypt]

!בהצלחה

[taltalim]

qrypt, thank you!

[taltalim]

Update:

I flew & I got the job offer today! Yeah! I think it was important to fly, and I love you folks for your help.

Looks like I am going to move to the UK. I suppose I will be hanging around on this sub-forum from time to time (if you don't  mind), asking stupid questions about life in the UK and kvetching about the weather with you.
Apropos stupid but serious questions: Why do British sinks have two separate faucets? And how do you use them? Out of one runs pretty cold water and out of the other steaming hot water that will burn your fingers. Is the idea behind that to first burn your fingers and then use the cold water faucet to cool the burn blisters? I think I have to learn a lot...

[bacardiandlime]

Congratulations!! And best of luck in your new position.

Apropos stupid but serious questions: Why do British sinks have two separate faucets?

1. They're called TAPS.
2. It's a mystery, to which someone here will probably offer a fuller more technical answer. But it is something that annoying Americans b*tch about - don't be one of them! ;)
Of course there are many things that you might find a little different in the UK from elsewhere, but please remember: the average person in the UK has nothing to do with setting plumbing standards or designing cars, or the product range availability in Tesco's, so avoid the accusatory "Why do you do/have x?" and you'll be fine :)

[expatinuk]

Oh hell... be an annoying American and complain about the farking taps! Then when you do your own house put in sensible ones.

As for Tesco... *sigh* don't get me started over the lack of choice.