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[indianalitchick]

Is there any way I can find out after an interview why I wasn't chosen to fill the position?  If I'm
doing something wrong I'd sure like to know so I can fix it!

[oseph]

There are many threads on this topic that should help you.  Try the search function with interview and feedback as keywords.  Good luck.

[svenc]

The answer is always "because we offered the position to somebody more qualified."  Even when that's not the answer, that's the answer you would get.  There's no good way to ask for feedback, and typically there's no good feedback to be had.  

If I'm doing something wrong I'd sure like to know so I can fix it!

(That's what they all say.)

Really, do you think anyone is going to tell you that your breath stank, you bombed the research presentation, they don't think you can publish enough to meet their standards, or the better-looking candidate got hired?  They're just going to say that they offered the position to someone who better suited their needs.

Here's the one exception I'll mention: If you have a senior colleague or advisor who is friendly with someone on the search committee, that person may be able to inquire discreetly and then report back to you.  Beyond that, NO NO NO.  You can't ask and if you do, you won't learn anything useful and you may even hurt your future chances.

All of this assumes that by "interview" you mean campus visit for a full-time position.  If you're talking about a conference or telephone interview, you shouldn't even be thinking about this.

[indianalitchick]

In this particular case, I was one of five asked to campus for an interview.

So how am I supposed to get a job if I keep making the same mistakes over and over and don't know it?

[svenc]

So how am I supposed to get a job if I keep making the same mistakes over and over and don't know it?

Ask your friends/advisors/trusted colleagues to review your CV and application materials.  Ask them to be blunt.

Give a practice job talk to people who will give you feedback.

Think through the things in interviews that make you feel nervous or less confident.  Practice good responses for the questions you least want to be asked.

Think through the things in interviews that you want to talk about.  Think of ways to turn conversations to your strengths (without sidetracking the question).

Get more confident at everything by doing more of it.  If you are a graduate student and have classmates who are on the job market, set up mock interviews for each other.  Ask your professors to take part.

But no, don't call up the search committee that interviewed you and ask them for feedback.  That's not their job, it's not appropriate, it scares some people, and they won't tell you the truth anyway.

[barred_owl]

In this particular case, I was one of five asked to campus for an interview.

So how am I supposed to get a job if I keep making the same mistakes over and over and don't know it?

Why do you assume that you're making mistakes?  If you made it to the interview phase, surely there is something about your qualifications that the SC wanted to explore further.  It simply may be that the person selected, in the view of the committee/department, was a better "fit."  And the variables in the equation that determine "fit" are so numerous, and often so subjective, that you can beat yourself up for a long time trying to figure them out.  That's a waste of good energy.  It's better to direct that energy toward the next interview or application, putting your best foot forward every time.


Good suggestions from svenc, by the way--Those are ways of redirecting that energy for the next interview.

[oseph]

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,58401.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,60220.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,57837.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,18934.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,18985.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,28782.0.html

http://chronicle.com/forums/index.php/topic,60689.0.html

[msparticularity]

I think the most enlightening thing you can do is to see whether you can find out who was hired, and what their qualifications were. Unfortunately, in most cases you can't do this directly. While some departments will send out the "baby announcement" rejection, this is unusual. In most cases, you'll need to try haunting departmental and/or college websites  or checking the wikis.

When I didn't get job offers in my first year on the market (when I did a very limited search), I was actually very encouraged to see that the person who was hired for the position I would have really liked was a whole lot like me, but had better publications. The next year, I had a couple of very nice publications, and did get offers.

Similarly, my department last year had to decide among three good and well-qualified candidates for one position, in a situation where each of the three would have brought very different attributes to us. All were really very good, but the decision was based upon who could very clearly immediately step in and teach a couple of courses that needed coverage, without needing lots and lots of support.

Echoing Svenc, I guess the bottom line here is that, while it's certainly good to think about your interviewing skills, it's also quite possible that you're not making any "mistakes" at all.

[indianalitchick]

I have 10 years' experience as a dept. chair and instructor, and 27 hrs. towards a PhD.  This was a CC position--it should have been an easy one to get.  I have been unemployed for 6 months and my mom died 4 months ago, so maybe I'm a bit oversensitive. 

[larryc]

We feel for you! The fact is that the job market is awful and the expectations are unrealistic and the competition is scary. And for all kinds of reasons good and bad (read Oseph's links) no one is going to give you interview feedback.

[zuzu_]

I have 10 years' experience as a dept. chair and instructor, and 27 hrs. towards a PhD.  This was a CC position--it should have been an easy one to get.  I have been unemployed for 6 months and my mom died 4 months ago, so maybe I'm a bit oversensitive. 

It's a myth that CC positions are "easy ones to get." If you are interested in making yourself more attractive to CCs, check out the Two-Year Track articles by Rob Jenkins. This one in particular is relevant to the interview process: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Community-College-Inter/45951/

My condolences on the loss of your Mom. Unemployment sucks too. :(

Try not to take the rejection too personally. Perhaps the SC was intimidated by your experience, or maybe they thought you were overqualified and would be miserable there and/or use them as a stepping stone. You just never really know.

[joelp]

In this particular case, I was one of five asked to campus for an interview.

So how am I supposed to get a job if I keep making the same mistakes over and over and don't know it?

Even if they did tell you what your mistakes were, the problem is that it would hardly be applicable to any other position. A "mistake" in one institution can be the thing that lands you the job at another.

[joelp]

Oh, and condolences on your mom. I lost my father last year, and that is the kind of stuff that can really affect you.

[alleyoxenfree]

The fact that you've been a chair may make them think you are too senior (depending on the posting).  Chalk this up to breaking the ice on your interview season and get some more app's out.  I try to spend the afternoon or evening after an interview sending more stuff out specifically so I won't obsess about results.  Likewise, I get my mail at a PO Box and never bring the rejections home.  They are read and tossed on the spot.

[anthroid]

So sorry about your mom.  I completely understand what that's like and how it feels.

But...27 hours toward a Ph.D., in Lit (presumably, given your moniker) isn't going to be all that impressive to a CC.  An actual Ph.D., on the other hand, will be a good credential to have.  You may want to think about completing that Ph.D. given the market.  Even for CCs.