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[fastelg]

Actually, 12 minutes and 32 seconds according to my phone log, which is the amount of time my phone interview lasted!

This was for a "tenure track" position at a college to remain nameless...I wish I could say it was a good learning experience, but they only asked three lousy questions!  Got me thinking it was probably just done for HR purposes, but more importantly, got me thinking of what else I could have down with 12 minutes and 32 seconds.  Here is what I came up with:


-Run 1 1/2 miles assuming an 8 minute a mile pace
-answer about 3 or 4 emails from students

Anyone think of anything else?  Thanks for letting me vent!

fastelg

[t_r_b]

Actually, 12 minutes and 32 seconds according to my phone log, which is the amount of time my phone interview lasted!

This was for a "tenure track" position at a college to remain nameless...I wish I could say it was a good learning experience, but they only asked three lousy questions!  Got me thinking it was probably just done for HR purposes, but more importantly, got me thinking of what else I could have down with 12 minutes and 32 seconds.  Here is what I came up with:


-Run 1 1/2 miles assuming an 8 minute a mile pace
-answer about 3 or 4 emails from students

Anyone think of anything else?  Thanks for letting me vent!

fastelg

My thoughts:

1. You run faster than I do.

2. The odds of getting a job by running or answering emails are exactly zero.

3. Your assumption that your interview was brief "only for HR purposes" is probably far from the mark. It is far more likely that they interviewed you because your application led them to think that you were a promising applicant. It is also far more likely that they cut the interview short because your answers to their questions convinced them you are not.

4. Whatever their reasons for cutting the interview short, the interviewers did not waste 12 minutes and 32 seconds of your time. Assuming the interview was originally scheduled to last 30 minutes, they saved 17 minutes and 28 seconds of your time (and theirs). Just think of all the things you could do with that extra time in your day!

5. Your failure to learn anything from this experience has nothing to do with the number of questions they asked, and everything to do with you.

Edit: one more.

6. If you want to vent, go to the venting thread. If you post here, be prepared for us to take you seriously.

[der_gadfly]

preparing a grilled-cheese sandwich, opening a fresh bottle of vino, and settling on what to watch on TV

-OR-

finishing the Sodoku and crossword

[fastelg]

Actually, 12 minutes and 32 seconds according to my phone log, which is the amount of time my phone interview lasted!

This was for a "tenure track" position at a college to remain nameless...I wish I could say it was a good learning experience, but they only asked three lousy questions!  Got me thinking it was probably just done for HR purposes, but more importantly, got me thinking of what else I could have down with 12 minutes and 32 seconds.  Here is what I came up with:


-Run 1 1/2 miles assuming an 8 minute a mile pace
-answer about 3 or 4 emails from students

Anyone think of anything else?  Thanks for letting me vent!

fastelg

My thoughts:

1. You run faster than I do.

2. The odds of getting a job by running or answering emails are exactly zero.

3. Your assumption that your interview was brief "only for HR purposes" is probably far from the mark. It is far more likely that they interviewed you because your application led them to think that you were a promising applicant. It is also far more likely that they cut the interview short because your answers to their questions convinced them you are not.

4. Whatever their reasons for cutting the interview short, the interviewers did not waste 12 minutes and 32 seconds of your time. Assuming the interview was originally scheduled to last 30 minutes, they saved 17 minutes and 28 seconds of your time (and theirs). Just think of all the things you could do with that extra time in your day!

5. Your failure to learn anything from this experience has nothing to do with the number of questions they asked, and everything to do with you.

Thanks for that perspective.....I really need to work on being more positive

[rockprof]

Have sex (quickly)

[thundering_m]

Second T_R_B.

12 minutes is plenty of time to confirm suspicions regarding the important factors not revealed in written applications, e.g. disposition. The job might have been yours to lose.

[helpful]

I will take the opposite tack based on some SC experiences I had. Sometimes a shortened interview means we think you make the short list and don't need any more questions--ie. saving them for the face to face interview.

Of course, I have been accused sometimes of being a glass half full kind of person!

[t_r_b]

I will take the opposite tack based on some SC experiences I had. Sometimes a shortened interview means we think you make the short list and don't need any more questions--ie. saving them for the face to face interview.

Of course, I have been accused sometimes of being a glass half full kind of person!

Not at all, you make an important point: a quick decision is not necessarily a negative decision.

That said, I don't think the OP should wait by the phone. Go take that run you mentioned.

[larryc]

*cancels date with Rockprof*

[mended_drum]

OP,

Practicing questions, even three of them, is never time wasted when you're on the market.

[sciencephd]

Well, it really depends what the questions were and how they were answered.  There are definitely HR-type phone interviews, and this is especially common in industry.  Were they useful, academic interview type questions or HR type questions ?

[prephd]

OP,

Practicing questions, even three of them, is never time wasted when you're on the market.

Phone interviews, in general, suck. As someone who does a lot of phone screening, I can tell you that I get off the phone far more quickly than 12 minutes if I can tell a candidate isn't for us.

[t_r_b]

I see nothing wrong with a three-question first-round interview. It goes something like this:

1. Why do you think that this position is a good fit for you?

2. Could you please tell us more about your research agenda?

3. As you know, the successful candidate will be responsible for teaching [the Gen Ed survey/the core methods course/grad students/whatever]. How would you approach that part of the job?

The answers to those questions (with follow-ups if/when needed) will provide plenty of information to determine whether or not I want to see a candidate on campus.

[thehighking]

...so what were the questions?

[all_my_frenemies]

I've wasted twelve hours and seventeen minutes on this forum.