ON INTERVIEWING FOR AN

ACADEMIC POSITION
Phil Garcia
ACE
University of Illinois

Introduction
Background
Uncertainty

about the process

Heterogeneous opportunities and different
types of interviews
Information Needs

How do I get an interview?

What do interviews involve?
How will I be assessed?

How Do I Get the Interview?

Procedures

AAEA Employment Center

AAEA on-line
JOE

The

Personal Touch stand out

Keep the CV current and accurate
Use university career centers (CV, mock
interviews)

What do Interviews involve?

Convention

objective)

Interview (structure and

Structure
30

to 45 minutes (?)
Components: position definition; questions about your
research, teaching, and other activities identified in CV
that might relate to the position; and time for you to ask
questions

Learn about the position

Convention Interview

Make a good impression (Be prepared)

Research

the position and department

Anticipate questions/responses
Research (elevator story)
Teaching
Service and Outreach
CV and position statement

Convention Interview

Make a good impression

Prepare

questions primarily about the position and

related faculty
Be Collegial (reasonably upbeat but relaxed)
Answer questions in a direct but rather succinct manner
Talk about your experiences

A variant (phone interview)

Identify

who will participate and

What do Interviews involve?

Campus Interview

Structure
2 days
Components (variable): research seminar; meetings with the
Dean and/or Head of extension, department head, search
committee, faculty and students; a teaching opportunity; social
occasions, real estate tour
Obtain a schedule for the interview and ask the department
head to identify expectations for the position

Learn about the position and present yourself as a potential

colleague. Lets start with the position.

Campus Interview
Heighten

your preparation

Learn about your institution

Search for information about the position and the
hiring institution
Learn about members of the search committee
and faculty you are scheduled to meet
(particularly in your area)

Campus Interview
Preparation

Anticipate and think carefully about the

inevitable questionsGoogle academic
position interview
U

of MinnesotaTeaching and Learning Center

(tutorials)
Darmouth CollegeKathryn Cottingham (questions)
U of MarylandMary Corbin (advice)
CornellJohn Cawley A Guide (and Advice) for
Economists on the US Junior Job Market

Campus Interview
Preparation

Realize that your response to similar questions

may vary depending on the situation and/or
individual
Tailor and ask more detailed questions on the
position, department, college, and university
Dont forget that Land Grant Institutions have a
responsibility for service and outreach

Campus Interview
Develop

carefully and practice the research

seminar

An opportunity to show your stuff

Motivate and emphasize the importance of the
research question
Clearly and quickly identify the value of the work
and your contribution

Campus Interview
Research

Seminar

Get the story straight (link problem, theory,

procedures and data, and institutions)
Dont lose your audience with tedious derivations
or endless tables and figures
Anticipate questions (general and specific)

Campus Interview
Research

Seminar

Anticipate how you will handle unexpected

questions and problematic questioners
When possible, at the end link your research to
the position
Allocate your time well
Remember academics want you to tell them
something they didnt know so they can better
understand a problem

Campus Interview
Teaching

Opportunity

Identify your audience and preparation

Explore alternative topics find comfort zone
Identify clearly what you are going to discuss
Present students with information (e.g. outline,
figures)
Use concrete examples (e.g. put numbers on it)

Campus Interview
Teaching

Keep the presentation short and focused

Use different procedures (ask questions, ppt
presentation, blackboard) to communicate your
message, but be selective
Summarize, answering the so what? question

Campus Interview
Present

yourself as a potential colleague

Academics look for good colleagues

Engaged

and enthusiastic about their work

Contribute to the growth of knowledge and development
of the department

Resolve relevant problems

Communicate knowledge to audiences and decision
makers
Use the knowledge to inform and enhance the quality of
their instructional and outreach activities

Campus Interview

Potential colleague

The campus interview is an opportunity to show you can be

a good colleague
Be engaged in your work
Demonstrate your are connected with the literature and your
faculty
Be informed and interested in the faculty and their work at the
hiring institution

In addition, it doesnt hurt to be affable, initiate

conversations, and to follow accepted behavioral norms
(you are a candidate) during and after the interview

Some Concluding Thoughts

Start

early

Learn about your institution

Interact with your professors and study how they
interact with others
Find and involve yourself with research
Explore teaching opportunities and instructional
centers on campus

Be

prepared
Remember the Maine

Other Slides
Inevitable

questions
Questions for you to ask

Some Inevitable Questions

Research

Generic: Tell me about your research (and/or your specific

papers in CV) and the contribution you are making? How
did you get the idea for your work?

Specific: In light of Sanders and Manfredo (2006), I

question your assumption that markets are efficient? Is the
procedure you used appropriate for the data? Is their
independent evidence to support your claims? Why should
we care about your findings?

Some inevitable Questions

Research

The Future: Where do you plan to publish your

work? Where do you plan to take this line of
research? Are you going to look for research
funding? How do you see your current research
direction fitting into the position?

Some inevitable Questions

Teaching

General: What is your teaching experience and

how do you think it qualifies you for the position?
What is your teaching philosophy?
Specific: What courses would like to teach and
what books would you use? How have you used
technology in the class? How would you handle a
situation where 50% of your class simply fails?

Some inevitable Questions

Other

How do you see yourself in this position in 5 or 10

years? What are your professional goals? Is there
a match?
What form of service or outreach do you see
yourself providing to the university and/or outside
community?
In what ways do you see your research interests
providing information to private and/or public
decision makers?

Some Inevitable Questions

Other

Why this position? In this department? At this

university?
How do you think your research, teaching, and
other experiences uniquely prepare you for this
position?

Interviewer Questions
Position

How does the position fit into the departments

activities and direction?
What are T/R/O responsibilities and expectations?
(teaching load?)
Are there other faculty working on related issues?
Is there much professional interaction?

Interviewer Questions
Position

What criteria will be used to assess performance?

How does the tenure process work? What is the
importance of T/R/O in promotion? What is the
recent track record of the department in
promoting junior faculty? What role does the
college play in this process?

Interviewer Questions
Position

In which journals are faculty expected to publish?

What resources are available? Are there start
up funds or instructional centers on campus to
assist junior faculty? Are there funds to support
research assistants for junior faculty?
What are the grant writing expectations for junior
faculty?
Is there much mentoring of junior faculty?

Interviewer Questions
Department,

College, and University

How is the D/C/U organized?

How are decisions made and resources
allocated?
What are the plans for growth or hiring?
Is this a good place to work and develop a
career?

Interviewer Questions
Department,

College, and University

Tell me about the research environment?

Is there much professional interaction among
faculty, departments and/or colleges?
Tell me about the quality of the undergraduate
and graduate students? Where do they find jobs?
Tell me about the departments seminar series?
Recent presenters? Attendance?

Interviewer Questions
Department,

College, and University

What contacts and programs do the department

and faculty maintain with agriculture, industry,
and/or relevant public and private institutions and
decision makers?
In what direction is the college/university moving?
How does the department fit into this picture?
Is this a good place to live?