The Academic Job Search III Going Live Interviews Job Talk Negotiating the Offer: Dec 3 Andrew Green, PhD
career.berkeley.edu
Conference Interviews 15 Second Commercial & 30 Second Research Summery Searching for Colleagues not Students Ask Relevant Questions (e.g., Research Support) Be Prepared to talk About Courses in Conceptual Terms
Phone/Skype Interviews Ask who is participating Be prepared (e.g., 15 sec commercial) Use shorter, less complex sentences Pause to allow them to move on, but be prepared to fill silence Test drive your skype set-up (earbuds)
Before You Get There Check out the Department/the Major/their Offerings/Syllabi/Centers Find Out Who s on Your Schedule What Kind of Job Talk free time beforehand AV equipment Think About What Courses You Might Offer Other Contributions You Might Make to the Department
On-Campus Interview: You ll Meet Faculty/Colleagues Students Benefits/HR Librarians/Language Lab Managers Assume that none of them will be familiar with you and your work You ll Never Know Who is Most Influential in the Decision Deans Anyone You Ask to Meet
Preparing for Interviews Tell me about yourself? Prepare 15 questions What are the questions you are most afraid of? Are you committed to teaching? Why have you taken so long? Will you be finished? How to answer Illegal questions Muster up some enthusiasm econ history
Know Your Audience
Forewarned is forearmed An interview is not like a qualifying exam There is rarely a single correct answer A dialogue not a monologue A literal interpretation and answer is not helpful to them. Rather what is their concern and how do you best address it. Will you make an interesting colleague (pause)
Strategies for Preparation The goal - avoid the challenge of formulating your answer at the same time you have to deliver it Secret weapons: The Power of 3 Practice
Common Questions Teaching Questions How would you teach an intro course in your field? How do you engage students with different skill levels? How do you utilize new media in your teaching (Use concrete examples)? How would you approach creating a senior capstone seminar? What other classes would you like to offer that are not already offered? Research Questions How do you define X (hotly contested term in your field)? What s important about your research? How would you include undergraduates in your research and how does it inform your teaching? Walk us through the next 5 years in your research Where do you plan to publish your work (journal, press, etc.)
Other Questions How have you engaged students form a diverse background? How would you recruit new students in to the major or program X? What is your ideal balance between teaching and research? Why Arizona State? Questions you might ask What kind of research support is provided for junior faculty? What are the most significant shifts underway in the department and how it approaches the discipline? How is it determined who teaches what? What % of students are engaged in research
The Job Talk - Tell them a story Setting The Hook The Context General - Specific - General Implications For the Field & Where You Go From Here
Allude to Complexity, But Keep it Simple Assume Ignorance Visual vs. Verbal Learners Do You Want to Address Questions in the Midst of or at the End - Decide Ahead of Time
Specific Guidelines The 7% Rule Speak Slowly Make Eye Contact Written vs. Spoken Language Time it Out
Other Things to do on a Campus Visit Check out the Library Facilities and Other Relevant Holdings Ask to See Examples of Faculty Housing Ask About Their Time Table Find Out How to Get Reimbursed Send a Thank You Note to the Chair
The Offer Comes Pick Self Off of Floor Do Not Accept Right Away Ask Terms & Conditions Email the Chair/Dean your understanding of the offer Ask How Long You Have to Decide Call Other Schools It s Not Real Until It s in Writing
Your Counter-Offer December 3 at 3:30pm
Negotiate Now You Have Leverage - They Want You You Are Asking Them to Provide You With the Research Support You Require to Meet Their Expectations By Summer, the Goodies Will Be Gone (along with your leverage) You Will be Reminded (and pissed off) Every Time You See Colleague X Who isn t as Productive as You, But Got a Better Deal
Upcoming Career Center PhD Programs Oct 5 Oct 14 Preparing for the Masters & PhD Career Fair and On-Campus Recruiting for Grad Students & PhDs Cal State East Bay: 30+ Tenure Track Openings Oct 15 Nailing the Job Talk or Erudition Ain t Enough Dec 1 The Strategic Postdoc: How to Secure It Dec 3 PhD Negotiation Skills and Strategies