Preparing for Campus Interview for Academic Jobs – Sciences and Engineering
Thursday, January 25, 2007

Faculty Conversations on the Academic Job Search and Academic Life: A Series for Ph.D. students and Postdoctoral Fellows

Co-sponsored by Career Services and the Deputy Provost

Speakers:

• Kapil R. Dandekar, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Drexel University
• Brent Helliker, Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Pennsylvania

 

Brent Helliker

Brent’s advice on the academic job search:

“Cast a wide net,” but make sure you apply to places where you think you (and your spouse) will want to live.

Put together your Teaching letter (what can you teach?), Research letter, Cover letter, and Start-up list.

Once you get offered an interview, find out immediately what sort of talks you need to give (How long? Who is in the audience?). Sometimes, besides the job talk, they also want you to give a teaching talk or a vision talk. A vision talk is a 45 minute talk on where you see your research and your lab in 10 years. This can be very difficult to do as a Postdoc.

Make sure you go to the web and do some research. Know the faculty, particularly the faculty members that do similar research to yours. You may want to ask for a schedule beforehand, so that you are familiar with the faculty members that will be interviewing you that day.

You will be interviewing all day, and then asked to give your job talk. Request that you have 30 minutes prior to your job talk to prepare (call it a seminar prep). This will give you time to use the restroom, get a drink of water, etc.

Ask them to give you an example of what to wear, and what not to wear. You will never be criticized for being overdressed. Generally, men should wear a tie and women should look smart. The farther west you go, the dress code seems to be more relaxed, but do not wear a T-shirt. You should look like you are serious about getting this job.

You will be very busy all day. Usually, you are interviewing from 8:30am – 9pm, after which there is a dinner. You have to be “on” all day, which can be very difficult. You may be offered a drink, but be careful and play it by ear.

Your job talk is the most important. Tailor your job talk to each department that you interview with. This is your one shot with 2/3 of the department. You may get several interruptions, so be prepared for them. If several people in the department do research that is similar to yours, you can speak more specifically about your data. If the department is not familiar with the work that you do, be less detailed. Generally, you should only have about 10 – 15 data slides and the rest of the talk will be mostly background information. You want to tell a story, not a conference talk. You only want to show your concluding data sides. If people are interested, they can ask more specific questions afterward.

Definitely do not use undefined symbols; if you lose someone there, you will never get them back. No matter how dynamic you are, there will always be someone that dozes off during your talk. Make sure to use outlines so that people can “catch up” when they wake up.

On interviews, ask directed questions; you will seem knowledgeable. Ask if people in the department get along well with each other. Make sure you know whether the position you are applying for is a tenure track position. Ask about the tenure process, and the tenure success rate. Find out if you will need your own grant money for graduate student support, or if the department will provide that.

One-on-one interviews are usually 30 – 45 minutes each, followed by your talk. You will be talking all day, but you don’t want to seem like you love talking about yourself. Do some research and know something about each person. If possible, suggest collaborations. You should ask the interviewers questions, so that your voice gets a rest. You will also seem like a more engaging conversationalist!

If you get the offer, then you have to start bargaining for your Start-up package. This includes your summer salary, grad student funding, equipment funding, consumables, a Tech salary, computers, and overhead return. Your Start-up package is important so that you get a good start in your career, but do not make a choice based on money! You should choose the place where you will be happiest and be able to thrive.

 

Kapil R. Dandekar

Background:

Kapil obtained his PhD from the University of Texas in 2001. He never did a Postdoc; he has been an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Drexel University since 2001. He also has some experience being on the recruitment committee at Drexel.

 

Kapil’s advice on the academic job search:

Before you go on any interviews, figure out everything that a professor does besides teach (build a lab, mentoring, grants, service, etc.). Make sure you know about how to apply and receive funding. You may even want to ask your advisor if you can help him/her write a grant, to gain those skills.

Another important thing to know is when to start interviewing. Generally, the top tier schools wait until the spring, while the lower tier schools start in November or December.

I agree that you should “cast a wide net.” You are advertising yourself on these interviews. Whether or not you end up taking a job at a particular university, you are making your professional debut; get to know your colleagues. They are your links to papers and editorial boards, or even reference letters for tenure.

It is very difficult to be actively job searching while trying to finish writing your dissertation. So plan ahead.

Oftentimes, you are given a phone interview first. This is generally used to test your language skills, particularly if you are from another country. You may be asked a random question to throw you off if you are reading.

While you are giving your job talk, don’t get carried away with trying to educate your audience. Make sure that you identify your unique work. Your vision should not just be an incremental version of your dissertation. You need to show that you are independent from your advisor.

On the one-on-one interviews, probe your interviewees on their opinions of the department. Try to find out if there are potential collaborators. Show that you know how to get funding to build a lab, and that you have ideas. Be enthusiastic, but be realistic. Be prepared for questions, especially the notorious, “Why don’t you ask us some questions?” You may want to respond with questions about the tenure process and the expectations for obtaining tenure.

You may encounter the token “Department Angry Guy.” Try to hold your ground and don’t take anything too personally.

If you are asked to teach a sample class, don’t be shocked to see ten faculty members, instead of students. They are there to judge your teaching style. However, sometimes, you are also interviewed by a group of students.

Finally, you will have to discuss your Start-up package, so think about how much money and what kind of equipment you will need.

After your interviews, balance out all of your offers. This may be difficult because each school has different notification deadlines. You may be able to ask for an extension if you are still waiting for an offer from another school.

Remember that in the end, you will have to say, “No,” to some schools. This does not always go smoothly. Once you have made your final decision, be prepared to stand your ground.

 

Questions

 

Q: I am doing a postdoc in Biology. When should I be expecting to leave, at what stage of my career?

 

Brent: I applied for jobs in the 2 nd year of my postdoc, to try to get an idea of the “best jobs out there.” I only got one interview, but it was a great experience. In my 3 rd year, I applied again, but I had more experience.

 

Q: What is the time-frame between the interview and the start-date? A year?

 

Brent: Penn was like that, actually, for me it was 2 years. Unless they have an immediate teaching need, they don’t mind waiting if you tell them you need more time. They are happy to hold on to your start-up package for another year. Also, they want you to get as much publishing done as possible during your Postdoc before you start.

 

Q: How detailed should your Start-up package be?

 

Kapil: Generally, your Start-up funding consists of: money for capital equipment ($50k – $75k), money for professional development ($5k – $10k), and graduate support (two years for an RA and TA).

 

Q: So, about $200k?

Kapil: That might be a bit high.

 

Brent: You should itemize everything. Try to get offer letters from friends, so that you have an idea. I would suggest being very detailed (beakers, etc.). You will also need graduate student support. In Biology, the Start-up package is generally $300k - $150k. Depending on your research and your institution, it could be as much as $1 million.

 

Kapil: Ask your Department Head about your summer salary. You may be given a 12-month or a 9-month salary.

 

Brent: You will want the 9-month salary because it is the same salary, but you can “beef it up” with summer grants. Ask your Department Chair and ask friends in similar fields; you can use that as a bargaining tool.

 

Kapil: However, Department Heads talk to each other about Start-up packages, so make sure you are honest when trying bargain.

 

Brent: My two toughest choices were Penn and another place. The other place offered me 200k more than Penn, but I knew that Penn was a much happier place. So, money isn’t everything, the important thing is which place offers the easiest path to success.

 

Q: Do you bring a list of capital equipment in detail?

 

Brent and Kapil: Yes!

 

Q: Kapil, you started right after finishing your PhD. Is that still possible?

 

Kapil: In the Engineering field, it is definitely possible, especially if you have many publications. I’ve seen several people come straight though.

 

Brent: In Biology, I think you need at least one Postdoc, maybe even two. It may be possible if you have a really fantastic publication list. If you’re finishing your PhD and you feel that you are ready for that jump, get a package together and submit it! If anything, it will be a great experience.

 

Q: If you want to do a Postdoc, but you get an offer at the end of your PhD, what should you do?

 

Brent: They might ask you if you think you are ready, or if you want to do a Postdoc.

 

Q: What if they give you an ultimatum?

 

Brent: Do you mean a bribe?

 

Q: Well, if it's an informal offer?

 

Brent and Kapil: We have never observed that, everything was always on paper.

 

Brent comment: If after an interview, you don’t get the job, ask the Committee Chair if he can give you some constructive criticism. This might be very helpful on future interviews.

 

Brent comment: The interview can be very difficult if you don’t like to talk and meet new people. Try to invert people’s questions. You cannot respond with one-word answers.

 

Q: What sort of resources are there for finding positions?

 

Brent: Professional societies are very helpful. Often, they list positions on their websites.

 

Q: Do you have an advantage if you have insider information about a position?

 

Brent: You will pick up some insider information about positions, but advertise yourself broadly because schools are really looking for the best person.

 

Q: If you are interviewing for positions in different countries, are you expected to know about funding sources?

 

Kapil: I think you should know about the funding sources in those countries.

 

Q: What is the time-frame from application to interview?

 

Kapil: That depends on the Committee, the Chair, and the Secretary. I heard from one school three weeks after I submitted the application.

 

Brent: I once received a rejection letter two years after I submitted the application.

 

Q: What is your advice about two-body searches (spouse also looking for a job)?

 

Brent: You are under no obligation to mention that you have a spouse until after you are given an offer. They should not ask you what your significant other does. It is actually illegal for them to use that as a factor in the decision to hire you.

 

Kapil: However, it is not uncommon for a university to make arrangements for your spouse.

 

Brent: I think some universities are more accommodating than others; it is very university-dependent.

 

Q: Should you apply for a position if the school isn’t advertising?

 

Kapil: Well, that didn’t work out for me. I applied to the school I had attended because I knew the Department Head. I figured it was worth a shot, but they never offered me anything.

 

Q: What types of questions should you expect on a phone interview vs. a one-on-one interview?

 

Kapil: On the phone, they will ask you about things that seem suspicious in your application. They want to ensure that you are separable from your advisor. In addition, they will test that you have good communication skills.

For the on-campus interview, the questions will be more focused. They will ask you about your vision, collaborations and funding.

 

Brent: The phone interview can be a painful experience…not that the questions are tough, it’s just very awkward.

 

Kapil: Yes, it can be very disorienting

 

Q: I have thought of the phone interviews as being very helpful. You can interview the university on the phone, as well. You can ask them about things that are important to you, so that you know whether it is worth going for an interview. It’s better than wasting your time.

 

Brent: That’s a fantastic point. But I would still be hesitant to make my decision based on a phone interview; it really doesn’t give you the big picture of a place.

 

Q: On your job talk, should you include work from your PhD, or just focus on your postdoc?

 

Brent: I talked about both, since they were linked. I have seen people do both.