The WCC Job Market Team hosted a roundtable panel discussion on interviewing. You can view the conversation in the video. Click here for a handout that goes along with this video. See below for further tips and notes from the unrecorded parts of the event.

Panelists:

• Cassandra Casias (Duke University)

• Matthew Farmer (Haverford College)

• Caitlin Hines (University of Cincinnati)

• Evan Jewell (Rutgers University - Camden)

• Rachel Meyers (Iowa State University)

Moderators:

• Amy Pistone (Gonzaga University)

• Erika L. Weiberg (Duke University)

Job Market Interviewing: A Roundtable Panel Discussion

Interview Logistics

The Basics: Interview Types & Timeline

• 1st round: entirely on Zoom.

  • Timeline: 4-6 weeks after position closing date (1 month ideally).

  • Candidates: ca. 10-15.

• 2nd round (if there is one): usually on Zoom.

*Institutions are increasingly moving directly to the final round to streamline the job search.

• Final round/Campus Interview: in person and on campus.

  • Timeline: 4-6 weeks after 1st round.

  • Candidates: 3-5 at most.

• Results: the department must go to HR for a background check and the dean must approve the candidate and the offer, amongst other details, before an offer can be made. 

  • Offers: usually before temporary positions come out.

  • Rejections: may never hear.

The Details: Length & Logistics

• 1st round

  • Length: ca. 30 mins.

  • Logistics: Zoom set up so that everyone’s faces can be seen easily, but be prepared for unusual situations (e.g., can’t see faces clearly or read their body language).

• 2nd round (similar to 1st round).

• Final round/Campus Interview 

  • Length: ca. 2 days (one usually a very long day).

  • Logistics: travel and lodging paid by institution.

  • 5 basic elements:

    • Job talk: 40-45 mins on your research. 

    • Teaching demonstration: lead a real or mock class. If the latter, members of the committee and department may serve as your audience. 

    • Meetings: with students, faculty, search committee, broader faculty group, and administrators (e.g., deans, provosts).

    • 1-2 dinners: the evening you arrive and/or at the end of the long day. 

The Criteria: What Hiring Committees Want to Know 

• 1st round (“Credentials and Memorability” Test): The applicant matches the job announcement and meets the hiring criteria (e.g., research, teaching, has/will have PhD).

  • Emphasize what’s special about you. Answer clearly and concisely – be memorable. Come up with a succinct and elegant way to sum up your research and teaching.

• Final round (“Fit” Interview): It’s not about qualifications for the job. It’s if you are the right person for this job. "Once you get the golden ticket, it's a toss-up” (Cassandra).

  • Keep in mind: There are 3-5 candidates in the running. All of them can be hired, e.g., the dean may reject the decision, the first ranked candidate can accept a different job.

  • Emphasize your fit for the position and uniqueness. What do you add to the department? Do you bring something new, connect well with students, expand the department’s research profile? Be value added! 

Interview Preparation

General Tips: The Mechanics of Preparation

• Look at the course catalogue and campus bookstore. Find out what courses are being taught and the books being used.

• Seek different perspectives. Mock interview with multiple and diverse groups of people.

  • Imitate the interview as much as possible: wear professional clothing, use the same equipment, stage the place (e.g., lighting) and format (on Zoom vs. in person). 

  • Test the tech to ensure that it is working properly. For example, record 10 secs of talking to see how you look and sound.

  • Make sure that you are looking directly at the camera. If not, place your laptop on a box or other item to raise the height. 

  • Rely on friends, colleagues, and mentors for support and enlist non-academics for help with aspects like aesthetics.

• Prepare longer and shorter versions of answers. Start out with a short answer that is illustrated with a couple examples, and then ask if they would like to know more about a specific aspect or example (e.g., I’m happy to talk more about that. I will turn this research into a series of articles). The 1st round interview is particularly short, so ensure that you convey your main points in a timely manner while creating an opportunity for elaboration.

• Approach the interview as a conversation. The shorter/longer response format fosters a more natural back and forth, rather than static question and answer. 

• Stay on message. Focus on 4 or 5 points as your scholarly platform (“The Professor Is In”).  

Preparation: 1st Round Interview

• Because you are one of many candidates (ca. 10-15), preparation is key.

  • Make notes and be organized by arranging information in thematic groups with a 3M monitor clip or post-it notes arrayed around the screen. They also reduce paper shuffling, which is distracting, and allow you to maintain eye contact. 

  • Have other items at hand, e.g., a glass of water, pens and pencils, notepad.

• Prepare for 3 broad topics:

  • Research: Focus of your preparation.

    • Know exactly what you want to say. Consider the three take-aways that define you as a researcher. Illustrate with specifics (e.g., evidence, methodologies, arguments) and then zoom out to how your research fits into  the larger field (e.g., gap in scholarship, resisting a trend).

  • Teaching: Use anecdotes and be specific. 

    • Consider the type of institution (e.g., large vs. small classes) and demographics (e.g., graduate courses, mentorship of graduate research). Look at the course catalogue for course offerings; outline how you would teach a certain course or type of course (e.g., language, 1st year, seminar); identify courses that you could add. 

  • Other: Service

    • Public outreach and engagement: the department and discipline of Classics within the local/global community

    • Service: department administration, organization of events, external speakers

    • Diversity, equity, inclusion

  • It’s impossible to anticipate the exact questions. Reflect and articulate who you are as a researcher, teacher, and a citizen of the discipline of Classics. If you know this, you can use it to answer any question asked.

• Prepare at least 3 questions to ask the committee at the end of the interview. Don’t say, “no.” Use it as an opportunity to convey your interest and enthusiasm for the position. Run your questions by a trusted mentor, since these questions often contain unexpected pitfalls for the candidate.

Preparation: Final Round Interview

• Research the campus, department, faculty, and certain individuals (e.g., committee members, deans, current grad students).

  • Take notes on the personality of the campus and department; faculty research interests, current projects, publications, and PhD granting institutions; and any initiatives that make the department stand out. 

  • Create a well-organized information packet on your phone or in a folder that can be referenced discretely. 

  • Use it as a guide to refresh your memory on a break and create meaningful conversations during your visit.

• Invest as much effort as possible in the job talk.  

  • Stay within the time limit (40-45 mins). It’s better to go slightly under the time allotted than to go over. No one will remember if your talk was shorter, but all will remember if you went over.

  • If needed, modify it to fit the audience (e.g., undergraduate vs. graduate institution). 

  • Create a well-structured argument that emphasizes the key points. 

  • Review the handout and/or slides for typos. Small details make a difference!

  • The Q&A period can make or break the job talk. Many committees ask for your dissertation, so questions can cover content not discussed in the talk.

• Practice. Don’t wing it! Even though it is anyone’s game at this point, lack of preparation can drop you out of the running. 

• Advocate for yourself. Institutions should send you a schedule beforehand. If not, reach out to the scheduler/contact person to request one. It will include important details such as who you're with at each event, so that you can be mentally prepared and organize your notes accordingly. You can also pass along other details to the scheduler about dietary, medical, or disability considerations.

• Pace yourself. Make sure to be well-rested and eat regular meals in the lead up to and during the campus visit. Have medications and snacks at hand and note opportunities in the schedule for downtime. If you need a quick breather to recharge, use an excuse such as the restroom or water refill. Another way to create downtime is in one-on-one time with people you feel comfortable with; you can ask to get coffee during the meeting or spend it walking.

  • Don’t be afraid to ask for downtime, especially before the job talk.

  • Explore meditation apps for a quick pick-me-up!

• It’s important to listen. Listening conveys interest, respect, and inquisitiveness. And, by focusing on others, it takes the pressure off you and creates an opportunity to recharge.

• Interviews are 2-way! They are trying to sell the job to you as much as you are trying to convince them to hire you. 

Differences in Institution and Department Types 

SLACs: Emphasis on teaching

• Research is still important. They take pride in a balance of both teaching and research. Create a roadmap from the dissertation to monograph, so that a book is still planned as part of your portfolio. 

• The job search is usually run by department, so you might not meet anyone else until the campus visit. In contrast, some small departments are not big enough to run the process entirely on their own and/or the chair is always from outside the department. Do research about who will be on committee in advance.

Large research institutions: Emphasis on research

• Still be prepared for questions about teaching. 

• Tenure is achieved through a robust research agenda, so the committee wants to see a 5-year plan that gets you there. Clearly outline the research initiatives and collaborations and their publication outcomes.

• Graduate programs: Express how your teaching and research will produce original research for grad students. Connect to a graduate level seminar and mentorship. 

Non-Classics departments

• Ensure you can explain your work meaningfully to non-classicists (Classicists if moving into Classics). The ability to explain your methodology and converse about sources with non-specialists is a crucial communication skill. 

• History: Expected to teach big world history and western history survey courses. 

  • Prepare by considering what textbooks you would use.

  • Illustrate that you know how historians think across time and space. For example, a methodology course for history majors or a proseminar that develops intersections across time periods.

• World languages & literature: Create disciplinary connections via Cultural studies. 

• Moving from a non-Classics department to Classics: They won’t automatically trust that you can teach the languages. Be specific and explain the texts that you use. Show how languages tie into what you do. 

Interviewing Tips and Tricks 

Common pitfalls & things to avoid

• Always ask questions – it shows that you’re interested.

  • 1st round: prepare at least three questions.

  • Final round: pages and pages of questions (e.g., restaurants, favorite classes).

  • Turns the interview into a dialogue that is more relaxed. 

• Focus on the positives (e.g., qualifications, what you’re excited about, what you would like to do in the new department). Don’t complain – particularly about students. 

• Be ready if asked why you've chosen that institution. Avoid answering, “because there are few job listings...”

• Don’t order anything too messy! Most meals will be working and discussion oriented. 

Strategies for addressing inappropriate questions

• Make a plan. Boundaries can get very slippery during a campus interview, e.g., race, disability, gender-based questions. 

• Sometimes people are very blunt and persistent, but usually a lot more subtle. For example, the “Real estate tour” or during “social” periods.

• Strategize the best approach for you. You can start by assuming they had good intentions. For example, don’t say anything or change the subject without transition.

• Practice the art of deflecting and turn it into something related to the campus. 

  • E.g., Question: “Do you want to hear about schools in the area?” 

  Response: “Space is important to me. I’m really into nature.”

• Pets are always a safe topic!

• You can report bad behavior to SCS.

FAQs

Disclosures: Disability, Medical & Others

• If you don’t feel comfortable approaching faculty, talking to staff or an academic advisor in the department may be a good first step. 

• Distill information. Emphasize what they need to do to accommodate you. You do not need to give them a reason or explanation.

• If medical interruptions (e.g., surgery) prevent you from attending an interview at a particular time or in a certain format, reach out to a contact (e.g., head of committee) who can be your advocate and mediate with the other members of the committee. Follow the communication method established, whether by email or telephone. 

• Non-drinking in a prolific drinking community can be tackled by notifying your contact (e.g., head of committee) in advance. Remember: You don’t need to explain why.

The “Informational” Part of the Interview: Is it really Informational?

• If they invite personal questions and you feel comfortable asking them, then it's fair game. If not, it might be best to research personal questions outside the interview meetings. 

• You can ask to meet with someone at the university who shares an aspect of your identity. 

• You are always being interviewed, even in downtime. Every moment of the campus visit, consciously or unconsciously, plays into the final decisions. Seeing a candidate be rude to a department staff or a server in a restaurant can be the quickest way to end their candidacy. You're on from the second you leave your own front door!

Balancing being yourself and what they’re looking for

• There’s a lot of flexibility in being yourself. We are many different versions of ourselves at all times. You can be interviewed at two completely different institutions and be a good fit for both and them for you.

• Imagine your trajectory at the institution. Think about whether you would really want to live and work there.

• Don’t commit to something you can’t sustain long-term. Being yourself is always the least exhausting option; if they don’t like it, at least you were yourself. 

• Committees are coming in with knowledge of you. They want to know that you would accept if offered the job.  

• It’s not a moral failing if there are parts of yourself you downplay or don’t disclose for a short-term position. 

• Think about it carefully, speak with others that you trust, and make an informed decision. 

Reaching out for the “Inside Scoop”

• It’s okay to contact someone who knows the department (e.g., previously worked there or were students there), but not current dept members. Legally and ethically they're not supposed to give inside information that not all candidates have. 

• You can reach out to the chair or point person for information that’s reasonable, such as "Who is likely to be in the audience for my job talk?" or a schedule of who you'll be meeting.

What to Wear

• It depends on the university but err on the side of formality. 

• Wear what is appropriate and makes you feel confident.

• Final rounds: Bring a few options that you can dress up or down as appropriate. And bring at least two pairs of shoes. Make sure they’re comfortable!