On-Campus Job Interviews

The Basics:

An on-campus interview usually means you are on the “short list”—to a certain extent, the job is yours to win or lose.  Basically, your potential colleagues want to know you and whether or not you will “fit.”

Get all the information you can about the institution, from websites, college guides, people you know, etc.  Look at the university’s mission statement.  Get a sense for what kind of place it is.  Find out who the faculty members are in the dept., and what kind of work they do.

There will be social events during your interview.  Don’t be confused by the social nature of these events—you are still being evaluated.

Be positive!  Don’t criticize anything at the university, or compare it unfavorably to another school, such as your graduate institution.

Before you go, practice your presentation, time your talk, practice a “cocktail party length” brief summary to give those outside the dept.

After the interview:  write a thank you note to the main mperson who arranged your day.  Ask that person to convey your thanks to others.  Reiterate your interest in the job.

Bonus Tips:  During the interview, you’re often “on the go” for hours at a time.Carry a toothbrush & mini toothpaste, cough drops, granola bar in your briefcase/bag.  They will probably forget to give you water before your talk—buy a small bottle of it.

Some Characteristics of an On-Campus Interview:

It can be exhausting.You are “on” all the time.Schedule can start at 7:30 a.m. and end at 10:30 p.m.It also can start as late as 10:00 a.m. and end as early as 4:00 p.m.The visit usually takes a minimum of 1 ½ days and can take up to 3.

Have questions to ask:

*tenure	*sabbatical
*travel money	*teaching load
*research funds	*cross-listed courses
*names of courses you'll teach	*computer equipment, office situation, etc.

Before you go:

*Get arrangements straight (pay & get reimbursed?they pay for travel, meals?)

*Will someone meet you at airport?How will you identify each other?

*Can they tell you your schedule before you arrive?

*What kind of advice can they give about people you will meet in the dept.?in the Dean’s office?elsewhere on campus?

*Will you have to give a presentation?How long should it last?How much time should you allow for questions?What type of audience?How many handouts to make?

***It’s common for each university to want something different in a presentation.

*Will you teach a class?Which one?Can you get syllabus, books (or photocopies) ahead of time?How many students are in the class?If you won’t teach a class, will you have the opportunity to meet with students?

Bring with you:

*nice outfit for presentation

*copies of c.v., dissertation abstract, statements of teaching & research

*samples of syllabi for courses you designed

*reprints, abstracts of articles

*a copy of your presentation & handouts for the presentation

*one fun book to read while you’re trying to unwind in the evenings.

Recommended Reading:

The Chronicle of Higher Education Career Network Website at:  < http://chronicle.com/jobs/>.Numerous helpful articles; new ones weekly.

Darley, John M. and Mark P. Zanna, “The Hiring Process in Academia,” in The Compleat Academic.Ed. M.P. Zanna and J.M. Darley.New York:Random House, 1987. pp. 3-21.

Heiberger, Mary Morris and Julia Miller Vicl.The Academic Job Search Handbook.2^nd ed. Philadelphia:U of Pennsylvania P, 1996.ISBN 0-8122-1595-8 (esp. pp. 135-40 on campus interviews)

Showalter, English et al.The MLA Guide to the Job Search:A Handbook for Departments and for PhDs and PhD Candidates in English and Foreign Languages. New York:MLA, 1996.ISBN 0-87352-682-1(esp. pp. 41-43 on campus interviews)