In recent weeks the IAD Careers Team (Darcey & Eleanor) have conducted a pleasing number of mock interviews as part of our 1:1 Career Development Consultation offer. This is worthy of note as it shows that Higher Education institutions are still recruiting as well as our researchers submitting high quality applications. In this post we will take a quick look at what to expect at interview and common questions.
What to expect at interview:
In an academic context panel interviews are the most common format (typically anywhere between 2-6 individuals will make up the panel). This may consist of the Head of Department, your potential line manager, another academic from a separate school and a member of HR. It is fairly typical to be asked to give a presentation (with or without slides) depending upon the type of academic position applied for.
How to prepare:
Research is key (that is not intended to be ironic)! You need to fully understand the institution and how your experience matches their requirements. Use the job description, website, your personal background research online and from within your personal academic network to kickstart your research. Key areas to prioritise are:
- Prepare your presentation in advance and practice to make sure it is within the allotted time limit
- Predict which interview questions are likely to come up (based on the job description and your previous experience)
- Practice answering interview questions! This could be with your supervisor and/or academic colleagues but can also be achieved by undertaking a mock interview within a 1:1 Career Development Consultation.
Typical interview questions often focus around establishing your motivation for the role and examining your fit as a candidate (asking about your past experience and how you react in certain situations). Common areas also include previous research experience / expertise, ideas for future projects and funding (also including your track record in attracting funding), teaching experience and your ideas on how you can contribute to the department and your involvement in the wider academic community. Some typical questions might include:
- Why you think you’re the right person for the role
- Why you want to work at that institution/department
- What you think you can bring to the institution/department
- Your potential for developing collaborations within and beyond the department
- How you would fit in with the existing activities in the department
- Other ways you can contribute to the department beyond research and/or teaching
- Competency based questions i.e. Tell me about a time when you had to solve a problem in your research. How have you worked effectively with others to complete your research?
Resources:
Further resources including a list of common interview questions can be found within the Career Management section of the IAD webpages.
Imperial also have an excellent resource for preparing for Fellowship Interviews
The Rillig Lab produces short videos on life in academia and how to approach academic interviews
Discuss your concerns around interviews or undertake some practice with a 1:1 Career Development Consultation with a qualified Careers Consultant.
