Preparing for an Interview

Interview preparation

Two key elements which you can control:

Presentation

• Research and proposed research

• Practice your research presentation with friends who will be honest with you

• Prepare for questions from audience members who are very unfamiliar with the field

Appearance

• First impressions are very important. This is the time to get a suit which fits perfectly.

Pre-Interview

To do:

• Read over the department’s course listing

• Learn about their central user facilities

• Learn about the primary research areas of the department and the school

• Learn about any research or educational initiatives

To ask:

• Is it possible to meet with certain faculty members?

• Is it possible to receive a schedule before you arrive?

• What presentations should you prepare?

• Is it possible to have a tour of any central user facilities which you are interested in?

During Interview

Do:

• Get a good night’s sleep the night before

• Be yourself

• Thank everyone for meeting with you

• Pack a mini-medicine kit in your laptop bag

• Have a back-up of your presentation on a USB drive

• Remain calm throughout the day (deep breaths)

Don’t:

• Drink excessively during dinner

• Pretend you know something you don’t

• Argue with someone in the audience during your talk

• Jump to conclusions at seemingly inappropriate questions

• Have back-to -back interviews (interview at one school on M-T and a second on Th-F)

Post-Interview

Send thank you emails (or notes) to everyone you met with within 2 days, thanking them again for meeting with you

In your email to the chair, include an offer to send any additional, updated information – if anything has changed since you submitted your application