An Information Source for Interviews and Hiring Decisions for Faculty Jobs in Sociology
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Interviewing Advice, Tips, Experiences
39 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Over at the old place, Jesse wrote:
"Anyone want to enlighten me about why I'd want to do a job talk using a power point presentation?"
My dissertation is based on interviews and participant observation, and I use PowerPoint for my job talks. I use it mainly to show where I'm going, help the audience follow my argument, and display long quotes. It is also helpful to bullet-point notes about methods, conclusions, limitations, etc.
One of my profs suggested no more than one slide per three minutes, so for a 30-minute job talk, you would have 10 slides or less.
I highly recommend it. It's a good way to keep people on track -- let's face it, we all drift out at times during talks. I like it better than handouts because you control what people see. The first thing people do with a handout is go to the end to see what the conclusion is!
I do qualitative research and always use a powerpoint. Some of the best (and worst) presentations I've seen at conferences have used qualitative methods. To me, the ones I don't like aren't very structured and are very stream of consciousness. I like that powerpoint can help provide the audience some structure about what to expect. I'm a very visual person so I can get lost when it's just a person at the front of the room talking. One thing I've learned, though, if you're showing quotes, use the "custom animation" or whatever that button is to delay when the quote pops up. That way, they're paying attention to you when you're explaining the significance of the quote instead of trying to read it off the screen. Hope this helps. Hobo
When I did a teaching demonstration it was a small class (it was actually a mock class made up of faculty and students) and I did part lecture and part small group work.
I lectured on something I was passionate about and comfortable with. Which I think is key.
I want to offer an alternate perspective to Kyle's. When I teach and use Powerpoint, it is about 12 slides for 45 minutes (comparable to the 10 slides for a 30-minute talk). But that's with students copying things down and asking questions. For a job talk, it may vary - it depends on much you have on each slide. My opinion is less per slide is better, so you may have more slides. I have about 30 slides for a 40-minute talk, b/c I have very little per slide. Keeps it organized for me. I have some slides with bullet points of topics I covered in in-depth interviews, I have maps I show, and I do put quotations from respondents on slides as well, along with theoretical and other methodological info.
Powerpoint has lots of benefits, but it's not for everyone. I think what's best is for people to use what works for them. If you aren't comfortable with Powerpoint and you use it for the first time during a job talk, it probably won't work very well for you.
I agree--the less per slide, the better. My rule runs about 1 slide per minute of talk. I like to keep things moving. But, I'm a demographer, so I'm showing charts and tables, not quotes.
I can't remember if anyone mentioned this on the old blog or not, but someone from the Chronicle job-seeking forum set up a wiki with general information on applications, interviews, negotiations, etc. It's not specific to sociology, but it does answer a lot of basic questions that almost everyone has. It's at:
On a recent campus interview, I had to pay my own portion of the bill for each meal (!!!). The SCC said to keep my receipt so that I could get reimbursed. I mention this for those who may think that it isn't necessary to carry your cash/credit card with you to meals with the search committee -- it sure caught me off guard.
I got invited for a job talk by a school that I would only go for if all else fails. I may not even take a job this year if this is my only option. It would be great to have the experience though and they can still charm me... what should I do?
To Anon: My advice is to go on the interview, especially if you haven't had any others. The experience will be priceless. AND they may charm you. Sometimes once you're on campus and get to meet the faculty, you perception can really change. Good luck and let us know what you decide.
That's a tough one, anon. I think this depends on the school, in part. Also, will they have to fly you in, or could you drive (reducing expenses)?
In the ASA guide, "Applying for a Faculty Position in a Teaching-Oriented Institution," the authors specifically write that "under no circumstances should one feign interest in a teaching-oriented position for the sole purpose of getting a 'practice' interview. This is completely unethical."
But, as you said, the school could "wow" you -- although somehow I doubt it would be enough to sway you, based on your post. Choosing a position is a really important decision for *you* and your life, after all!
Helena -- If you go to the ASA online bookstore, you can find it there. It is called "Applying for a Faculty Position in a Teaching-Oriented Institution." Here's a link to the e-book version (you'll have to put the lines back together in your browser):
I think it would unethical to take the interview if you were 100% sure you wouldn't go there. I think as long as you can imagine circumstances in which you would actually go there, either because you really needed the job or because they were able to sell you on it, it's fine, and I agree -- an invaluable experience. If it's going to cost you significant $$$, of course that's a factor too.
Any advice on teaching demonstrations? I was asked to talk about something I am comfortable with within a course setting that is not related to my field but I am not a seasoned instructor and I am not even sure how I will decide what to talk about.
If you have some flexibility in choosing a topic and are looking for ideas, you might want to check out the ASA journal Teaching Sociology or the ASA book, "Innovative Techniques for Teaching Sociological Concepts" to help you brainstorm. Smaller, teaching-oriented schools often like the idea of incorporating active learning as well (which can also take the pressure of you for lecturing the whole time).
If there is at least some chance you would take the job, it's perfectly OK to go on the job interivew. I thought the first day of my interview at one school went so badly that I was seriously considering calling the chair and saying "we're all wasting our time, I'm not going to do the second day of the interview." I've been there happliy for 9 years. You never knw--and neither do they--it's ok to check it out.
What I don't like is when you have an offer from somewhere that you want to go, and then you continue with another interview just to try to jack up your other offer when you know you won't go to the second place.
Power point is SOOOO over rated. Most people could do with about one fourth the number of slides. A lot don't need it at all. And please, please don't read the slide to us--we know how to read.
Re: "PowerPoint is SOOOO overrated": While I agree that an abundance of slides can be distracting, I respectfully disagree with the remaining content in the previous poster's comment. PowerPoint is incredibly helpful for listeners who are completely removed from a presenter's research specialty. Slides, when well-constructed and minimally composed, can serve as signposts for unfamiliar listeners. If a sociological theorists is wending her way through dense territory, being able to read slides helps me immensely.
I also disagree with the advice that presenters should not read quotations from slides. Posting quotations and not reading them indicates that the PowerPoint presentation is only for the audience. PowerPoint keeps me from rustling papers in my hands to keep track of my data, and reading quotations aloud allows me to analyze them with some spontaneity. If listeners are going to infer that I think they're idiots and can't read simply because I'm reading a quotation aloud, then I definitely don't want to take a job where infinitesimal slips in etiquette would result in me being skewered and slow roasted in a faculty meeting.
Increasingly, departments require candidates to demonstrate and discuss how they incorporate technology in their teaching. Nothing screams, "I'm a Luddite," quite like avoiding PowerPoint when presenting complex information. I'm still using PowerPoint.
I agree with Trixie's comment above regarding PowerPoint, and not only from a general feeling or opinion, but from what really works in teaching and in job talks. PowerPoint works. But as I've said before elsewhere in this blog, it depends on the presenter - if you're not comfortable with it, don't use it. There's probably not anything you should try for the first time at a job talk.... so do what's worked for you in the past at conference presentations or other similar environments.
Also, regarding whether to go on an interview even if you think you don't want the job.... a good friend once said to me, "You don't know what kind of job you want until you've gone on the interview." I went on an interview at a place I was fairly sure I wasn't interested in, and after interviewing, I decided I actually did want the job after all.... and now anxiously await hearing.... So you never know. Keep an open mind, use the practice, and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.
Re: PowerPoint: I just want to plug PowerPoint one more time here in this forum. I just got back from back-to-back campus visits (I never want to do that again!) to a SLAC and R1, and in each place, I received compliments on my use of PowerPoint slides (21 in a 35-minute talk). Audience members were impressed that I could speak off the cuff about the slides and that I sounded well rehearsed, but not canned.
I wonder if you could give me tips about what is going on during one-on-one meetings on on-campus interviews, e.g. with the dean. What sort of questions do they ask? What am I supposed to ask?
My understanding is that the dean (or provost) interviews are more important at smaller schools than at bigger universities.
From my experience, this is a good opportunity to get a sense of where the college (Arts & Sciences, presumably) and the university are headed in terms of research v. teaching, fiscal health, etc. You should also ask about tenure to make sure the dean/provost's comments are on the same page as what the dept is telling you. Also, it seems like they're more intent on selling the school and making sure you know its mission more than asking you questions.
Here's a list of dean/provost questions I put together from various places. I don't think I ever through more than just a few.
- What the dean's vision is for the future of the department and Arts & Sci? - Tenure requirements/process - How are teaching, research, service evaluated in terms of tenure? - Future direction of the university, where is it going? - New initiatives? - What do you like best at this U? - How would you describe the students attending U? - Strengths & weaknesses of college/univ?
Re: interviewing in UK--This is all secondhand, mind you, but a professor recently quipped that the British interviewing process might be the only one that is even more brutal than the US process. I was told that all candidates are invited to campus on the same day and corraled in the same room as they go into another room where they deliver their job talks for the SC. The candidates actually meet each other. After the job talks are over, the SC/faculty meet and vote on who gets the job. The first person called out is the one who gets the job, and then one by one, the remaining candidates are delivered the crushing blow that they did not get the job of their dreams. Again, this is all secondhand. I didn't apply for jobs in the UK, and I've never interviewed there. I wish you luck!!
Does anyone have advice concerning what to do after an interview? Should I just wait for them to contact me? It has been months since my interview. I haven't heard anything yet. Does it mean that I failed? Do all candidates get a word about the status of the search process?
Gender & Society just announced at the SWS meeting that the average review time is 42 days but will be longer if you're being accepted. The also announced a 9% acceptance rate.
As for the contacting after an interview, I think that after a reasonable time (depending on what you're told about the department's time frame) you should definitely contact tham. I do have to say that in my experience, I've contacted twice to find out bad news. (ie:they've made an offer and the other person is negotiating).
I'm spending way too much time obsessing about the job search, and not nearly enough about getting my bloody dissertation finished. Any non-pharmaceutical solutions out there that have worked for others (brain games, pretending that you've already been rejected everywhere, etc.)?
I'll be checking back daily -- no, hourly -- for your feedback.
Ironically, coming in second for my dream job has really helped to get me back to work. I think it's a combination of the lack of anxiety about the unknown (ie: I KNOW I'm going back on the market next year). AND, the fact that I'm pretty mad (irrationally, I know) about not getting something I wanted so badly and so I have a bit of a "I'll show them" mentality. So, even though I have an interview coming up, I'm cool as a cucumber and working hard on my diss. In fact, this is the first time in a long time I've visited this site as a brief respite from working on something hard rather than as a procrastination technique to avoid working. So, maybe make up you mind about your plans for next year and don't worry for now about what the search committees say. You can always change your mind back if something comes along. And, maybe even have a little game of "I'll show them" in the meantime. -R (who has posted anonymously many times).
Thanks for the advice. My dream school keeps extending their search process, and 5-10 others are still in the mix. As a variation on the "I'll show them" approach, maybe I should pretend that getting the job supernaturally depends on getting 500+ words done per day.
Regarding a 3/3 load and research: I think it depends a lot on the person, of course. But also on the number of preps (is it 6 or 2, or 3), on the class size (and do you have TAs/graders), and even on the actually schedule (2 days a week, 3, 5?). I know people who are research-productive with 4-4 loads (amazingly), and people who have 2-2 loads and aren't productive... some people thrive when under pressure and are great at time management, others need a slower pace to achieve balance with research.
39 comments:
Over at the old place, Jesse wrote:
"Anyone want to enlighten me about why I'd want to do a job talk using a power point presentation?"
My dissertation is based on interviews and participant observation, and I use PowerPoint for my job talks. I use it mainly to show where I'm going, help the audience follow my argument, and display long quotes. It is also helpful to bullet-point notes about methods, conclusions, limitations, etc.
One of my profs suggested no more than one slide per three minutes, so for a 30-minute job talk, you would have 10 slides or less.
I highly recommend it. It's a good way to keep people on track -- let's face it, we all drift out at times during talks. I like it better than handouts because you control what people see. The first thing people do with a handout is go to the end to see what the conclusion is!
Forgot to sign the post above. ;-)
Kyle
I do qualitative research and always use a powerpoint. Some of the best (and worst) presentations I've seen at conferences have used qualitative methods. To me, the ones I don't like aren't very structured and are very stream of consciousness. I like that powerpoint can help provide the audience some structure about what to expect. I'm a very visual person so I can get lost when it's just a person at the front of the room talking. One thing I've learned, though, if you're showing quotes, use the "custom animation" or whatever that button is to delay when the quote pops up. That way, they're paying attention to you when you're explaining the significance of the quote instead of trying to read it off the screen. Hope this helps.
Hobo
Anyone have advice for doing a teaching demonstration during a campus visit, or maybe experiences to share from demos at previous visits? Thanks!
When I did a teaching demonstration it was a small class (it was actually a mock class made up of faculty and students) and I did part lecture and part small group work.
I lectured on something I was passionate about and comfortable with. Which I think is key.
I want to offer an alternate perspective to Kyle's. When I teach and use Powerpoint, it is about 12 slides for 45 minutes (comparable to the 10 slides for a 30-minute talk). But that's with students copying things down and asking questions. For a job talk, it may vary - it depends on much you have on each slide. My opinion is less per slide is better, so you may have more slides. I have about 30 slides for a 40-minute talk, b/c I have very little per slide. Keeps it organized for me. I have some slides with bullet points of topics I covered in in-depth interviews, I have maps I show, and I do put quotations from respondents on slides as well, along with theoretical and other methodological info.
Powerpoint has lots of benefits, but it's not for everyone. I think what's best is for people to use what works for them. If you aren't comfortable with Powerpoint and you use it for the first time during a job talk, it probably won't work very well for you.
Claude
I agree--the less per slide, the better. My rule runs about 1 slide per minute of talk. I like to keep things moving. But, I'm a demographer, so I'm showing charts and tables, not quotes.
I can't remember if anyone mentioned this on the old blog or not, but someone from the Chronicle job-seeking forum set up a wiki with general information on applications, interviews, negotiations, etc. It's not specific to sociology, but it does answer a lot of basic questions that almost everyone has. It's at:
http://wikihost.org/wikis/academe/
wiki/academic_job-seeking_faq
Mills
On a recent campus interview, I had to pay my own portion of the bill for each meal (!!!). The SCC said to keep my receipt so that I could get reimbursed. I mention this for those who may think that it isn't necessary to carry your cash/credit card with you to meals with the search committee -- it sure caught me off guard.
I got invited for a job talk by a school that I would only go for if all else fails. I may not even take a job this year if this is my only option. It would be great to have the experience though and they can still charm me... what should I do?
To Anon:
My advice is to go on the interview, especially if you haven't had any others. The experience will be priceless. AND they may charm you. Sometimes once you're on campus and get to meet the faculty, you perception can really change. Good luck and let us know what you decide.
That's a tough one, anon. I think this depends on the school, in part. Also, will they have to fly you in, or could you drive (reducing expenses)?
In the ASA guide, "Applying for a Faculty Position in a Teaching-Oriented Institution," the authors specifically write that "under no circumstances should one feign interest in a teaching-oriented position for the sole purpose of getting a 'practice' interview. This is completely unethical."
But, as you said, the school could "wow" you -- although somehow I doubt it would be enough to sway you, based on your post. Choosing a position is a really important decision for *you* and your life, after all!
Good luck!
-BT
BT,
what ASA guide are you referring to?
helena
Helena --
If you go to the ASA online bookstore, you can find it there. It is called "Applying for a Faculty Position in a Teaching-Oriented Institution." Here's a link to the e-book version (you'll have to put the lines back together in your browser):
http://www.e-
noah.net/asa/asashoponlineservice/
ProductDetails.aspx?productID=ASAOE131A06E
The e-book is only $3 for ASA members, and the hard copy is $5 (well worth it, I think!).
-BT
To Anon:
I think it would unethical to take the interview if you were 100% sure you wouldn't go there. I think as long as you can imagine circumstances in which you would actually go there, either because you really needed the job or because they were able to sell you on it, it's fine, and I agree -- an invaluable experience. If it's going to cost you significant $$$, of course that's a factor too.
-Melissa
BT, thanks!
helena
" I got invited for a job talk by a school that I would only go for if all else fails."
Thanks so much for all your advice. I decided to go for it b/c a pull factor: the people there. Push factor: heavy teaching load.
Any advice on teaching demonstrations? I was asked to talk about something I am comfortable with within a course setting that is not related to my field but I am not a seasoned instructor and I am not even sure how I will decide what to talk about.
Re: Teaching Demonstrations
If you have some flexibility in choosing a topic and are looking for ideas, you might want to check out the ASA journal Teaching Sociology or the ASA book, "Innovative Techniques for Teaching Sociological Concepts" to help you brainstorm. Smaller, teaching-oriented schools often like the idea of incorporating active learning as well (which can also take the pressure of you for lecturing the whole time).
If there is at least some chance you would take the job, it's perfectly OK to go on the job interivew. I thought the first day of my interview at one school went so badly that I was seriously considering calling the chair and saying "we're all wasting our time, I'm not going to do the second day of the interview." I've been there happliy for 9 years. You never knw--and neither do they--it's ok to check it out.
What I don't like is when you have an offer from somewhere that you want to go, and then you continue with another interview just to try to jack up your other offer when you know you won't go to the second place.
Power point is SOOOO over rated. Most people could do with about one fourth the number of slides. A lot don't need it at all. And please, please don't read the slide to us--we know how to read.
Re: "PowerPoint is SOOOO overrated": While I agree that an abundance of slides can be distracting, I respectfully disagree with the remaining content in the previous poster's comment. PowerPoint is incredibly helpful for listeners who are completely removed from a presenter's research specialty. Slides, when well-constructed and minimally composed, can serve as signposts for unfamiliar listeners. If a sociological theorists is wending her way through dense territory, being able to read slides helps me immensely.
I also disagree with the advice that presenters should not read quotations from slides. Posting quotations and not reading them indicates that the PowerPoint presentation is only for the audience. PowerPoint keeps me from rustling papers in my hands to keep track of my data, and reading quotations aloud allows me to analyze them with some spontaneity. If listeners are going to infer that I think they're idiots and can't read simply because I'm reading a quotation aloud, then I definitely don't want to take a job where infinitesimal slips in etiquette would result in me being skewered and slow roasted in a faculty meeting.
Increasingly, departments require candidates to demonstrate and discuss how they incorporate technology in their teaching. Nothing screams, "I'm a Luddite," quite like avoiding PowerPoint when presenting complex information. I'm still using PowerPoint.
Trixie
I agree with Trixie's comment above regarding PowerPoint, and not only from a general feeling or opinion, but from what really works in teaching and in job talks. PowerPoint works. But as I've said before elsewhere in this blog, it depends on the presenter - if you're not comfortable with it, don't use it. There's probably not anything you should try for the first time at a job talk.... so do what's worked for you in the past at conference presentations or other similar environments.
Also, regarding whether to go on an interview even if you think you don't want the job.... a good friend once said to me, "You don't know what kind of job you want until you've gone on the interview." I went on an interview at a place I was fairly sure I wasn't interested in, and after interviewing, I decided I actually did want the job after all.... and now anxiously await hearing.... So you never know. Keep an open mind, use the practice, and be prepared to be pleasantly surprised.
Claude
Re: PowerPoint: I just want to plug PowerPoint one more time here in this forum. I just got back from back-to-back campus visits (I never want to do that again!) to a SLAC and R1, and in each place, I received compliments on my use of PowerPoint slides (21 in a 35-minute talk). Audience members were impressed that I could speak off the cuff about the slides and that I sounded well rehearsed, but not canned.
Trixie
I wonder if you could give me tips about what is going on during one-on-one meetings on on-campus interviews, e.g. with the dean. What sort of questions do they ask? What am I supposed to ask?
My understanding is that the dean (or provost) interviews are more important at smaller schools than at bigger universities.
From my experience, this is a good opportunity to get a sense of where the college (Arts & Sciences, presumably) and the university are headed in terms of research v. teaching, fiscal health, etc. You should also ask about tenure to make sure the dean/provost's comments are on the same page as what the dept is telling you. Also, it seems like they're more intent on selling the school and making sure you know its mission more than asking you questions.
Here's a list of dean/provost questions I put together from various places. I don't think I ever through more than just a few.
- What the dean's vision is for the future of the department and Arts & Sci?
- Tenure requirements/process
- How are teaching, research, service evaluated in terms of tenure?
- Future direction of the university, where is it going?
- New initiatives?
- What do you like best at this U?
- How would you describe the students attending U?
- Strengths & weaknesses of college/univ?
Good luck!
Kyle
Thanks, Kyle!
anyone has experience interviewing in Britain? Any advice?
Re: interviewing in UK--This is all secondhand, mind you, but a professor recently quipped that the British interviewing process might be the only one that is even more brutal than the US process. I was told that all candidates are invited to campus on the same day and corraled in the same room as they go into another room where they deliver their job talks for the SC. The candidates actually meet each other. After the job talks are over, the SC/faculty meet and vote on who gets the job. The first person called out is the one who gets the job, and then one by one, the remaining candidates are delivered the crushing blow that they did not get the job of their dreams. Again, this is all secondhand. I didn't apply for jobs in the UK, and I've never interviewed there. I wish you luck!!
Does anyone have any "things to avoid during the job interview" advice from their own experiences?
thanks very much!
Does anyone have advice concerning what to do after an interview? Should I just wait for them to contact me? It has been months since my interview. I haven't heard anything yet. Does it mean that I failed? Do all candidates get a word about the status of the search process?
Regarding Journal review times:
Gender & Society just announced at the SWS meeting that the average review time is 42 days but will be longer if you're being accepted.
The also announced a 9% acceptance rate.
As for the contacting after an interview, I think that after a reasonable time (depending on what you're told about the department's time frame) you should definitely contact tham. I do have to say that in my experience, I've contacted twice to find out bad news. (ie:they've made an offer and the other person is negotiating).
There's an article about negotiating in today's Chronicle. I think it was called "Negotiating That First Offer." Might be useful to someone.
http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/
2007/02/2007022201c/careers.html
Mills
That was useful advice.
Or should I say, I hope that I have the opportunity to use that advice. :)
C.
I'm spending way too much time obsessing about the job search, and not nearly enough about getting my bloody dissertation finished. Any non-pharmaceutical solutions out there that have worked for others (brain games, pretending that you've already been rejected everywhere, etc.)?
I'll be checking back daily -- no, hourly -- for your feedback.
C.
Ironically, coming in second for my dream job has really helped to get me back to work. I think it's a combination of the lack of anxiety about the unknown (ie: I KNOW I'm going back on the market next year). AND, the fact that I'm pretty mad (irrationally, I know) about not getting something I wanted so badly and so I have a bit of a "I'll show them" mentality.
So, even though I have an interview coming up, I'm cool as a cucumber and working hard on my diss. In fact, this is the first time in a long time I've visited this site as a brief respite from working on something hard rather than as a procrastination technique to avoid working.
So, maybe make up you mind about your plans for next year and don't worry for now about what the search committees say. You can always change your mind back if something comes along. And, maybe even have a little game of "I'll show them" in the meantime.
-R (who has posted anonymously many times).
R,
Thanks for the advice. My dream school keeps extending their search process, and 5-10 others are still in the mix. As a variation on the "I'll show them" approach, maybe I should pretend that getting the job supernaturally depends on getting 500+ words done per day.
C.
Does anyone have any advice about how much a 3/3 teaching load impedes research productivity?
Regarding a 3/3 load and research: I think it depends a lot on the person, of course. But also on the number of preps (is it 6 or 2, or 3), on the class size (and do you have TAs/graders), and even on the actually schedule (2 days a week, 3, 5?). I know people who are research-productive with 4-4 loads (amazingly), and people who have 2-2 loads and aren't productive... some people thrive when under pressure and are great at time management, others need a slower pace to achieve balance with research.
Claude
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