Academic job interviews

Preparing for an academic interview

Whether you are going for an academic or any other kind of interview, preparation is essential. Only being able to talk about your PhD research is not enough.

Anticipate the kinds of question you may be asked and consider how you would reply. Topics could include

your research
the outcomes
areas of further research and future lines of enquiry
how your research profile fits in with the rest of the department
subjects you could teach
funding you have secured or been involved in securing
your intended sources of further funding.

Questions you may be asked at interview

Why did you choose to do a research degree?
Tell us about your output in terms of publications and journals.
What publication are you most proud of and why?
Tell me about your PhD research assuming that I have no knowledge of your subject.
What do you see as the main benefits of PhD research?
Where will you apply for research funding?
What skills can you bring to the department?
What do you anticipate gaining professionally from your postdoctoral research?
Give us an example of a paper you’ve read, not directly related to your research.
Tell us about your supervision and teaching experience.
Give me an example of a concept from your subject area that’s known as being difficult to grasp. How would you teach this to first-year undergraduates?
What subject areas do you think you would find easy to teach to undergraduates and what subjects would be challenging?