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Career Centre Home > Students & New Grads > Graduate Students > Academic Job Interviews - Convention Interviews
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Preparing for an Academic Career Path

WRITING CVs
ACADEMIC JOB SEARCH
ACADEMIC JOB INTERVIEWS

Academic Job Interviews - Convention Interviews


Convention interviews are a popular form of interviewing applicants because they take advantage of the draw of annual conferences to attract newly minted PhDs anxious to network and present their work. This serendipity, allows search committees to 'check out' short-listed applicants in order to determine who to invite for a campus visit without having to incur added expenses since many faculty members will be attending the conference for professional purposes.

A few days before the start of a major annual conference (e.g. the MLA), representatives from the hiring committee will contact short listed applicants and arrange to meet during the conference for short (30-60 min) interviews in a hotel room. Because there is not much notice for these interviews, applicants should begin preparing for such occasions as soon as they begin their job search. Preparation can include:

  • buying a suitable and comfortable 'professional' outfit;
  • developing and practising 90 second and 4 minute explanation of their research so it can be tailored to the question asked;
  • accessing as much information from colleagues and the web about the university and department as possible;
  • researching the interests and backgrounds of the interviewers to determine areas of mutual interest [the names of the interviewers should be provided, if not applicants should ask];
  • identifying a few points of interest about the town or city in which the university is located (for small talk purposes and to show interest and knowledge in the locale).

Conference interviews are notorious for being nerve-wracking and seemingly unorganized, but a prepared applicant will be well-equipped to weather the unexpected with (relative) calm and professionalism.