I have a fly-out next week, and the dept. asked me if there were some people I'd like to meet. I named some junior faculty in my subfield, but since this is my first time - what exactly do you ask them about - is this a chance to "talk shop" about the subfield, or more about the school, or the department? And if the department, then what exactly - social life, collegiality, what they spend their time on? Any suggestions would be great. Thanks
question about job talk
(10 posts) (7 voices)-
Posted 2 years ago #
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All that you suggest are fine. You need to impress that you are an interesting and fertile mind and would be a good colleague.
Posted 2 years ago # -
As pern mentions, all of what you mention works. I'll add one thing: if the conversation stalls, ask them about their research. Guaranteed to get them talking. Then listen well and ask pointed questions.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Posted 2 years ago #
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To add slightly to yop's good advice, ask them about their next project. People are usually more excited to talk about their new idea, and you might have something interesting to say about it.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I'm the OP, and I have something interesting to say about anyone's work! Look at me, I have a "flyout" - see how special I am? Whoopty-do.
Posted 2 years ago # -
^ wow, someone is bitter this season....PSJR anonymity rears its ugly head again
Posted 2 years ago # -
Okay, bitterness above aside, I think that the OP has a good question. My experience is that 1-1 conversations job candidates have with junior and senior faculty tend to be very different. I agree that everybody in this business likes to talk about their work, but you'll like a total tool if you don't know what they "do." Look at your interview list sent from the secretary and print-out everyone's CV that's on there. Just read them on the plane and toss them in the hotel trash can. You'll have a plenty to keep the conversation going. Conversely, when job candidates have no idea about their prospective colleague's work, it looks really bad. Good junior faculty questions are about the city, moving there, daycare, and the life of the department. Good senior faculty questions are about the history and trajectory of the department, how the department has been viewed and supported by the administration, and resources/opportunities for young scholars.
Posted 2 years ago # -
A friend just finished a job interview (university press staff position, not TT, but principle still applies) and mentions to one of the interviewers (future boss) that she'd viewed the video of a talk he had given about a month earlier. He hadn't even realized the talk was on the web, but definitely appreciated the background research, and my friend was offered the job. Not presumably, solely for this gambit, but it certainly didn't hurt.
More generally, when you go in having done your homework and with a good knowledge of the department, you will already be well ahead of the folks taking the "you will be lucky to hire me" approach (which except in a very small number of cases, is a precursor to the "would you like fries with that?" approach)
Posted 2 years ago # -
OP here. Thanks for the helpful suggestions. Regarding ^, this is not a department where anyone will take a "you will be lucky to hire me" approach.
Posted 2 years ago #