The Campus Visit

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In the final stage of most academic job searches, the top 3-4 applicants are brought to campus for a one day (or possibly multi-day) set of interviews. Campus visits generally consist of a job talk, multiple interviews, and meals with search committee members. Some departments will also have candidates teach an undergraduate level course. Candidates are carefully scrutinized and assessed for their fit with the department and university culture.

The Invitation

If you are invited for a campus interview, you will probably be contacted via telephone by a member of the search committee. During this conversation, the faculty member will highlight the main parts of your campus visit, and together you will determine the date(s).

Making Arrangements

When you have made the short list of candidates, the institution will reimburse you for all necessary travel and lodging expenses, unless otherwise indicated. You will probably be expected to make your own flight arrangements. When booking an airline ticket, look for the lowest-priced economy class flight that will reasonably suit your schedule. It is generally not necessary to take an inconvenient flight just to save a little money on air fare, however. Your hosts will likely make your hotel reservations, but you will probably be expected to pay the bill at the hotel. Save all receipts (airfare, hotel, taxis, etc.) for reimbursement later, and carry a credit card and plenty of cash for unexpected expenses.

Usually candidates are expected to arrive on the evening before the interview and depart after 5:00 p.m. on the last day. In general, the host department will assume responsibility for escorting you about campus during your visit. They may or may not make arrangements to pick you up and drop you off at the airport. Confirm these details before you leave home. If they are picking you up at the airport, dress professionally for the flight.

When flying, beware of checked luggage. Lost or delayed luggage is an unnecessary worry-carry on anything that is absolutely essential to your visit, particularly your laptop, slides, presentation, and lecture notes.

When making arrangements, ask about the availability of audiovisual equipment you will need for your job talk. Request a copy of your itinerary before your arrive. You may also want to request a packet of information about the department or university to help you.

The Day of the Interview

The campus visit is the most important part of the job search process. You will be "on" for the entire visit, and you will have very few solitary moments when you are alone and not being evaluated during the interview trip. The university will arrange a series of meetings-with individuals, faculty, and students-and you will shuttle from one meeting to the next all day. Somewhere during all these activities, you will also be served breakfast and lunch and give your job talk. You may also teach a class. Throughout your visit, one or several people may serve as your host, escorting you from place to place. A surprising number of applicants feel they can confide in the host, but remember that your host is not your friend. You are always being evaluated. A sample itinerary follows:

Sample Interview Schedule
A. N. Applicant
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Leading University

Wednesday, January 18, 2001
7:15 p.m. Arrive Somewhere Airport, American Flight #4126;
Tim O'Shenko will meet at airport. Staying at the Respectable Hotel [Confirmation #0048809-0]. Dinner with Tim O'Shenko.

Thursday, January 20, 2001 8:15 a.m. Breakfast - Newton Raphson will meet in the lobby of the Respectable Hotel.
9:45 Pete O'Tube, 332D Hallowed Hall. O'Tube will escort to Dean Noe.
10:30 Dean Jess A. Noe, College of Engineering, 106 Ivied Hall
11:10 Oki will escort from Dean Noe
11:15 Kerry Oki, Associate Head of Department, 154 HH. Oki will escort to lunch.
12:00 noon Lunch - Faculty Club [Kerry Oki, Ken Dewitt]
1:15 p.m. Monty Carlo, 122 HH
2:00 C. D. Point, 248 HH
2:45 Tim O'Shenko, 332C HH
3:30 Seminar preparation, 248A HH. O'Shenko will escort to seminar.
4:00 Seminar, "Evaluation of Composite Interface Properties Using Clever Experiments," 218 HH. O'Shenko will escort to reception.
5:00-6:00 Reception, 158 Hallowed Hall. Jenny Rater will escort from reception to dinner.
6:30 Dinner, Wholey Cow Steakhouse [Jenny Rater, Will Burn]

Friday, January 21, 2001
7:30 a.m. Breakfast - Carmen Vortex will meet in the lobby of the Respectable.
8:15 Leah Punoff, 250 HH
9:00 Will Burn, 362E HH
9:45 Gil Airkin, 332F HH
10:30 Clay Potts, 250 HH
11:15 S. Broken, 212 HH. Broken will escort to lunch.
12:00 noon Lunch - Faculty Club [S. Broken, C. D. Point, I. M. Shore]
1:15 p.m. I. M. Shore
2:00 Frank Stein, 266 HH
2:45 Lois Cost, 352 HH
3:30 Tour of Laboratories w/Gene Poole and Leah Punoff
4:30 M. N. Charge, Head of Department, 208 HH

6:00 Dinner, Classy Restaurant [M. N. Charge, Della Kitt]

Sunday, January 23, 2001
6:00 a.m. A-1 Limousine will pick up at Respectable Hotel.
7:00 Depart Somewhere Airport. American Flight #4127

Interviews

You will meet with a variety of stakeholders in the hiring process, and the structure and content of these meetings will vary. Some interviewers will be knowledgeable in your research area, and you may engage in detailed conversations about your research and interests. Others may know little about your research area and might be college administrators with training in a different field. Prepare for these meetings by well acquainting yourself with the organization of the institution. Be prepared to explain your dissertation research to these disparate audiences. Be certain that all versions—even the high level explanation for a lay person—conveys what your research did, why it is important, why it is interesting, and how it relates to other work or might lead to future exploration. Expect to be asked about your plans for future research. You may also be asked about potential funding.

Meals and Receptions

Some of your meetings with campus stakeholders will take place over lunch or dinner. Occasionally departments may even host small receptions or gatherings. Even though these events seem relaxed, you must still act and speak professionally as you are being evaluated at all times. In general, avoid food that is messy (like spaghetti) and observe proper table manners. It is often best to avoid alcoholic beverages, but it is acceptable to drink if it is offered. The loosening of inhibitions caused by alcohol can be risky in an interview situation, so carefully limit your intake. Make small talk, but do not discuss topics that may be considered personal, inappropriate, or offensive.

The Job Talk

The job talk, also called a "seminar," "colloquium," "paper," or "presentation," is probably the most important part of your campus visit. It is your opportunity to share your knowledge and research with a captive audience. Because of its importance, prepare, rehearse, and double check the arrangements of the room before you begin your presentation. Before coming to campus, request any necessary audiovisual equipment. Ask for accommodations you might need to make you comfortable, such as a podium, or a microphone if you are soft spoken. You should also request several minutes of quiet time before the seminar to prepare.

Immediately prior to your presentation, confirm that your needed equipment is available, take time to make certain you know how it operates, and get a feel for the light in the room (particularly if you are using slides or video). Make certain that all electronic equipment is working before you begin. Make certain you have a glass or bottle of water.

If you are using a laptop computer, allow lots of time to set up. Always bring both backup electronic and hard copies of your presentation in case something goes wrong. If the computer crashes or the software is incompatible—or if the room loses power—you will still have a presentation.

When preparing your job talk, think about the constitution of your audience—your hosts may be able to tell you about this advance. It will certainly include members of the faculty, with varying degrees of knowledge of your specialty. The audience may also include students and perhaps administrators with training in another discipline. Attempt to make your presentation interesting and accessible to the disparate members of your audience. The people who know very little about what you do will probably try to judge the quality of your teaching and communication skills. Those with a close familiarity with your research interests will probably be assessing the depth of your knowledge. Your presentation should emphasize the significance and results of your research. In order to engage a diverse audience, Engineering professor Jonathan Dantzig recommends the following structure for the job talk:

Recommended Structure for the Job Talk

General good presentation and communication skills apply. Maintain good eye contact with your audience. Speak clearly, articulate your words carefully, and avoid talking too fast. Project your voice. Most people are nervous during the job talk, so think about how you respond to nervousness and plan for it. For instance, if your hands shake uncontrollably, you may want to avoid using a laser pointer. One female job candidate had a problem with her neck flushing when she was nervous; she concealed it by wearing a turtleneck or scarf.

Prepare in advance for questions from the audience. Anticipate what some of the questions might be and consider your answers before your talk. Sometimes you will have a confrontational audience member; think about how you might deal with this. In general, don't argue with anyone; sometimes you may need to direct the discussion to a new question or agree to disagree.

Teaching Demonstration

You may or may not be asked to teach an actual class or give a teaching demonstration. This practice is more common at smaller institutions and within some disciplines. When making arrangements for your visit, learn more about the group to whom you will be presenting. Often, you will teach a session of an undergraduate class, with members of the faculty in observance. It can be very helpful to know the scope of the course and previously studied material when preparing your discussion. You may ask for a copy of the course syllabus, if relevant. Request necessary audiovisual equipment in advance, and ascertain that the equipment works before you begin. Prepare your class as you normally would, in the style of presentation most comfortable to you.

After the Interview

It is always appropriate to send a thank you letter to the search committee chair or department head following the interview. In academia, thank you letters are usually typed, rather than hand written, and an e-mail message is acceptable in some disciplines. Thank them for the interview and opportunity to learn more about the position. Indicate if you are still interested in the position and perhaps mention a couple of things you saw or discussed during the visit that make the institution desirable. If you feel that the institution will be a particularly good fit for you, say this and explain why. If you return from an interview certain that you do not want this position, politely indicate that you have determined you are not interested.