Interview Techniques in Education

Interviews are not always required, but when they are, especially for programs with Principal Investigators (PIs), faculty mentors, or competitive scholarships, they are often the deciding factors. A strong application can fall short if alignment doesn’t come through in person. Week 9: Preparing for Interview If you get invited to an interview, it means you stood out among many applicants. But this “final hurdle” takes preparation. So, how do you prepare effectively? ☑️ What Interviewers are looking for No matter the program or field of study, interviewers typically want to see: - The person behind the documents (values, clarity, motivation) - Your ability to communicate with depth (not just recite your CV) - Evidence of resilience, fit, and potential - How you handle pressure and critique - For research-heavy programs: alignment with faculty or PI interests ☑️ Some common interview questions These questions give you a chance to bring your SOP and CV to life: - Tell me about yourself - Why this program/university? - What’s one achievement you are proud of? - Share a challenge or failure and what you learned - Where do you see yourself in 5–10 years? - Why do you deserve this scholarship, and how will you use it? - What research excites you, and who might you work with? ☑️ Practical preparation steps - Do mock interviews with friends, mentors, or alumni. Record and review yourself - Prepare 3–5 stories (resilience, leadership, failure, growth) that you can adapt - Review your CV, SOP, and application documents. Expect questions from them. If you wrote it, you must be ready to expand on it - Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to keep answers clear and structured - Aim for focused, 1–2 minute answers and not one-liners or long monologues - Practice under timed conditions to avoid rambling - For virtual interviews: test your mic, lighting, and background ☑️ Research beforehand Confidence comes from preparation: - Research the program: know at least 2–3 faculty or program features that excite you - If you know your interviewer, read their profile and recent work to find points of connection - For PI-based programs, explain why their research resonates with you and how you can contribute - Understand the school’s broader mission so you can connect it to your goals ☑️ Key reminders during the Interview - Show confidence with humility, enthusiasm, and self-awareness. - Structure answers with a Past, Present, and Future flow - Bring your authentic voice: the committee wants you, not a rehearsed script - Listen carefully before replying, and ask for clarification when needed - If you don’t know something, admit it while showing curiosity and openness Your application earned an interview, but this will take you to the final step. PS: These pictures with Sir Okey Ndibe remind me that hard work pays off. Growth takes time, but every step forward is worth celebrating. See you next week! #JenniferScholarshipSeries | 9 of 10

After 20 years and hundreds of faculty interviews, I've noticed something: Great candidates often miss these 3 easy wins. 1️⃣ Research Your Audience. Don’t just prep your talk—prep for people. Once you receive your schedule, learn who you’ll be meeting. What’s their background (accomplishments, research, teaching, etc)? When you can reference their work or ask a question that only they can answer, it shows real investment—not just ambition. 2️⃣ Tailor Your Questions. This isn’t one-size-fits-all. Each meeting—students, faculty, deans, advancement, provost, enrollment—calls for a different lens. Ask questions that show you understand their concerns, not just your own. Because you’re not just being evaluated—you’re evaluating them, too. Insightful, audience-specific questions signal you’re thoughtful, prepared, and serious about the role. 3️⃣ Practice your presentation. Seriously. You don’t need to be flashy. But you do need to be clear, concise, and mission-aligned. Here’s what works: ✅ 3–4 times run-throughs within time constraints will give you confidence. ✅ Share your impact, but spend even more time on what you’d bring to their institution. ✅ Don’t just rattle off achievements—connect them to your why, and how that connects to their values. It takes effort. But it’s worth it. A well-prepared candidate doesn’t just look polished— they communicate something deeper: 👉“I care about this place. I care about this opportunity. I’ve done the work.” That’s what leaves a lasting impression. --------------------------- ♻️ Repost this to help other academic leaders. 👉 Subscribe to The Academic Leader’s Playbook—link in profile. 💬 Follow for posts about higher education, leadership, & the arts. #LeadershipGoals #HigherEdSuccess #HigherEducation #departmentchairs #deans #programmanagers #academicleadership #LeadershipSkills #HigherEdLeadership #OnCampusInterviews #FacultyHiring #CareerTips #PreparationMatters

Thinking of including a performance task in your hiring process? Here’s why it might be a game-changer for both candidates and schools. As independent schools look to hire mission-aligned, dynamic educators, staff, and administrators, the traditional interview is just one piece of the puzzle. Enter the performance task; an opportunity for both sides to engage more deeply. What’s a performance task? Think: teaching a sample mini-lesson, facilitating a student discussion, analyzing a scenario, responding to a parent email, or engaging in a role-play, all tailored to the role. Benefits for Schools: • See the candidate’s style, presence, and pedagogical thinking in action, not just in theory. • Get a glimpse of how they might engage with your students and community. • Assess alignment with your values, tone, and expectations in a more authentic context. • See a transfer and application of skills, especially if the candidate isn't making a lateral move. This will give you a better sense of what types of support may need to be put into place in order to ensure that the person finds success at your school if hired. Benefits for Candidates: • Showcase your skills in a way that goes beyond talking points. • Demonstrate how you build relationships, design learning experiences, or think through real challenges. • Experience a “preview” of what the role might actually feel like day to day. Examples of Effective Tasks: • A 15-30 minute mock lesson with a small student group or faculty panel • A DEI scenario and reflection prompt • Drafting a short homeroom newsletter or advisory plan • Responding to a fictional, but realistic, parent concern via email • Analyzing a student behavior scenario and sharing next steps • Analyzing a case study that is related to finances, enrollment, and or development needs The key: Make it authentic, relevant, and humanizing. A well-designed task can create a shared sense of purpose and give everyone a clearer picture of potential fit. Questions to consider / things to keep in mind: • If the candidate is creating something, how much prior knowledge do they need about the school? What type of prior knowledge should the candidate expect the audience to have about a particular topic? • If the candidate is addressing something that is currently taking place at the school and or if they will be given access to sensitive information, will the school need the candidate to sign an NDA? Should the candidate be compensated, or at least credited, if their idea is used to address the concern in some way? • How much of the task being assessed is part of the daily or weekly responsibilities of the role? Sound off Independent school leaders: What performance tasks have worked well for you? Job-seekers: How have you experienced this part of the process in the past? Let’s keep refining how we hire and how we show up. #IndependentSchools #HiringSeason #TeacherHiring #EdLeadership #PerformanceTasks #jobs

[Two or three things I know about academic job interviews] *Title from Godard's movie This is based on my limited experience, so take what you find useful. *This was featured on HFES Healthcare TG Newsletter. 1. Distinguishing Factors While a strong record of publications and grants is important, it doesn’t automatically make a candidate stand out. What truly sets successful candidates apart is their level of preparation for the interview itself and their attitude towards "people". 2. Common Questions A staple question in faculty interview is “Why this institution?” This is a question candidates must prepare for. But it’s also an opportunity for them to reflect on both academic and personal reasons for wanting to join the institution, such as the research environment, potential collaborators, and personal circumstances like location and family matters. If it’s a research university, another common question is about a candidate’s first research proposal. Candidates should be ready to discuss specific research projects, sponsoring agencies and programs they plan to target (e.g., NSF: Human-Centered Computing), and potential collaborators or centers within the university that could support their research. 3. Handling Tough Questions Fundamental questions, like “What is the ultimate challenge in your field?” or “What is the biggest problem you want to solve in your research?” were difficult for me to answer. There’s no perfect strategy, but it'd be helpful to think before the interview. 4. Teaching Philosophy and Experience Since the pandemic, it’s essential to prepare for virtual or hybrid teaching. If you haven’t taught online before, consider learning how to structure online classes. Another key topic is the use of AI in teaching. Some institutions have strict AI policies, while others (e.g., VT) encourage to teach how to better use. Candidates should be ready to discuss how they would integrate AI into their teaching practices and why. 5. Institutional Alignment Understanding the department and institution’s needs is crucial. The job ad contains more information than you might expect. If someone has recently left the department, look at the courses they taught. Investigate any university-wide initiatives, as positions may open up based on these strategic plans. “Fit” is a crucial consideration. For example, if the position requires working in two departments with joint appointments, be prepared to explain how you can contribute to both. If the position is for a center director, focus on questions about leadership style or how you would lead the center, rather than asking about teaching load. 6. Dos and Don’ts One piece of advice I received from my advisor was “Do not eat spaghetti”. While it may seem trivial, such social interactions matter. Search committees are looking for colleagues they can work with long-term, so basic manners and interpersonal skills are essential. Don’t dominate the conversation; Faculty love to discuss their work.