An  Introduc+on  to  faculty  

Interviews

How  to  Ace  Your  Faculty  Interview  

A Publication of FacultyClub.Org

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When  preparing  for  an  interview  for  a  faculty  posi+on,  you  may  encounter  ques+ons  that  directly  apply  to  your  experience  as  a  faculty  member,  or  ques+on  your  ability  to  teach.  Here  are  some  +ps  to  help  you  stand  out  from  the  crowd,  and  showcase  your  best  skills.    

Introduc+on    

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“One important key to success is self confidence. An important key to self

confidence is preparation.” -­‐  Arthur  Ashe  

CHAPTER ONE

HOW CAN I PREPARE FOR THE INTERVIEW?

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Prepare for the Interview

Learn  about  the  university  or  college.      •  Visit  the  university’s  web  site:  

Learn  about  their  mission,  vision,  degree  programs  and  student  demographics.    

 Physically  prepare    •  Get  plenty  of  rest:  Even  if  your  

interview  is  over  the  phone,  you  will  need  to  physically  prepare  and  get  plenty  of  rest  and  nutri+on.    

•  Dress  for  success:  Regardless  of  how  the  interview  is  held  (phone,  in-­‐person,  or  Skype),  dress  for  success  and  feel  your  best.    

 Prac+ce  your  answers    •  Think  about  what  will  be  asked:  

Prac+ce  your  responses  to  common  ques+ons.  Enlist  the  help  of  a  friend  or  family  member  to  help  you  prac+ce.    

ONE    

Congrats. You have an

interview!

CHAPTER TWO

POTENTIAL INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

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Potential Questions

Describe  your  teaching  style  and  your  philosophy?      •  Be  clear  with  your  answer.  Know  

why  you  love  to  teach.  It  is  helpful  to  write  out  your  teaching  philosophy  before  hand,  and  provide  it  to  your  interviewer.    

 What  is  your  teaching  experience?    •  Expand  on  all  your  courses  that  you  

have  taught  as  well  as  what  learning  plaOorms  you  have  used.    

•  Talk  about  your  classroom  management  strategies,  and  elaborate  on  how  you  meet  all  classroom  facilita+on  expecta+ons.      

 What  professional  developments  have  you  been  involved  in  recently?    •  Relay  all  of  your  professional  

development  pursuits.  Faculty  training  cer+fica+on  programs  are  ideal.    

TWO    

Common Interview Questions For Faculty Members

How  does  your  personal  style  of  instrucBon  can  benefit  our  students?    •  Give  specific  examples  of  what  you  

do  in  the  classroom  to  help  students  meet  learning  objec+ves.    

 How  do  you  handle  disrupBve  or  difficult  students  in  the  classroom.      •  Tread  carefully  when  asked  this  

ques+on.  It  is  important  to  focus  on  posi+ve  ac+ons  in  the  classroom,  not  nega+ve  ones,  that  can  improve  student  engagement.  The  rule  here:  always  correct  in  private  and  praise  in  public.    

 Tell  me  about  a  Bme  you  helped  leverage  technology  in  your  classroom  to  meet  learning  objecBves?    •  Relay  how  you  appease  different  

learning  styles  through  the  integra+on  or  mul+-­‐media,  audio,  and  online  web  sites  and  applica+ons.    

More Potential Questions

How  do  you  adjust  your  teaching  style  to  help  a  student  that  is  unprepared  or  unmoBvated?    •  Clearly  state  that  you  make  an  

effort  to  always  help  students  before  it  is  too  late,  and  that  you  consistently  monitor  classroom  ac+vity.  Discuss  a  +me  when  you  had  to  help  a  student  overcome  a  personal  challenge  in  the  classroom  and  how  you  helped  them  succeed.    

 The  class  that  you  are  teaching  is  an  elecBve.  How  do  you  moBvate  a  non-­‐major  and  engage  them  in  the  course?    •  This  is  a  perfect  +me  to  share  more  

with  your  interviewer  about  your  passion  for  your  field  of  study  and  also  share  measurable  strategies  for  helping  increase  engagement  through  the  use  of  personal  stories,  links  to  interes+ng  outside  resources,  and  the  use  of  the  Socra+c  method  to  help  students  reflect  on  the  material.    

 

TWO    

Common Interview Questions For Faculty Members

How  do  you  ensure  academic  integrity  in  your  classroom?    •  Let  your  interviewer  know  that  

academic  integrity  in  the  classroom  is  very  important  and  discuss  your  strategy  for  ensuring  academic  integrity  in  your  classroom:  1.  Let  students  know  the  

academic  integrity  policy  of  the  school.    

2.  Give  students  links  and  resources  such  as  plagiarism.org  and  the  Perdue  OWL.    

3.  Discuss  your  strategy  for  determining  an  act  of  plagiarism  has  occurred.  How  do  you  determine  papers  are  the  student’s  original  thought.      

4.  Relay  your  policies,  and  ensure  they  align  with  those  of  the  university.      

 

CHAPTER THREE

WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU ASK?

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Prepare your questions

How  is  faculty  performance  measured,  and  reviewed?    Do  you  offer  opportuni+es  for  professional  development  for  faculty  members?    Are  adjunct  faculty  invited  to  in-­‐service  mee+ngs  and  events?    How  many  contracts  may  be  available  in  the  upcoming  year  for  this  par+cular  course?    Do  you  offer  support  to  new  faculty  members  and  help  answer  ques+ons  during  the  first  course?      What  are  the  most  enjoyable  parts  of  working  for  your  university?  Why  do  you  like  your  campus  culture?              

THREE    

It is important to ask questions and find out

more about the position.

It shows interest, and also helps

you determine if the position will be a good fit.

CHAPTER FOUR

FOLLOW UP WITH YOUR INTERVIEWER

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Follow Up with your Interviewer

1.  Before  you  leave  the  interview,  ask  about  the  next  steps.      •  This  will  help  you  understand  the  

+melines,  and  the  process  for  faculty  selec+ons.    

•  Ask  when  a  decision  will  be  made,  and  if  you  are  hired,  when  you  might  expect  your  first  contract.    

 2.  Get  a  thank  you  note  out  within  24  hours.      •  Within  24  hours,  e-­‐mail  the  

interviewer  and  thank  them  for  the  interview,  and  their  +me.    

•  This  is  a  good  +me  to  include  any  addi+onal  responses  to  ques+ons  that  you  did  not  fully  answer  during  the  interview.    

3.  Follow  up  respecOully.      •  Periodically  follow  up,  but  do  not  

become  an  annoyance.    

4.  Learn  when  to  move  on.      •  Do  not  miss  a  great  opportunity,  

because  you  were  too  focused  on  a  past  event.    

FOUR    

Develop a follow up strategy that

will keep your interview in the forefront of your

interviewer’s mind.

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