Academic job searches culminate in the campus visits of the top 3-4 candidates. These visits can last anywhere from one day to several days. They typically consist of a series of multiple interviews, a job talk, and meals with search committee members and/or other representatives of the campus community. Some may also involve the candidate giving a teaching demonstration in an undergraduate class. Job candidates are carefully scrutinized to assess their fit with the department and institutional culture. Why so much ado? It helps to keep in mind that an academic job search is a huge investment of time, money, and effort on the hiring side, and a major effort to coordinate.
When you are invited for a campus visit, you will likely be contacted by a member of the search committee, who will go over the general contours of the visit and work out the date/s with you.
It is customary for institutions to reimburse job candidates for expenses associated with campus visits, or they cover them directly. If you are told that you must pay all expenses for the visit yourself, let that be a sign to you. Under normal circumstances, when the institution is covering costs, you may be asked to make your own flight arrangements, or the hiring institution may make them for you. Your hosts will probably make your hotel reservations, but you may be expected to pay the bill at the hotel. Save all receipts (e.g. airfare, hotel, taxis) for reimbursement later, and bring a credit card and cash for unexpected expenses.
Candidates typically arrive the evening before the formal interview begins. This evening may involve dinner with a representative from the institution. The search committee may arrange for someone to pick you up at the airport (dress respectably!), or you may be responsible for getting yourself to your hotel. Beware of checked luggage when flying to interviews. Pack everything you need in carry-on luggage; at the very least be sure to carry your essentials with you (e.g. slides, job talk and teaching notes).
Hosts usually assume the responsibility of escorting candidates around during the visit. If you require audiovisual equipment for your job talk or teaching demonstration, be sure that your host is making those arrangements, and ask that time be built into your itinerary to test it.
Request a copy of your detailed itinerary before your trip. You may not receive it until shortly before you leave for the interview, so allow time for last-minute research. Be certain to obtain as much information as you can about expectations for the job talk and/or teaching demonstration.
Below are items you should always bring to a campus interview:
The campus visit is the critical moment for you in the job search process. You will be “on stage” for virtually the entire visit, and you will have very little time to yourself. The search committee will schedule your job talk (and teaching demonstration, if required) and arrange a series of meetings/interviews with various stakeholders in the search (i.e. faculty, administrators, and students). You will likely have as many as a dozen or more separate sessions throughout the visit, and you will be in constant movement from one to the next all day. Be prepared to sustain a high level of energy while repeating yourself a lot. Remember that every new person you meet is hearing you speak for the first time.
While the schedule is definitely rigorous, you will probably enjoy yourself more than you expect. People are generally very welcoming and friendly. You will impress them if you put your sharply honed interviewing skills into practice and show them that:
Consider what you have to offer from their perspective—what has meaning to them? Also remember that the interview is a two-way street. You are evaluating the opportunity, too.
The job talk, otherwise known as the "seminar," "colloquium," "paper," or "presentation," is arguably the focal point of your campus visit. Here you have the opportunity to share your expertise with a captive audience. Job talks typically last about 30-45 minutes, with 15-20 minutes for Q&A. You should carefully prepare and customize your talk, then rehearse it, well before the campus visit. Prior to coming to campus, request any computer or audiovisual equipment you will need, and once on site, test the equipment at some point before the presentation. The more equipment you use, the more set-up time you should ask for before the visit. Also request any accommodations you might need to feel comfortable, such as a podium, a microphone if you speak softly, etc.
Immediately prior to your talk, allow a bit of time to acclimate yourself to the environment—adjust the lighting, particularly if you are using slides, test the microphone, have a glass or bottle of water handy, and so on. Always bring both backup electronic and hard copies of your presentation in case something goes awry.
Obtain as much information as you can from your hosts in advance about the format and audience of your talk. Will you be standing or seated at a table? Roughly how many people will attend? Will the audience include students, people outside the field? It will certainly include faculty, with varying degrees of knowledge of your specialty. Depending on this composition, tailor your content and tone, aiming to make your presentation interesting and accessible to the disparate members of your audience. Keep in mind that the people who know very little about your research will likely focus on your presence and public speaking skills. Those who are closely familiar with what you do will assess your approach and the depth of your knowledge. In a good job talk, everyone in attendance learns something, experts and non-experts alike. Be sure to answer the following questions:
Good presentation and public speaking skills are crucial. Maintain eye contact with your audience. Show enthusiasm for your work. Project your voice, speak clearly, articulate your words, and do not talk too quickly. Practice your timing—going over the allotted time is a big faux pas. If you hand out copies of something, do not give yourself one—this prevents looking like you need to review your material. If your talk is interrupted with a question, do not act annoyed. Answer it directly.
Before the campus visit, anticipate questions that may arise after your talk and consider your answers. During the presentation show interest in questions, however random, and ask for clarification if a question is unclear to you. Occasionally there will be a confrontational audience member. Think about how you will deal with this. It is best not to argue with a questioner.
GSAS Career Services offers a program annually on giving a talk. Check our Current Events for a schedule of upcoming programs.
You may or may not be required to give a teaching demonstration during your visit. This practice is more common in some disciplines than in others, and more frequent at small teaching colleges than at large research institutions. When making arrangements for your visit, ask questions about the group of students to whom you will be presenting. If they differ considerably from the students at U.Va., take this seriously into account. You may teach a session of an undergraduate class while faculty members observe you. Be sure to know the scope of the course, the level of the students, and what they will have previously studied. Request a copy of the course syllabus. During your demonstration, try to engage the students in discussion, when possible, and be prepared with a back-up plan if no one speaks up. Remember that you will be judged on your:
Some of your meetings with campus stakeholders will take place over meals. Some departments host small receptions or gatherings at which the job candidate is the guest of honor. Even though these events are intended to be more relaxed than the formal interview, you should still act and speak professionally. Remember that social situations are part of the screening process, and you are being evaluated at all times. Be diplomatic, polite, and cautious. Do not let too much personal information slip. Make small talk but avoid topics that may be considered personal, inappropriate, or touchy. Try to resist messy food (e.g. baby back ribs) and observe proper table manners even if others do not—they are not interviewing for a job. Do not eat or drink excessively. Drink alcohol in moderation only if it does not affect you, and do not hesitate to refuse alcohol.
Be very careful not to let down your guard at any point in the interview. Even those of us who do not usually confide in strangers may—under sustained pressure—fall prey to the temptation. Watch this. For example, during car rides and meals, even if your host adopts a casual tone, remember that s/he is not your friend or confidant but rather someone who plays a role in the interview process.
Campus visits are tremendous feats to coordinate, and it is always courteous to send a thank-you letter to the search committee chair or department head afterward to express appreciation for the hosts’ efforts. It is more professional to type rather than handwrite your thank-you letters, and email is acceptable in some disciplines. Thank your hosts for the interview and the opportunity to learn more about the position, and ask that your appreciation be conveyed to others. If someone else played an especially prominent role in the interview, or gave you special attention, it is a nice gesture to send a separate thank-you letter to that person as well. If you are still interested in the position, let your hosts know that, and refer to a few highlights of the visit that make the institution attractive to you. If you consider the job to be a particularly good fit for you, tell them so and explain why. If you were not impressed by the visit, make whatever positive statements you can.