Sample Interview Questions for an Academic Job

Hiring committees ask a wide range of questions, and it is impossible to know what exactly you will be asked. However, some questions are common. Think about how you would respond to the following:

• How would you characterize your research interests in relation to our department?
• Are there other research clusters or programs in this university with which you would to interact?
• What courses would you like to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels?
• How would you teach a survey course?
• What is your teaching philosophy? What are your teaching methods?
• What kind of assignments do you find most effective?
• How do you think you would relate to students at our (rural/big city/francophone, etc.) university?
• What administrative experience can you bring to the department? Are you willing to serve on committees?
• Would you like to work with graduate students? What kinds of research projects and methodologies might you encourage them to pursue?

Questions you might ask the department:

• What are the students like? Do they come from across Canada? Do they commute or live in residence? What issues concern them?
• Are there faculty or graduate-student-run lecture series, research seminars, or regular conferences?
• Are there any start-up grants or internal research grants for new faculty? Is there travel funding for faculty?
• How are faculty members assessed/evaluated for tenure and promotion?
• Where do most professors live?

See The Academic Job Search for more on the academic job search process.