Skype Interviews

[virtua]

• What are Skype interviews (for MSc and PhD) usually about? What do professors usually ask?
• How long do they last?
• How should I prepare for an interview? 
• How to succeed on such interview?

[EthanL]

I've had two Skype interviews with professors at international schools.
I prepared for both by familiarizing myself with recent publications from their groups (not fully reading everything, but knowing the bases of the papers) and thinking about why I want to work in their groups. I figured there wasn't much that I could do after that. Just have to go with the flow and be quick on your feet.

The first interview lasted close to an hour, the second lasted about 40 minutes.

 

Discussions for interview 1 (medical and industrial biocides group):

My research experience and interests and why I find them interesting

Multidisciplinary nature of my degree and how it fits into their projects

What kind of projects i'd be willing to take on

What kind of projects they have coming up

My study abroad experience at that institution and why I plan to return

Discussions for interview 2 (cancer immunology group):

My current research (specifics; what i've done, how it fits into the overall lab focus, how i've worked with grad students, etc.)

Academic history

My study abroad experience at that institution

Recent papers that I've read

Why i want to be involved in his research group (cancer immunology)

Where I see the field of cancer immunology going in 10 years (caught me off guard!)

What kind of projects I'd be willing to work on (wet lab/cell culture, animal models, computer modeling, etc.)

Potential projects in other labs and cooperative projects between different universities