I think that sounds good! Definitely more formal for the faculty day. Also what are thoughts on nose piercings? I should probably just take it out for the interview right?!
I read this from a faculty member somewhere here.
I would just test out outfits on Zoom and see what works best, as most schools will still probably expect professional attire.
Procrastinating faculty member here :). I agree with the above, although I think this year we will cut you all some slack - we know that Zoom fatigue is real, and that being physically comfortable can help with that. I personally will be completely fine with a dress shirt or nice cardigan over a blouse, rather than a full blazer. To add, though, please consider taking some time to make sure your Zoom setup avoids some common problems. To wit:
1. The (other) halo effect. It's especially important during an interview to make sure that your face is adequately lit and that there isn't a strong light (sunny window or artificial lighting) behind you that makes you a silhouette. It's hard enough to get personality across via Zoom, and being able to clearly see your face helps a lot. No need for a fancy setup, just make sure to test your lighting at multiple points of the day and adjust accordingly.
2. Framing. This is tricky, I realize, but it's helpful for a lot of us to be able to view body language from more than just a disembodied head :). Think about the news anchor frame and try to approximate that. This also has to do with angles - if you're sitting directly in front of a laptop looking down (or up) at it, depending on the distance it can look like a looming face. Also test run your attire to make sure that the camera angle doesn't reveal anything you don't want it to reveal.
3. Eye candy. I don't judge anyone's Zoom space decor or similar (unless it is obviously inappropriate), however I have been distracted by items within view. So just check that your artwork, doodads, books, etc., are not distracting or overly cluttered, even if they're really cool. As with your professional attire, the goal is to make sure you and your ideas are the focus.
4. Props. Obvious prop placement, like making sure your copy of the DSM-5 or "Discovering Statistics Using R" is clearly viewable, are amusement-inducing, but not actually helpful. Also, many folks use their bookshelves as background - nice choice, but please make sure the titles are all appropriate, and that you don't inadvertently reveal an interest in some psychological area/approach that is inconsistent with the program to which you're applying. We can't help it - we WILL read legible titles.
5. Pets. I love 'em. Can't get enough of them, and to my mind pets are exempt from Item 2 above, but not sure everyone would agree. That said, we understand if you get a visit during our meeting :).
Thank you for your posts, all - I'm trying to anticipate applicants' anxieties so we can try to mitigate them during the interviews, and your opinions and questions are helpful. Good luck!
I am in the same boat too!!! So anxious to hear back from schools. I am still waiting on quite a few. I know some schools aren't sending invites until later in the month. Also, one of my interviews isn't until mid Feb. so it is possible other schools have a later time frame as well.
Lol no worries! I'm in the same boat. Supposed to hear from University of Washington today and I've felt nauseous all day. Fingers crossed for good news! (or literally any news at this point)
I got a formal interview invite for UGA for 1/22 from my PI ML on 12/29. Seems like it’s up to the professors instead of a mass invite so don’t worry too much!!
I had to reschedule two of my interviews (3 of them were supposed to be on the same day, Actually the 22nd just like you)
Both the programs I rescheduled with were understanding. You should be fine!
