Skype interview: what got asked (PhD biology)

[unbrokenthread]

Hi guys,

 

I realize this might be better appended onto another thread. Apologies in advance! I didn't know which one to add it to.

 

Anyway, I had my first interview this morning (PhD biology, evolution emphasis). I was expecting something along the lines of 20 minutes but it went on for just shy of an hour. It felt very conversational and hardly like an interview at all.

 

He wanted to know about my research experiences, about my double major, about the talks I'd given and posters I'd presented (and this led to a tangent about the importance of speaking skills/talks/networking/etc, which I think we were totally on the same page about). He asked me about some of my questionable grades as well and gave me a chance to explain them. He wasn't judgmental about it at all. (At least not openly. )

 

He then asked me if I had any questions for him, and I asked:

 

--Where are you taking your research in the near future? (I was also wondering about the strength of his funding, but he provided that info in his answer, so I didn't have to decide whether to ask outright, lol.)

--How often do you meet with your grad students?

--Do you have weekly group lab meetings on top of the one-on-one interactions?

--Do you require your students to present at conferences/give talks/etc a certain number of times per year?

--And because I'm pretty interdisciplinary, I asked whether or not he would be OK with me occasionally taking courses outside my main degree requirements.

 

He requested some supplemental information, which I provided. I thanked him right afterward via email, said I looked forward to applying, and his reply seemed warm and encouraging.

 

All in all the experience was way less stressful than I anticipated. Fingers crossed! And good luck to all of you!

[Maleficent999]

Question for you, was this interaction framed by the professor as an interview? I had a very similar experience but it was framed as a casual chat on the phone rather than a formal interview. I think I'm mainly confused by my interaction becasue the head of the graduate school at one of the schools I'm applying to is actually the cousin of a friend of mine. My friend put us in touch. We were emailing back and forth regarding general grad school questions but then she wanted to talk on the phone about my research and to encourage me to apply to her school. I wasn't intending to apply originally but after the conversation I decided to. I thought I blew the phone conversation once I realized it might have been an informal interview since I was applying, but then she sent me a bunch of links to information about living in the city where the school is and continued to encourage me to apply. *shrug* I'm not really sure what to think now.

[unbrokenthread]

Hi Kris,

 

No, it wasn't--I solicited him after reading one of his papers and looking him up, basically saying I thought his research was Super Exciting (not BS--I really do think it's amazing) and was he considering more grad students for 2014? And if so, could I ask him some more questions, whether by phone or email or whatever he preferred? He offered skype and his availability. I was super busy and I also panicked a little bit when his availability was like, immediate, lol, so I worked out a time with him for the following week. That gave me time to chill out (and more importantly, to prepare).

 

So it wasn't necessarily framed by him as an interview, but I approached it as one.

 

I think you're fine! It seems like your interaction was set up as casual from the outset. At any rate, I seriously doubt it did anything to hurt your chances. Good luck!!