Cramming for interviews?

[overdetermination]

My first skype interview is today and I'm having a terrible case of imposter syndrome. I kept this at bay when working on the applications themselves because I could obsess over and massage every bit of information I put out. Without that benefit I'm convinced I'll come off as an amateur. And without the time to prepare for every contingency, I'm wondering what I should focus on polishing. Describing my own research? Strength and accomplishments? Should I be sure to have read some of the POI's research as well, or is it no big knock if you haven't?

From among the things an interviewer is looking for in the interviewee, what do people think is most important?

[cemeterydr1ve]

I am currently preparing for a couple of interviews, one of which is at short notice so I'm cramming, and right now my main focus is on becoming very familiar with my POI's research. Knowing how to talk about your own research is really important, too. If you haven't gotten much practice with this at conferences and such, it would be good to try practicing aloud. 

It is good to feel comfortable discussing your strengths/areas in need of improvement because I've been told that interviewers sometimes ask questions about that. 

[JoePianist]

You definitely need to read some of your POI's recent publications before the Skype interview - at least 2-3 papers they've published within the last five years. I heavily relied on ResearchGate's website as a fantastic resource for my POI's papers. Make some brief notes on some highlights in the papers that stand-out or resonate with you the most, and have these notes handy when you're doing the Skype call. If you're really short on time or can't focus to read the entire paper, just read the abstracts very closely.

Also, make sure you have some questions ready for the POI. For Skype calls, I'd focus more on asking questions about the POI's current research projects and where they see their research direction going in the next few years. I'd save more specific questions, such as asking about the POI's mentoring style and what role they see me working in their lab, for the in-person interviews. Depending on your POI, they may ask you some questions about your current research, but I can't imagine them expecting an in-depth answer until the in-person interviews.

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Edited January 6, 2016 by JoePianist

[Applicant 1746]

I definitely would have "elevator pitches" of your own research prepared -- consider practicing describing the main studies you've worked on aloud, so it'll come naturally to you when asked (everyone I've interviewed with so far has asked me to describe my projects -- either my most recent, or the one(s) most relevant to the work their lab does, or the one(s) I found most interesting/exciting...etc). Open with some background/rationale, then mention the research question/hypothesis, and go into the methods/procedures/measures/results. An interview is a conversation, not a speech, but I find that it's VERY helpful to have practiced these big open-ended questions in advance. (I personally like to practice because when I'm just put on the spot, I'm more likely to launch straight into the procedure or something, without orienting the other person in the larger research question/area.) It's also helpful to refresh your memory on the details of the projects you've worked on, in case your interviewer asks more detailed follow-up questions.

I would definitely recommend familiarizing yourself with the interviewer's research, yes. You'll need to prioritize what and how you read in the interest of time, and carefully reading abstracts (and skimming any graphs/charts and discussion sections) should help a lot in catching you up. If it's helpful, here are some other "criteria" I've used for choosing which publication(s) to read before an interview:

1) Their most recently published work (last ~5 or so years)

2) Their most-cited papers (insofar as these may be the most representative of their overall research agenda, or else may indicate the papers that have been the most influential on the field/area)

3) Papers listed on their website as "representative publications"

4) Papers they're first author on

5) Papers most relevant to your own research interests

6) If they have a short biography on the department website or a short list of current research interests, any papers on those topics in particular (research interests can shift with time, and your interviewer will probably be more interested in talking about the questions they're interested in now and anticipate being interested in in the near future)

[RD]

One question that might help: is this a preliminary interview that will be followed up by an in-person interview, or is this the only interview they'll be conducting? If it's only preliminary, you don't have to make sure you say *every single thing* you would ever want them to know about you, you just need to do well enough that they invite you back.

I can speak to this as a former clinical Ph.D. student who has been on the other side of admissions. Clinical programs may have different priorities than cognitive programs, but this is how it was for us. At the interviews, here are the main things we were looking for:

1) Research fit. This is probably the most important thing. If you're getting interviewed, your stats are good enough, but so are everyone else's. Fit is one of the most important aspects in deciding who to accept. So, familiarize yourself with your POI's research and be ready to talk about why your interests are a good fit. That doesn't mean you have to have prepared talking points to show off how well you know their work, but it's helpful if you can draw parallels between their work and your interests. Ask about the projects that are currently ongoing in their lab and/or coming up in the future. Keep in mind that one of the things they're also trying to assess is how likely you are to accept an offer if they make one.

2) Thoughtfulness/potential. None of us expected applicants to wow us with their knowledge and experience - to paraphrase one of my old professors, "I don't expect graduate students to have any ideas worth listening to until after their first year." The whole point of the program is to teach you, so they don't expect you to know much right now. What they DO want to see is your potential for learning and for doing good work. So, tell them a clear story about why what you want to study interests you. Tell them about what and how you've learned from the experiences you've had. Think about any unique capacities/experiences you've had that make you different from other applicants. Focus more on the kind of research you want to do in the future and why than on trying to impress them with what you've already done. Overpreparing can actually hurt you here - engaging thoughtfully with a question is more likely to impress them than having a canned answer at the ready, and if you rely heavily on prepared answers, you are more likely to be thrown when they ask you something unexpected or difficult (which WILL happen at some point).

3) Interpersonal skills/personality fit. You are going to be their colleague for the next five to seven years, so they want to pick someone they like! Everyone understands that interviews are nervewracking, so they'll understand if you seem nervous, but try to let as much of your personality shine through as possible. Put your best interpersonal skills forward. I do want to note, though, that this category is likely weighted more heavily in clinical programs than other programs, since interpersonal skills are essential for clinical work.

I hope that helps! I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have any. Interviews are always stressful for everyone, but you'll get through it. Good luck!

[St0chastic]

Thanks for the helpful comments everyone!  I will try to keep all of these points in mind as I prepare.

[RD]

23 hours ago, St0chastic said:

Thanks for the helpful comments everyone!  I will try to keep all of these points in mind as I prepare.

How'd it go? 

[St0chastic]

1 hour ago, RD said:

How'd it go? 

Just to be clear, I am not the OP, although I too had some Skype interviews and found the advice on this thread very helpful.

Most of my phone/Skype "interviews" so far haven't really been traditional interrogative interviews per se as they have been mutual conversations.  Mostly, my POIs gave me an overview of their program and lab and invited me to ask questions.  While it's difficult to gauge, my gut feeling is that they went fairly well--or at least well enough that I was invited to come for the in-person interview visits.  Over the coming weeks I will continue to research the labs I have applied to work in, rehearse my "elevator pitch," and draw up a list of questions to ask.      

[overdetermination]

@RD well! It was a preliminary interview. It sounded like the POI primarily wanted to make sure the project they thought I might be interested in was indeed something I'd be interested in. I would relate amusing details if I weren't afraid of being identified...but I did get invited to the interview weekend.

The advice was helpful for this occasion and going forward, so thanks everyone! 

[RD]

4 hours ago, overdetermination said:

@RD well! It was a preliminary interview. It sounded like the POI primarily wanted to make sure the project they thought I might be interested in was indeed something I'd be interested in. I would relate amusing details if I weren't afraid of being identified...but I did get invited to the interview weekend.

The advice was helpful for this occasion and going forward, so thanks everyone! 

Glad to hear it. Good luck at the in-person interview! 

[Dr. Brains]

Found some helpful information in another thread. Attached the document so everyone here can view as well

RecruitmentWeekendTips.pdf

[Piagetsky]

15 minutes ago, Dr. Brains said:

Found some helpful information in another thread. Attached the document so everyone here can view as well

RecruitmentWeekendTips.pdf

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The page you are trying to access is not available for your account.

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[Dr. Brains]

1 minute ago, Piagetsky said:

Says:  

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The page you are trying to access is not available for your account.

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whoops. does this one work?RecruitmentWeekendTips.pdf

[Piagetsky]

Just now, Dr. Brains said:

whoops. does this one work?RecruitmentWeekendTips.pdf

Same thing.

[Dr. Brains]

aw man  well i'll copy and paste them below (Sorry for length):

My apologies for taking so long to get this post up! I started classes and have been pretty sick. As a reminder, the more questions you ask me, the more I know what you want answers to!

 

The purpose of the post for today is to provide my insights into interviews and hopefully ease some fears by helping you figure out what to expect at a biomedical science, molecular biology, immunology, or similar interview. I have a few questions that were in my message box, but other than that, I'm just going to fill in the pieces.

 

You guys need to remember that at most institutions, if you're selected to interview, you've got a REALLY good shot at being accepted, sometimes better than 75% chance. These programs are trying to impress you on top of trying to make sure that you're going to be a successful student and a productive addition to their research institution.

 

This is going to sound cliché, but the most important thing to remember is to be yourself. Don't pretend to be someone who you are not; you don't want them to view you as plastic and fake.

 

How do you prepare for interviews?

I hit on this previously, but there are more things to hit on. I mentioned that it is important to look up the professors who will be interviewing you if the school notifies you ahead of time. You can get a general idea about them from their lab website, but note that those are also rarely updated. Because of this, projects listed on the website may already be completed by interviews and could already be published (thanks to Glow_Gene for reminding me).Your best bet would be to look at their website and then check them out on PubMed. I also looked for their students on PubMed to see what recent publications they were included on. I read some abstracts and reviews on the professors' areas of research so that I would be able to discuss it with them when the time came, and I printed a few abstracts for study material. Prep a couple of general questions based on their most recent publications, but nothing super specific. You don't want to act like you know their field... because you don't!

 

All of this research also comes in handy when you're finally at a school and need to pick your first rotation. I also recommend looking up a picture of the professors and program administrators so you can at least know who to expect. It makes you feel a lot more comfortable when you walk into their office! It is also a good idea to bring in updated copies of your resume or CV. Most professors are given your application, but in case they are not or they want a new copy, take them with you.

I mentioned previously that I took some powerpoint slides from my last MS committee presentation with me to demonstrate that I could generate data. This is not necessary and definitely not required. You should also not do this unless your PI that you did the work under approves what you're taking with you; it could cause some big issues if your PI ends up getting scooped, and you want to protect that data.

 

When you pack, keep your bags to a minimum. Sometimes professors come and pick you up, and you will have to get your bag into their car. You're only going for a couple of days, not a month!

If you're currently in school, you need to be notifying people that you'll be gone. Make sure someone can record audio for you in lectures (if that is allowed) and be sure to reschedule things like exams as soon as you find out about the interview. I also had to find someone to sub for teaching my lab class. If you're employed, you need to either have some vacation time to take or you need to get some unpaid time off.

 

What should you be wearing?

I went over this in the previous post, but seeing people freaking out about it in the forums suggests it is worth repeating. On the plane or traveling, nice jeans and a decent shirt are generally fine, though I changed into khakis when I arrived at the airport.

 

For "casual" events such as a dinner with graduate students or other evening activities, I dressed on the more casual end of business casual: Khakis and a cute blouse, brown boots.

 

For my actual interview day, I dressed up more, but not to the level of a high end business professional. I wore fitted grey trouser pants with black boots, a ¾ sleeved black blazer, and a blouse.

 

For ladies, it is important that you're comfortable.

 

Here are things that I feel ladies should avoid:

1. Skirts, especially those above the knee... Complaints about modesty were common from professors. If you wear pants, you don't have to worry!

2. High heels, especially stilettos. You're going to be walking so much you'll be miserable before lunch. If you do want a heel, keep it low, and make sure that it is a fat heel so it is more supportive. Short wedge heels or boots are the best. Pick shoes you know you could wear 12+ hours with a few miles worth of walking in a day.

3. Cleavage. Just cover it up, ladies. You'd rather those you're talking to to look at your face, right? V-necked tops should probably have a camisole underneath just in case.

4. Sheer fabrics: There was a girl at interviews last year with a sheer shirt on over a yellow bra. Common sense should tell you to avoid things like that.

Guys, you've got it easier, but sometimes you put patterns together that make people cringe. Just look professional, and that should be all you need to worry about. You don't have to wear a full suit; a nice shirt + tie and dress pants are fine. Just don't wear jeans.

 

What are the outings with grad students like?

Odds are, you'll be arriving the evening before your interviews. Schools generally like to have the current graduate students meet you and take you to dinner, and often these students are volunteers.

 

Usually they'll take you out to a local restaurant and you'll all sit, talk, and generally have fun. This doesn't mean that you should go and get completely wasted. Have fun, have a drink (as in only one, and a small one at that), and enjoy your meal. These grad students are both your best friend and worst enemy. They'll give you insight into the professors you're meeting and will usually answer anything you want to know about the program really honestly. On the other hand, they're also directly in contact with admissions and will note things about you. If you're rude and obnoxious, they're going to tell someone. The same goes for if you're so quiet that you talk only when spoken to or if you do not seem to play well with the other applicants.

 

Since I am assuming most people know how to play well with others right now, these outings with the grad students are great ways to learn about the area, real expectations for students, to ask questions about classes, professors, etc.

 

I had a blast at one of the interviews; the students ate with us the night before, attended their student seminar the next morning, and then the night of interviews, we got to meet them around a campfire with the professors. After that, we headed to a bar, which was a test, but we all had fun. Probably the best day was the day after interviews where the students showed us their apartments and some of their favorite places in town. Everyone was happy, and everyone was enthusiastically answering our questions.The grad students really made us feel welcome and like we wouldn't shrivel up and die if we attended there.

Another interview, the students were set up to meet us the evening we got there and then for a reception right after interviews. The difference was that students were reluctant to answer questions, acted miserable, and did not do much to make us feel welcome. These kinds of things can help you solidify a decision, later if you're struggling to choose between two schools.

 

What is the interview like, and what are some common interview questions?

You guys need to realize that everything is fair game. The types of interviews I attended were 3-5 interviews at 30-50 minutes each individually with each professor in their office. None of them treat interviews the same. One may want to ask you a ton of questions about your SoP, your research, and where you see yourself in 10 years. Another may have seen your application and decide that he wants to see how you take to being recruited for his lab, so your interview time will be spent discussing his research. Others are a mix of the two. Many professors will make at least some time in your interview to request that you ask questions of them about research, the area, and the program. Essentially, be ready for anything. I even was assigned a short homework assignment from one PI.

 

The obvious thing to do to prepare is to read abstracts as discussed above and to make sure you remember everything you put in your essay.

 

That being said, I know all of you still want some questions to prep to help control your constant worrying.

1. Why do you want to pursue a PhD?

You would be surprised at how many people get to their interview, are asked this question, and then just sit there staring at the person who asked it completely unable to generate a response. You're applying to grad school, so surely you have a reason for doing so, and hopefully it is one other than that the "real world" is a scary place. Know why you want to do this, and be able to talk about it.

Hint: You probably hit on this in your essays!

2. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

A good idea here is to have a couple of options already in your head.

3. Why do you want to study at "insert institution name"?

Of all questions, you really want to be sure of this! You need to be able to demonstrate that you've applied to a school for other reasons than it had a free application or has a well-known name. Were there specific PIs you wanted to work with? Be careful, here... you need to have more than one PI! Was there a specific research area, such as epigenetics, that the school is known for? They almost always ask this, often followed up by something like, "You didn't grow up in a place like this, so how do you think you will adjust?" or "Will moving away from your family be okay with you?" or "Will your significant other be moving with you, or will they remain behind?" These sound personal, and they are, but sometimes they ask to try and gauge if you're serious about the school. I know when I interviewed, I wasn't prepared for that kind of follow-up, but I had luckily already discussed it with my boyfriend and family..

4. You said "insert random thing" in your essay. Can you elaborate a little on that? Why do you feel that "thing" is so important in "whatever they correlate it to"?

This is notable because you're going to have things in your essay that make you unique. They're going to want to question you on that. It could be some anecdote from your essay, something you say you want to do with your life (like public science outreach), or even something completely random.

5. Why did you want to be interviewed by me?

If you got to select who your professors were, be able to tell them why you picked them. Telling them you just went down the list isn't nice. Pick your profs by research interests and other factors.

6. Do you have any questions for me?

Now would be a good time to ask questions about the program, or, if you haven't discussed their research, give a segue into discussing a little about it. Like anyone in science, they love talking about what they do!

(More questions will be added as I get more question ideas!)

 

Interview etiquette (copied from my previous post):

Make eye contact.

Shake their hands when you get there and when you leave them.

Avoid "stuff" words (like, kinda, sorta, maybe, ummm, etc) and run-on sentences (and.... and then.... but..... and.....).

Ask questions about their research, the students, AND the program (the PIs might not know, but they will see your interest).

Say thank you!

Do all of the things you know to be professional, but try not to make yourself seem plastic.

It is a great idea to have someone give you a practice interview a few times before you go. Some career services places at your university may have this service for you. It is a good idea to film and watch yourself to see where you need to improve.

Next time, we'll answer Rexzeppelin's question: "How do you determine if your potential PI is a closet psychopath?" Feel free to ask me questions in the comments or to message me questions! I'll either answer them directly or make a new post!

GOOD LUCK AT INTERVIEWS!

 

These are great tips! I second everything about preparation, proper attire, and what the visit is normally like.

Other general interview tips:

- Reread all of your submitted materials - SOP, writing samples, anything else. Know what's in them.

- Try and keep each answer you give down to 2-3 minutes, and set them up so as to invite your interviewer to ask follow-up questions. This is a great way to steer the conversation toward areas where you feel more confident.

- It's ok to fumble and to be nervous. Thinking about answers to some common questions will help keep you going when you get stuck. Your goal is really just to sound coherent and excited. The rest will follow naturally.

- Prepare some questions to ask your interviewers. This will come up. Read the school's website in preparation. See more on this below.

- Feel free to ask graduate students anything, but watch their reactions. Normally grad students will be very honest and share all kinds of information with you.

- However, not everyone will say bad things about their advisor to a (practically) stranger, so find roundabout ways of getting at someone's character and style as a mentor. Don't take others' (superficial) opinions too seriously, though. There are always going to be personality clashes between people, so the important question is about the trajectory and general past history of a certain professor, and whether you personally feel that you get along with them. Don't ignore glaring warning signs, but don't give any one person's opinion too much weight.

- Do some basic preparation with regard to potential advisors. Read such things as the "About" page on their personal/lab website, and look at current and recent projects and publications, to have an idea of what their research. I don't think it's necessary to actually read any papers. If you know you'll be interviewed by people outside your subfield, I think it's enough to know what the person generally does. They will not expect you do know details of their work.

- Above all else, BE POSITIVE. Don't say anything negative about the school you're currently attending, other schools you might be considering, experiences during the interview, etc.

- Watch out for negativity directed at you in any way. Including, but not limited to, people trash-talking other schools, or gossiping about other students, professors, or prospectives, in an inappropriate way. For me, that's a major turn-off and a warning sign. If they allow themselves to be so off guard during an official visit, it must be even worse on a daily basis.

A couple other relevant questions off the top of my head:

- Tell me about yourself / your work / your research / your interests.

There will be some version of this question at some point. Be able to say something intelligent and short. Also be ready to elaborate on something specific, e.g. your writing sample or whatever you proposed as a future interest in your SOP.

- Why do you want to study [subfield]? What questions do you find particularly interesting?

Something simple will do, and you are not obligated to actually study anything that you say you are interested in. But if there are particular questions, methods, etc. that you know you want to study more, you could mention that.

- Do you have any questions for us?

Be prepared. This will come up. A good question is a question that makes your interviewer feel good about themselves and/or their program. So don't ask if it's true that Prof X and Prof Y don't get along, or that the program recently had a grading scandal. You won't get honest answers and you'll forever be known as the person who asked that question. Depending on what was already covered in the conversation, you could ask about research/collaboration opportunities, courses in other departments, current lab projects, what advanced students are currently working on, what jobs recent graduates have obtained, etc. Avoid yes-no questions and simple questions that are already answered on the website. Another angle is to ask the prof about their own work, projects that may start in their lab soon, what they see as important open questions in the field, what they think have been the most important advancements in the field, etc.

 

Edited January 11, 2016 by Dr. Brains

[FeelTheBern]

And when in doubt.....

[S.Elizabeth]

2 hours ago, Dr. Brains said:

Thanks so much for sharing that article. I found it very helpful and insightful. Good luck on your interviews!