Stanford Phone Interview

[siolanthe]

Has anyone done one of these yet?

I have a phone interview with a PI in Earth Sciences tomorrow. Her email said, "we are in the process of selecting graduate students for the Department. I am considering taking a new Ph.D. student next year, and since our interests overlap, I would like to talk to you about your application."

I'm not sure how detailed or formal this interview will be. Any insights about what to expect? Should I have notes about her papers in front of me?

[blah0016]

If I were you, I would read 2-3 key papers (skim) and know the main points. You likely won't have to mention them, though. She will expect you to talk about your interests and accomplishments and how your background fits with her work, and how her school/program/group is especially suited to your interests. She'll likely do most of the talking...that's at least how my solicited phone interviews with professors went, and they tended to be extremely informal. The profs were very nice and the convos were very short. To clarify, I sought out these interviews, so it might be different in your case. Good luck!

Edited January 26, 2010 by blah0016

[socialpsych]

To clarify, I sought out these interviews, so it might be different in your case.

Nope, I had a few interviews initiated by the program last year, and that's about how those went, too.

[siolanthe]

If I were you, I would read 2-3 key papers (skim) and know the main points. You likely won't have to mention them, though. She will expect you to talk about your interests and accomplishments and how your background fits with her work, and how her school/program/group is especially suited to your interests. She'll likely do most of the talking...that's at least how my solicited phone interviews with professors went, and they tended to be extremely informal. The profs were very nice and the convos were very short. To clarify, I sought out these interviews, so it might be different in your case. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I'll have some notes in front of me, and hope that she does most of the talking!

[siolanthe]

So, I did the interview. I felt like the PI seemed rather vague and tepid about any sort of next step--like having me visit campus--but by the time I got home this evening, I had an invitation. Her words were, "Thanks for your time today. I would like to invite you to visit us when works for you." Perhaps vague and tepid once again, but an invitation nonetheless.

I'm not sure what this means, exactly. I live not too far from Palo Alto, so if she is paying for the visit (not sure yet), it's not a big outlay of capital. Has anyone done one of these? Is this now a for-real interview?

For those who might care, the questions were, essentially:

What field do you intend to study?

What other schools?

Why Stanford?

Where are you aiming for, after your degree?

Incidentally, I was _very_ glad that I brushed up on actual papers--not just hers and her students', but other relevant and current papers--and had the notes in front of me. Thanks for that advice. I think that really bailed me out of some other, not-so-hot answers... I know they weren't so hot, because after the fact, she told me what she hoped _not_ to hear from applicants, and I said some of those things.

[conan33]

"I know they weren't so hot, because after the fact, she told me what she hoped _not_ to hear from applicants, and I said some of those things."

Hi Siolanthe,

what were those things that she hopes not to hear from applicants? I think this would help a lot other applicants!!!

Thanksss

[siolanthe]

"I know they weren't so hot, because after the fact, she told me what she hoped _not_ to hear from applicants, and I said some of those things."

Hi Siolanthe,

what were those things that she hopes not to hear from applicants? I think this would help a lot other applicants!!!

Thanksss

This is pretty obvious stuff; no surprises. But it would have been disingenuous for me to say, "After getting my degree, I want to become a leading researcher that will ennoble my alma mater, and you, with an unparalleled body of research." If you can say that and sound genuine, Good on you.

See? You knew all that stuff already....

Edited January 27, 2010 by siolanthe