Successful Interviewing for Academic Positions: A Department Heads Perspective

1
Successful Interviewing for Academic PositionsA
Department Heads Perspective

• Dan Bernardo
• Dept. Head, Kansas State University
• Dean, Washington State University

2
Three Stages to Landing an Academic Position

• Preparing for success in an academic position
• Successful interviewing
• Keys to success on the job

3
Job Preparation

• Know and prepare for the diverse roles of a
  faculty member in todays academic department.
• Teaching
• Research
• Extension
• Service
• Advising

4
Do the following activities contribute more/ less
for purposes of advancement than they did
five years ago?
Source Carnegie Foundation, 1999
5
Forces Contributing to Broader Faculty Roles
Responsibilities

• Increased demand for improvement of on-campus
  instruction
• Reductions in the resources committed to
  research, extension, and on-campus instruction
• More pressing, issue-driven demands by clientele
• Broader range of subject matter areas covered by
  the agricultural economics profession.

6
Top-10 Characteristics to Demonstrate During an
Interview

• Excellent economics training
• Fire in the belly
• Excellent communication skills
• Absence of pain in the factor
• Excellent people skills
• Interest (and experience) in all dimensions of
  the job
• Interest in real-world problems
• Flexibility
• Ability to multi-task
• Some notion of career direction

7
Components of the Interview

• Seminar
• Dean associate deans meetings
• Student sessions
• Department head meeting
• Social functions

8
Five Most Common Mistakes Observed During
Interviews

• Failure to communicate during seminar.
• Inability to demonstrate passion /or enthusiasm
  for the job.
• Demonstrating inflexibility in terms of teaching,
  research, or extension responsibilities.
• Overall lack of preparation.
• Confusing arrogance with confidence.

9
Becoming a Successful Academic Professional Four
Keys to Success

• Practice effective time management.
• Pursue scholarship on all fronts.
• Enjoy your work.
• Get along with peers, students, and
  administrators.

10
Distribution of Time Allocation Award Winning
Teachers
Busy Teaching Periods
Light Teaching Periods
Source Schroeder, 1996
11
Distribution of Time Allocation Award Winning
Researchers
Busy Teaching Periods
Light Teaching Periods
Source Schroeder, 1996
12
Becoming a Successful Academic Professional Four
Keys to Success

• Practice effective time management.
• Pursue scholarship on all fronts.
• Enjoy your work.
• Get along with peers, students, and
  administrators.

13
Is the definition of scholarship being broadened
to include the full scope of activities in which
faculty are involved?
Source Carnegie Foundation, 1999
14
Becoming a Successful Academic Professional Four
Keys to Success

• Practice effective time management.
• Pursue scholarship on all fronts.
• Enjoy your work.
• Get along with peers, students, and
  administrators.

15
The Great Ones Enjoy What They Are Doing! (I
enjoy)
Source Survey of AAEA, WAEA, and SAEA award
winners (Schroeder, 1996)
16
Becoming a Successful Academic Professional Four
Keys to Success

• Practice effective time management.
• Pursue scholarship on all fronts.
• Enjoy your work.
• Get along with peers, students, and
  administrators.