NWR: interview questions

Elinetrouwt

I have my job interview tomorrow. I'm pretty nervous, because I want the job so bad. It's an assistant/research position in the philosophy department from my old university. I'm trying to prepare for this.

So, what are the hardest job interview questions you ever got?

penny12986

My toughest one was "What could you improve upon?" It's not that I don't have thingsthat I could do better, it was just difficult with framing my answer so it didn't reflect too poorly. 

Also, they may ask you to refer to specific work situations in the past and on the spur on the moment, it can be hard to think of one off the top of your head so have examples ready of special projects you have done or ways you contributed in your last position.

bridetobe71412

I hate the "Why should we choose you over similarly qualified applicants?" It's not a "hard" question, per se, it's just something I don't like answering. What will you bring to the department that is unique and different and helpful and adds value?

Be prepared to explain gaps in employment (if you have any). 

Prepare a few questions to ask them - I don't know what it's like working in academia, so I can't come up with anything, but you can imagine the types of questions that would show you are truly interested in this job, not just "any job."

You will be FANTASTIC! Good luck.

ps - What type of philosophy do you study? I double majored in political science and philosophy in undergrad because I absolutely love the argue and think critically and I found philosophy to be SO interesting. I always liked Hume until I found out he was a raging racist, which made me sad.

penny12986

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_nwr-interview-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:eda333ff-5dd7-428f-ba5a-ccf43e5d3be9Post:1a6180f2-0878-4e0e-b91a-769f0d68521b">Re: NWR: interview questions</a>:
[QUOTE]I Prepare a few questions to ask them.
 Posted by bridetobe71412[/QUOTE]

This too! It shows a real interest and the fact that you didn't randomly decide to apply.

Elinetrouwt

Thanks, I've been thinking about questions, still have to come up with a few good ones!

Penny, in my current job there is more that I could improve than things to show off about... Luckily, there are some things that I should improve if I stayed here but that are absolutely irrelevant in the new job.

Bridetobe: I doubled in the same fields! I wrote my master's thesis in the field of political philosophy, which few students did, and they are looking for a political philosopher. I'm lucky enough to bring in some unique experience: I work for a political party right now. I expect most of the other candidates will be recent graduates with little job experience, so that's a plus. I have no employment gaps, just too many jobs - three in five years, I'll guess they'll wonder why I can't hold on to a job...

bridetobe71412

In that case, I'd just focus on why you have a unique perspective you'd bring to the table, and use the many jobs to your advantage - "extra experience in varous fields" or some nonsense. Interviewing (to me) is just BSing a whole bunch.

Also, I LOVE political philosophy.

Elinetrouwt

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_nwr-interview-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:eda333ff-5dd7-428f-ba5a-ccf43e5d3be9Post:6fa6eb3e-b612-49e0-939c-1340145f1ff8">Re: NWR: interview questions</a>:
[QUOTE]In that case, I'd just focus on why you have a unique perspective you'd bring to the table, and use the many jobs to your advantage - "extra experience in varous fields" or some nonsense. Interviewing (to me) is just BSing a whole bunch. :) Also, I LOVE political philosophy.
Posted by bridetobe71412[/QUOTE]

<div>That's the plan! Although I have no clue what to say when they ask 'what project in the past year where you really proud of?' or 'what was the hardest problem you hard to solve recently?'. </div><div>
</div><div>Anyway, I'm just looking for the kind of questions that take you by surprise. I read that Goldman Sachs asked interviewees: 'If you were a pencil, and we'd put you in a blender, what would you do to escape?' That is disturbing on so many levels.</div><div> <div>I LOVE it too! What kind of authors and issues did you like best?</div><div>
</div><div>
</div></div>

BmoreBride311

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_july-2012-weddings_nwr-interview-questions?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding Club BoardsForum:066005ef-215f-48b1-8655-328b41e07c52Discussion:eda333ff-5dd7-428f-ba5a-ccf43e5d3be9Post:a05d2552-ff31-4378-a79c-5102babac35b">Re: NWR: interview questions</a>:
[QUOTE]Also, they may ask you to <strong>refer to specific work situations in the past</strong> and on the spur on the moment, it can be hard to think of one off the top of your head so have examples ready of special projects you have done or ways you contributed in your last position.
Posted by penny12986[/QUOTE]

I think this is especially true for research positions. I would be prepared to explain a research project you did in the past, and highlight the different phases you went through (e.g. secondary background research, hypothesis generation, primary research, analysis, conclusions, etc....)

butterflyjumper1

the hardest question I have ever gotten:

What is the best decision you have ever made? Why?

What is the worst decision you have ever made? Why?

My advice would be to just relax, and be yourself. I have gone in to so many interviews with big plans and big prepared speeches and lists of prepared questions, only to end up feeling awkward and sounding insincere and having a faily bad experience.

My job where I am right now (where I am unbelievably happy) was a totally different interview experience. I went into it prepared to speak to my now-boss, but without much of a plan, and was 100% open and 100% myself.  Just be yourself, ask the questions that matter to you, and don't prepare answers.  The more genuine you are, the more candid and open you will be, and interviewers can see that. 

Good luck!!!  

Carla1019

Here is a good article I found on CNN.com.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/03/04/cb.answering.tough.interview.questions/

I agree with PP, don't answer the questions as if you rehearsed, even if you did. Try to be natural, confident and always pleasant.

Elinetrouwt

I don't have so much confidence right now. I feel bragging is an important part of job interviews, and I don't have so much to brag about right now :-). I have done some not so well prepared interviews in the past and those weren't pretty. But I hear you, confident and open.

@Bmore I have absolutely no research experience, let alone publications, to talk about. Luckily it's a job for starters.

erin77marie

In my last interview for a teaching job, the department head asked why I didn't have more A's on my college transcript (I had a 3.2 gpa for undergrad and a 4.0 for grad, so I'm not sure what part of that was a cause for concern). It wasn't a really hard question to answer, but it definitely took me by surprise.

I guess my answer of having to pay for my own college and working almost full time was a satisfactory answer because I got the job.