AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference: Some Thoughts On the Interview

Prompted by a comment to a recent open-ended post, I'll offer some personal thoughts, directed at candidates, on interviews at the upcoming AALS Faculty Recruitment Conference.

1.  The hotel layout may cause you to be a few minutes late for an interview.  If you have back-to-backs, let the first school know (in advance of the interview) that you need to leave on time, and let the second school know (in advance of the interview) that you may be just a few minutes late (or more than a few minutes, if the school wants you to teach tax AND commercial law courses).  Arrive at all interviews in a calm (and sober) state.  Do not run and then arrive all flustered and out of sorts, with beads of sweat the size of silver dollars dripping off the tip of your nose.  You'll be remembered, but not for ideal reasons.

2.  Knock on the door at the appointed time.  (Avoid "shave and a haircut," and do not -- I repeat, DO NOT -- pound thunderously while screaming "NYPD" or "FBI.")  Greet the members of the interview team with a firm handshake, good eye contact, and a genuine smile.  Unless one of the interviewers gave you your lowest grade in law school.  Then fake the smile.

3.  This is an interview.  Dress appropriately, and conservatively.  Your cologne or perfume shouldn't arrive before you do (and it should exit the room when you do the same).  Men:  shine your shoes, and wear socks that stay up.  Oh, and avoid the bow tie.  Too geeky.   (On advice of counsel, I have no particular thoughts to share with female candidates.)

4.  Unless you're told to sit in a particular place, take a chair with a firm back and a hard seat.  Avoid the cushy sofas, leather recliners, bean bag chairs, water beds, etc.  You may get too comfortable, forget that you are in an interview, and ask for a Heineken.  Or you may disappear into the furniture and require the assistance of a crane to remove you. 

5.  BRING SOME ENERGY AND ENTHUSIASM!  (Preferably not chemical-induced.)

6.  Expect most of the questions to focus on teaching and scholarship.  "Teaching" questions seek information about your ideal course package ("All UCC.  All the time."), teaching style ("Charles W. Kingsfield is my hero.  MY HERO!"), perceived teaching strengths and weaknesses ("I have none."), etc.   "Scholarship" questions may be open (e.g., What are you working on now?  Would you tell us about your research agenda?  Etc.) or more pointed (e.g., What is the thesis statement of your forthcoming article?  Would the following factual twist affect your analysis, and if so, how?  Do you really think that five Supremes will buy your argument?  Etc.).  You may find the tone of the questions friendly and inviting.  Or your inquisitor's condescending, sneering, and long-winded delivery may leave you feeling as if you're undergoing a prolonged root canal without the benefit of novocaine.  Sometimes the questions will come from just one person, while at other times you may be bombarded with flaming arrows simultaneously shot by several members of the committee (each eager to display their intellectual firepower in front of the dean).   Welcome these questions!  This is your moment to shine!  (And please, don't begin your response with "So, ....")

7.  REMAIN ENERGETIC AND ENTHUSIASTIC THROUGHOUT THE INTERVIEW!

8.  You may be invited (probably near the end of the interview) to ask questions.  Perhaps it's just me, but I would discourage you from opening with "What resources are available to support a new faculty member's scholarly pursuits?"  What do you expect us to say?  "Here's a check for one million dollars.  Make it last until you get tenure."  We expect you to produce quality scholarship.  We will provide resources that facilitate your ability to meet our expectations.  So what's your next question?  Don't expect to have more than two to five minutes to ask questions (a longer period of time is NOT a good sign!).  Frankly, you want to spend the limited time selling yourself as a teacher and a scholar (unless you're interviewing with one of the 300 schools in the "top twenty," in which case ignore teaching and focus exclusively on scholarship).  Most of your questions can wait until the callback, or you can submit an email to the hiring chair.  Nevertheless, have one or two ORIGINAL questions in mind.  Can't think of any?  Try this one:  "If I need four articles for tenure, and I already have four articles, do I start with tenure?"

9.  Don't watch the clock, glance at your watch, or check for messages on your handheld electronic device (which better not be in your hand!).   Interview teams will stay on schedule and bring the interview to a close at the appropriate time (some break at 25 minutes, some when the next candidate knocks on the door, some as soon as the food arrives or the football game starts, etc.).  Do not give interviewers any reason to think that you'd rather be elsewhere (warning:  this may require an Oscar-worthy performance on your part, especially on Saturday afternoon, when some older faculty members have been known to listen with their eyes closed).  Stay focused on the moment.

10.  Depart the interview with another round of firm handshakes, direct eye contact, and smiles all around.  Express genuine appreciation for the opportunity to meet with the faculty appointments committee.  Then walk out the door, start shaking uncontrollably and sobbing gently (forego this "scare tactic" if the next candidate has yet to arrive), liberally apply the hand sanitizer, and proceed to the next interview, ready to repeat the process!

Comments

[JuniorProf]

It seems odd that one should not ask what resources are available to support a new faculty member's scholarly pursuits. This is probably the question that is most relevant to candidates, the answer differs from school to school, and one can't find out about it by looking at a school's website.

[Tim Zinnecker]

JuniorProf, thanks for the comment. It is a question frequently asked. My answer would touch on summer stipends, research assistants, in-house work shops, willingness of colleagues to review drafts, sabbatical policy, funding of trips to conferences, etc. Are we the norm? Do you sense that there is no norm? I'd be curious to know what sort of response you may have received that set a school apart from most of the other law schools. If, from this thread, our readers conclude that there are marked differences in the answers to the question, then I would indeed encourage a candidate to make the inquiry.

[Tung Yin]

Some potential differences that I've noted at the two institutions I've taught at:

- what kind of pre-tenure research leave, if any, does the law school offer?

- what kind of committee assignments does the law school give to junior faculty? (heavy, important but potentially perilous committees like Appointments? or cushy ones like Student Honors?)

- how much research assistance is provided (total hours available to students)?

- is there a materials/books/research budget?

- does the law school have any arrangements with peer schools to send junior faculty to workshop papers?

[Matt Lister]

"Energy...Preferably not chemical-induced."

I hope that caffeine doesn't count here, as with me it's more or less required for normal functioning, let alone energy and enthusiasm! (More seriously, though, these seem like good tips, Tim. Thanks for posting them.)

[Tim Zinnecker]

Matt, without coffee, I don't think any of us would survive this process (particularly those who have to adjust to more than a one-hour time difference when arriving in DC).

And for additional thoughts on beginning a response with "So", see this link:
http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblawg/2010/01/the-yale-so.html

[Jeff Lipshaw]

I offer this selection from "Memo to Lawyers: How Not to 'Retire and Teach'" on the subject of remaining energetic and enthusiastic:

* * *

"I had become a cyber-friend of a very accomplished professor at a particular school, who, as it turned out, happened also to be the chair of the appointments committee for the 2005 FRC. About ten days before the FRC, she called to tell me that in fact the committee was interested in seeing me. The problem was that the committee only had time slots left at 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. Timing your interviews is the subject of much lore. Some people insist Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings are the best. Many people consider Saturday afternoon the death zone, on the theory that everybody is burned out at that point. My friend offered me these two times, and I already had an interview booked in the morning. So I said, “I will take the afternoon interview, but on the condition that I promise to supply the energy.” We chuckled together about that.

"I thought the interview went swimmingly. People complimented my work. People smiled and nodded. But I did not hear back from my friend. That is, I learned, customary. Rarely does anybody get back to you for anything other than a callback. In many cases, you missed the first cut, but the committee doesn’t want to let you go in case it needs to go to the B team, and it doesn’t want to tell you that you are on the B team, even though it’s clear that if you don’t get called in the first week after the FRC, you are either out of the game or on the B team. Some weeks later, I called her. After an uncomfortable moment, she said, 'it really didn’t go well at all. A number of the committee members thought you were hyper and unfocused.'”

[Mary Dudziak]

On the chemicals (aka caffeine) I have a post on what to pack for the AALS.

[Mary Dudziak]

Link didn't work -- here it is: http://legalhistoryblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/how-to-pack-for-aals-or-any-other.html

[Tim Zinnecker]

Mary, excellent advice! (A "must read" -- if you're reading this far in the comments thread.) Permit me to add one other item: an umbrella!