interviews
i'm not so good at being interviewed. afterwards, i spend entire nights thinking about all the things i should have said and didn't, and all the things i shouldn't have said and did. i don't know how to sell myself. the interview at mla went well, i would LOVE that job and the people were very nice... i don't think i did BAD but i think i could have done much better. if i'm not invited for a campus visit i'll be very dissappointed because i think i'm exactly what they need and they are exactly what i need.
the interview today was awkward... i felt like the interviewer spoke more than i did. plus the questions were tough and i don't think i did too well on some of them. there's no doubt that i'm better at being interviewed in person. i have an interview on the 19th and am not sure if it's going to be on the phone or there... it's far and would be a pain to travel, but at the same time it'd be much better for me.
that school that just interviewed me intrigues me. they decided to interview me even though they had not received the letters of recommendation, had no teaching materials or evaluations from me whatsoever, hadn't seen a single article or writing sample from me, and didn't know about my research grant. why did they choose me?? it was actually nice to speak to the interviewer, she told me some interesting things about their school and program. and i had met someone very nice from their office of international students at nafsa... we'll see.
the worst question, for me, is "how would you teach this course?" it's not that i don't know how i would teach it. it's just that the way i would teach it feels boring and so conventional and my answer is just a list of stuff i would cover... and i'm sure that's not what they want to hear. once i'd be in the classroom and would know the students better, i know i would be a wonderful teacher. but just talking like that about it sounds... well, uninteresting. the toughtest question i had so far was "how would you teach a litterature class and what would you teach?" hah! not my field!!! studied literature 10 years ago!!! i hope i didn't make mistakes with the dates and authors and styles... i think i did. oh well.
i wish i heard from the canadian universities... and kent state and syracuse...
oh, i crossed out one school because i received, YESTERDAY, an email that was sent to me on the 13th of december... asking for additional materials before the 20th or else my file would be closed. i don't know why my email system does that, it's not the first time.
posted by Lucie @ 2:37 PM
3 commentaires
3 commentaires:
The teaching questions are pretty standard. Part of what they are looking for is not any particular answer, but an answer that indicates you are confident you could teach that class -- because they don't have anyone yet who wants to.
As for an interview without your entire file, who knows. Some people go straight to campus invites with just a letter and a CV. In fact, asking for a lot of materials before making the first cut makes a lot more work for them.
Just one MLA, is that right? Well, esl doesn't interview much at MLA. I think Indiana Penn was my only ESL interview there.
Hi Lucie, telephone interviews are always hard for both the interviewee and the interviewers. There is not much you can do about it. Good luck with the interviews you had and those to come. I have been invited to speak in a panel at TESOL this year on the future of EFL writing research (March 16th). I shall see you then. Best wishes for the new year. - Xiaoye
lulu,
i just went on a campus interview and i felt like throwing up from the time i boarded the plane until the last dinner. i know, the questions are tough and it's so arbitrary, depending on who is doing the interviewing--but it's generally best to schmooze and be positive about all of your responses and kiss butt a little, with sincerity, of course. so nerve wracking...
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