Helloooooo Campus Candidate!
This past week, I went on my very first on-campus interview ever at an institution just down the road from where I currently am at. The day covered a majority of what I was expecting in terms of people I would meet, conversation topics I would talk about, questions I still had about the process or position, and things of the sort. Overall, my favorite part was getting to meet the people I would hopefully be working with. Everyone has their own story and I was interested in knowing how each individual got to where they were and what they truly enjoyed about their current position. If down the road, I am able to work with these wonderful individuals, I would know the fuel that fires their flame of passion for working with students on a college campus.
I think if I could go back and redo the day over again, I would do even more research on the entire school. I did most of my research on the individual department but knowing how that piece of metal fits into the overall machine would be helpful to see how the university functions as a whole to help prepare college students to become fully engaged citizens in today's society. Knowing more about the institution could have helped me ask more detailed and specific questions about how the department works with other departments on campus as well as get a more in depth feel for the relationship between the departments.
If I had to share a helpful tip, it would be: Be yourself. I know there is always pressure to stick out as the best candidate and judgement if you say something wrong or have a different philosophy. However, if you don't believe in their current philosophy or you felt judged by giving honest answers, would you feel comfortable working for that department or trying to implement new, upcoming ideas? I know it is a rough world out there and its stressful finding the right "fit" but it will come and when it does, it'll be just what you are looking for. If it is not, then it is simply a stepping stone to get you there. Stay positive. It is hard when your number one choice turns you down to do anything but smile. Yes it stinks, but crying over it, won't change the fact that they said no. Move on and look forward to what's next. Have a new number one school or reconsider your factors for your job search to include more schools. There is a school out there that is looking for someone like you! Be patient. This is the most important. Schools need time, especially to work through Human Resources, but they also need time to meet for their search committee, bring candidates to campus, do reference checks, conduct interviews, review information, and make a decision or recommendation. Take a deep breath and if you feel like you are out in the dark, reach out to the chair and ask for an update on their timeline. Most schools will be transparent or give you a timeline so you know when to expect to hear from you. and most importantly, Believe in yourself! You got this and you can do it!!
Until next time fellow job searchers! You know you love the job search! XOXO Graduate Girl
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