Operation PPI
Today, I am embarking on a most excellent and most scary, er, um, thing. And I am so articulate, too! In what I have so cleverly dubbed Operation Prospective Professor Interview (PPI), I have been asked, along with several other university students, to interview prospective professors for the American Studies department.
As a potentially Prospective Professor myself, I think this will be a valuable experience. Of course, I am honored and flattered that the department would care about my opinion at all, but the fact that I could have even the slightest impact on someone's life really freaks me out. Just a little bit. On the other hand, I sort of get to help pick out someone who may very likely teach me something one day. That's pretty cool.
I have one inteview today and one tomorrow. If any of you have any words of advice or cool questions you think I should ask, please, please, please let me know! I was thinking of asking them: "If you were a drink at Starbucks, what kind would you be?" But I don't want to appear too academic! bwahahaha! Also, to the professors out there: were you ever inteviewed by students for a job and, if so, what did you think of that? I am sure they are more nervous than I am. And I am pretty nervous about it. I haven't interviewd anyone in about 4 years, so I don't really know what the hell I'm doing!
Wish me luck!
4 Comments:
That's awesome, Q! Sounds like a rare opportunity.
I like the Starbucks question, but it might be over the heads of even the brightest academics.
Seriously, though, just make sure that it's someone who can easily be bribed.
You know, dunno if it helps at all but I was asked an interesting question by a headhunter a few days ago (starting to look for a new job, yay!). First she asked if I watched the Apprentice, then she asked who my favorite characters were and which season I liked best. I thought it was a very intriguing question...Each season has been different in the intelligence levels and general personality of the casts, and each person exemplifies different work traits...She said that what resinated with me gave her an idea of my work habits and personality...
So the starbucks question isn't THAT far out there!!
I don't have any suggestions (sorry), but I wanted to tell you that there is a car in the parking lot at my work that has a bumper sticker that says, "Visualise Whirled Peas." I'd seen these before and laughed about them, but now every time I see it, I visualize a woman in an Argyle sweater riding a bike.
Well, as someone who has gone through this successfully, I would say this. The key to having a great interview with students is to ask them about themselves, and ask them for their opinions. If you appear entirely self-absorbed, or try to sell them on some intllectual level, you will always turn them off. So I would say: look for someone that seems interested in you.
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