interview for lecturer position

thedirtydevil

Ok i've an interview next week for full time lecturer job in AIT. Im a civil engineer. Any ideas what i can expect in the interview?? what type of questions and how long the interview will go on for??

Tom Dunne

The last interview I did consisted of a panel of six interviewers. TBH, I was somewhat intimidated by the number, I really didn't expect that many.

It started off with me having to do a presentation on a subject of their choice, followed by the actual interview.

It was the usual type of questions - areas of interest/research, have you any publications, any prior lecturing experience, etc. Each member of the panel got an allotted time to ask their question - there was only and ever one interviewer speaking at one time.

That's really it, as far as I can remember.

rocafella

Hi Tom,

Similiar to what you were asked at your interview, I have an interview in a couple of weeks for a Lecturing position and I have been asked to do a presentation at the start of the interview. They have given me the title of the presentation which basically asks how do you teach the topic to undergraduate students. I was hoping you could give advice on what they will be looking for from me in the presentation. I suppose what I'm wondering is do the interview panel have a check sheet with headings on it that you have to ensure your presentation covers or at least mentions. e.g. what structure I have for teaching the topic, have I considered how to assess the students progress on the topic, have I mentioned the need for case study or practical examples etc. Any words of wisdom for me Tom?

Also, how long did the interview go on for and did you have a second interview?

millyvanilli

i posted on wrong thread before...sorry !! I urgently need help ,have an interview to -morrow for part time tutoring/ lecturing ..night classes ..have no formal teaching qualifications but have a professional qualification in my subjects ..just wondering what i could be asked..lesson plans?? etc..about which i know nothing.What could i be asked..any help much appreciated
Many thanks

thedirtydevil

well didnt get the job but the interview experience was invaluable. Gave 8 minute presentation at start then was interviewed by a 5 person panel for the next 50 minutes. It was gruelling but took a lot from it. Mainly asked about career to date, research interests, teaching methods and future hopes etc.

Tom Dunne

thedirtydevil wrote: »

well didnt get the job but the interview experience was invaluable. Gave 8 minute presentation at start then was interviewed by a 5 person panel for the next 50 minutes. It was gruelling but took a lot from it. Mainly asked about career to date, research interests, teaching methods and future hopes etc.

Only seeing this now. Oops.

Anyway, welcome to my world. The experience alone is worth it. As I said above, I was quite intimidated by the six-member panel, that won't happen me again. Roll on the next interview, probably in about five years time, the way things are going.

zephryus

Hi, I am supposed to be interviewed for the lecturer position in a university. As far as I know they'll ask me to present something! That is all a mystery for me at the moment. Is there any recent experiences for such an interview? I am aware that it depends on the committee and the school but...

DeepSleeper

Yes, it is normal for candidates for lecturing posts to be asked to present a 10 minute piece before the interview proper starts - If the topic is up to you, you could just pick a topic from your PhD research and talk on that. However, they could well dictate the topic by asking you to, say, give a 10 minute introduction to XYZ as if you were starting a 3rd year course on it - either way, it would be normal (in most subjects) to present with a PowerPoint presentation and you may be asked to email this to them a day or two before so that they can have it loaded up and ready to go.

On a related note, be aware that any job offers will almost certainly be made at the lowest point of the scale advertised (regardless of your PhD, your postdoc experience etc. etc.) - For years it has been normal to make offers at points on the scale communsurate with experience, but Brian Lenihan put a stop to that last December and all are expected to start at the very bottom regardless of the years you've put to get to this point...:mad::mad::mad:

zephryus

Dear DeepSleeper, thank you very much for your response. That was very informative. All the best...

Printer

Hi guys

Where are lecturing posts similar to the ones you have discussed normally advertised? Is there a particular website that openings normally get published on for each subject area?

zephryus

Printer wrote: »

Hi guys

Where are lecturing posts similar to the ones you have discussed normally advertised? Is there a particular website that openings normally get published on for each subject area?

Here is where I do my search for a particular subject. This website includes both academic and non academic jobs around Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.

http://jobhits.co.uk/

hairyeggs

Printer wrote: »

Hi guys

Where are lecturing posts similar to the ones you have discussed normally advertised? Is there a particular website that openings normally get published on for each subject area?

Heanet for Irish positions.

http://www.heanet.ie/vacancies

dingding

Also make sure you know a lot about the institute that you are being interviewed by.

Why you want to work for that instiutute.

Also think of an example of how you were innovative in one of your previous roles.

Have your previous jobs and educational details researched so you can give these details accurately to the panel if asked.

Regarding the presentation.

Make sure you keep to the time, even if you have to write out the presentation and practice it before hand.

Make sure your presentation has a begining, middle and end.
Tell them what you are going to cover, cover it and summarise at the end.

Try and make your powerpoint match the institutes branding, i.e. use colours from their website.

Do not have to many slides 4 - 6 is enough.

Make plenty of eye contact, engage the panel.


At the end of the interview you may be asked are you happy with the interview, is there anything else you need to add.

You can use this as an opportunity to briefly cover if something was missed (unlikely)

Also they will ask you if you have any question. Important not to ask anything you should know if you have researched the institute.

zephryus

dingding wrote: »

.......

. Important not to ask anything you should know if you have researched the institute.

Hi dingding,

Thank you very much for all of these valuable points. All the best.

dingding

Handy thing is o look at the prospectus and the strategic plan. Try and align your strengths to the goals of the strategic plan. Try to mention the plan in the interview.

So if the institute has a strategic aim to engage more with industry you could turn a question on teaching around to real life project work working with local industry.

If you have a dark suit it makes you more credible, look at what news readers are wearing.

Also make sure you address the topic of the presentation in the presentation.

Also if you give a handout of the presentation 3 slides per page with space is probably a good format. If it is readable on the handout it will be visible on screen.

If you are not sure take a few seconds to think. Better this than blurting out something that you have to try to recover from.

Zipppy

Have an interview coming up for ICT lecturer in an Inst Tech.

Presentation is on:
'How I would teach mobile web design and development. What are the technologies / issue involved?'

Seems easy enough on the face of it but................

Any further tips bar the already excellent ones in this thread??

Zip

dingding

Work in the ICT area but in the networking area.

Think of good lecturers and what inspired you about the way the taught to.

Some points:-

Check the points on the course so you will need to teach to the level of the lowest points but motivate the higher points students.

The students need to understand the subject area not just learning the topic off.

Also if you have any idea what software they use, so if they are into so make sure to incorporate these.

In an IT also the practical element of the course is important.

I would imagine that it would be delivered by a 2 hour practical and a 1 or 2 hours of lecturers per week.

Think of assessment methods CA v#s final exam. This will be laid out in the syllibi.

If the institute has their book of modules on line try to find the syllibi for the modules in this area.


Basically there should be learning outcomes that are taught via the syllibi and assessed. These map to programme learning outcomes.

Finding the learning outcomes will be a good starting point into how you would teach the subject.

Look at any industry certification and how you might incorporate this into your teaching.

Also if you search the student section of the website try and find out if they have a VLE Virtual learning environment. It will be either moodle or blackboard. Google to see examples of how this might assist.

Formative assessment (for feedback to students not counted in final grades) can be done quite easily for students and gives you and the student feedback on the learning process.

zephryus

I had my presentations and interview yesterday. Didn't go well. I think I wasn't prepared enough for the possible questions:

- Why do you want to work in this university and this department?
- What would you do if you come across with a situation where your seniors/colleagues cause trouble to you?
- What are the challenges you would encounter if you start working in this university and department?

So even though I thought that the presentations went well, due to my stupid answers to such questions I guess I failed. I can recommend anybody who will be interviewed to write down the answers for such questions. Always be positive.

Best luck for anyone...

dingding

zephryus wrote: »

I had my presentations and interview yesterday. Didn't go well. I think I wasn't prepared enough for the possible questions:

- Why do you want to work in this university and this department?
- What would you do if you come across with a situation where your seniors/colleagues cause trouble to you?
- What are the challenges you would encounter if you start working in this university and department?

So even though I thought that the presentations went well, due to my stupid answers to such questions I guess I failed. I can recommend anybody who will be interviewed to write down the answers for such questions. Always be positive.

Best luck for anyone...

Perhaps we could use this thread to post interview questions.

Some good questions there but the first one is more typical of a uni where you could talk about research reputation.

The info I gave was probably more appropriate to an it.

Chalad

In your presentation include some kind of actvity/task that will require audience participation. It's 2011 folks, the days for teacher talk time being 100% are old hat. During this short activity, treat the panel as students.

I've presented at a few international conferences and this has been one of they key points of many a presentation.

As has been mentioned, definitely (use google for typical university/Inst Tech questions), to draw up a list of the most common interview questions, then link the answers to your strengths and to what you think the prospective employers are looking for.

Definitely get on their website and find out as much info as you can.

Any publications or conferences that you have attended, bump it up on your resume and big it up at the interview.

Type up your teaching philosophy and talk about it at the interview and show how you would engage the weakest students and those that finish tasks early etc (the stronger students).

Make a teaching/work portfolio, in a nice new shiny, thick binder and offer to give a brief overview at the interview.

Don't mention money yet, but show how much passion you have for teaching/lecturing.

Good luck.