Grad School Interviews

It is interview season (for graduate school) again! I always enjoy interviewing grad school applicants since they are a window into the world beyond my own institution and they give me a glimpse at the next generation of amazing scientists. Grad school interviews are a strange hybrid between recruiting and also assessing the student. After having done several hundreds of such interviews (estimated), I would like to share some thoughts and tips, in the hope that applicants who do not have readily access to this implicit knowledge (a privilege!) have a fair chance:

• Be prepared to talk about your previous science. Few well-done sentences about your favorite previous research project can seal the deal. Explain where the research was before you got involved, what the open question was, and why it mattered to answer that question. Describe the methods in a single sentence and focus on your results and your interpretation. You can practice this part in front of the mirror / webcam!
• Do a Pubmed search of the PI to have a basic understanding of the research beyond the few outdated sentences you typically find on their website.
• Read one paper in detail and be prepared to summarize it and ask questions about the paper. Take initiative and steer the conversation in this direction. 
• Prepare insightful questions about the lab and the university. Do not rely on the stock questions "tell me about your research," "what is your vision for your lab," and "what does a typical day in the lab look like." These are all OK questions but if these are the only questions you got, think about some new and interesting questions. 
• Do ask about mental health support and work/life balance. We MUST normalize these conversations in academia.
• Convey enthusiasm, like it or not, the general demeanor when discussing science does get noticed during interviews.
• And, finally, follow up within 24 hours with a thank you email and some interesting additional thought. True story: I often use this as a criterion for who gets into the final round when I need make hiring decisions. 

I hope this helps you as you are preparing for interviews. Remember, be yourself and enjoy the process!

Good luck!

Flavio