I applied for >50 assistant professor positions at R1 universities. I was fortunate to do 13 video interviews & be invited on-site 15 times in Canada, USA & Europe. Hopefully, this thread may help future applicants to be successful and save them some time, energy, & anxiety. 1/13

Some collaborators warned me not to spread myself so thinly that I cannot put a good application in. Others advised me to apply everywhere I may be a good fit. I second the latest advice providing that the department matches your undergraduate and/or graduate education. 2/13

I have been invited to places where I would never have imagined being interviewed. I also went to interviews shuffling and came back very excited about the position, the city, and the work environment. 3/13

A downside of this strategy is that you can end up with video interviews on Friday, Monday, & Tuesday, and flying out to an in-person interview on Wednesday - I totally messed up the latter presentation, but still got offered the position. 4/13

So, once you’re back home, don’t overthink, try to forget everything until the official decision, it’s essential for your mental health. Also, irrespective of your level of preparation, sometimes it clicks, sometimes it doesn’t. There is nothing you can do about it! 5/13

During on-site interviews, the meeting with the search committee often takes place at the end of the day. Of course, you are totally drained. Preparing your answers long beforehand helps to be more convincing & to save cognitive resources for unexpected questions. 6/13

Interviewing is a skill that, like any other skill, requires training. Definitely record yourself on video! You will already fix many problems like this! You can also practice the questions in advance as they are often the same. 7/13

Why this university/department/position? Why are you a good fit? How do you see yourself/your team in 5/10 years? What funding will you apply for & why will you be successful? What is your teaching/supervising experience/style/interests? 8/13

What would you do differently from what your previous supervisors did? What is your main achievement? Could you describe a difficult professional situation & how you managed to handle it? Which 3 words best describe you? What is your main weakness & how do you work on it? 9/13

You need to find the best balance between being yourself & being what the committee expects. I quickly realized I was too honest when addressing some questions & should be more strategic. You don't want to give a grip to those who are hesitant or prefer another candidate. 10/13

At the end of the interview, the committee asks if you have questions. Always have 1 or 2 questions at hand, e.g., did they already identified any gap that you could work on, which gives you the opportunity to relieve their concern right away. 11/13

After the interview, do not necessarily expect a response. Although I always asked when I would hear back from the committee at the end of the interview, 7 universities never got back to me or did it more than 6 months after the interview. 12/13

If you get multiple offers, look out for yourself and your family. No one else will do it for you. When your decision is made, don't look back. 13/13