Prepare for better interviews

A few hours after I attend a job interview, the feelings of regret kick in. No matter how well or how badly it went overall, my mind will run over my answers – and suddenly, far too late, I’ll think of the much better responses that I should have given.

That’s one reason why a Tweet from astronomer Bryan Gaensler caught my eye. For a recent set of interviews for a postdoc position in his group, he tried a new approach: sending the list of interview questions to candidates a week in advance. The questions focused on candidates’ experience and interests, such as ‘What experience with high-performance computing do you have ?’ and ‘What are your strategies for keeping momentum and focus?’ Gaensler said that allowing candidates the time to fully think through their answers, rather than saying whatever first came to mind, led to ‘detailed, thoughtful answers. Everyone putting their best foot forward. Everyone showcasing their experience and depth of knowledge.’