the 36 hour marathon
Being invited for a campus visit means that you are probably one of 3-5 candidates now in the running for the job. Based on my own experiences and those of others, I offer below some advice I have found useful and some insights I have gained along the way.
Campus visits in the US (I can’t speak for Canada, but I suspect they are similar there) are one of the most intense types of interview around. It’s an academic marathon, but with the added dimension of having to perform like an actual human being with social skills. For some people, this is understandably a nightmare. You’re essentially being interviewed from the dinner on the first day, through to breakfast on the third. This is a long time to be “on” and operate at that level.
However, it’s important to remember that this is an opportunity for you to interview them and figure out if this job, department and institution is right for you (see at the bottom a Twitter thread about questions to ask during your visit). It’s easy to forget this when the job market is as it is. Additionally, if you are adequately prepared, you may actually be able to enjoy meeting with (presumably) a brilliant group of scholars who are interested in you and your work. As hard as it may seem, try to have fun!
I want to preface my thoughts below: the campus visit is a tremendous amount of preparation (your first one especially, as you write and re-write numerous drafts of your talk) and you have to do your best to be prepared. All other things become of secondary importance. That being said, at this point, there are so many factors that go into deciding on a candidate that are not about you, that you have to accept that you don’t have much control over the outcome. You are clearly a qualified and exciting candidate in their eyes, otherwise why bring you in? But the job market is competitive. There are other qualified and exciting candidates. Tons of them, in fact - though you are one of the few chosen to visit the campus. Assuming you didn’t bomb your talk, not getting an offer doesn’t mean you wasted your time. It doesn’t mean you failed. It isn’t because of how you answered that question that caught you off guard at dinner. It’s important to view any campus visit you get as a huge win, and as an opportunity to build your professional relationships and reputation. At the very least, you got an incredible opportunity to showcase your work to people you respect, and to ask for feedback on your performance.
Arranging the Campus Visit
As I said with phone interviews, when arranging the dates of your visit, do not feel the pressure to say yes to the first set of dates they offer you. Try to get the dates to fit with your teaching/service commitments where possible, and ask for alternatives dates if you need to. You should be flexible to a degree, however, and make sure to convey that you are excited about the visit and that this is a priority for you.
Sometimes, you will be asked to book your own flights out of pocket and be reimbursed after your visit. I think this is a terrible system, not least because it disadvantages graduate students, post-docs, adjuncts and those with less financial resources who may have to choose a less preferable, cheaper flight. I did this and missed a connection and the faculty dinner. It was incredibly stressful. I then waited a month to get reimbursed. And no one wants to contact a department that didn’t offer them the job for a reimbursement check… Hopefully they will either book your flight for you, or direct you to their travel office who will.
When choosing flights (if given the option), I advise making sure you have a few hours buffer in case of delays, especially if you have a connecting flight. This is often the case during the job market season. If you’re going to the east coast, be mindful of flying through Chicago and other airports that experience heavy snow and storms. Consider whether a 45 minutes layover in Boston is feasible. If you’re flying to the US from a different continent, ask to come a day early to help adjust to the time difference. Stay in communication with the committee but don’t minimize unnecessary emails and don’t run numerous times/dates by them - just make sure to be there by the time they want you there.
Ideally, someone from the department, likely a member of their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee, will reach out to ask if you need accommodations. If they don’t (and this is a faux pas on their part and potentially a red flag), ask for them. If you need time to pump, make sure there is time allotted on your schedule. If you need elevator access, ask them to arrange this for you. If you have dietary requirements, let them know so that they don’t take you to eat somewhere inappropriate.
In my experience, there are two kinds of campus visits. The first (common at R1s) will involve one-on-one meetings with faculty members, as well as breakfast, lunch and dinner with different faculty members and students. The number of meetings can vary. At one interview, I had one such meeting. At another, I had 16. This kind of campus visit, where you are shuttled from office to office and everything is scheduled back to back, is a hustle and it’s exhausting. But it’s important to maintain energy and enthusiasm throughout the day. Don’t complain (as I have heard candidates do…) that you are tired. In fact, avoid saying anything remotely negative. You have 24-48 hours with these folks, so make sure you leave a positive impression. They are all making time out of their own schedules to meet with you.
The second kind of campus visit (perhaps more commons at SLACs and private institutions) will involve one collective meeting with the faculty and/or search committee. This is much less daunting that it sounds and has its advantages; everyone hears what you have to say and it can feel more like an organic, natural conversation. It also means you don’t have 30 minutes alone with someone with whom you potentially have zero overlap (though in these cases, it’s normally easy to find common ground). The downside is that it means less time with people one-on-one, and therefore less time to really connect with anyone.
The department may ask if you’d like them to schedule meetings with faculty members from other departments. Take them up on this. Look at other departments to find who might be a great colleague or collaborator. This will show you’re thinking about connections across campus, and you’ll get an outsider’s opinion on the department you’re interviewing in. Additionally, it also provides an opportunity for you to meet with other faculty of color, for instance, if this is a concern for you. If you want to visit particular spaces on campus - libraries, GIS labs, research centers and institute - ask. They will be more than happy to show off their resources.
You’ll get your schedule around 4-7 days before your visit, maybe less. If they have not given you 30 minutes in your schedule ahead of your talk to prepare, ask them to add it in. Your schedule may include a meeting with the Dean or Associate Dean of faculty, so read up on them and make sure to have a list of questions for them.
Preparing for the Campus Visit
You should prepare and do your homework on the department and faculty members. I usually try to read at least one article by each faculty member to get a sense of their work. I read everything I can on the department and institution (look for reports on diversity, faculty surveys, departmental strategic plans etc.) I also go back to read and re-read my application materials and the job ad to make sure I have all that information fresh in my mind.
You must practice your talk and time yourself. This is so incredibly important. Talks are typically 45 minutes plus time for Q&A. (You may be asked to talk about teaching briefly at the end - get clarity on this). Practice your talk with fellow Ph.D. students, advisors, faculty members and friends. The full dress rehearsal. Ask seasoned faculty and faculty with more recent experience to give feedback. Do a mock Q&A and have your colleagues ask you some questions. Once you have a polished talk, try to get a few practice runs in before to make sure you don’t go over time - the cardinal sin. Everyone in the department is putting aside time to see your talk. Be courteous of their time.
When choosing what to wear, my general rule is that, regardless of the norm-core culture that pervades academia, you should always be the smartest dressed person in the room. If you feel overdressed upon arrival, you can remove your jacket, roll up your sleeves and maybe lose the tie. If you are underdressed, well - that’s on you.
No jeans, ever (though I will wear a smart, plain black pair to dinner and breakfast). No short sleeve shirts, my dudes. No open toe shoes. No clogs (do not interpret this as a personal vendetta against clogs, I’m a huge fan). Jewelry should be simple, and make-up minimal. For me, this means a suit and blouse, and if necessary a wool coat (make sure to pack suitable footwear if rain/show are likely). I typically go for the following:
Day 1 (dinner): silk blouse; black jeans or pants; smart shoes/boots.
Day 2 (the big day); suit jacket and pants; blouse/shirt; brogues or loafers.
Day 3: (breakfast): cashmere sweater (a little more casual); black jeans or pants; smart shoes/boots.
Be aware of disciplinary norms. Anthropology or English, for example, might be more relaxed. Political Science and Economics will undoubtedly be suited and booted. This might all sound kind of archaic, but universities are sometimes. And getting the job is more important than making some kind of statement or political commentary with your choice of footwear.
Pack everything into a carry on. Do not check a bag as this may contribute to delays. You really do not want to lose your bag and your suit etc., and equally you don’t want the faculty member tasked with picking you up to have to wait a long time for you to return from baggage claim.
During the Campus Visit
I don’t think you can underestimate the importance of manners and etiquette on the campus visit. People will be judging you not only in terms of your scholarship, but how you treat others. They want to know that you a collegial person who they can imagine working with into the foreseeable future. So be nice. Be genuine. Don’t talk over anyone. Be open and considerate of questions asked of you, rather than defensive. Don’t treat anyone differently because of their rank or role in the department. This sounds extremely obvious, but you’d be surprised by the number of people that assume only the search committee, chair and dean matter. Maybe this is unconscious bias, maybe not. Either way, it is extremely noticeable and deeply offensive. (Yes I have been on the receiving end of this).
Be good to the students, whether undergraduate or graduate. Departments (the kind we want to work in, anyway) care about what their students think. Ask them about the classes they like or want, the books they’re reading, their research. Ask about campus culture. Engage with them as you would any other colleague.
At dinner, don’t order the most expensive item on the menu, nor the cheapest. Imagine you’re on a first date. Try not to order anything messy. Spaghetti is to be avoided at all costs. You don’t want to order anything that makes it difficult to talk in between bites (and you will be talking, a lot). If everyone is drinking wine and they offer you a glass, either accept, drink slowly and perhaps don’t finish it (be wary of jet lag and how alcohol effects you) or politely decline. You do not need to explain why you don’t want a drink, or do not drink. (See this twitter for people’s feelings on campus visit dinners and know you are not alone).
A couple of pro tips: wear comfortable shoes, as you’ll likely do a lot of walking. If there may be snow or rain, pack an umbrella, a raincoat and appropriate footwear. For those in California and other season-less places, this may mean borrowing some clothes from your fellow Ph.D. students who hail from the Northeast (thank you, Adina Matisoff). Since you’ll be interviewing during breakfast, lunch and dinner (don’t let the social context fool you), you likely won’t get to eat very much so keep energy bars or a bag of nuts in your bag. Bring a water bottle - especially if interviewing at high elevations (no joke) and/or battling jet lag.
See this great Twitter thread on questions to ask during your visit: