Acing the Job Talk: How to Prepare for Hum & SS Academic Interviews

Have you been invited to interview for an academic position or interested in what the actual process looks like? Reaching the interview stage is exciting, but it also brings a new set of questions about what to expect and how to prepare. Understanding what faculty search committees are looking for at this stage can help candidates make the most of the opportunity and present themselves and their research with confidence.

In this session of the Academic Job Search Series, Humanities and Social Science PhD students and postdocs will hear directly from faculty who have recently gone through the academic hiring process. The speakers will share practical advice on preparing for interviews, developing and delivering an effective job talk, communicating research to different academic audiences, and approaching Q&A sessions and campus visits.

The session will conclude with an opportunity for participants to ask questions and hear advice directly from the speakers.

This will be a hybrid event. Join us in person at HQ 276 (320 York St), where lunch will be provided. For those unable to attend in person, a Zoom option will also be available.

Featured panelists:

• Zeinab Azarbadegan, Assistant Professor of History, Yale University
• Luca Bellodi, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Yale University

About the Series:
The Academic Job Search Series is a monthly event series that prepares GSAS students and postdocs across all five academic divisions for the academic job market. Each session focuses on a critical aspect of the faculty job search, offering practical strategies, expert guidance, and insights to help students navigate the process and build successful academic careers.