PhD Interview Advice

[ennui]

Hello,

 

I'm in my final year of my bachelor's degree in molecular medicine at the moment, and I want to do postgraduate courses.

 

I've been applying for a few PhDs in fields like cancer-research, virology, proteomics, genetics and molecular biology.

 

So far, I've had two interviews. One was at UCL in London, and one was at my current university in the South of England.

 

The interviews didn't go too well, in my opinion. They say they will contact me by next week to let me know if I got the position.

 

Does anyone have any PhD interview/application advice - preferably in the UK?

 

I'd also ike to know if a bad interview necessarily means that someone won't get the position.

 

How many times do people have to apply for PhD studentships before being accepted?

[timo]

What specifically went bad? That obviously seems to be a good starting point for advices.

[DrP]

I can't really help as I got onto the Ph.D. course I took as a natural extension of my BSc/MSc project - no interviws at all. There were a few people trying to get a small number of decent projects though. I think my supervisor picked me over people who may have got better grades because of the enthusiasm I had for the prospective project - I went to see him before putting his project down as my first choise to ask him to go into more detail about it as I was thinking of applying. I thnk this forethought impressed him and he gave me (and my mate) a short talk about what the project was about - we asked some questions and told him how enthusiastic we were about getting onto his project because we liked the subject.... The project was ours!

 

Unfortunately though - it is difficault to fein genuine enthusiasm.

[ennui]

I don't think that I sold myself as the right candidate particularly well. I got asked a lot of questions on my current research.

[Klaynos]

In my experience most people think their interviews didn't go very well. I can't give much advise as my interview was more of a chat, as I'd worked in the research group before, although I didn't know my now supervisor really at that point...

 

Being asked about your current research is to be expected really, as your understanding of that shows how well you grasp research, even if it is not directly related to the work you are applying for. It seems important to be enthusiastic as well...

[ennui]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I do try to be enthusiastic in the interviews. One problem is that I'm terribly paranoid I won't get onto a PhD for the upcoming academic year. So I've applied to very different research projects.

 

In all honesty I could see myself becoming a geneticist as much as an immunologist, or structural biologist. I'm sure that I'll be happy with any project which involves medically-relevant biochemistry.

 

Is it common to find someone who has done a PhD in one subject transfer to a different one later in their career?

[Klaynos]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I do try to be enthusiastic in the interviews. One problem is that I'm terribly paranoid I won't get onto a PhD for the upcoming academic year. So I've applied to very different research projects.

 

I think most people feel like that, you mustn't fear taking a year out though, several of my friends (who have just started or are now applying) have done so and it's not looked down upon in any way. Even after getting mine I was paranoid by not getting the degree classification I needed... It really did worry me...

 

In all honesty I could see myself becoming a geneticist as much as an immunologist, or structural biologist. I'm sure that I'll be happy with any project which involves medically-relevant biochemistry.

 

Is it common to find someone who has done a PhD in one subject transfer to a different one later in their career?

 

It's not uncommon, the head of the biophysics research group at my uni did a phd in general relativity...

[iNow]

Ennui - One of the best ways to overcome your interview anxieties and weaknesses is to practice. Work with friends, family, anyone you can get to sit down with you for more than 5 or 10 minutes, and practice explaining your research to them. Have them ask you questions. By practicing in non-critical times, you'll feel much more comfortable and be much more ready for those times when you're in a real interview.

 

Like practicing a sport before arriving to the big game. You wouldn't just show up to the Super Bowl, you'd spend the days and weeks before it arrives working on your plays and getting comfortable with your presentations.

 

BTW - The same works when trying to prepare for an interview for any job. Practice, and hone/refine your story by telling it to as many people as you can beforehand. Good luck.

[CharonY]

Is it common to find someone who has done a PhD in one subject transfer to a different one later in their career?

 

This is very common, actually. It depends a bit on the change, of course. A physics major transferring to biology, is for instance rather rare (though I have seen it happening as well as the reverse). Changes within a discipline, especially at least remotely related fields (as the examples you have given) happen all the time.

Generally one does not expect an undergrad to be awfully specialized. Important bit are that you know very well what you did as an undergrad. That is, you have to be able to explain what your project was about, your particular role in it. Also you should state why you are interested in joining the particular group. Enthusiasm is generally good, though it depends on the supervisor whether you score positively with that. It is important to show that you are motivated, though. A bit knowledge on what the group is doing is good, read a couple of their papers and suggest (not too strongly) what especially interests you.

Usually the criteria for PhD students are not as strict in the academia as compared to industrial positions. After all, you are willingly turning yourself into cheap labour

 

Also academia is a bit of a special place. You do not have to have a "polished" presentation of yourself. It is important that you show interest. The real important bit is that it should not be a question and answer kind of interview but at some point you should try to get into a scientific discussion with the guys. Either about your research (though in all honesty few are deeply interested in undergrad research, except to find out whether you really knew what you did) or, even better, about the research that is happening in the group.

 

In interviews (with candidates, that is) I usually try to spot those that are over prepared and try to knock them off-balance a bit, to see how they recover or try to involve them in a discussion in a totally unrelated scientific area, to see how they are thinking. That is more important than testing for memorized knowledge, for instance. But again, do not take it too harsh. Academia interviews are usually very benign and not that critical. Unless of course you cannot put two sentences together regarding your bachelor thesis or if you show no interest at all in what the group is doing. All in all PhD positions are (relatively) easy to get. Only getting a specific one might be a bit trickier (obviously). Even then, there is always a chance to get a stipend or something similar (depending on eligibility).

[ennui]

Hey, thanks for the advice everyone.

 

As it turns out, although I thought the interview went horribly, they decided to give me the position.

 

I guess you can never how an interview really went until they give you an offer or not.

[Klaynos]

Congratulations

[ennui]

Thanks. I'm very happy about it.

[ajb]

Thanks. I'm very happy about it.

 

Congratulations. That position at UCL or your home institute in the south? (Is that Sussex or somewhere else?)

[ennui]

Congratulations. That position at UCL or your home institute in the south? (Is that Sussex or somewhere else?)

 

Cheers, it's at UCL, should be starting October 09. Living in London will be strange (yeah, used to being in Brighton at Sussex uni.)

Edited February 15, 2009 by ennui

[ajb]

I did my MSc at Sussex and I am kind of unofficially visiting the physics department at the moment. I attend (and have given) the seminars and things like that.

 

Anyway, good luck with it all.

[Severian]

I will be interviewing PhD applicants this week. The most important quality is to be enthusiastic. You should also have a clear idea of the field you want to work in and the contribution you think you can make. However, you should remember that your professor will be hiring you to help with his research, so make sure your research direction is aligned with his, and provide enough flexibility to cover whatever he wants you to do.

[lakmilis]

Yes .. congratualtions ennui.. I just wanted to point out a thing which helps a lot. You say you were 'paranoid' about this or that and so you applied for a broader spectrum, making you feel you didn't seem focused enough to do something?

 

In interviews, I have come to learn (in fact I am like this as a person), to nto be afraid to state exactly that... if you feel this is a case, just say it.. I chose various fields in fear of not being accepted or so. Everyone who interviews you has been there so they do know how it is.

[hermanntrude]

I already had a publication when I applied for my PhD. I think that helped a lot. Also I looked almost exactly like my supervisor's son :0)