“Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.”
That’s something my dad used to say to me all the time when I was growing up. I’d ask something like, “Hey, Dad, are you going to eat that piece of chicken?” And he’d say, “No, I just put it on my plate to cover a bare spot.”
Lesson learned: Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.
Unfortunately, we don’t always have that option. Sometimes, like when we’re interviewing for a job, we have to try to come up with a smart answer, even if the question is ... well, “stupid” might be a bit harsh. Perhaps “lame” would be more accurate. Or “canned” — a canned question, just begging for a canned answer.
Sadly, community-college faculty interviews have traditionally been rife with such questions. I even wrote a column a couple of years ago complaining about that sad state of affairs. And although I haven’t been on the market lately, based on what I’m hearing from readers, the situation hasn’t gotten much better.
Remember: Just because some of the interview questions are less than creative, that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t answer thoughtfully. Here’s a look at a few of the questions you might be asked, along with an idea of what the committee is really trying to find out and some suggestions as to how you might respond without sinking your candidacy.
Question: “Tell us how you use technology in the classroom.”
What committee members want to know: If you’re familiar with, comfortable with, and willing to use some of the more common types of instructional technology, and if you have any special expertise — such as teaching online or teaching hybrid or blended classes — that might be useful.
What they really want to know: If you can do more than turn on a computer.
- Bad answer: “Lately I’ve been experimenting quite a bit with (name of obscure hardware here), using the latest (name of obscure software package here) technology. In fact, last year when I was at DragonCon ... ”
- Better answer: “I’ve always used technology in my teaching in some form or another. For instance, a couple of years ago I starting bringing in YouTube videos to illustrate my point about how many television commercials use a form of emotional appeal. Then we’ll go online and pull up an editorial from The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal. That helps my students understand the difference between lower and higher forms of reasoning in a way that they find meaningful and relevant. Also, even though I haven’t actually taught an online course yet, I’ve been working on putting all of my course materials online so that perhaps I could move in that direction in the future.”
Why it’s a better answer: It references some common applications that even the most technophobic committee members can relate to, and it’s very specific about how those applications are used and the impact they have on students. It also indicates a willingness to try new things. The applicant comes across as a teacher who uses technology, not a technologist who happens to teach.
Question: “Tell us about your experiences working in a diverse institution.”
What committee members want to know: If you have any idea what to expect in a community-college classroom, and whether you have any experience dealing with the types of students you’re going to find there.
What they really want to know: If you’re going to freak out when you discover that the 88 students in your four first-year comp sections range in age from 16 to 73 and represent 23 ethnicities, 57 nationalities, and 18 religions.
- Bad answer: “I had two African-American students in the undergraduate course I taught as a grad assistant at Prestigious U.”
- Better answer: “One of the reasons I want to teach at a two-year college is that I enjoy the diversity of the community college classroom, not only ethnically and culturally, but also in terms of age and life experiences. I think that sort of diversity brings a lot to a class discussion. For example, last semester I was teaching a story by Amy Tan, and we happened to have a Chinese-American student in the class who was able to help the other students understand some of the customs and cultural differences that Tan describes. That really enriched the learning experience for everyone in the class.”
Why it’s a better answer: Obvious reasons, but in particular, because it indicates that the candidate understands what to expect at a community college. It also cites a specific classroom example linking an experience involving diversity to the candidate’s teaching.
Question: “What do you see as your greatest weakness?”
What committee members want to know: How objectively you see yourself and how honest you’re capable of being with yourself and with them.
What they really want to know: If you’re a potential serial killer.
- Bad answer: “I think my greatest weakness is that I work too hard/take on too many projects/don’t know when to say no.”
- Better answer: “As you can see from my CV, I really haven’t had any experience teaching in a fully online format. That’s definitely a gap in my professional skill set, and one that I’m looking forward to closing. In fact, one of the main reasons I was so interested in this job is that I see that (name of college) has an outstanding online program, and I’m hoping that I can learn a lot from my colleagues and from the folks in the Center for Teaching and Learning. I don’t know yet if I’d ever like to teach strictly online, but I do look forward to being able to teach online classes at some point in the near future.”
Why it’s a better answer: It admits to a genuine weakness, but one that is professional, not personal, and one that can be easily rectified. It’s also a weakness that most applicants would be expected to have (unless the job ad specifies otherwise), so it doesn’t reflect negatively on the candidate. In addition, this answer turns the question into another opportunity to convey both the candidate’s strong interest in the job and the fact that he or she has done extensive research on the institution. Finally, it’s worded so as to satisfy both the geeks and the neo-Luddites on the committee.
Question: “Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?”
What committee members want to know: If we hire you, are you planning to stay?
What they really want to know: Are we going to have to do another [expletive deleted] search next year?
- Bad answer: “Since I have a Ph.D. from Prestigious U., and most of you appear to have gone to vocational school, I imagine I’ll be running the place by then.”
- Better answer: “I applied here because I was impressed with what I saw on your website and because I like the area. I’m looking forward to being able to devote myself full-time to teaching and doing what it takes to be a good colleague and, eventually, to earn tenure. At some point, I might be interested in getting into administration, perhaps as a department chair, if there’s a need, but I haven’t really thought much about that yet. Ten years from now, I want to be a much better and more experienced teacher without losing any of the passion I have for teaching right now.”
Why it’s a better answer: Duh.
In closing, please allow me one disclaimer: I’m not suggesting that you make up anything, say anything that isn’t true, be disingenuous, or shamelessly suck up. The “good” answers I offered are of course just examples, meant to illustrate the sorts of information you should include. Please don’t simply repeat them by rote in your best Eddie Haskell tone. (Note to Millennials: Google him.) Remember, the people on your search committee might have read this blog post, too.
