Jobs

How to prepare for your first interview

• The interview will take approximately between 15 and 25 mins.
• I must be able to clearly see you and hear you; please ensure a stable internet connection.
• Be punctual. If you are experiencing internet problems and you cannot connect over Zoom, please email me about it within 5 minutes of the start time of the interview.
• If you claim that you can program, I will ask that you write, in real time and with screen sharing, a short program in the language of your preference. Please ensure that you have a working environment to do this (python, C++...).
• I will ask basic questions about undergraduate math/chemistry/physics.

How to prepare for your second interview

• The interview will take approximately 1h.
• I must be able to clearly see you and hear you; please ensure a stable internet connection.
• Be punctual. If you are experiencing internet problems and you cannot connect over Zoom, please email me about it within 5 minutes of the start time of the interview.
• You should prepare a 15 to 20 min long talk about your prior research. The talk should be supported by presentation slides.

1. The first slide should be about you: remind me of the main points of your application (e.g., your BSc. and MSc. grades, topics of BSc. projects). Emphasize your STRONGEST points (e.g., research work initiated by you or done independently; prior expertise that matches the requirements of the position for which you are applying). Explain unusual events in your CV (e.g., long time to complete your MSc. because of sickness; an MSc. thesis with few results because of limited computational resources). Keep it short (< 3 min).
2. Focus on ONE research topic (for PhD candidates, this would be the research you did towards you Master degree). I encourage you to show your slides to colleagues so that they are clear and have no obvious mistakes, and also that you practice the talk in front of them. Structure the talk so that a listener understands:
   1. What is the scientific question motivating that work;
   2. Why is that question important;
   3. How you approached the question (which methods you used and why are they appropriate);
   4. What are your results and what can be learned from them.
3. Things to keep in mind:
   1. Make sure you understand the physical meaning of the observables you show, and the units in which these observables are expressed.
   2. Have the mathematical expression used to calculate the observables either in the main slide or in a support slide. Make sure it is correct (!) and that you understand what you calculated.

• During the talk I will interrupt you many times with questions; don't be put off by this.

• After the talk I will answer your questions about the project I am offering, my group, life in Duisburg, etc...
  • I have noticed that many applicants barely ask me questions, perhaps out of shyness or out of concern they will appear rude or pushy. To be clear: I typically get a favorable impression about applicants that ask questions that will enable them to decide whether the project, my group, the University of Duisburg-Essen and the city of Duisburg are good fits for them. Not asking questions is more likely to count against you than in your favor...
• We keep going until we are both out of questions or the time is up, whichever comes first. By the end of it, we should both be in a position to decide whether we'd work well together on the project for which you apply.
• I do interviews so I can assess your intellectual maturity, your ability to communicate in English, and if your expectations and mine are a good fit so that the project can be carried out successfully. I want to get a feel for your level of understanding about fundamental knowledge from your undergraduate degree and your own prior research work, as well as your ability to think like a scientist.