Interview Questions

What are some important questions to ask during an interview for one’s first faculty job? Our advisory board has come up with a few examples.

Time

...much time will be research vs. clinical vs. teaching, etc?
...much time can be devoted to developing my own research, grant applications, or other areas of interest?

Money

...will pay overhead expenses (eg, Internet, phone line, administrative support) and moving expenses?

...is the initial salary and how is salary negotiated on an ongoing basis?
...benefits are available?
...are the sources of salary support that will be used to fund my salary?
...are the expectations that come from those sources of salary support?
...type of startup funds are available to junior faculty (seed money grants, university pilot funds, part-time research assistants, etc)?

...stable are the salary sources?
...long will they be available?
...is my time supported? Is the department willing to protect (or buy out) a portion of my time until I achieve independent funding?

People

...is the track record of recently recruited junior faculty members, including success in obtaining extramural funding and retention?
...is the nature of relationships among the faculty (collegial, collaborative, cut-throat?)
...are the expectations (both short- and long-term) for the person hired into this position, including clinical work, teaching, administrative responsibilities, and research (both funded and unfunded)?
...level of mentorship and career development support is available?
...are the attitudes towards family obligations and flexibility?

...there is a clinical /teaching commitment, is it possible to reduce this when extramural support is obtained?

...stable is the leadership and the financial situation of the department, the division, or the research program(s) I am hoping to join?
...do other junior faculty in similar positions 'negotiate' and experience career development issues?
...will my research/expertise/area of interest 'add' to the work in the department?
...much space will I be given?
...accessible/available are the technical resources needed to pursue my research interests?

Places