Academic Dean – Job Interview Questions (Part II)

On February 15, 2012, I posted ‘Academic Dean – Job Interview Questions’ on the Academic Anchor.   In that posting, I credited the consulting firm Primegenesis with the ‘only three interview questions‘.     Well, it turns out that three leaders from Primegenesis have written a book entitled The New Leader’s 100 Day Action Plan.    In this book, the authors (George B. Bradt, Jayme A. Check, and Jorge E. Pedraza)  expand on their thoughts.

Again, according to Bradt, Check and Pedraza there are only three interview questions:

1. Can you do the job? (strengths)
2. Will you love the job? (motivation)
3. Can I tolerate working with you? (fit)

The authors go on to say that there are only three fundamental interview answers:

1. My strengths are a match for this job.
2. My motivations are a match for this job.
3. I am a good fit for this organization.

A quote from Bradt, Check and Pedraza caught my eye.

Interviews are exercises in solution selling.   They are not about you, they are about them – their needs, their problems.  You are the solution.   Think of the interview process as a chance for you to show your ability to see, hear and solve the organization’s and the interviewer’s problem.

Good thoughts indeed!

Finally, Bradt, Check and Pedraza developed a list of “Questions You Should Ask Yourself’ when preparing for the job interview.

• Have I thought through multiple examples of how I can answer the three key questions?
• Have I done enough research to understand what’s most important to the people I’m talking to?
• Is this the right job for me in terms of strength, motivation and fit?
• What would a videotape of my interview say about me?

I highly recommend the book ‘The New Leader’s 100-Day Action Plan: How to Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results’.    While the book was not written for academia, nearly all of the material directly pertains to seeking an administrative position in higher education.    If you would like to become an academic dean, this is a must read.

– from the pen of Dr. Percy Trappe