<p>I have brief undergrad research interview coming up in a couple weeks and I am nervous about what to expect. </p>
<p>When the prof emailed me he just said it would be a <20 minute talk so he could find out what I am thinking and what my goals are for the next few years.</p>
<p>I am just your typical freshman with no prior research experience, so..</p>
<p>---What could they ask an inexperienced beginner like me???? Its not like I have any knowledge of the field, I am a mere freshman in basic intro classes...</p>
<p>---What should I wear to the interview????</p>
<p>---What kinds of questions are good to ask???? I don't even know what undergrad research entails, and I don't want to look stupid asking questions like "what does undergrad research entail in your department?"</p>
<p>---Should I bring a resume or something??? I just have normal high school stuff like playing sports lol, I don't think he would care about that...</p>
<p>---How can I show that I am a eager/passionate learner who is reasonably intelligent if I don't even have a college GPA yet and I've never done research?</p>
<p>---Any tips on overcoming nervousness??? When I am nervous I act like a timid squirrely idiot (voice wavering and rambling on about stupid stuff)and it would make a very bad impression.</p>
<p>---Any general advice on nailing interviews like this??</p>
<p>Sorry for having so many questions but I feel this is a huge opportunity for me. I've never had an interview of any kind in my life and I have no idea what research looks like so naturally I'm pretty scared.</p>
<p>It’s Always a good idea to go to the interview with your updated resume. Make sure it’s done well, proof read for grammatical errors, and up to date on all your vital information. Make sure it’s flattering of your qualifications. </p>
<p>It’s always good to go to any interview well groomed. This may involve dressing just so that you look professional. May be just a nice Dockers and a dress shirt, if you are a boy. But never a t-shirt and jeans. </p>
<p>During the interview try to be yourself. Listen carefully to the questions, and answer the questions to the best of your abilities. The trick to interview questions are to point examples from your past life to prove that the trait they are looking for is present in you. For example let’s say they ask about your work ethic. You may say directly that I work hard. But the best way to do this is to think of it as a two-step process. First state your traits regarding your work ethic and finish off with a thesis statement. Then follow it up with a real life example from your life. It may be an AP class that you had to work hard to get an A in high school. Or it may be about the lawn mowing job you did for your parents lawn etc.,</p>
<p>With respect to the first time research job, admit that you don’t know what exactly the research job you are going to do. But show passion around why you want to do a research with him. Tell him how adds to your university experience. Talk about why, what, when, and how you intent to use this experience in the future. Be yourself, be passionate and be real.</p>
<p>Finally do lots research about the prof, his lab, his students activities, read couple of his recent publications. Be knowledgeable of his work. </p>
<p>It sounds like at this point you are trying to get involved with research to gain some additional experience. At this early a stage, just the fact you are looking to get involved in research is going to show that you have the qualities he will be looking for. There is honestly nothing to be nervous about at all. Tell him why you are interested in doing research, maybe you’re looking to get some educational experience outside the classroom… or that you want to get involved because you may feel there’s a difference between reading something in a book and actually applying what you’ve learned. </p>
<p>There is no need to dress up, wear some of your nicer everyday clothes, you don’t need a suit or dress shirt and pants. </p>
<p>Your question is perfectly fine. Ask him the types of things you could expect to be doing. How much of a time commitment it would be…</p>
<p>I would bring a resume. Don’t worry if there’s not a whole lot on it, you’ve just started college.</p>
<p>You’ve already shown eagerness by coming to him to get involved with research at this early of a stage in school. Most undergraduates don’t get involved with research at all throughout their entire undergraduate, let alone at the freshman level. </p>
<p>There’s nothing to be anxious about. Remember it’s a two way road. He is getting something out of this too, and actually getting a lot more out of the deal than you are. He should be selling you on why you should come to his group. Remember that. You’ll do fine.</p>
<p>Your professor will know that you know nothing (you’re a freshman). There’s no need to feign anything and feel free to ask any questions you want. Expectations are much, much lower than you think, so just relax.</p>
<p>This is kind of funny. A 20-minute talk is definitely not an interview from the perspective of the professor. That means that you shouldn’t slick your hair back, wear a suit, and bring a resume. You should think about what your career goals are and why exactly you want to do research. Good answers go something like, ‘I like figuring things out and I love to engineer.’ Bad answers go like, ‘I wanna get to grad school so people say you should get into research.’ Maybe it’s not that bad of an answer, but just think how that looks to the professor. He wants to know you’re not going to flake out after he puts significant amounts of time teaching you and training you to do research.</p>
<p>Important piece of advice. Do NOT try to look smart. You’re stupid in the eyes of the professor. This is a good thing because now you can be as stupid-looking as you want and it won’t matter. Ask questions. If you don’t know what some technical term means, ask. Trust this advice, it’s so much harder to sit for a week trying to read some piece of code and some thick book with equations using math you won’t know for maybe a year or two if you don’t ask questions. Yeah it could be annoying, but the professor will want to help you so he understands that you don’t know anything.</p>
<p>EDIT: I reread one of the posts above about dressing nice. I wore a cutoff t-shirt and basketball shorts the first time I talked to a professor in physics. He was the department chair and an all-around important dude, but he didn’t seem to care anything about that. All he was interested in was the fact that I was interested in physics and interested in hearing what he had to say about his work. Then again, engineers may put more emphasis on looking nice since it’s somewhat important in corporate world; physicists and mathematicians don’t usually have to worry about looking nice in academia.</p>
<p>I’m not in eng. but I’m a prof who hires undergrads for my lab and also seeks them out as volunteers. The best you can do is not overthinking this and get all stressed out. I know, easier said than done!</p>
<p>But his expectations are low- your prof sees students every single day. It’s not a corporate interview. He’s not interested in how you dress, but what you think (not to mention you will look a lot more like you ‘fit’ if you aren’t in a dress shirt and trying too hard). </p>
<p>Just be honest, and curious, and do your homework before showing up (which means read or find out what you can understand from his research in advance, so you can ask real questions). But don’t worry if they are naive questions or you can’t understand it-- he wont expect you to. Also think in advance of questions to ask him. Just remember you had what he liked or he’d not be meeting with you.</p>
<p>I would also suggest conveying basic things (either in your words or your actions) that you are organized, mature, conscientious and reliable. He doesn’t need a rocket scientist if he’s interviewing a freshman, but he does need someone who will be responsible, reliable, and can learn on the job. </p>
<p>Try to see it more like a get-to-know-you meeting than an interview. You aren’t just trying to get the job, but also to learn about it too. Good luck!</p>
<p>Well I talked to an advisor from my school and he told me to dress in slacks and a button up shirt with nice shoes etc; “business casual”. Perhaps he doesn’t know exactly what this professor has in mind with this so-called interview, but then again neither do I.</p>
<p>Some people are telling me to dress nice and bring a resume and others are saying not to, so how can I play it safe since the prof did not clearly specify what kind of dynamic/ purpose our meeting will have?</p>