Roger Williams University Interview Questions
& Process

So the interview is in two parts. First, there's an online interview over Zoom. Then, you come to campus for a visit where you'll meet with university administrators and give a presentation about your teaching and research to professors and students.

After an initial phone screen, candidates were invited for a panel interview with representatives from at least four different departments. Following this, a multi-channel campaign project was assigned, with a three-day deadline. I was informed by a colleague in another department that my 20+ page submission was typical, as others also presented similarly extensive projects. While I appreciate sample tasks and the chance to demonstrate how my skills and approach align with a team, this felt overly demanding, perhaps even exploitative. After project submission, reference checks were initiated, which took nearly two weeks to finalize. Subsequently, an automated email from HR informed me that I was not selected. Honestly, after such an unusual process, this outcome is somewhat of a relief. I question if the interviewing department is sufficiently prepared, both conceptually and practically, to achieve their objectives. I hope I'm mistaken, especially for the sake of my friends working in other departments. In short, the entire experience left me with a negative impression.

The interview process started with a phone call where I discussed general residence life topics. I really enjoyed speaking with their director during this call. The on-campus interview was even better, despite the initial interviewer being absent. The main interviewer for the day was knowledgeable and seemed genuinely interested in finding the right fit for the department. They mentioned the previous employee left last minute and spoke highly of them. The assistant director handled the benefits check at the end, and while the benefits weren't great and the salary was low for a master's level position, the opportunities for professional growth, working with liberal arts students again, and being close to home were appealing. The biggest issue was the reference check; they contacted my supervisor who wasn't listed as a reference, which created an awkward situation and made me wonder if I would have gotten the job if they had called my listed references. They should only call listed references.

The interview was conducted over Skype and involved five interviewers. The chair of the search committee led the questioning. At the end, candidates were invited to ask questions about the program and the school.