University of Rhode Island Interview Questions
& Process

Had a virtual 30-minute chat with two full-time team members. They asked some standard interview questions to get to know me better. Everyone was really friendly and nice. I also had a chance to ask them questions at the end.

The interview process was a general academic interview, lasting one full day. It included a research presentation, numerous one-on-one meetings, and a campus tour. I arrived the day before and left after the interview. The faculty and staff were very nice, and the difficulty level felt reasonable. It's a nice university with a beautiful campus and reasonable living expenses.

I got an online application in and heard back via email about two days later, setting up an interview for two days after that. I met with a department manager and her assistant. I suspected it was a pointless interview because she wasn't actually considering me for the job. It seems she knew someone I worked with previously who made my last job miserable, so this manager was trying to get me to say bad things about them. Her sarcasm and insults, even to my intelligence, made it obvious. When I asked why the current employee was leaving, she got defensive and rude, saying she needed to change her hours due to having kids and that the new position paid more, which she claimed was her reason for leaving. Honestly, based on our short chat, I doubt that's the real reason. After putting me through a lot of criticism and insults, she suddenly said she thought I'd be bored and get tired of the job, which she felt was a concern. I hadn't said anything to suggest that, and I told her I didn't think that would happen. Then, even though I've been out of work for a while, she asked if I'd need to give notice to anyone, like my husband, if I got the job. She said she and her assistant would decide by the next day because she was going on vacation for two weeks. I'm sure I'll get a rejection email. I'd rather stay unemployed than work for her.

We do a phone interview first, and then an on-site interview. The phone interview is 30 minutes. Two professors will ask questions about your scientific projects. One professor will ask questions to evaluate your personality and behavior. They are pretty easygoing, so the conversation is very relaxing. If you are in the US and applying for a full-time job, an on-site interview is required. Graduate students and postdocs also participate in the on-site interview. For faculty positions, you'll need to give a presentation like a seminar. The on-site interview lasts for a whole day and includes touring different labs and talking with various professors.