Steve Tippins Ph.D.Helping doctoral students get their dissertation accepted, succeed in their careers, & change the world | Academic Career Advisor | Dissertation Chair & Founder, Beyond PhD Coaching | 35 + years of experience.

Why Qualified Candidates Lose Academic Jobs

10 Jun 2026 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

0:42

In this segment, the speaker from the Scholar Career Network delivers concise, practical advice for Ph.D. candidates facing multi‑day academic job interviews. The core recommendations are: anticipate and rehearse likely interview questions; formulate thoughtful questions to ask interviewers; maintain professionalism in both verbal responses and attire, with business‑casual as the minimum dress standard; recognize that a two‑day (48‑hour) interview means continuous evaluation at every interaction. The speaker also highlights that the Scholar Career Network exists to help Ph.D. scholars navigate these moments and secure meaningful careers.

Chapters

Be prepared. It's not like being a Boy Scout. Be prepared for what you can determine are the questions they would ask. Be prepared to ask good thoughtful questions. Be professional with your answers. Be professional with what you're wearing. They may wear jeans and a t-shirt. That doesn't mean you're wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Business casual is the lowest level that you want to be dressed as. And remember, this 2-day interview is a 48-hour interview. Means you're being evaluated every the moment that you're with someone. The Scholar Career Network exists specifically to support Ph.D.s through moments like this and help them find meaningful careers.