I am going to attend my 2nd round PhD interview. There are two parts. One is about a 20-minute long presentation focusing on my work experience, motivation and anything which can prove I am able to fit this position. Another part is about a 40-minute long group discussion. So I was wondering how to prepare for this presentation. Should I present my past project in detail, like providing the graphs? May I talk about something about my interest, my hobby? Any tips and suggestions? Thanks in advance.
1 Answer
The first part:
If this is going to happen in front of the interview panels only (not with other applicants), then it is better to prepare for a detailed discussion. A detailed discussion includes a powerpoint presentation of your work, what would you do in future, etc. Also, you must expect some direct questions like "Why this is good for our organisation?" type questions. This part seems more like a personal discussion.
The second part:
If this is with other applicants, then there is no point being too specific and detailed about your PhD works. It is good enough to know the general knowledge of this field and some degree of the thesis that you have proposed in your PhD. You should be able to actively communicate and agree/disagree with others, very intellectually.
Good luck!
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Hi, thanks for your answer. I do not know who will attend this interview. Maybe it will include the PI, group members and headers of this project. I am sure no other candidate will attend it. I have finished three projects but they are not close to this position. So should I present my previous work in much detail? Aug 24, 2019 at 5:06
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1@DongxuZheng This "So should I present my previous work in much detail" has been answered in the answer given. Aug 24, 2019 at 7:13
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@DongxuZheng You should only a general idea, not too much in a specialised way. Good luck!– CoderAug 25, 2019 at 6:05