Applicants who move forward after preliminary (or first round) interviews are often invited for campus visits.

This provides additional opportunities for applicants to showcase their accomplishments and professional qualities, as well as a chance for the hiring unit to showcase its people and their values in action, and to help potential recruits feel welcomed and see themselves as a part of the community.

At this stage, interview itineraries likely contain both assessment and recruitment activities.

– These activities should provide broad exposure and interaction with people within the hiring unit, SoM, and campus and community allies.

– The search committee chair should be clear with all applicants which components of the final interview are part of the assessment. This could include: a job talk, research seminar or presentation, teaching demonstration, meetings with graduate students and/or trainees, and meetings with key leaders in the hiring unit.

– Itineraries for applicants at this stage should be identical in terms of assessment activities, including for any internal applicants. For example, if one finalist is scheduled to meet with a curriculum or diversity committee as part of their assessment, all finalists should be scheduled to meet with the same curriculum or diversity committee.

– A best practice is to interview internal candidates first in order to avoid any potential perception that internal candidates have an advantage from having seen firsthand or gathered information about the other candidates’ final interviews.

Tips for successful campus interviews

– Provide adequate time for meals and breaks throughout the day.

– Consider lunch panels with a diverse group of faculty, staff and students/trainees in which attendees share something about their work. This provides broad exposure to the department or division, and avoids putting the applicant “on the spot” the entire time.

– Highlight campus-wide and community partners and resources:

UW SoM Office of Faculty Affairs (a resource for new and established faculty with a wealth of information on schoolwide career advancement opportunities, teaching and learning resources, and well-being programs)

UW Medicine Office of Healthcare Equity (open to all at UW Medicine, a resource for education, action and transformation to advance healthcare equity)

The Whole U (For UW faculty and staff, a resource for holistic wellness, building community, and perks)

Use this candidate resources template with links (instructions here).