Interviewing skills for the FWO postdoctoral candidate

To support applicants who have passed the first evaluation round of the FWO junior and senior postdoctoral fellowship grant competition, the Directorate Research, Library and Internationalisation & the Doctoral Schools organise an online workshop that allows candidates to actively train their interviewing skills.

The workshop consists of different parts:

• self-study on podcast lectures (+-80 minutes)
• live meetings:
  • 2-hour lecture
  • 2-hour practice and debriefing session

In this workshop, participants are trained to respond accurately to the criteria inscribed in your scoring grid, to conveying clear, convincing answers to the key requirements of originality, feasibility and project impact as well as to conveying a clear vision on your future career trajectory and how this grant contributes to it. The principles of time management, engagement with the expert panel members, conflict resolution management as well as the handling of predictable questions are also part of the workshop programme. The course is free but registration is needed.

Competences

An important part of preparing for any further professional step is becoming (more) aware of the competences you have developed and/or want to develop. In the current workshop, the following competences from the UHasselt competency overview are actively dealt with:

• interpersonal competences
  • oral communication
  • stakeholder awareness
  • persuasion
• personal effectiveness
  • self-confidence
  • self-development
  • stress management
    
    

For whom?

• Only postdoctoral candidates who pass the first FWO evaluation stage will be granted access to the workshop.

When and where?

• April 6, 2021 - 09:00-11:00: Joint Meeting: lecture on conveying strategic messages about your proposal and CV & lessons learnt from the podcast series
• April 7, 2021 - 09:00-11:00: Practice session Group 1
• April 8, 2021 - 09:00-11:00: Practice session Group 2
  Please note: these sessions will be delivered online.

Registration?

• Registration is closed since March 12, 2021.
• Please cancel your registration at least one week in advance in case you cannot make it (cf. cancellation & no-show policy).

Preparation?

• Self-study on podcast lectures (April 3&4, 2021):
  • Podcast 1: “Time management during the interview” (+-20 minutes)
  • Podcast 2: “Common questions to expect” (+-38 minutes)
  • Podcast 3: “Types of panel behaviour and how to engage with panel members” (+-24 minutes)
• Upon registration you will be given early access to these podcast lectures and will retain access till your interview dates.

Acknowledged as?

• DS BSH: category 'research management & communication skills' - workshop on communication skills
• DS HLS: category 'transferable skills' - one compulsory elective course
• DS ST: category 'scientific & generic communication' -  one course about scientific and generic communication