5 replies to this topic

[Mad researcher]

Hello everyone,

I got an interview call for a PhD Position in metabolic disorders. I would be very grateful to you, if you could tell me what kind of questions the professor would ask. This PhD Position is not part of any PhD program but is a direct advertisement from a professor in Germany.

Please advice !!

[pcrman]

So you are already phd student? What is a PhD position, something like a Postdoc position? Question could be very different for the two types of positions. For a PhD, the recruiter is more interested in finding out whether you are really scientifically motivated and well prepared for the study and eventually be successful. Some potential specific questions are:

• You will be asked to describe your past research experience or project (to know if you are genuinely interested in the work you did, not just did what you were ask to do)?
  
• How much background knowledge you have on the project you did (to know whether you have probed the literature adequately)?
  
• Do you have a critical perspective of your work?[/size][/font]
  
• Do you know anything about the professor's research (you are expected to ask questions when the professor describes his/her own study)?
  
• You will be asked for questions which tell how intelligent, organized and enthusiastic you are.
  
• You may also be asked questions on technical details related to your past research.

I hope that helps.

[Mad researcher]

pcrman, on 10 March 2013 - 08:39 AM, said:

So you are already phd student? What is a PhD position, something like a Postdoc position? Question could be very different for the two types of positions. For a PhD, the recruiter is more interested in finding out whether you are really scientifically motivated and well prepared for the study and eventually be successful. Some potential specific questions are:

• You will be asked to describe your past research experience or project (to know if you are genuinely interested in the work you did, not just did what you were ask to do)?
  
• How much background knowledge you have on the project you did (to know whether you have probed the literature adequately)?
  
• Do you have a critical perspective of your work?[/size][/font]
  
• Do you know anything about the professor's research (you are expected to ask questions when the professor describes his/her own study)?
  
• You will be asked for questions which tell how intelligent, organized and enthusiastic you are.
  
• You may also be asked questions on technical details related to your past research.

I hope that helps.

I meant that i applied for a PhD Position and i have been invited for an interview
Your post did helped. Just one more question. Will he expect me to know all the techniques of his lab or he is doing?

[pcrman]

I still don't know what PhD position is, is it lab rotation?  He may not expect you to know the particular techniques his lab is doing,  but expect you to know details of your commonly used techniques. Some people know how to do an experiment, but don't care the science behind.

[Mad researcher]

PhD Position like the one advertised here (http://www.fens.org/...ead&jobid=77891)
So basically, i should know what i have done like the techniques, the results.
Does someone expect to read a lot of his publications or just a few. I just read one of his latest publication which is based on the project. Should i go through more?

[Tabaluga]

I would definitely read all of his publications that have to do with the project and at least know which other subjects his research has covered so far, you should know what he's been working on and/or what most successful topics or publications are.