Justus Liebig University Giessen interview questions

Das Vorstellungsgespräch fand per Webex statt. Gleich zu Beginn des Gesprächs wurde mir mitgeteilt, dass ein Teil der Interviewer sich aufgrund anderer Termine bereits verabschiedet haben (zuvor haben wohl schon andere Vorstellungsgespräche stattgefunden). Das Gespräch mit den verbliebenden Interviewern war freundlich und locker. Nach einer Einleitung meinerseits zu meiner bisherigen Karriere und meiner Motivation, wurde mein Hintergrundwissen zur Stelle und die dafür benötigten Skills abgefragt und getestet.

I had one single panel interview with employees of the university and the state of Hessen. Through my many connections inside the university as well as their exchange partners in the US, I was already aware that an internal candidate would be in the running for the role, and was likely to be offered the position. Regardless, I prepared thoroughly for the interview, speaking with administrative members of universities at home and abroad as well faculty associated with the exchange program. In my opinion, the interviewers were adversarial. Instead of attempting to find commonalities and strengths in my experience that would lend to a fruitful cooperation, they picked at minute details of perceived (or perhaps invented) misalignment. At one point, one of the six interviewers on the panel had the audacity to laugh out loud at me. I have never had a worse interview experience in my life, and my only regret is not having walked out of the interview after withdrawing my application due to the behavior of the interviewers.