You’ve applied to a lab, and you were offered an interview–congratulations!
The interview process is not just about trying to secure the position, however. It's also an opportunity for you to ask questions about expectations, responsibilities, lab culture, and more to showcase your curiosity and knowledge about what it means to be an RA, and most importantly, to ensure that you end up in a lab that’s a great fit for you.
Many of us get stumped at the end of the interview when they hit us with "Do you have any questions for me?"
Use this guide to come prepared with questions you actually want to know in your next interview.
Note: make sure you’re only asking questions to which you cannot find answers online!
1. Find out what the commitment entails.
Is it based on task, or number of hours?
What does the training process look like?
For how long are students expected to work in the lab (e.g., is there a two semester commitment?)
Are lab meetings
Weekly?
Mandatory?
And what content is covered during meetings?
2. Learn about the make-up, hierarchy, and culture of the lab.
How many undergrads, graduate students, and postdocs are there?
Is there any cross-collaboration with other labs or universities?
Who will I be working under? Graduate students, lab manager, post-docs, or PI?
Will I have opportunities to work directly with Dr. [PI Name]?
To what extent and how will I be collaborating with other RAs?
How would you describe the culture of the lab?
3. Learn what the role you are applying for entails.
Ask about specific words in the job description. For example, if you are “coding,” this might mean several different things. Don’t be afraid to ask about specifics!
To what extent will I be doing participant-facing or more technical work?
Will there be opportunities to get involved in multiple projects?
4. Talk about what experiences YOU hope to get out of this.
Are you looking to work directly with participants, handle and analyze data, assist in manuscript preparation, etc.?
Will there be opportunities for independent research/mentorship? Poster presentations at conferences? Thesis work?
Make sure you tell them what you're interested in, if you have specific goals for after the research assistantship (e.g., grad school), and assess if the position can help you meet those goals!
5. Find out details about the research being conducted.
This will show you’ve thought critically about the research. Ask about things like:
Research question(s)
Methods
Analysis
Hypothesis/es
Potential future directions
What stage is the research in? Will I be joining at the beginning, middle, or tail end of a study
Is the lab currently in the middle of recruitment? Data collection? Analysis? Manuscripts?
6. How has COVID impacted the research?
Are there any benefits to remote adjustments of the research?
In what ways have you had to adapt the research methods since the beginning of the pandemic?
What are the current expectations of research assistantship?
Is all work in-person?
Is there flexibility for remote involvement?
Also note that as a diligent student, labs want to hire you! So you can be somewhat selective in the process, too.
In asking these questions, you can become committed to a lab with the confidence that you will have a rewarding research experience.