Can I apply to jobs that require a PhD if I'm not quite finished?

A fifth-year PhD student asks—

I am applying to positions that require a PhD. I am defending my dissertation soon, but not in time to confer before the hiring date. Do you suggest I still apply or am I truly 'unqualified'?

How do I talk about my toxic former boss in an interview?

A sixth-year PhD student asks—I've seen a lot of advice about how you should avoid badmouthing your former employer when you’re applying for a job, to avoid sounding bitter or like you’re going to be super critical of your new organization, etc., but I’m finding it hard to figure out how to talk about my PhD experience. I don’t have any publications, and I really want to explain the environment in my lab and how difficult my PI was, as context...

What do I talk about in a 15-minute interview?

A third-year postdoc asks—

I just got an interview and they said it’s going to be 15 minutes long. That doesn’t seem like a lot of time, what are you supposed to focus on in an interview that short?

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Nice job, it sounds like you got a screening interview! Interview processes for different types of jobs can vary a lot in how many rounds there are, how long the interviews are, and what may happen in them, but the first-round interview is typically shorter and simpler (and involves fewer people) than later-round interviews.

In an interview, how do I talk about a mistake I made?

A 5th year graduate student asks—

I'm preparing for job interviews, and I heard you have to answer “behavioral questions.” I looked them up and they’re questions like “Tell me about a time when you made a mistake.” What makes a good answer to a question like that? How do you make yourself sound like a good candidate while talking about a time you messed up?

How do I prepare for all these interview questions?

A postdoc asks—

I'm trying to prepare for a few upcoming interviews, so I've been looking up common interview questions online. They are pretty easy to find, but there's like hundreds or thousands of questions to prepare for. What do I do if they ask me a question I didn't have time to practice yet?

How do I balance personal and professional considerations in my job search?

A fifth-year PhD student asks—

When I’m starting my job search, how do I prioritize all the different factors that matter to me? I’m worried if I am too picky, I’m not going to find anything. For example, what if I find a job that is really good professionally but isn’t located somewhere I want to live. How do I balance those preferences?

I'm a first year. What should I do to prepare for a faculty position?

A first-year PhD student asks—

I am completely committed to finding a faculty position after finishing my Ph.D., and some of the faculty I’ve met so far have advised that the most important thing is for me to carve out a very specific scientific niche. How do I do that? Are there specific skills or other things I should make sure to develop to make sure I can find an academic job? I know it is extremely competitive.

How do I tell my rotation PI I don't want to join their lab?

A first-year PhD student asks—

How do I tell my rotation PI I don't want to join their lab?

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This is an important communication to have with a PI you have rotated with. It often feels uncomfortable, but don't be afraid—the key is to brief. Sometimes people feel bad saying "no," so they feel like they need to provide lots of justification. But saying "no" is ok and in fact necessary, and PIs are used to it! There are a few things you want to convey in your message:

How many of the qualifications listed do I really need?

A postdoc asks—

When there are multiple required qualifications in a job posting, do you have to be a 100% fit for those qualifications? Can you still apply even if there are a few points that you do not meet?

How do I organize all my applications?

A postdoc asks—

I would appreciate tips and tricks for organizing our documents for all these applications. Do 100 applications turn into 100 separate folders? I sometimes feel that is what is necessary, but I frequently get lost in files. I want to be able to easily reference documents I’ve already written for similar jobs.