Often the colloquium is the only opportunity that members of a department not on the search committee have to assess the candidate. One respondent indicated that if a candidate does poorly during the colloquium, it is unlikely that his or her candidacy can be justified or supported to the rest of the department. A candidate may also be asked to teach a class to demonstrate his or her teaching ability or potential. Thus, while research productivity will help you obtain an interview, teaching ability comprises the second hurdle. Applicant Fit Applicant fit refers to the degree to which the candidate matches the needs of the department rather than how similar the applicant is to the department's members.
Applicant fit is the third determinant in the selection decision for most of our respondents.
In fact, some institutions suggested that applicant fit is weighed equally with research productivity. Applicant fit is a hurdle that all successful candidates must eventually clear. Finally, applied experience is viewed as a selling point but not a necessity. Some such programs expect their faculty to consult and to provide applied experience for their students. Graduate students serve two goals simultaneously by working to develop field research during applied experiences.