Suggestions for On-Campus Job Interviews

I was looking through my drafts box and found this post I had written a year ago to the day. Weird timing.

In this 2007 hiring season, I've made it to about half the job talks (we have them so frequently--having three open positions--that it is hard to keep up with all of them). I went to a few job talks at my M.A. institution, but now that I am closer to getting on the market I am more attuned to how the process works. Here are a few things that I've noticed along the way....*

1) Plan your job talk. This may sound obvious, but these things cannot be done extemporaneously. I've seen it done this way, and its not pretty.
2) Include background details and introductory material in your presentation. In other words, have an introductory section where you explain the topic of your entire dissertation, your methodology, theoretical models, etc..., and then segue into the more structured presentation on a chapter of your diss. Setting up your research in this way makes it much easier for the reader to follow your argument.
3) Anticipate common questions. Such as: "How will you structure a 100-level survey course, in light of your theoretical and conceptual framework regarding your particular specialty?" "When you take this dissertation and turn it into a book manuscript, what will you add and what will you leave out?"
4) Answer the questions during the Q&A session. Another obvious one, but I've noticed that a lot of candidates fancy-pants around the question and don't fully answer it. This could be because they don't know the answer, but who knows.
5) Study up on the institution. I was really impressed with a recent candidate who knew something about the town and had clearly made an effort to learn about faculty members' work and current research.
6) Pay attention to the grad students. If you get on their good side, they will say glowing things about you to faculty members and the hiring committee.
7) Be prepared to talk about your future research projects (i.e. after completing the diss). If you talk about projects that you would like to undertake in the future, potential journal articles, etc... you can demonstrate your desire to publish (which is of interest to the faculty). Plus, it shows that you are eager to begin interacting with colleagues in your specific field (particularly if you can tie your work into historiography).
8) Be friendly and approachable. Even though you're trying your best to impress everyone with your dazzling knowledge of your field, don't forget that you will have to work with these people if you are hired. It's important for them to like you as a person, and not just as a scholar.

*These observations apply to history Ph.D. job candidates, and perhaps to American Studies as well, but I'm sure that each discipline has its quirks.