2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

This full practice paper is motivated by the authors’ myriad experiences during engineering faculty and high-level academic interviews and national and international site visits with government, research, academic and business organizations. It provides a framework in which to help interviewers, those being interviewed, hosts and guests prepare for on-site visits and twists and turns that may occur. In hind sight, people often think they should have or could have done or said something else but may have felt unprepared or surprised by a situation. These vignettes and accompanying reflections provide a snapshot and starting place into how to both prepare and consider each interview or visit experience to continuously improve as an individual or organization.

It is important to note that determining a potential organizational fit is not right or not at the right time does not constitute a failure or necessarily create negative feelings; rather, it is a step that invites self-reflection and growth on the part of the person interviewing and on the institution seeking new partners, whether temporary or permanent. The authors believe that the only failed search is one that hires the wrong person.

With an overall positive experience and mutual respect, institutions and individuals alike often part ways making new connections and expanding their professional networks. An overarching goal for organizational hosts should be that visitors leave as life-long ambassadors and speak positively of the institution regardless of outcome. An overarching goal for individuals should be to learn about themselves and current institution, their potential and fit, and future opportunities. Individuals and organizations together can exit these processes by increasing reputations, raising visibility as STEM professionals and leaders, and capturing new ideas for growth and vitality.

This paper and related presentation provide a vignette format through which the reader and audience may consider interesting questions or potential happenings and assuage interview and visit anxiety on both sides. Audience interaction is invited and key to expanding ideas presented here and widening participation from underrepresented minority groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). It builds upon two panel sessions and corresponding publications on entry-level and mid-level listening and negotiations at previous ASEE Annual Conferences and Exhibitions created and led by the authors [1], [2], and informs a final panel session on highest-level listening and negotiations currently under development. These previous papers and presentations identified specific scenarios and engaged audience participants in responses, reactions and real-time decision making. The vignette approach in this work is informed by these previous active scenario experiences.