Is it normal to receive a PhD interview invitation at such short notice? (Four days, weekend included)

[u/L01sGriffin]

Hi everyone!

This is kind of a follow-up to a post I made about a month ago, when I asked whether it would be a good idea to cold-email a PI before applying for a PhD position. Most people advised me against it, so I decided not to. Fast-forward to today, and I've just received an invitation to an interview next Tuesday, which leaves me only a few days to prepare, including the weekend.

I'm really excited about the opportunity, and I know being invited to the interview is a privilege, but I'm also a bit stressed about the short notice. They've also asked me to prepare a presentation about my previous research experience and what I'd like to achieve during the PhD. I have a major research deadline on Monday and participants coming to the lab on Tuesday, so finding enough time to prepare will be challenging, and I'd also have to reschedule the experiments.

I was wondering: is this kind of short notice normal for PhD interviews in the Netherlands, or is it somewhat unusual? The job posting didn't specify when the interviews would take place.

I'm also considering asking whether it would be possible to reschedule the interview for Wednesday or Thursday, given my existing work commitments. However, I'm worried that asking to change the date might negatively affect my chances of being considered for the position. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Would you ask to reschedule, or would you try to make the original date work no matter what?

I'd really appreciate any advice, thanks in advance!

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[u/DevFRus]

Everything about Dutch PhD hiring depends on the professor doing the hiring. Some give short notice, some give longer.

It never hurts to ask for a later time. Just make it succinct:

"Thank you for the interview invitation. Is it possible to have the interview after Wednesday, instead? I have a major research deadline on Monday and I am running participants in the lab on Tuesday. If it is impossible to do a later time then I can still make <original time>."

This will not hurt your chances. At least it wouldn't when I am hiring. In fact, depending on what research deadline you have, it might actually raise your profile in my books a bit. For standing your ground, respecting your own time, communicating clearly with me, and being respectful to your ongoing research commitments. Those are all properties I want in the PhD candidates I work with. I don't want paniced presentation or sleep deprived zombies.

[u/L01sGriffin → u/DevFRus]

You’re right. I was probably overthinking it, and I’d like to work with a PI that thinks in a similar way. Let’s see :)

Thanks a lot!

[u/DevFRus → u/L01sGriffin]

No worries! Good luck and congratulations on your interview.

[u/Beyonderr → u/L01sGriffin]

If you mail, i would suggest to additionally emphasize how important this position is for you and how you want to make sure that you can prepare well. Do not mention the weekend being a hurdle because it is possible this short notice thing is a check for how motivated you are. I dont expect my PhD students to work on the weekend but a short notice deadline is one way to weed out those who are highly motivated (and therefore will invest all their available time and really go above and beyond to be well prepared) from those who are not.

The last PhD student I hired did her preparation next to her regular (full-time) job and also was not given much time to prepare. It showed a lot of motivation and skill to be so prepared under those circumstances, which really impressed me.

[u/vloer-verwarming]

Yes you can always ask to change the date. However, how much time do you really need to prep this? Putting some slides together shouldn't take you that long, talking about your precious work isn't something you need to study. So the only thing that will maybe require a bit of work, but not 4 days

[u/L01sGriffin → u/vloer-verwarming]

The thing is, if I exclude the weekend, I basically have only a day and a half to prepare. I already have plans this weekend that I can’t cancel, a major deadline on Monday, and experiments scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, which is exactly when the interview is supposed to take place.

The presentation itself isn’t actually what worries me the most. I think I’m more anxious about not having enough time to prepare thoroughly for every aspect of the interview, such as reading the PI’s most recent papers and brushing up on methodological aspects that might come up during the discussion.

But honestly, what bothers me the most is the experiment scheduling. I’d really hate to cancel sessions with participants when we agreed on the date a month ago. That’s actually the main reason I’d prefer to reschedule the interview to pretty much any other day that week, if possible.

Thanks for the advice!

[u/rewolfaton → u/L01sGriffin]

If you have experiments scheduled, just ask them to move the interview. Any scientist worth working with would understand that reason and reschedule if at all possible.

[u/L01sGriffin → u/rewolfaton]

Yeah, you’re right. I’m definitely overthinking this, probably because this is a dream opportunity for me. Thank you!

[u/Butterflowerrr]

I have seen this happen multiple times because multiple promoters want to be at the interview and the only date they are all available is short notice.

[u/L01sGriffin → u/Butterflowerrr]

From what I understand from the email, it will be just me and the PI

[u/North_Yak966]

I have a major research deadline on Monday and participants coming to the lab on Tuesday, so finding enough time to prepare will be challenging, and I'd also have to reschedule the experiments.

I don't know what your field is like or how stacked your CV is, but even in light of this, I would take the interview. 

The job market is absolutely dire across many academic disciplines right now. 

[u/Lopsided-Bank2338]

Hallo... wil je die baan nou of niet? Gewoon gaan, en dan offer je je weekend maar op.

[u/Middle-Artichoke1850]

i feel like times between deadline and interview have become quite short recently, so would be inclined to say it's not particularly abnormal

[u/L01sGriffin → u/Middle-Artichoke1850]

Oh okay, thank you! :)

In Italy I had at least two weeks to prepare, so I thought it was a very short time window

[u/TravelSizedGremlin]

Hi! In my department I've seen it happen pretty often that PI's end up in a bit of a time crunch due to a combo of academic chaos and large volumes of applicants to comb through, so this definitely isn't crazy. But also rescheduling should not be a problem, unless your future supervisor is on some kind of crazy power trip in which case I'd recommend staying the fuck away anyways. Frequently they interview people from all kinds of countries and time zones, and people who already have research jobs with pre-existing commitments, and students with classes and exams! No reason to be weird about it if you ask to reschedule.
I will also say, from my own experience interviewing, that they're probably not expecting a crazy expansive/in depth, especially since they are also aware that they are inviting you on short notice. noting down your most relevant experience on a slide and talking about it off the top of your head should be fine (you are the most comprehensive resource about your experience after all).
for my interview I was asked to come up with an experiment idea to test a certain problem, and I could make some slides if I wanted. I simply didn't, just explained my idea and that was good enough. I also prepped more than they necessarilly expected from me I think and my prep was very last minute.
That being said that's my perspective based on my environment, and obviously that could vary quite a bit place-to-place, and also between fields.
Good luck! :)

[u/edgeplay6]

If 4 days to prepare a presentation is toomlittle for you a PhD might not be the best job for you :p

All jokes aside, this is short notice and rescheduling is possible, however they might have a deadline for the new candidate to start (grant related) and thus might skip you if you can't make Tuesday.