The ERC Interview is a unique window of opportunity to communicate with the ERC review panel, clarify open questions, and further impress them with your project. Researchers must prepare for the interview based on the unique nature of the ERC.

 

To help prepare for this unique opportunity – Enspire Science offers the below ERC interview preparation services.

ERC 2020 CoG/SyG applicants – The COVID-19 online format of the ERC interview will include a short oral presentation, without the use of slides, which will be followed by a Q&A session. Please read how our services have been adapted below.

ERC Interview Online Course

An online pre-recorded course to be viewed by researchers at their own time and pace. This online course discusses everything you need to know about the interview, including helpful tips about the preparation process.

The online course covers the following information: 

  • General information and technical overview of the ERC interview
  • How to develop the main presentation for the interview (knowing the audience – the review panel, building the right narrative for this audience, expected outline and thinking process, take-home message and technicalities)
  • How to prepare for the Q&A session (what to expect, recurring questions, how to handle scientific dispute in the interview, etc.)
  • An ERC-customized presentation skills training and closing tips

Important note: Please note that some of the content of this course refers to an interview that includes a slide presentation, although this will not be included in this year’s interviews due to COVID-19. Despite that, we do recommend also watching course chapters referring to presentation development, as they are still very relevant to developing a concise oral presentation.

Personalized ERC Interview Preparation Service

The personalized preparation is individual, customized, remote and based on the specific PI’s ERC application and the review panel(s). It includes personal preparation sessions as well as the online course. This service has been adapted to the new COVID-19 interview format. 

This service includes the ERC Interview Online Course and the following steps:

  • Strategic planning.  A personalized brainstorming session with the applicant. We will discuss the best way to pitch the project during the interview and address possible questions, taking into account the project’s content, specific guidelines from the panel and more. The output of this session is clear guidance for the applicant to prepare the narrative for the pitch and answers to the anticipated questions.
  • Ongoing feedback. Following the strategic planning, and before the 1st rehearsal, we will provide ongoing feedback to the applicant on drafts of the pitch narrative and answers to anticipated questions. Applicants are advised to make use of this opportunity and communicate with us for any question or assistance relating to their interview preparation.
  • 1st rehearsal. This session will include detailed feedback about the pitch, its inner logic, how it is addressing the expected key scientific issues, as well as any other relevant aspects, further discussions about potential questions and answers, pitfalls and weaknesses of the ERC application, and how to improve and address all of the above for the interview.
  • 2nd rehearsal. Similar to the 1st rehearsal, this session will include a rehearsal followed by deep discussion about all the important aspects that the applicant should mind during the actual interview. The main goal of this session is to ensure that the applicant has covered all aspects and is fully ready for the interview.

The added value of our personalized ERC Interview Preparation service:

  • This service is individual.  Unlike group settings, strategic planning of the interview & the rehersals focus all attention directly on the applicant.
  • The applicant will receive very focused instructions based on the specific ERC application and the review panel(s).
  • In addition to the 3 scheduled meetings, the researcher will receive ongoing communications and support to ensure 100% preparation.

For ERC Synergy Grant interviews: During the process we work to reflect the synergy of the team, the unique attributions and contributions of each PI, and prepare all for the interview.

For all ERC calls – please refer to our timeline and deadline policies to learn more about the best time to book this service, our deadline for accepting new applications and our booking policy for this service.

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See what past participants said about our training:

“Feedback on texts and PP were precious.”

“The brainstorming session was excellent.”

“Interview preparation was very useful.”

“The help related to the presentation was excellent and so were the answers to my questions related to potential comments of the panel.”  

“It was helpful, always on time, constructive and tailored to my needs.”

“Precision of the feedback, tailored to my needs.”

“Good suggestions about the structure of the presentation and about managing of time, your availability and professionalism.”

“Good feedback on the general expectations for an ERC project in relation to structure of presentation.”

“It was very helpful to know what to expect at the interview and to have advice on how to sell my cv and project and how to structure my presentation. I very much appreciated that the training comes is multiple sessions, as this forced me to set time apart to work on my presentation for the interview over multiple weeks.”

“The service was good because of the preparation of the presentation, the structure and how to tell the story.”