How to design a chalk talk—the million dollar sales pitch

Each faculty recruiting season, many postdocs ask, “What is a chalk talk?” The chalk talk is many things—a sales pitch, a teaching demonstration, a barrage of questions, and a description of a future research program. The chalk talk is arguably the most important component of a faculty search interview. Yet few postdocs or grad students receive training or practice in giving a chalk talk. In the following essay, I’ll cover the basics of chalk talk design and preparation.