the skills this applicant already has in Python should be relatively easily transferrable to Perl - is that a fair assessment???

Yes.

In case they're of use in your graduate interviewing, I've dug out some old PM nodes that might help:

Update: some more:

See Also

In reply to Re: Similarities of Perl and Python? (Interviewing References) by eyepopslikeamosquito
in thread Similarities of Perl and Python? by Bod

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