It is indeed that time of year. The time of year when prospective teaching candidates polish their resumes, monitor district websites for potential openings and prepare tirelessly for job interviews. For many teachers or soon-to-be teachers, the nervous energy and anxiousness surrounding the interview process can be overwhelming. As an instructional assistant principal at Powdersville Elementary School for the past six years, I have interviewed well over 50 candidates for various teacher positions within our school. My principal and I put a great deal of emphasis on the interview process to ensure we pick the best candidate for the job that is posted. Given time to reflect on the many interviews of which I have been a part, I have compiled a list of 7 tips for prospective teachers to keep in mind before they blaze the interview trail in search of professional employment.
1.) Do your homework.
It sounds obvious, but I cannot stress how important it is to know what you are “getting into” before you sit down for your interview. What is the mission and vision of the school? What are the important points of focus for the school? What do the school and its leadership/teachers value? What do the test scores tell you about the school? What do you know about the community and student population? Prepare yourself by searching through the district and school websites carefully. Talk to anyone you might know who has information about the school at which you will be interviewing. Check out the state department of education’s website to peruse school data and test scores. The more informed you are, the more specific and focused you can be in the interview.
2.) It’s not about the resume. It's about you.
I do not mean to say that a polished and well developed resume isn’t necessary. It is. However, we see hundreds of resumes filled with top notch experiences, impressive awards and honors, and aesthetically pleasing considerations. For our school, we are focused more on finding the correct fit for a particular grade level or subject area. Consider stopping by the school to shake hands with the principal and personally deliver your resume. Try a phone call or email as well. Our time is valuable, so be prepared to express your interest in the job and how you think you would be a good fit for said job in a quick and professional manner.
3.) Answer the question.
Of course, you should be prepared to answer a variety of questions in a variety of settings. At times, the administrative staff handles the interview process. However, there are situations in which teachers or teams of teachers will also be present in the interview. Simply put, they want to know who you are and what you are all about. Do your best to answer all questions honestly and in a straight-forward manner. Administrators are not interested in you telling them what they want to hear. Be direct and confident. If you do not know, do not fake it. No one has all the answers, knows about every program, or has had all the experiences necessary to nail every interview question. I would rather a candidate have the integrity to be honest with me about his or her experiences (or lack thereof). Some of our best teachers didn’t answer every question exactly the way I would have liked in their interviews, but that assisted us in knowing how we could focus our efforts on providing the necessary professional development opportunities for those individual needs.
4.) Be specific.
I have been a part of countless interviews with teacher candidates who, quite honestly, talked a good game but did not provide a shred of evidence to support their claims. This goes back to my comment about being careful to not tell administrators what they want to hear. Don’t just throw out educational buzz words (more on this later). A good interviewer will ask you to go deeper and be specific. What have you done in your classroom to support your claims? How did you go about planning that lesson, implementing that program, or dealing with that difficult discipline situation? How exactly did you constantly communicate with parents or teach your guided reading groups? It will be blatantly obvious if you have done what you say you have done and truly followed through with your claims. Be prepared to be specific; basing your claims on personal experiences.
5.) Easy on the educational jargon.
Yes, it is important that you are a life-long learner who stays up-to-date on the best practices. Yes, we are impressed that you differentiate your instruction considering the socio-economic status of your ESOL learners. We are more than satisfied with your knowledge of the 6-Traits, guided reading and data analysis. However, make it a point to go easy on the “educationalese” of the day. Sure, those buzz words are going to come up in conversation during an interview, but make certain to avoid the tendency of many prospective teachers to employ the use of far too many of these words en masse. This tip directly relates to my recommendation to be specific. Instead of spouting off educational terminology like “differentiation” and providing very little in the way of concrete examples, prove your knowledge of the term through presenting HOW you differentiate in your classroom. As an administrator, I want to know that there is substance and experience behind the educational “fluff” that tends to take over during the interview.
6.) Talk about your beliefs and what you value.
I am always impressed with candidates who talk openly and honestly about their core beliefs and values in the realm of education. What are you passionate about in education? What concerns you in education? Why do you teach? The true desires and motivations of teachers tend to be revealed during the interview process. I have also found that the more mature and student-focused candidates can talk at length and in great detail about their beliefs and values as they pertain to the teaching profession. If a candidate shares many of the same beliefs and values that my organization possesses, I am more likely to choose that candidate if there exists several high quality teachers vying for the same position.
7.) Keep the focus on instruction and student learning.
I understand the inherent desire for prospective teachers to “look good” in an interview. It makes perfect sense to share your successes and honors that you have earned. Be proud of those. However, do not forget that it all boils down to teaching and learning. In our building, we make no excuses about it. We are in it for the kids. The decisions we make are always made with the students’ best interests in mind. Therefore, during your interview, ensure that you answer questions with that caveat in mind. How are you going to positively impact the instruction and learning taking place in that building and environment? Following this suggestion will inevitably prove in what and whom you believe and value (see above in Tip 6).
As I developed this list of tips and suggestions for prospective teachers, who will soon be out in full force interviewing for potential teaching jobs, I realized the interconnectedness of my thoughts. A high quality teacher will see this quickly. Remember that those with whom you will be interviewing are trying to find the right fit for their students, their teachers, and their schools. They will be interviewing many smart and successful candidates. The job market is a rough one these days so there are fewer positions to be had. The teachers being hired this year will shape the teaching force and the educational system as we know it for years to come. Follow these 7 tips to ensure that you stand out above the crowd.
Brad Moore is an instructional assistant principal at Powdersville Elementary School in Anderson School District One in upstate South Carolina. Powdersville Elementary School is a 2010 National Blue Ribbon School.
