I am currently looking for a new teaching job since the last job I had was a temporary position and ended in June. Interviewing for positions is great experience, but it can be stressful and nerve wracking too! Here are some tips for taking control of your interview and showing the team (or the principal) that you are an excellent choice:
1. Do your homework. Find out as much about the school or district as you can before your interview. This will enable you to ask thoughtful questions. It's always a good idea to mention something positive that you learned about the school in your research. This shows the team that you are interested in their school, beyond just earning a paycheck.
2. Dress professionally. Men should wear a shirt and tie with dress pants. Women should wear pants or a skirt (Should be at least to the knee), with a tailored top that is not low cut or too tight. Choosing the right attire is important because it shows the interview team that you take them and yourself seriously and you're ready to act like a professional.
3. Allow lots of travel time. If you have never been to the area where your interview is being held, allow at least one extra hour of travel time. You may get lost or stuck in traffic and being late for an interview will most likely blow your chances at the job.
4. Arrive no more or less than fifteen minutes prior to the start of your interview. The team will feel rushed if they know you are sitting out in the lobby waiting. But those fifteen minutes will give you an opportunity to visit the restroom to check your appearance, double check that you are in the correct part of the building (some of these schools are so large it's hard to know where you need to be), then find a seat and take a few deep breaths to calm yourself before going in to meet your potential future employers.
5. BE YOURSELF! The committee wants to know who they are getting. As long as you're being yourself, there's no reason to be nervous because, as Dr. Seuss famously said: "Today you are you, that is truer than true, there is no one alive who is youer than you!" Being yourself will make you feel more confident as well.
6. Make eye contact. When you are speaking, scan the room and make eye contact with everyone at least once while speaking, but spend most of the time on the person who asked the question.
7. At the end, it is common for the interviewer to ask if you have any questions. Have at least 2, but no more than 4 questions prepared. Some good ones are: what literacy program do you use? what math program do you use? what is your school day? will I have responsibilities outside of the school day, for example, after school programs? I saw on your school's website that you offer _____, how do you think I can help with that?
8. When the interview is over, no matter how you think it went, give a confident handshake and a smile. Leave a good impression.
Some Faux-Pas that will potentially ruin your chances:
1. Chewing gum
2. Bringing in a coffee. If you need a bottle of water, keep it in your bag, out of sight, and drink it only when the interview is over.
3. Lying.
4. Looking down at your hands or at the clock.
5. Being late.
6. Interrupting.
7. Your cell phone ringing (leave it in the car!)
8. Dressing sexily or sloppy
Good luck and leave comments if you think I missed any big ones!
