Interview Skills For Teachers

Having to interview for a job usually conjures up feelings of unease, nervousness and anxiety in many. I am thankful that I fortunately have not had to interview for many jobs, but for those I have, I have made sure I am well planned and rehearsed so I can go in confidently.

Employers though would like to see someone confident, knows their expertise and can confidently present themselves.

Here are my tip tips for interviews;

• Do your research on the school; learn their situation, use connections at the school to find out anything that may be helpful, read over the School Plan, make a list of questions to ask; how many staff…

• Let your referees know you are going for a job so they are best prepared for the phone call

• Give a copy of your CV to your referee’s

• Ask when they call – who will be on the panel so you find out a bit about them

• Phone the school prior to your interview to ask will you get the questions before hand?

• Questions you will be asked will usually come from the criteria of the job

• Rehearse possible questions – with someone you trust. Make time for it, use words in the correct context, have positive scenarios as examples prepared in your mind

• Use post it notes to map out your planned answers to the criteria questions and make sure to have examples. Take with you to the interview as they may let you take your notes in with you

• Make sure to get a good nights sleep the night before your interview

• Dress for success, feel confident, use positive self-talk, open body language, sit comfortably, voice; slow, don’t rush

• Ensure you know the address and allow plenty of time to get there on time

• Introduce yourself

• Engage all panel members – eye contact, monitor their responses, don’t assume they know everything even if you happen to know them

• Show your enthusiasm for role

• Remember that first and last impressions count

• Restate things – they may not remember what was in application, add more, don’t use acronyms

• When they ask ‘is there anything else you would like to add’, promote yourself in the role, show enthusiasm and be passionate, I am the best person for the job because…

• Don’t waffle on when answering the questions, be direct and get to the point. Don’t loose sight of the core questions. In nervousness you may go off on another tangent so be mindful about what you are saying.

• Ask the panel, ‘would you like me to elaborate more on the question?’

• Mention your professional learning and leadership development you have done

• Always ask for feedback after your interview

What are your top tips for surviving interviews? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.