Teacher interviews!
Do you get that funny, nervous, overwhelmingly excited feeling deep inside? You are not alone!
As the principal of a school and a teacher that spent the end of school year 2017 searching for the dream teacher job in competitive western New York, we get a lot of questions about this topic! We have some tips for you to help your interviewing strategy and put yourself at ease.
Before the Interview:
1. Be over prepared–Nothing shows that you will be a hardworking, dedicated teacher than putting in the time and energy before you even have the job! Make sure you have a teacher portfolio with certifications, letters of reference that are both professional and personal, evaluations, work samples, unit plans, behavior data, parent notes, evidence of projects that you have completed in the past including student data and photographs. Don’t forget to make sure you have parent permission before including names and student photographs. Bring 10 copies of your resume on professional resume paper and include cover letters. Always bring more than you think you might need–it is much better to have extras than to not have enough. A bonus tip that both of the educators of Double Dose of Learning have done in the past is to include a small portfolio to hand out to the committee. At the end of the interview, leave one or one for each interviewer. This is a subtle reminder of what you can offer the school long after the interview has concluded.
2. Research the district and school that you are interviewing for. Learn everything you can about their mission, philosophies, policies, and their community. Research curriculum that they use if you are not familiar with it and be prepared to bring it into the interview if given an appropriate opportunity.
3. Dress professional! “You can never be overdressed or over-educated”–Oscar Wilde.Yes, you do need to go out and purchase a business skirt suit or suit if you don’t own one! This is your chance to impress and your appearance is the first thing that an interview committee will notice. Do not wear your comfortable skinny dress pants with trendy flats and a low cut top… (We know this happens!) Small and simple jewelry paired with natural makeup work well so the interviewers are not distracted by your appearance.
4. Plan to arrive 20 minutes early! Sit in the car and think positive thoughts before going in! Nothing is worse than showing up right on time and walking right into the interview. Give yourself a few minutes to park, collect yourself and think about your “why”! Why am I a potential candidate? Why did they choose to interview me? Why can I best support these students? Think positive! They are interviewing YOU for a reason!
5. Relax! Take a few deep breaths before walking into the interview and put mind over matter. It’s easy to let nerves get the best of you especially when walking into a panel of up to 10+ teachers, administrators, parents or even the superintendent. It’s intimidating! Show them that you can handle high-stakes, stressful situations!
During the Interview:
6. Be yourself and let the interview committee see your personality! It can be hard when you think that the district is looking for something specific and let’s face it…there is nothing natural about an interview. Try to show them who you are, your passions and what makes you a great fit for their school. They want to hire someone that will fit right into their school climate, so if they can’t get a feel for who you are besides what is written on your resume, then you are not going to stand out!
7. Ask a meaningful question at the end of an interview. It should indicate that professional growth is important to you! Ask about a teacher mentor program, committees to get involved in, curriculum, technology, etc.
8. Smile and make eye contact. Once you sit down and get a feel for the committee, make sure to smile and make eye contact with everyone at some point throughout the interview. It can be easy to forget to smile because you are concentrated on answering questions and pulling from your knowledge on the spot-but, a friendly smile goes a long way. It shows that you are comfortable and friendly even in stressful situations.
After the Interview:
9. Send a formal thank you! Way back when we first started teaching (2007 ish), this was traditional practice. After every interview, you quickly went home and wrote a formal thank you letter and mailed it out via snail mail in hopes that they received it before they called you for a second interview. This practice has slowly gone away overtime and we are not sure why. It is another opportunity to show the school that you are a hardworking team player and appreciative of the opportunity and consideration for the position. It is also another opportunity to remind them of how you could be a valuable asset to their school. It is well worth the time. You may be able to easily find email addresses for the people that interviewed on the school website or you can ask the secretary when you leave.
10. Follow up! If you haven’t heard back from the school, it’s okay to follow up with the secretary to see if they have invited teachers back for a second interview yet. If they have and you didn’t receive a call back, ask if you can discuss what you could improve upon for the future. This honest and personalized feedback could be crucial in landing another job in the district.
We hope that these tips and strategies will help prepare you for your next teacher interview! Have a tip to share with us? Comment below or email us at [email protected] We would love to hear it! Thanks!
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