Three Tips to Ace Your Teacher Job Interview

Slide44

You’ve sent out dozens of resumes and finally landed an
interview for your first teaching job. After your celebrate getting the
interview, you need to do some preparation to make sure that you do your best.

In order to stand out and be the best candidate you can be,
you need to:

Be Professional

Be Prepared

Be Yourself

Be Professional

1. Dress appropriately. 

I can’t tell you how many job
interviews and career fairs I’ve been a part of where potential candidates did
not dress professionally. A suit and tie, or a suit and collared shirt aren’t
necessarily required, but you should at least wear dress slacks or a knee
length pencil shirt and an appropriate top. This helps you stand out and look
professional. The last thing you want is to look like a student.

2. Use appropriate language in your interview. 

Do not, I
repeat, do not talk about inappropriate topics during your interview. You are a
professional. The interview is no place for jokes, sarcasm, slang, or foul
language.

3. Be aware of your body language.

Yes, job interviews can
be intimidating and nerve-wracking, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to slouch
and relax. Sit up straight, keep your fidgeting at bay, and make a conscious
effort to make eye contact with every single person on the interview panel!

Be Prepared

1. Practice what you are going to say and how you will
respond to typical interview questions. The key to practicing what you are
going to say is to pretend that you are in your interview. If you mess up, stumble,
or say something incorrectly, go with it until you finish answering the
question. Then, start all over again with the same question. The more times you
respond aloud to certain questions, the better prepared you will be.  There is a list of common teacher interview
questions at the end of this post.

2. Research information about the school, school district,
and the surrounding area. Before going into your interview, it is important to
learn as much as you can about the school, school district and surrounding
area. Look up the school and school district’s demographics, strengths,
weaknesses, school-wide learning goals, mission statement, and more. The more
you know about the job, the better. It will show the interview panel
initiative.

3. Prepare some questions and comments of your own.
Typically, interviews will end with the panel asking you if you have any
questions or if you have anything else that you would like to add. While you
may feel relief that the interview is coming to an end, the last thing you want
to do is keep quiet here. Iterate why you are the ideal candidate for this
position and/or ask questions about the job, the department, or when the panel
will be making their decision. This shows that you are interested in the job.

Be Yourself

An interviewer is going to see right through you if you try
to be someone else or embody a different educational philosophy than you believe
in. In your interview, be the best version of YOU, and you will go through. You
want to seem genuine and sincere, and being yourself is the best way to achieve
that.

Finally, remember to smile and thank your interview panel
for their time and for the opportunity to interview.

Common Interview
Questions

  • Tell us a little about yourself
  • Why do you want to work at this school?
  • What are you the best candidate for the position?
  • What is your educational philosophy?
  • What is your classroom management philosophy?
  • How do you handle parent contact?
  • Run us through a typical day in your classroom.
  • What is the most challenging thing you’ve encountered in the
    classroom?

Three Tips to Ace Your Teacher Job Interview

Christina

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Email

One Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


The reCAPTCHA verification period has expired. Please reload the page.

SUBSCRIBE NOW