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Contents:

• Interview Basics
• Key Interviewing Points
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Questions You Should Ask
• Interview Dress
• After the Interview
• Learn From Your Job Search
• More Interview Informational Links

Interview Basics

Be prepared! Practice interviewing with your EPCS consultant and your friends and/or family. When you are invited to an interview, ask for details on what type of interview will be conducted. Most interviews have traditionally been of an unstructured format. The interviewer asks questions and gives feedback based on your answers. Recently, more and more school districts are conducting "structured" interviews. The purpose of the structured interview is to ask the same questions of each candidate so that valid comparisons of the quality of responses can be acquired. The questions generally take three forms: situational, observational, and conceptual. All questions, regardless of form, are job related.

Key Interviewing Points:

Know Yourself
Have a clear understanding of the position you are applying for and why you are applying. Thoroughly know your educational philosophy, your strengths and weaknesses. Be prepared with specific examples of how you bring your philosophy into the classroom.

Be Physically Prepared
Be sure "paperwork" is in order (resume, credentials, application form.) Be well rested and fresh. Arrive five to ten minutes early to relax.

Know the Employer
Be clear of the time, date and location of the interview, as well as the interviewer's name. Research the district for information on the size of district, school locations, history/recent news, curriculm, etc.

Practice and Use Good Communication Skills
Speak clearly and concisely. Make eye contact-- this helps to project confidence. Practice speadking OUT LOUD. Be aware of your body language-- SIT UP STRAIGHT! Be sure to listen-- if you are talking too much you may miss cues from the interviewer. Think about a question before answering. Don't be afraid of long pauses. Project self-confidence, enthusiasm, and interest.

Participate actively in the interview.
Ask questions. Describe your interests, career goals and special skills. Take time to give thoughtful answers. Relate events in an organized manner: state the event, what action you took, and the outcome.

Be Yourself
Preparation will help to ease your anxiety. Be honest, frank and sincere. Take a deep breath and relax.

Be Positive
Don't speak negatively about past experienes. Be honest if a situation was not ideal. This will demonstrate you can learn from difficult situations.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Over 2,000 first-year teachers were asked to identify the topics asked most often by hiring officials during an interview. Here is what K-12 certified teachers shared with us in the National Teacher Interview Survey:

1. Strengths
2. Classroom Management
3. Student Teaching experiences
4. Weaknesses
5. What If
6. Teaching Philosophy
7. Future plans
8. Teaching Style
9. Motivational Theories
10. Employment History
11. College Courses
12. Lesson Design
13. Salary
14. Curriculum Knowledge
15. Coaching Interests
16. Youth-Related Activities
17. College Activities
18. Community Activities
19. Higher Thinking Skills and Strategies
20. GPA

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Questions You Should Ask During An Interview

Your questions should indicate that you are already informed about the school or district. They may include:

• Are extracurricular assignments available for teachers interested and qualified in after-school activities?
• How many students participate in extracurricular activities?
• Does your district offer faculty inservice training days during the school year?
• What reading series do you use?
• In the past few years, what has been the average faculty turnover rate?
• Is there a budget established for supplies which need to be purchased during the school year?
• Do you have an active teacher-parent organization?
• What percentage of your graduates continue their education?
• Are there opportunities for team teaching or team planning?
• Who is responsible for the instruction in the use of resource materials in your library or learning center?

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Interview Dress Tips

Be aware of the importance of personal appearance. Always dress "up", never dress "down".

• Tips from Wichita State University - Dressing for Success in the Interview

After the Interview: Assess the Meeting

• Do you still want the job?
  • Why, or why not?
• How well did you present your abilities, skills and talent?

  Send a Thank-You Letter

  The Thank-You letter is critical! Say something more than "thank you." Remind them one more time how your skills will be an asset to their school/district. In addition, in the Thank-You letter you can reiterate or add anything you forgot to mention in the interview. Your letter should be clear, to the point, and no more than one page. 

  Your letter should contain the following information:

  Paragraph #1: It was a pleasure to talk with you yesterday (then mention something that really impressed you about the job/school/district).

  Paragraph #2: Mention two or three reasons, based on your qualifications, why you would be the right candidate for the job.

  Paragraph #3: Thank him/her for the time spent with you and say that you will contact him/her in a week to see how he/she is coming on the decision.

  • Sample Thank-you Letter format

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Learn From Your Job Search

The career planning process is a life long task. Not only do our needs and aspirations change throughout life, but the job market is continually changing. Be prepared to continually evaluate your progress and your options.

• Have you adequately sized up the job market?

• Are you getting the responses you had hoped for?

• Did you have a professional critically review your resume and cover letters?

• What happened during the interviews?

• Which schools/districts seem to fit your needs best?

• If a district turned you down, how did you handle the rejection?

• Did you ask them about future possibilities and what was missing in your background or experience that could have made a difference?

• Did you write thank-you letters after each interview? (Even though you may not be interested in the position now, keep all avenues open for future opportunities.)

• What are you going to do next?

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MORE INTERVIEW INFORMATION LINKS:

• The Teacher Perceiver - Structured Interviews - from EPCS Newsletter Dec/Jan 2004
• From UW Alumni Association access to an online career development and enhancement program called CareerTools that is completely FREE for use by students. To use CareerTools, just go to the CareerTools website and create a username and password to begin using the program. There you'll find great information from experts about networking, creating a resume, and even a job listing search for over 11,000 companies worldwide.
• Interviewing: Seizing the Opportunity and the Job article in Occupational Outlook Quarterly - Summer 2000 (pdf will open in new window)
• College Grad
• Tips on Informational Interviewing from WI Dept of Workforce Development
• The Riley Guide - great resource for job-search information
• Virtual Interview from Monster Campus
• Interview Coach, with interactive questions and sample answers
• Job.interview.net, featuring the Interview Success Plan, as well as tips from college placement offices.
• Interviewing Etiquette
• The Employment Wizard - job search tips including interviewing, resumes and cover letter samples
• National Association of Colleges and Employers - online career magazine

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