Interviews are a very stressful but there are some key points which people should try to keep in mind:
- Always answer the question (you’d be surprised by how often people drift into some other area);
- Keep referring to your experience and mention children (once again too many people never mention kids);
- Don’t keep rambling (I always try to keep to three points at the most – some people can try to include up to ten examples in a single question!);
- Check if the school you are applying for has been inspected (it provides very useful background info’; and demonstrates that you can explore an issue in depth);
- Try to speak with some passion/emotion (not over-emotional) about your subject – you are going to have to enthuse staff and pupils;
- Talk about teams and others and your role in these teams;
- Never say “I’m a good communicator/motivator/organiser/etc, etc – let your actions make it clear that you have these qualities;
- Avoid the unecessary use of jargon – so many people think they have to press all the buttons in interview by mentioning every buzzword/initiative/theory;
- Don’t read lots of literature about policies, theory, initaitives, etc. If you don’t know it as part of your current job then it will only sound like you are trying to hit “buttons’ when you are being interviewed.
- Use examples which show how you think – don’t just say when asked to give an example that “I did this…….” remember – it’s not so much what you do but why you do it.
Other additions to this list are welcome.
Great advice Don – particularly number 10. I have been part of interview panels in the past and know the frustration of having a good candidate in front of us who could not persuade us of just how good they are! I have coached people in preparation for interviews – including teachers – and a question I ask is “what do you want the interviewer(s)to know about you (as a person)?” Remember that to be invited to an interview a future employer will have seen your CV, know about technical skills, job and education history and that you meet the job criteria. So it is a good idea to focus on preparing to either expand on that or give some new and additional insight into your skills and knowledge, passions, special interests etc. There is usually space at the end of the interview and if you have not covered it during the interview itself here is your chance!
Fantastic! And I agree with Jackie on point 10. All too often we say what we do without due regard for the ‘WHY’ and yet why is what really matters.
This is extremely timeous as well as I’ve just been leeted for a promotion!
Hi there
For no. 9 people tend to think that for government jobs they can get pass the interview by just reading the polices etc but i thought it is not true!