Tips for a Getting the Interview and Making it Positive

Diane CepelaSuperintendent Newark Grade

School District 66

Where Do I Find Tonight’s PowerPoint?

Everyday is an Interview

• Pre-teaching• Student teaching• It is who you know• How about tonight? How did you prepare?

Interview Tool Box

Know What You Want to Do and Roadmap How to Get There Now• Illinois State University• Elementary Ed, Language Arts and Social

Sciences• Special Education, Math, Science, ESL or a

Language• What else do you bring to the table? GPA,

Experience, Are you from the area – not the school – the area?

In the beginning. . .The Job Search

• Read the duties and the knowledge, skills and abilities required of each position CAREFULLY before applying.

• Assess the value of what you have to offer to each position and the organization. How does your experience apply to what is required for the job? What do you have that need?

• Become familiar with the district so you can demonstrate how and why you will be an effective teacher.

– Website– Iirc.niu.edu– Contact anyone you know who might be able to tell you more about the district.

• Be realistic! Know your qualifications and limitations. Wanting a job does not necessarily mean you’re qualified for it. Also, a bad fit is a bad fit.

Communication Tools

Applications & Resumes• Fully complete the application without being too

wordy. Resumes should be brief and to the point (1-2 pages). Both must be ERROR FREE!

• Application form is available on the Internet. – Check multiple sources – isbe, k-12 job spot, County ROE’s,

big school districts • Some very small schools ask that you submit to person

- nothing handwritten ever.• Make sure all information is accurate and captures what

you have done.• Document your qualifications – include part time jobs.

Waitress, summer camp, worked at McDonalds

So you’ve applied now what?

• Apply daily – your job is to get a job• Send an email stating your interest in the

position. Don’t call. • Contact your contacts to also send an email• Materials Ready – portfolio, know the

district.• Move it up the ladder every other day

Tips for Successful Interviewing

Interview Starts Once You are Called – and Maybe Before.

• How about tonight?• Someone you know knows something about

that school – find out who.• Drive into town• In the parking lot• Secretaries, custodians, parents, homeless

man…

Interview Starts Once You are Called – Questions.

• Questions to ask at the phone call if not provided:– With whom will I interview? – Get names– What kind of interview? Screening, team, multiple

interviews in one day?– Specific school, specific location of interview and

position interviewing for if available– How long will it last– What shall I bring?

Interview DO’s - DressDress appropriately. Know the school. I want you to look like you are going to teach. I want to know you will fit in.

– Suit – stuffy – unless it is cute– Hole in shirt / scruffy shoes / frayed pant legs – no

attention to detail. – No cleavage / not too short. Dress or skirt preferred. – Minimize jewelry. Too noisy and too distracting. – Makeup subtle, hair neat, trimmed. No Duck Dynasty.– Men – shirt and tie. Suit optional. (Have your

girlfriend or the department store dress you.)– Look young and fresh. Clean.

Interview DO’s• Arrive 10 minutes early. Know the exact time and location

of your interview; know how long it takes to get there, park, and find a restroom to freshen up. If you get there too early, go to McDonald’s, gas station, drive around. Speed limit.

• Offer a firm handshake, make eye contact, and have a friendly expression when you are greeted by the interviewer.

• Listen to be sure you understand your interviewer’s name and the correct pronunciation. Ask to repeat and write it down if necessary – right away.

*The First 3 Minutes of Your Interview are The Most Important

Use them to your advantage. Write Down and Memorize what you say. This is a play and you have

the main part. Practice, practice, practice.

First Question

• Tell me a little bit about yourself. Include personal as well as / instead of professional experience.

• This should be memorized and be about 2-3 minutes in length. WE want to know YOU. Do you fit in? Do you have a sense of humor? Do you have a work ethic? Do you love children and what experiences do you have that prove that?

• Practice, practice, practice…

• Even when your interviewer gives you a first and last name, address your interviewer by Mr., Ms., or Dr. with the last name, until invited to do otherwise.

• Maintain good eye contact during the interview.• Sit still in your seat; avoid fidgeting and slouching. Lock

your feet and hands. • Respond to questions and back up your statements about

yourself with specific examples whenever possible.• ANSWER the QUESTION! Go home now and practice!• Ask for clarification if you don’t understand a question; and

be thorough in your responses while being concise in your wording.

• Treat the interview seriously and show interest in the district and the opportunity presented and respond to questions in a positive manner.

• Use Business Formal Language. – Watch the tone of your voice. While it might be trendy among

your friends to “up speak” (end sentence with a higher tone of voice so that sentences sound like questions), this habit will kill your credibility during the interview.

– Avoid “uhs” “actually” “you knows” “likes” “Kiddos”– Grammar counts. No syntax errors such as he do, she don’t

• Answer the question and use professional experiences or descriptive information to demonstrate how you would react or respond to a situation.

• Make sure you understand the school’s next step in the hiring process; know when and from whom you should expect to hear next.

And other tips…

Practice

• This is a show – there are very few unknown questions in education. Know them. They are online. Practice.

• What if I am a I’m a terrible speaker – go to your portfolio early.

Portfolios That Save Interviews

What to Include• Pictures, pictures, pictures• Work examples that students have done – take their

name off• Units that you have implemented• Knowledge of Common Core• Reading – Daily 5, Café, Guided Reading, Literacy

Circles, Closed Reading…etc. • Have someone preview it• Practice

How to Use Your Portfolio

• Open it quickly…don’t wait for the interviewer to ask.

• Classroom management – anything to do with groups, reading centers, kids working together.

• Reading• Subject Area

Let Your Portfolio Talk for You

• Almost any question can be linked to your portfolio…IE I ask about classroom management but you do not have a section – show me a picture and chances are your behavior chart is on a wall in the picture. I can see that.

Interview Don’ts• Don’t make excuses. Take responsibility for your decisions

and your actions.• Don’t make negative comments about previous employers or

supervisors (or others).• Don’t treat the interview casually, as if you are just shopping

around or doing the interview for practice. This is insulting to the interviewer and the organization.

• Don’t give the impression you are only interested in salary.• Don’t act as though you would take any job or are desperate

for employment.• Don’t chew gum or smell like smoke.• Don’t take cell phone calls during an interview. Don’t bring it

in.

Every interview gets you that much closer to a job

• 80 Applications• 20 Interviews – you will want every single

job for which you interview. • 1 – 2 Offers• Interviews are 2 way streets. WE have to fit

– I am looking for what works as well as what doesn’t work.

What to do after the interview?• Courteously thank the interviewer(s) for the

opportunity to interview.• Extend a handshake and exhibit enthusiasm

about the career opportunity.• Consider following up with a thank you

note or e-mail of appreciation to the interviewer(s) to further show your interest.– Mention some ideas from the interview– How you can help OUR school

Good Morning!

I hope your day is going well! I'm crossing my fingers for you that the air-conditioning will kick in soon. I just wanted to quickly take a  moment of your time and thank you for the interview yesterday, July 26th. I love your outlook on this profession and your take on what makes a good teacher in three words. Especially when you listed "loyalty to the school you are working at."  I never really thought about how important it was to show loyalty to the community and to your students to really enhance his or her learning until this interview. I believe I am an excellent candidate for this district and I will not let my students or the faculty down if I was hired. Thank you for this opportunity for a second interview, I am extremely grateful.Sincerely,

Dear Dr. Cepela,

I cannot express my gratitude enough for the possible opportunity of joining your team of educators. After today’s interview with the staff, I truly feel like I would adapt and work well alongside the other teachers. They were so welcoming and seemed ready to embrace change, as well as a new team member. I feel as though those are the types of personalities and traits that make for a great teaching staff and learning environment.

Ever since we talked about what I would be able to bring to the table, I have been thinking a lot about that question. I believe I will be able to bring in new ideas, strategies, and enthusiasm to a group of educators that is already strong. As we talked about today, I am very passionate about trying new concepts, as well as constantly reevaluating and reflecting on the practice as a whole. I also believe I am very knowledgeable about the NWEA assessment and the Common Core Standards because I had to dive into it headfirst during my first year of teaching. However, I am never one to stop learning and there is always room to grow and improve, especially in this field.

It is also comforting to know that the same teaching practices that I value are used at this school. I realize that Daily 5 is an important framework for reading in the classrooms, and although we were not able to call it 'Daily 5' at my school, I aimed to make my guided reading centers reflective of this approach to teaching! Therefore, I am excited about the possibility of being able to be creative and implementing all the strategies I have been wanting to use, such as CAFÉ, guided math, whole brain teaching, RIT groups, close reading, and so much more if I were to join the school.

I truly appreciate all the time you have taken to meet with me and also for considering me for the 3rd grade position that this great school. Thank you again.

What about Answering Questions?

Your points must be CLEAR, RELEVANT AND ADEQUATE:

• to enable the interviewer to understand what you are trying to say; to determine your strengths for that particular job; and to have sufficient information to make a good decision.

The interviewer needs to determine if you can do the job, if you will do the job, and if you fit in. Hiring the RIGHT person is the goal.