At the request of a former student, I'm going to reproduce part of Chapter 6 in the book Ace Your Teacher Interview (http://amzn.to/2gRBUWx). The focus is on the one question that comes up in every single interview situation - a question so critical, that it can determine whether or not you will get a teaching position...particularly in a very competitive job market. This question is so important that I would like to invite you to share this post (e.g. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.) with friends and colleagues - you will definitely be helping them out.
Chapter 6
The
Single-Most Important Question
You Must
Always Answer!
It’s the
one question that is always in the mind of any interviewer. It doesn’t matter whether you are
interviewing for a job stocking shelves at a local grocery store, interviewing
for the CEO position at a major company, or interviewing for a position as the
manager of a minor league baseball club – every interviewer has this question
on his or her mind when they interview candidates for a position. And here’s why it is important – the question
will never be asked in any interview…but it must always be answered.
The
question is this:
- How will this person
make my job easier?
How will this person make my job
easier?
For most
bosses – and for every building principal – their responsibilities are numerous
and non-stop. They must handle a
whirlwind of responsibilities, demands, schedules, unexpected events, and last
minute chores that strain their patience and their resolve. It’s like a circus performer who juggles 15
bowling balls while encouraging a dozen lions to jump through flaming hoops AND
walking a tightrope a hundred feet in the air.
And, that’s every day. To say
that principals are overworked and overscheduled would be to understate the
obvious.
Each of
those principals is looking for ways to maximize their performance and minimize
their stress. If you can demonstrate
ways in which you will make the principal’s job a little easier…a little less
crazy…a little less stressful, then you will be the one he or she remembers
when it comes time to make a final decision on who gets hired and who doesn’t.
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INSIDER TIP:
An interview is
like a sales pitch. You are trying to
sell a product and the interviewer wants to purchase the best product
available. Only in this case you are
not trying to sell “YOU.” Rather you
are trying to sell the benefits of “YOU.” How will “YOU” benefit the school?
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Here’s an
example:
Josh was interviewing for a third grade
position at Shady
Lane Elementary
School
Josh responded, “During my student
teaching experience I worked with another teacher in setting up an after-school
tutoring program for students who were below grade level in reading. We met with the kids twice a week and offered
them one-on-one tutoring services in addition to an outreach program for
parents on how they can get actively involved in their children’s reading
growth and development. By the end of
the tenth week the kids were showing reading gains of 27 to 39 percent.
‘I would like to have the
opportunity to initiate a similar venture here – giving kids an extra chance in
reading and working closely with their parents to promote reading in a very
positive way. I believe my experience
and organizational skills can go a long way in helping the program be successful.”
By reading the article, Josh knew that the school was
experiencing some challenges in regards to students’ growth and development in
reading. He also surmised (correctly)
that this was a concern of the principal, simply because it had been featured
in the local paper. So, Josh wisely
decided to address the principal’s concern and answer the question that was in
the back of her mind – but one she never asked:
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NOTE: This is just the first part of Chapter 6. Please feel free to read the rest of the chapter to discover additional ideas and additional interview examples.
