Don't Be Self-Centered!

Here’s a harsh reality – The interviewer is not interested in hiring you (Wow – that is harsh!).  He or she is interested in hiring the best-qualified individual for the position.  If it is you, then that is fine by the interviewer.  If it is someone else, then that’s also fine for the interviewer.  In short, YOU are not the commodity – you just happen to be the person sitting across from an interviewer who wants to fill an open slot in his/her faculty.  You can assist the interviewer tremendously by keeping the focus off you and directly on the contributions you can make to the welfare of the school.  If you frequently use “I” or “me” in your interview you will send a negative message to the interviewer – a message that you are the most important part of the equation.  However, when you use “you” and “we” throughout the conversation then you are shifting the emphasis to where it should be – away from you and on to them.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:      “Keep all your answers kid-centered.  You can’t go wrong there.”

Mistakes You Can't Afford!

   Know-it-alls

Ever since I first began teaching more than 40 years ago I have always lived by one simple philosophy: “The best teachers are those who have as much to learn as they do to teach.”  Simply stated, good teachers are good learners.  Don’t think for a minute…or even a second…that just because you’re about to get your college degree you know everything there is to know about teaching.  I don’t…and you certainly don’t!  Come into an interview thinking you have all the answers to all of education’s challenges and you will soon find yourself on the outside of the school looking in.  Here’s the reality – I’m not an expert and neither are you.  I certainly have more experience than you, but I still have a lot I’d like to learn.  So should you.  Your learning doesn’t end with graduation – guess what, it’s just beginning.  Let a principal know that learning is a lifelong mission (rather than a completed task) for you and you’ll score major points in an interview.

Mistakes You Can't Afford!

Negative attitude

Listening to someone with a negative attitude is always a drain – emotionally, psychologically, and personally.  The same holds true for someone who is always badmouthing other people (“Well, of course, I got a “B” in the Teaching Elementary Science course; my professor was a total idiot!”).  Principals don’t hire “bad attitudes” – they want people with a positive outlook, a good sense of humor, a sunny disposition, and an engaging personality.  They want to hire teachers who will be good role models for students.  Negative people are not part of that dynamic.

INSIDER TIP:      Be a gracious guest.  If the interviewer is late for the interview, shrug it off.  If the interviewer answers the phone several times during the interview, just let it be.  If people stick their head into the room several times during the interview, don’t let it rattle you.  If you show any signs of irritation or over-reaction over these little “slights,” you’ll never get a job offer.

Mistakes You Can't Afford!

Presenting a poor appearance

          Your mother was right - You don't get a second chance to make a first impression!  What's the first impression any interviewer gets?  That's right - how you look...your clothing...your demeanor...your appearance.  You can score major points here or you can absolutely blow the entire interview.

     So, here’s your basic list:  Don’t wear clothing inappropriate for an interview (tank tops, Crocs, and the T-shirt from Spring Break 2003 are definitely out), get rid of any body jewelry (the lip ring is cute, but you won’t impress any principal with it), cover up any and all tattoos, don’t use an excess of perfume or after shave lotion, take a bath or shower (with real soap) the morning of the interview, use a deodorant, go light with the jewelry and the makeup (save the fake eyelashes for Saturday night), get a haircut or a hair styling, trim your nails (fluorescent blue nail polish is out), brush your teeth and use a mouthwash (Oh, please use a mouthwash), ditch the gum and cigarettes, and put on your best smile.  One more thing: don’t drink any alcohol before an interview.  You definitely won’t be doing yourself any favors.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK:      In the course of my research for this book I interviewed scores of principals from every part of the country.  When I asked each of them for the #1 most common mistake teacher candidates make, over 90% of them replied, “Unprofessional dress or appearance.”

Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make - Part II

The previous blog provided you with some of the most common mistakes candidates make during an interview.  This post will include an additional 21 "boo-boo's" that often show up in teacher interviews.  Take a look at these and decide which ones might be problematic for you.  As with the previous posting, you will notice that all of these are under your direct control - all of these can be eliminated or reduced by you!  Let's take a look:
23. Not knowing current educational issues ("Response to Intervention...never heard of it!")
24. Know-it-alls
25. No knowledge of the school or district
26. Asking inappropriate questions ("Hey, dude, how much am I going to get paid for this job?")
27. Telling the interviewer what you think she/he wants to know
28. You believe your methods and philosophies are the only (or best) ones ("Differentiated instruction is a crock - I know how to whip all those kids into shape!")
29. Inflexibility
30. Negative body language
31. Demonstrates poor listening skills
32. Unwilling (or unable) to accept responsibility ("My professors obviously didn't know what they were talking about.")
33. No sense of direction
34. Lacks confidence and self-esteem ("Whatever you think.")
35. Is discourteous, ill-mannered, and disrespectful
36. "Not my job" syndrome ("Hey, you're not going to make me take some silly bus duty, are you?")
37. Blaming students ("I got that 'B' in student teaching 'cause I had some really stupid kids.')
38. Lack of passion
39. Engages in inappropriate behaviors
40. Volunteers inappropriate information ("My boyfriend is in jail for about the next six years.")
41. Is dishonest or deceptive
42. Is self-centered
43. Doesn't follow up ("Thank you notes are only for girlie types...and I'm not a girlie type")

     Later in this blog we'll address each one of these common mistakes in greater detail.  You'll learn why these behaviors can doom your interview and what (specifically) you can do to prevent them from ever happening.  Stay tuned!

Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make - Part I

     In conducting the research for the book - Ace Your Teacher Interview - I contacted elementary and secondary principals around the United States.  One of the questions I asked them was, 'What are some of the most common mistakes teacher candidates make in their interviews?"  The responses I received were quite revealing; but even more amazing was the fact that these mistakes keep showing up in interview after interview, and year after year.  Here are some of the most common ones (the ones that tend to have a most negative impact on any interviewer and the ones that will - most certainly - doom your chances of getting a teaching position).
1.  Answering your cell phone during the interview ("Hey, hold on a minute, it's my boyfriend!")
2.  Being late to the interview ("Your secretary gave me lousy directions!")
3.  Making a bad impression in the waiting area ("Mind if I smoke?")
4.  Poor social skills
5.  Presenting a poor appearance ("Would you like to see my really cool dragon tattoo?")
6.  Unable to maintain eye contact
7.  Offering a limp or overly firm handshake
8.  Lacking confidence ("No, I don't think I would want to try that.")
9.  Poor communication of ideas
10. Poor grammar ("Hey dude, it's like, you know, it's like, what teachers do.")
11. Inarticulate
12. Talking too much
13. Arguing with the interviewer ("You can't be serious?  I can't believe you said that!")
14. Giving canned answers
15. A much too relaxed attitude
16. Providing unfocused responses ("You know, teaching is just an awesome job!")
17. Giving defensive or aggressive answers
18. Arrogance ("Hey, I got my degree from High Intelligence College - now I know it all!")
19. Having no questions for the interviewer
20. Having a negative attitude ("What a lousy season - yeah, your football team really sucks!")
21. Giving short, vague, or incomplete answers
22. Being unprepared ("Can I send you my resume sometime next week?")

As you look over these typical and common "boo-boo's" you will note that they all have one thing in common - they can all be controlled by you!  That's right - each of these interview mistakes is under your control, your supervision, and your influence.
     We'll take a look at an additional 21 interview mistakes as reported by building principals.  That list will be in the next blog.  Stay tuned!