Managing
My Job Search
|
Searching for
a professional teaching position takes planning, organization
and practice. You will improve your skills in locating
positions, applying, and interviewing as you move through
your job search. This information is an overview and guide
to help you plan and organize your search.
Searching for a job is a part-time job in itself. Be
sure to allow yourself enough time to do the preparation
you need
to do and the time to participate in on-campus professional
teaching interviews. It will pay off in finding a
teaching position which is a good fit for you.
Preparation:
- Prepare a resume using
Resumes That Get Interviews.pdf and
a cover letter template on which you can base your
cover
letters Job Letters.pdf.
- Set aside some regular time each week
to search for open teaching positions.
You will
find that
there is more than
one way to locate a teaching position,
and you should not limit yourself
to just one
method
of searching.
Use networking
(a very fruitful way to search – see
article in this section: Networking-Is
it as Good as
They Say? newspapers, and online
job boards.
- Print out a copy of JobSearch
Checklist.pdf as a reminder of what you need to do during your
job search.
- Determine the requirements for the jobs for which
you plan to apply from the advertisement
- Research the school district or organization which
is advertising the position (philosophy, values,
demographic
makeup of the student body, etc. and think
about how those attributes will interact with your
teaching priorities
and methods)
- Print out a copy of Record
of Applications Submitted.pdf
to keep a record of the applications you have out.
- Apply for the position. Applications usually require
sending your resume, cover letter, completed
school district application (online or paper), and
your credential file.
If you are managing your own credential
file you will send it with your other materials.
If another organization is
managing your file, you will send a request
to them to send your file at the same time you send
the other materials
to the school district. See the section
on Credential Files for
more information about credential
file management.
- It’s a good idea to set up a way of keeping
a record of each position for which you apply (when
you sent your
application, to whom it was sent, the address
of the school district office, and perhaps phone
and email as well, what
the position was, when your credential
file was sent, etc.) so that you can keep track
of the applications you have
sent. If a hiring official calls you from
a school system you’ll be able to consult
your record and have the information you need
to contact
them.
If you
want to follow-up
on an application you have sent you will
have the information you need to do so.
You can
use a notebook,
a spreadsheet,
index cards or any method that is organized
and easy to locate.
- Learn the interviewer’s name, title,
and position in the organization
- Prepare answers to the questions you are likely
to be asked (see list of questions in the Interview
Tips and
Preparation Section).
- Develop relevant questions to ask – again,
see Interview Tips
and Preparation Section.
- Plan your appearance (shined shoes and wrinkle free!)
Look professional!
- Take several copies of your resume, a list of your
questions, and your Teaching
Employment Portfolio if you have one.
- Double-check the location and time. Be 15 minutes
early to the interview
Interview:
- Follow the instructions in the Interview
Tips and Preparation Section
- If you have prepared well in advance and get
a good night’s sleep, you will do well
in the interview.
- Show a positive attitude and remember to smile.
Maintain good eye contact. Listen carefully to the
interviewer and the questions asked and answer them
briefly and completely.
- Do not ask about salary or benefits interests
in the first (screening) interview. If the interviewer
brings up the topic you can discuss it, but do not
put great emphasis or time into the discussion. You
do not want to appear more interested in the salary
than in the work. After they offer you a position
at a subsequent interview you can ask all of the
questions you wish before you accept a position.
- Be sure to ask about ‘the next step’ before
leaving the interview, and don’t forget
to write a thank you letter Job
Letters.
Job Offers & Acceptances
- Be certain to read the section on Job
Offers and consult the salary
links Salary Links so that you understand educator compensation before
discussing
these topics at an interview. Your questions
will be more targeted and you will have the necessary
information to make a decision about a job,
should
you be offered a position.
- Become acquainted with the customary salaries
for teaching in the geographic area where you will
be teaching.
- Think about what your priorities for a teaching
position are so that you can make a decision between
positions if that situation arises.
- At the end of this process you will sign a teaching
contract and begin a career as a teacher. You will
continue to learn and develop your teaching skills.
Congratulations!!
|
Resumes That Get
Interviews
|
A resume is a
key part of landing a job or internship: your personal
advertisement – a condensed self-analysis - a highlighting
of your accomplishments - the "paper you."
The purpose of the resume is to win you an interview,
not to get you a job or internship offer. (The job offer
happens
after the interview). Therefore, you must attract the employer’s
attention. A good resume is an advertisement of yourself
highlighting your educational and experiential qualifications.
It must be factual and written in clear, concise language,
using phrases rather than complete sentences. A modified
outline format is used to present information in an organized
manner. The resume should read like a good newspaper story… with
headlines and leading phrases.
- Your resume is one of the first things you should prepare
in order to begin your job or internship search.
After your resume is written you will use it in many ways:
Include a copy with every job-hunting letter you mail
or hand-deliver and with every answer to a job
or internship advertisement.
- Take several copies with you when you go for job/internship
interviews and visit with employment agency
counselors.
- Give copies to friends and associates. (Many jobs
are never advertised; instead, they are filled by
someone recommending
that they interview their nephew,
niece, neighbor, secretary’s
son or daughter, etc.).
- Give a copy of your resume to each person you have asked
to serve as a reference. It brings them
up-to-date on your job goals and qualifications so they can help in your job
hunt. It also gives them a handy reference
for your phone number when they hear of a job or internship opening!
To be effective, a resume must catch the attention
of a prospective employer. Employers
may scan as many as
100
resumes in an
hour. The experts all agree; resume
writing is made easier if you give yourself plenty
of time to prepare,
seek
suggestions from others, and plan to
revise and
improve it. For step
by step help from start to finish,
follow
Career Services’ guide, Resumes
That Get Interviews.pdf offered here in a format you
can print out.
Last, but not least, be sure to bring a draft
of your resume into Career Services
(next door to
the bookstore)
to get
suggestions for improvement. Follow
up statistics show that students who receive
Career Services’ help
with their resumes are three times
more likely to get the interviews
they want!
|
Job Letters
|
The cover/application
letter which accompanies your resume is a very important
document – perhaps even as
important as your resume itself. It gets the reader’s
attention and may prompt them to call you for an interview.
Some employers have indicated that they pay more attention
to the letter than the resume because it provides important
clues about the candidate’s communication skills. With
that in mind, craft your application letters carefully, individualizing
each letter by addressing it to the appropriate person and
providing hints about how your skills match their job. Draw
the reader in with your opening words.
Thank-You letters and other letters listed here which are
used during the job search are covered in the Career Services
guide to Job Letters.pdf which walks
you through the purpose and content of each type of letter
as well as offering tips and samples to help you get started.
- Cover/Application Letter Cover or application letters
should always accompany your resume. A cover letter can
be very
useful, provided it is well written. A good cover letter
will get the recipient to read and respond to your resume.
- Thank-You Letter 15% of Employers said they would not
hire someone who failed to send a thank you letter after
the interview.
35% said they would continue to consider them, but would
think less of them. Thank-You letters sent soon after
the interview can distinguish you from the crowd since
so few
people send them. It establishes good will and leaves
the employer with a good impression of you at exactly
the right
moment - while the employer is making a decision about
who to hire!
- Request for Career Advice Letter Requests for Career
Advice are a great way to build a network in a
field where you want
to work. These letters are sometimes referred to
as Requests for “Informational Interview” letters.
- Letter of Acceptance This is the most exciting letter
of all to write! It confirms your intention to accept
an offer
of employment.
- Letter Declining an Offer This correspondence is a
common courtesy letting an employer know that you
will not be accepting
their offer of employment.
- Withdrawal Letter When you have submitted an application,
but before an offer of employment, if you wish to withdraw
your name from consideration, this is the letter you
should write.
- Follow-Up to a Rejection Written after an employer
communicates that you are no longer under consideration
for a job, this
is one of the most difficult letters to write, but
can also be very helpful in your job search.
- Inquiry about Application Status When seeking clarification
about where you stand in an application process, this
is the letter to write.
Bring a draft of your cover letter into Career Services as
well for suggestions about how to enhance it. |
Networking-Is
it as Good as They Say?
|
It’s better! 75% of jobs are never advertised, but
are filled by people who were recommended by another employee
or acquaintance of the person hiring for the position. You’ll
find greater job-search success through networking than
any other job-search method.
"
Networking seems mostly about using people. I don’t
want to use people."
This impression is common, which is quite unfortunate
when you understand the value and importance of networking
in
a job-search. It is certainly possible to ‘use’ people
in your network, but that’s not what networking is
about and it’s not a good use of networking. Networking
is about using the power of people wanting to help others
to develop a wide net of contacts who are all helping you
with your job search. And remember, you’ll be
returning the favor by helping them, or someone else
soon.
Networking means developing a broad list of contacts -- people
you've met in various social and professional ways -- and
communicating with them to your advantage when you look for
a job. People in your network may be able to give you job
leads, offer you advice and information about a particular
company or industry, and introduce you to others so that
you can expand your network.
How big is your network? Probably bigger than you think.
Make a list of people potentially in your network.
You can start with family members, friends, neighbors,
former
supervisors
and co-workers – especially cooperating teachers and
other teachers in the school district where you student taught,
plus other people you know. If you belong to a civic, religious,
or professional group, your network has the potential to
be quite large. If you don’t belong to any of
these groups, especially a professional association
related
to your career (like NEA, or the Council for Exceptional
Children),
join one or more of them immediately and participate
in some of their activities!
Five Steps to get your network started Here are
a few tips (revised) from Dr. Leigh Turner of Texas A&M
University to get you going…
1. Put together a list of potential contacts. Here are
some possibilities:
- Your co-operating teacher, other teachers in the building,
the principal for your building
- Your classmates
- Alumni – especially recent grads
- Parents & Other Family
- Parents of college classmates
- Professors and other advisors
- Current and former employers
- Guest speakers and Career Fair representatives
- Members of professional associations
- Members of clubs or other organizations to which you
belong
- Internet online discussion groups, chat rooms, and
web-based networks
- People from your past: high school teachers, principals,
and coache
2. Decide what your purpose is in contacting
those on your network. That is, what do you hope
the result of these
contacts will be? Are you hoping for
a list of job openings? Advice on who to contact
next?
General advice about the
field and the kind of work environment
various school systems offer? Information about
the types
of applicants that particular
school systems might be looking for?
3. After you know who you will be contacting
and why you will be contacting them,
the next step is to carefully
consider yourself and what you have
to offer. Think about and jot down
answers to the following
questions:
- What are my greatest accomplishments?
What am I most proud of? Look at
the list of things
you feel good about
and try to figure out the common
skill you used, the common thread which made
them so
satisfying.
- What interests you most professionally?
What courses, work experiences,
or activities have
you enjoyed? On the
other side, what have you disliked
the most?
- What is important to you? Getting
chance to use your skills?
Helping others? Having
good
friends
where you
work? Working with children
and youth? If this is a hard question
to answer, ask your Career
Services office if you can take a values
assessment – that
will give some clarity
about what satisfies you.
4. The fourth step is
to develop introductions of yourself and practice
them. One
of them should be
very short
(30 seconds) – a sound bite. The other should be a little
longer (1 minute?) – a commercial.
Examples are:
A sound bite: “Hello, my name is Sean Dawson. I’m
a Mathematics for Secondary Education major and I’m
originally from Wyoming. I’m thinking of starting
my teaching career around here and I’m
interested in finding out something
about the size and student
makeup of the local school systems.”
A commercial: “Hi, I’m Sean Dawson. I’m
planning to teach math at the secondary level when I graduate
this May. I always thought I wanted to teach high school,
but when I did my student teaching I taught in a middle
school and found I really enjoyed students in the 6th-8th
grade. They enjoy a goofy sense of humor (which I have!)
and still have enough of the ‘kid’ in them
that they can really get excited about something new. Also,
I liked coaching the junior high basketball team. I think
working with students that age is really a great opportunity
to help them get a strong start on their teenage life and
interests and I like being there for them that way. I think
I’m going to start my teaching career around here
so I’m interested in a school system that’s
open to working with students in new ways – say,
supporting teachers as they start new extra-curricular
activities. Can you tell me about anything you’ve
heard about opportunities like
that in this area?”
5. The last step is to make the
contacts. There are many ways to
contact the
people on your
list of contacts.
Here are a few. As you think through
your list of contacts, think about
the most
favorable way to get
each person’s
attention – what kind of
a contact do you think each person
will like best?
You will
probably
need
to use different
ways of contacting different people.
- Email – be careful and don’t be too casual
with someone you don’t
know well. Remember that you
are creating
an impression
(in print!)
which you
want to
be favorable.
- Internet on-line discussion groups,
chat rooms, and web-based
networks of professional
associations
related
to education – again
conduct yourself as a professional.
- Phone call – clearly identify
yourself and why you are
calling.
- Letter - letting them know that you
will telephone in a few days, and
why you will
be calling, so they will be
expecting your call.
- Just stopping by – unannounced – best
with someone you know fairly
well.
Person-to-person with someone you
don’t
know:
- Asking a mutual friend to arrange
a meeting, or an introduction
to someone you don’t
know yet.
- Starting a conversation with
someone you haven’t
met yet at a social
or professional gathering.
When at a social
or professional gathering,
remember that
sound
bite and commercial
about
yourself that you developed.
They will
come in very
handy.
- Place your nametag
on the right side,
so that as you
shake hands it
can be
easily
viewed.
- Enter the room with confidence and
observe the environment.
- Select someone you want to meet and
approach the person or group with
a smile.
- Keep your beverage in your left hand
so you can easily shake hands when
meeting new
contacts.
- Use your sound bite or commercial
to begin the conversation and after
that it will flow
normally. Use your listening
skills and you will find thatpeople
are generally happy to be of
help to you. When
the conversation
draws to a
close, be sure to thank the person
for the information they shared.
If you want to be
able to contact them again,
ask them if it would be alright
to call or email if you have more questions,
and, if
they agree, write down their
contact information. Then excuse
yourself and approach someone else you would
like to meet.
|
Teaching
Employment Portfolio Tips *
|
A teaching employment portfolio provides a wonderful way
to make a memorable impression on the person interviewing
you. Used well, it can secure you a very good chance at a
job offer. Used poorly it can remove you from consideration.
*Information in this portfolio section is courtesy of University
of Northern Iowa Career Services.
What are the elements of a teaching employment portfolio
that you should consider?
1. The contents
2. The format
3. The demonstration
1. The Contents: A teaching employment portfolio which will
be used for interviews is not a scrapbook or photo album.
Employers are not interested in a large folio or notebook
of odds and ends that you have collected over your college
career, or during your student teaching and assisting. The
items in your teaching portfolio should add value to your
interview and represent your skill sets, knowledge, experiences,
and activities. They should show:
- Academic Preparation and Training
- Documentation of the scope and quality of your teaching
experience
- Examples of your skills and abilities
- Samples of awards, honors, and other items giving
evidence of the quality of your work
Items which could be placed in your teaching employment portfolio
are:
- A cover sheet & table of contents
- A copy of your resume
- A copy of your transcript
- A personal statement of teaching philosophy
- Student Teaching evaluations
- Teacher/Coaching evaluations
- Sample lesson plans
- Sample syllabi or unit plans
- Pictures of bulletin boards
- Samples of communication with students and/or
parents
- Student work samples
- Samples of publications or a list of publications
- Teaching tools you may have created
- A fact sheet that displays special skills
- Honors, awards, certificates, letters of commendation
and thank you’s from supervisors, principals,
previous employers, etc.
Deciding what should go into your teaching employment
portfolio involves thinking about the following
questions and which
items will best demonstrate your skills and
strengths:
a. What knowledge, strengths, skills, and abilities
do you have to offer an employer?
b. Which of the items above relates to the specific
needs of the particular employer, the career, or
the position you
are interested in?
c. What have you done that demonstrates that knowledge,
skill, strength, or ability?
2. The format : A loose-leaf portfolio notebook usually
works best. Use non-glare plastic page covers, dividers
or divider
tabs and quality white photocopy paper. Always type/computer
generate portfolios. A few rules:
- Make it as brief as possible without compromising
your purpose.
- Always use copies, not originals. Keep the originals
in a safe place. If something happens to your
portfolio, you
want to be able to make another one.
- Design for easy viewing across a desk.
- Never use a font smaller than 12 point.
- Quality is always better than quantity.
Sections and possible order:
- Coversheet
- Table of Contents
- Resume
- Transcript
- Philosophy Statement
- Professional performance and samples (include pictures
and student samples where possible)
- Pedagogy skills (Lesson plans, unit plans, use
of technology, etc.)
- Content knowledge skills
- Honors, awards, certificates
- Evaluations, citations, letters of commendation,
thank you notes
- (If you have a non-confidential credential file,
you can include your letters of reference here)
3. The demonstration: Although you should always
take your teaching employment portfolio with
you to interviews,
you
may not have time to show it to an employer.
During the hiring season their schedules may become
very
busy. Your chances
will improve if you refer to the fact that
you have prepared a teaching employment portfolio
in your
cover letter, and
as a final note at the end of your resume.
School district hiring officials have indicated that
they
would prefer
to see teaching employment portfolios at a
second interview, rather than the first interview.
Include some extra resumes in your teaching
employment portfolio and, when you respond
to questions
at the interview, if you
have some very good examples of the type of
work you do in your portfolio that relates
to the
interviewer’s question
you are answering, this is a good time to mention that you
have examples in your portfolio that you would be willing
to show them. However, don’t push the portfolio onto
the interviewer.
After you have indicated that you have examples,
it will be up to the interviewer to say “I’d
like to see those.” If they don’t
indicate that they have the time to look at
them, simply
continue on with
the interview.
After you accept a teaching position, be sure
to keep your teaching employment portfolio
up to date.
Create
a file
and add samples of materials you’ve developed, projects
you’ve done, evaluations, special notes,
a list of committees and groups you have worked
on,
publications,
grants written, etc. Those items can become
a part of your
updated
portfolio. |
Interview
Tips & Preparation
|
* Portions of
this Interview section are adapted from the website of
the University of Northern Iowa Career Services with their
permission.
The key to a successful interview is preparation. Luck is
when preparation meets opportunity.
Types of Interviews
Your Appearance Will Make Your Entrance Memorable
Top Ten Interview Topics
Sample Interview Questions for Educators
Questions to Ask in Education Interviews
Interview Tips
The Top 20 Interview Questions
Types of Interviews*
- Screening Interview: These are short in duration (15-30
minutes perhaps) and conducted by one person for
the purpose of determining whether the candidate has
the basic qualifications
for a teaching position. They may be done by telephone.
Screening candidates first saves the organization
money because they
are able to eliminate those candidates who are
not qualified before they enter a more lengthy detailed
interview process.
- Group Interview: These are usually used where professional
or managerial candidates are being interviewed. There
are 3-5 interviewers who meet with the candidate simultaneously
or in a series of interviews. They allow the organization
to rely on the perspective of more than one person
when making
a decision about the candidate.
- Behavioral Interview: Prior to the interview the
employer selects certain areas of competence that
are important
to the district and defines several ‘situations’ which
would require the use of those competencies. During
the interview the candidate is asked how they have
handled
similar situations,
based on the belief that past behavior is the best
determinate of future behavior. Usually the employer
is looking for
logic, creativity, resourcefulness, conceptual
ability, and verbal
communication skills. This type of interview offers
the candidate a chance to display a wider range
of competencies
than some
other interview formats allow.
- Structured Interview (Teacher Perceiver): Each interviewer
has a responsibility to cover certain aspects
of the candidate’s
qualifications and, as a result, all areas
important to the employer are covered very thoroughly
and
comprehensively during the interview. Some interviewers
are more adept
than
others at gathering data to make their
decision. During this interview little or no feedback
is
given to the
candidate
and there may be no opportunity to ask
questions. The interviewer may try to maintain no
expression
as a
way of giving no
feedback.
- Assessment Centers: In an interview of this type a
candidate may be asked to teach a lesson or complete
a writing assignment.
The purpose of such activities is to predict the probability
for successful performance of key job elements. These
activities may form all or part of an interview.
Your Appearance Will Make Your Entrance Memorable It is said
that we make our first impression in 7 seconds. WOMEN
- WEAR A SUIT! Even though you might think you will
never wear a suit again, you should still wear a suit.
You
may be surprised at how much use you
will get out of that suit. Don’t have a suit? It’s time to
buy one. Can’t
afford a suit? Borrow one (as long as it properly fits!) Try one of the
second-hand or consignment shops – they often have very good
bargains.
- Pant suit or skirt suit – either one. If you choose to wear a
skirt suit make sure the skirt length is to your knees. Also, if you
wear a skirt be sure
to wear skin-colored hosiery – no bare legs! No shorts
suits.
- Solid color blouse or sweater
- Tasteful accessories (small earrings, no bracelets) You want them
to focus on your face and expressions, not on your jewelry.
- No piercings – except for one or two on your ears – if
you have them, leave the jewelry for them home that day.
No visible tattoos.
- Keep color-treated hair updated.
- Well-groomed fingernails. If you choose to wear fingernail
polish, keep it a conservative color and be sure there are
no chips in the polish.
- Makeup should be neat/refined.
- Polished, dress shoes. Closed toe better than open toe
sandals. Moderate heel height. No platforms.
- Remember to iron your clothes! If you don’t
have an iron, borrow one!
- No perfume – you don’t want your interviewer
to be allergic to you!
MEN
- WEAR A SUIT! Even though you might think you will
never wear a suit again, you should still
wear a suit. You
may be surprised
at
how much
use you
will get out of that suit. Don’t
have a suit? It’s time to buy one.
Can’t
afford a suit? Borrow one (as long as it
properly fits!). Or try a second-hand or
consignment shop – they
often have very good bargains.
- Solid color dress shirt.
- Conservative tie. Avoid cartoon characters, less-than-serious
graphics or theme ties.
- No distracting jewelry.
- No piercings. If you have them – leave the jewelry
home that day – no
visible tattoos.
- Socks must match pants.
- Hair length should be appropriate and hair should
be clean and well groomed.
- Well trimmed facial hair.
- Polished, dress shoes. The color of your shoes should
match the color of your belt.
- Remember to iron your clothes! If you don’t
have an iron, borrow one – or
send your clothes to the cleaners for pressing!
- No cologne – some people are allergic
to cologne.
Top Ten Interview Topics* Some interview
topics are likely to arise in many
interviews because
they offer
the employer
an excellent
way to get
to know
a candidate better.
It’s a good idea to think through your
approach to these topics. There are no right
or wrong answers,
but
your answer
will be more
organized and
direct if you have thought about it in advance:
- Classroom Management
- Student Teaching
- Strengths
- Weaknesses
- Teaching Philosophy
- “What if” or “Tell
me about a time when”
- Future Plans
- Teaching Style
- Motivational Theories
- Lesson Design
Sample Interview Questions for Educators*
Not every interviewer will ask
you every one of these
questions. However, if
you are prepared
to address
these
questions, you will leave an impression
that you were prepared for your job interview,
even if there are additional questions that
take
you by surprise. Preparation does not require
a memorized answer – in fact, it’s
not a good idea to memorize an answer.
What is necessary is that you
think about each
of these
questions
before the interview season starts. They
will help you know yourself better.
1. General & Experience-related
- Why did you decide to become a teacher?
- Please tell me about your most challenging
experience while working with children or in
the classroom?
- How has American education been successful
over the past twenty years?
- If I was your principal and we were
setting goals for next year, what would
they be?
- What is the last book you read? Have
you ever considered publishing a book?
- Tell me about yourself.
- How would you rank these in importance
and why? Planning, discipline, methods,
evaluation.
- What do you want to do with your
life?
- How do you give your students recognition?
Do you think a student can have too much
recognition?
- Discuss your student teaching experience.
What did you like/dislike? Changes you
would have made?
- What are your strengths? What are your
weaknesses?
- How do you establish authority/discipline?
What do you do when a discipline problem
arises?
- What will you be doing in five years?
- What is your educational philosophy?
- If you could create the ideal school,
what would it be like?
- What is the role of the principal?
Does a conflict exist between the principal's
role and his/her role as your evaluator?
- During your student teaching, were
you ever involved with a situation at
school involving racial tension? If so,
how did you handle it?
- How would you handle making a difficult
phone call to a parent?
- What do you like most/dislike most
about teaching?
2. Classroom Management
- What is your classroom management plan/style?
What are your goals?
- What do you do if a student does
not meet a deadline?
- It is the first day of class, you
are writing something on the board
and a
paper wad hits you in the back, what
would you do? Later the same day, if
all
the students drop their pencils, what
do you do?
- How do you handle a child who seems
gifted, but is a discipline problem?
- Do you believe you should build rapport
with students? If yes, how?
- How do you feel about noise in the
classroom? How do you handle noise
in the classroom?
- If a student came to you and said, "None of the
other students like me," what
would you tell him/her?
- Given the multitude of material that
must be taught, what is the optimum
way to cover all subjects and still
meet
individual needs? How does your management
of your classroom facilitate this?
3. Knowledge of content and Teaching
Materials:
- How do you feel about computers in
the classroom?
- What kinds of tests do you like to
give?
- How do you stay current in your field?
- Are there any materials that you
find to be especially effective for
slow learners
or bright students?
- What kinds of materials and supplies
would you need to do your best job?
- How do you organize your teaching
supplies and/or materials?
4. Instructional Skills:
- If a student said she thought you
were the worst teacher she ever had,
what
would you say?
- How do you encourage students to
learn? Can a student be forced to
learn?
- How do you present a new word
to a class?
- Describe the best lesson you have
delivered. Why was it successful?
- Describe the teaching techniques
or strategies that are most effective
for
you.
- Tell us how you assess your students
to determine how well they
are learning (formally & informally).
- How do you deal with an unmotivated
student?
- Tell me about some specific motivational
strategies you use to get students
excited about learning.
- Explain how you have changed your
lesson plan preparation and presentation
as
you have gained experience.
Questions to Ask in Education
Interviews (K-12 Educators) Don’t ask a question
unless you are genuinely interested in the answer – an
actual lack of interest would certainly
show. If you are having trouble
thinking about what
you would
like to know more about, here are some
sample questions to help you formulate
your own inquiries.
1. How does the administration work
with teachers to improve instruction?
2. Does the district have a
statement of educational philosophy
or mission?
3. Are there school psychologists,
counselors, or public agencies
that help students
and teachers? Can you tell me about
those programs?
4. Elementary & Junior
High only: Are there any programs
for latchkey
kids?
5. High School only: Do you
have programs to deal with drug
and alcohol
abuse?
6. What professional skills
do you expect of the person you
hire?
7. How are parents & community
each involved in school activities?
In supporting
the
school in other
ways?
8. What types of professional development
programs have the teachers attended
in the last year?
9. How do staff members work collaboratively
to solve problems and respond to
the needs of students?
10. What are prospects for future
growth in this community and its
schools?
11. What is the teacher/student
ratio in your district?
12. Do you encourage teachers
to earn advanced degrees?
13. How many classes a day will
I be expected to teach? What is
the
typical
class size?
14. Tell me about the students
who attend this school? Can you
give
a profile of
the 'typical' student?
15. What textbooks does the district
use in this subject area? What
is the district's policy on mainstreaming
and inclusion?
16. How do teachers participate
in curriculum review and change?
17. How much power does a teacher
have to determine the curriculum
in the
classes you teach?
18. What kind of freedom do you
have to choose any books you like
for
your classes?
19. What kinds of support staff
members are available to help students
and
teachers?
20. Describe the teachers at this
school? Can you give a profile
of the 'typical'
teacher?
21. What do current staff do
to welcome new teachers?
22. What discipline procedures
does the district use? Is there
a certain
philosophy
that you adhere to?
23. Do your schools use teacher
aides or parent volunteers? What
is their
role?
24. What allowances are provided
for supplies and materials?
25. Describe the status of computer
usage at your school? How do you
envision it
changing during the next three
years?
26. Does the administration encourage
field trips for students?
27. How are teachers assigned
to extracurricular activities?
28. What are prospects for future
growth in this community and its
schools?
29. How many extracurricular activities
does the school offer? When was
the last time a new extracurricular
activity
was
begun?
Interview Tips An interview is
a sales meeting. You are the salesperson,
the
interviewer is the customer,
and
your product
is YOU. Like
all good sales personnel
you must “know your product” and
be able to share information about
the product so
that the
customer will know
how you can be
of help to them.
That means that you must know your
strengths and weaknesses.
Your strengths are both specific
skills and knowledge related to
teaching, and general skills. Think
about each
topic
below and list some of your skills.
Then recall a short (2-3 sentences)
anecdote
that illustrates the skill and
jot down something to help you
recall
that
anecdote.
Interviewers, like all of us, remember
stories best.
1. Your specific skills are:
- Your knowledge about the developmental
characteristics and tasks of the
students you want to teach
- Your knowledge about the subject
you want to teach (very specific
for secondary
students and broader for elementary
and special educators)
- Your ability to manage classrooms
and motivate students
- Other specific abilities you
may have (conversation skills in
another
language,
abilities with gifted children)
2. Your general skills are:
- Your personality (upbeat, calm,
enthusiastic, comfortable, etc.)
- Your character (patient,
responsible, thoughtful,
fair, etc.)
- Your ability to get along with
children or youth (encouraging,
approachable, good sense
of humor, motivated, etc.)
- Your ability to get along
with colleagues (fair, hard
working, pleasant, inclusive, “can-do” attitude,
flexible, etc.)
- Your leadership qualities (good
listener, creative, experienced
in leadership,
good at analyzing ‘the
situation’,
etc.)
The Top 20 Interview Questions*
- What is your greatest strength
as a teacher?
What they’re really asking:
How do you perceive your talents
and abilities
as a teacher?
Will you be an asset
to our school
and our students?
- What is your greatest weakness?
What they’re really asking: How honest are you being with us and with yourself?
What skeletons do you have in your “teaching closet” that
we should know about?
- What can you tell us about
yourself?
What they’re really
asking: What makes you
special? What
might you bring to
our children?
- What is your philosophy of classroom
discipline?
What they’re really asking: Do
you have a plan? Are you going to be
able to
control
kids?
- What steps would you take with a student
who is disruptive in your classroom?
What they’re really asking: Can you handle most discipline problems yourself,
or will you send students to the principal’s
office at the drop of a hat?
- What kind of classroom management
plan do you like best?
How would you implement it in your classroom?
What they’re really
asking: How will your
lessons be planned?
Will
your students
be on
task and challenged?
- Why do you want to be a teacher?
What they’re really asking: Do you have a
passion for children and the
teaching profession? How will our children
benefit by
having you as
their teacher?
- Why do you want to teach
in this district/ school?
What they’re really
asking: Do you care where
you teach?
Did you take
the time to research
our district/ school?
- Why should we hire you for this
position?
What they’re really asking: Can you convince us you’re
the one? How much confidence
do you have in your self?
- What are your goals in education? Where
do you see yourself in five years from
now? How
does this position fit into your career
plans?
What they’re really asking: Do
you want to stay in one
position for the long
haul,
or will
you be here
a year
and
move on? Are
you a stable
person?
- What would we see if we walked
into your classroom?
What they’re really
asking: Do you have a well-managed
classroom? Are your students
interacting
with you and the other students?
- What are some trends, issues and methodologies
in education that relate to your specific
curriculum area or grade level?
What they’re really asking: Do you know what’s
going on in education today?
- What books are you currently
reading or have you read recently?
What they’re really
asking: Teachers should
be avid readers;
are you a reader?
How
well-rounded are
you?
- What are some of your hobbies
or leisure-time activities?
What they’re really
asking: What do you do
outside of school
that would
transfer
positively into the classroom?
- What special skills or talents will you
bring to your classroom?
What they’re really asking:
Do you have a wide variety of interests
and experiences
that will make you an exciting,
stimulating
teacher?
- Would you be willing to teach
at a different grade level
(elementary) or teaching a different subject
(secondary)?
What they’re really
asking: Are you flexible?
Do you have
enough confidence
to consider other
grade levels
or
subject areas?
- Would you be willing to pursue
an extra certificate or credential?
What they’re really
asking: Are you a teacher
who will
increase our
staffing options?
- What is your philosophy of
team teaching?
What they’re really
asking: Do you work well
with others?
- What were you hoping
we would ask you today,
but didn’t?
What they’re really
asking: Is there anything
special about
yourself you want
us to know?
- Do you have any questions
for us?
What they’re really
asking: Are you interested
enough in
our district
to ask questions?
* Material adapted from University
of Northern Iowa teacher’s
web pages http://www.uni.edu/careerservices/educators/index.html with permission |
Job
Offers
|
The happy result
of this searching will be a job offer, or more than one
job offer! Congratulations! Now what?
Ethical issues related
to accepting a job offer
The Format of Job Offers & When is an Offer an Offer?
Deciding About and Accepting a Job Offer
Handling More Than One Job Offer at a Time
Declining a Job Offer
Teaching Contracts
Ethical issues related to accepting a job offer**
- Your acceptance of a job offer is binding.
- Don't accept a job offer, even verbally, until you
are certain you are committed.
- Don't back out after accepting; that's called reneging,
and is unethical.
- An employer should never pressure you to renege on
another employer.
- Once you have accepted a job offer, notify any other
employers with whom you are in discussion about
employment that you
are no longer a candidate. Cancel any upcoming
interviews by courteously explaining that you have accepted
another
job offer. For details and sample letters, see
Job Letters.pdf (anchor to that section) Acceptance Letter,
and Withdrawal
Letter.
- If you are in a difficult or confusing situation
that you are not sure how to handle, talk with
Career Services.
The Format of Job Offers
Your initial job offer may
be verbal: at the end of a second (or third) interview
with
the interviewer
simply saying that the school district would like to
offer you the position, or via a phone call at some
time after
that interview where the interviewer explains that
you were selected among the applicants and they would
like
to offer
you the position.
When is an Offer an Offer?
It’s not wise to accept
a job on the spot. From time to time a candidate will be
told something like, “I think you’ve got the
job if you want it,” and then nothing further
happens. Formal job offers are in writing and have
a salary attached
to them. When possible wait until you have that written
offer which includes the details of the verbal promises
that were
made before accepting the position. Even if you indicate
verbally that you will accept the offer they should
follow up with a written offer outlining the details.
**If you have received an offer, you need to acknowledge
it in some way, even if you have not decided whether
to accept it. Send a letter to the employer and note
the following
issues in your letter:
- Thank the employer for the opportunity presented.
- Indicate that you understand the terms of the offer,
or if you don’t, ask for clarification.
- A smart employer will know that you need to consider
various employment options in order to make a wise
decision; you
may need to compare the offer to another pending
offer.
- However, you may need to make a decision before
you know whether or not you will receive another
offer.
- Consult Career Services if you need assistance
handling offers or making a decision.
Deciding About and Accepting a Job Offer
Hopefully, you will have given some thought to what
your personal priorities are that would lead you
to accept
one position over another. There are no ‘correct’ reasons
to prefer a particular job. Each person prioritizes
factors according to their own desires. Factors which
people commonly
consider are:
- Opportunity to Make Independent Decisions
- Opportunity to Affect District Decisions
- Opportunity to Achieve
- Opportunity to be Creative
|
- Opportunity to Supervise Others
- Prestigious School District
- Good Fit for My Skills
- Job Security
|
- Geographic Location
- Friendly Colleagues
- Compensation
- Benefits
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Of course, no job will provide for all of these
needs, so it is a good idea to select the 3-5
factors that
are the
most important for you, and within those 3-5
factors, be aware of what your top two needs are.
For more
information about compensation and benefits factors
see the section
on Salary Links (anchor to that section).
If you have already decided that you would like
to accept the position if offered, you can
verbally express your
thanks and indicate that you would like to
tentatively accept the
position pending receipt of the contract to
make sure that you both have the same understanding
of
the position.
Indicate
how enthusiastic you are about teaching in
the
district and how you look forward to working
with them. Your
goal is to
be very positive while not committing to the
position without a written contract. Ask them
when they
are planning to
send you a written offer. Then wait to receive
the contract.
Handling More Than One Job Offer at a Time** - not an uncommon situation for job seekers.
The situation:
- You have an offer from employer B.
- You've gone through the interview process
with employer A, and you're hoping for, and
perhaps
expecting an
offer. You really want the job with employer
A.
- B has given you a deadline, say two weeks
from the offer date.
- You haven't heard from A, and you might
not hear until near or after B's deadline.
- You'd rather work for A, but B has given
you a great offer, and you don't want to
turn that
down
if A doesn't
want you.
- What to do?
The solution:
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