Bringing Schools & Teachers Together

Here are some ideas that just might help get you through the questions you hoped they'd forget to ask

"Reasons for leaving?"
Hopefully you'll have an acceptable reason for leaving every job you've held. Possible answers

• Challenge: You weren't able to grow professionally in that position.
• Location: The travel time was unreasonably long.
• Advancement: There was nowhere for you to go. You had the talent, but there were no opportunities.
• Pride or prestige: You wanted to be with a better school.

"Why do you want to work here?"
You can't answer this one unless you've done your homework on the school. Cap your answer with reference to its reputation for providing a stable and happy work environment — an atmosphere that will encourage your best work. “I enjoy my work and am proud of my profession. Your school has a very good reputation and I share the values that make this possible, which should enable me to fit in and complement the team."

"What did you like/dislike about your last job?"
Most interviews start with a preamble about the school so pay attention. They are giving you the information that will help you answer this particular question. Use statements the interviewer makes about the job or the organisation to your advantage. The solution is to focus on what you like and gloss over what you dislike. It won't hurt to say that you liked everything about your last job. Never criticise. Criticising a prior employer is a warning flag that you could be a problem - and no-one intentionally hires trouble.

"What are your biggest accomplishments?"
"Although I feel my biggest achievements are still ahead of me, I am proud of my involvement with {whatever}. I made my contribution as part of that team and learned a lot in the process.”

"Why should I employ you?"
Make the answer short and to the point. Highlight areas from your background that relate to current needs and problems. Recap the interviewer's description of the job and match it point-by-point with your skills. Finish your answer with:
"I have the qualifications you need [itemise them].
I'm a team player. I take direction and I have the desire to be a thorough success."

"Tell me about yourself."
This is not an invitation to ramble. If the context isn't clear, you need to know more about the question before giving an answer. In such a situation, you could ask, "Is there a particular aspect of my background that would be most relevant to you?" This will enable the interviewer to help you find the appropriate focus and avoid irrelevancies.

Whichever direction your answer may take, be sure that it has some relevance to your professional endeavours. You should demonstrate, or refer to, one or more of your key behavioural profiles in action — perhaps honesty, integrity, determination or being a team player. If you choose "team player", you can tell a story about yourself outside of work that also speaks about you at work. Your answer must make the connection between the two, such as: "I put my heart into everything I do, whether it be sports or work. I find that getting along with team-mates, or professional peers, makes life more enjoyable and productive."

This is rarely a question that you can answer instantly. Think about how you would answer it in advance, together with those aspects of your personality and/or background that you'd like to promote or feature in your interviewer.

"What is the most difficult situation you have faced?"
This question looks for information on two fronts:

• How do you define difficult?
• What was your handling of the situation?

You should have a story ready for this one in which the situation was both tough and allowed you to show yourself in a good light.

"Why did you choose teaching as a career path?"
This sort of question could lead to a vague and lengthy explanation. Avoid the trap. Form your answer so that it connects you with the position and the school. Keep it succinct and offer a specific example.
You need to convince the interviewer that the needs of the school and your career goals are in sync. Give specific examples that the interviewer can relate to and convince the person that this career path makes perfect sense for you.
"I chose teaching because I have always been a strong communicator with a good eye for motivating the best in people. I have a particular interest in child development and I really get a sense of achievement in seeing young people develop to their potential. I nevertheless have my feet on the ground and know that teaching can have its drawbacks – my sense of proportion allows me to cope with the bad and get a real sense of achievement and satisfaction from the good.”