Interview Tips

PREPARATION FOR THE INTERVIEW

A. Assess Yourself

• Develop a written outline about yourself including your educational background, experiences, skills and qualities, as well as relevant examples to back up your qualifications for a teaching position.
• Study the outline you created until you are able to articulate all aspects of your background and qualifications clearly, concisely, and positively.
• Determine examples from your education and experiences that you want to use to back up your qualifications.
• Anticipate questions you may be asked, then formulate and practice your answers (but do not memorize them).

B. Assess the Organization

• Research the school districts you know you are going to interview with to know as much as possible about the district and the position. This information may be found on the district's website or through research of the district on the state department of education's website.
• Develop questions to ask the interviewer after researching the district.

• Extra copies of your resume on resume quality paper.  Cover letters are not needed but you are welcome to bring them. . 
• Portfolios can be brought, but interviews will only last 25 minutes, so you need to spend a majority of your time discussing your qualifications. Consider assembling a smaller ‘interview portfolio’ that can be shown to an employer when answering some of your interview questions. An interview portfolio typically includes your teaching philosophy, a sample lesson plan, a unit plan, two or three sample worksheets, your last field placement evaluation, and a list of your references.
• Questions to ask the interviewer(s) Research districts ahead of time through their websites and prepare to ask questions that show you’ve spent time learning about their districts.

• Review the Ed Expo website to ensure you have proper directions.
• Plan extra time on the day of the interview for unexpected events, bad weather, detours or other road delays, etc.

• Arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the Open Fair or your first interview if you do not plan to attend the Open Fair to be able to familiarize yourself with the facility and the layout of the fair.
• Plan extra time to find a parking space and walk to the event center from the parking lots.

• Wear a professional business suit to the job fair.  While you may not wear a suit to work every day, wearing a suit to an interview shows you know how to dress as a professional and that you want to present yourself as a professional. Use the following guidelines to help you prepare your interview attire and make the best possible impression. Ask your Career Services Director for help making the right choice regarding what to wear for your interview.

Tips for Women:

• Choose a suit (skirt suit or pants suit) conservative in color (Blue, black, grey, or brown is best. Other colors are acceptable as long as your suit is professional looking.)
• Wear suit skirts at knee level or longer.
• Choose a closed-toe and closed-heel shoe which coordinates with your suit and has a mid-size heel.
• Wear a blouse with a conservative neck line.
• Wear pantyhose that coordinate with your suit color or are neutral.
• Keep hair, makeup, and accessories professional. Everything in moderation.

 

Tips for Men:

• Choose a suit conservative in color (blue, black, grey, or brown is best).
• Wear a white or light colored shirt.
• Choose a professional tie which coordinates with your suit color.
• Wear shoes that are black or brown and coordinate with your suit color.
• Wear a belt that is the same color as your shoes.
• Choose socks that match shoe color.

 

Additional Tips:

• Be sure your clothes are clean and pressed.
• Avoid wearing perfume, scented lotions or aftershave. The smell may overpower an interviewer or the interviewer may be allergic.
• Make sure your shoes are polished.
• Avoid clothing and accessories which are casual or faddish. While open-toed sandals may be fashionable for women, they are not professional and should not be worn to an interview.
• Do not smoke prior to or during an interview.
• Do not drink alcohol at least 24 hours prior to an interview.
• Consult with your career services contact person if you are unsure of how to develop your professional image for an interview.

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DURING THE INTERVIEW

A. Possess a Positive Attitude

• Greet everyone with a smile and a firm handshake.
• Use positive words to express your qualifications when answering questions.
• Smile and show enthusiasm throughout the interview.

B. The First Ten Seconds

The first impression you make in an interview is critical. You need to display confidence, professionalism, and poise. An interviewer will remember if the first impression you made was a positive one. Keep the following items in mind in order to make a positive first impression:

• Have a firm handshake.
• Make appropriate eye contact.
• Dress and act like a professional.
• Use appropriate grammar.
• Sit upright in the chair.
• Do not chew gum.
• Ensure your cell phone is off.
• Look interested in what the interviewer is saying.
• Show enthusiasm for the position and an interest in the organization.
• Be respectful of everyone you meet and appreciative of receiving an interview.

C. Verbal Communication

When answering questions, be sure to use examples whenever possible. By using examples, an interviewer will know what experiences you have had in the past and what skills you will bring to a new job. Examples can be taken from classroom, leadership, work, service, and life experiences.

Proper grammar is a must during interviews. Avoid slang and fillers such as "like", "um" and "you know".

It is appropriate to take a moment to think about and formulate your answer to an interview question once it has been asked. It is better to have a moment of silence then to start talking and realize you are off on a tangent and can't recover from it.

Employers expect job applicants to be nervous, but that is not an excuse for being an ineffective communicator. By practicing answers to interview questions, you will be well prepared to answer questions appropriately.

D. Nonverbal Communication

Be sure your nonverbal communication is appropriate during the interview. Sit up straight, smile, have a firm handshake, and make good eye contact. Don't fidget during an interview or gesture too much, because it will be distracting to the interviewer.

E. Salary

Candidates should wait to talk about salary until it is brought up by the interviewer. This topic is usually discussed later in the interviewing process. If you bring up salary, it shows you are more interested in compensation for a position than how you can contribute to a position.

F. Closing

Have questions ready to ask the interviewer when given the opportunity. The interviewer will usually provide a summary or other indication that the interview is drawing to a close. If you are still interested in the position, be sure to state this before leaving the interview. Also find out who will make the next move and when it will take place. Don't forget to thank the interviewer for his/her time.

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AFTER THE INTERVIEW

A. Thank You Letter

Send a professional thank you letter as soon as possible. Include any additional documents needed by the employer. If you meet with more than one person, send each one an individual thank you letter. Vary the content of each letter so you are not sending the same exact letter to each person.

B. Review Performance

Remember to review your performance to determine how well you did and if you need to brush up on your interview skills.

C. Follow Up

Be sure to follow up appropriately after the interview is over. At the end of the interview, ask when you will be hearing from the employer. If that time has passed, you can call to reiterate your interest and ask the status of the position.