What are administrators looking for when you go on an interview for a teaching position?

Question

I am a certified teacher who has been looking for a job for quite awhile now. I get called for interviews, but then the buck stops there. What can I do to set myself apart?

Answer 1

If you feel you can handle it, a good way to find out what went wrong in those interviews is to go back, very non defensively, and ask the administrators what you can do to make yourself more marketable. I'd have some questions prepared, and ask for their feedback.

Another way to get insiide of a district is to substitute teach. You can make good contacts with administrators. This is how I began. I subbed for 2 years and there was one administrator who really liked me. I worked exclusively at her school for 1 year and she fought for me to get me into the district. I have been teaching there for 2 years now and loving it.

Of course, every administrator has their own likes/dislikes and you can't anticipate all of those. I've been told within the first 3 minutes of the interview, the interviewer has already decided if they want you or don't. Try to present yourself confidently and be very solid on your expertise and knowledge of what that district wants in its teachers. In CA, standards is the buzz word, so in your interview you need to say that your instructional strategies are based on students' mastery of standards. Also, you must embrace the philosophy that all students can learn. In that same vein is differentiated instruction. Your instruction is planned in such a way where every student is taught at his/her own level.

Hope this is helpful. Good luck to you in your job hunting :-)

Answer 2

Missy A has given you great advice. I just want to add please speak proper English. And wear an outfit that you would expect to wear to work.
The advice to try subbing is the best you'll ever get. In 35 years, most of our new hires came from the Sub file. If you can sub child, YOU CAN teach.