Interview advice for teachers – Need some tips for an upcoming teaching interview? Here’s a list of some tips to help you nail your interview!
1. Let your passion and enthusiasm for teaching shine through. Sound positive, enthusiastic, and excited about the things you talk about.
2. Dress nicer than you would to teach. Not stuffy but look professional. Wear business casual pants, a nice top in a bright color, a blazer, close toed shoes. Make sure it’s something you’re comfortable and confident in – nothing you have to tug on.
3. Practice, practice, practice interview questions! Go over commonly asked teaching interview questions (I made a HUGE list of them here for you!) and answer them out loud. You’ll catch a lot of word fumbling ahead of time and be able to really revise what you want to say about yourself to give you the best answer. I’m not saying rehearse your answers so you know what to say verbatim but saying it out loud will really help you refine talking points about your best skills and moments as a teacher, help you with timing and wording, etc.
4. Talk about the wonderful things you’ve DONE, not what you PLAN to do. Even if you’re a brand new teacher, talk about the things you accomplished with your internships or student teaching experiences. Administrators want to know that you can deliver on your promises so try to use as many real examples as possible.
5. Be prepared to teach a mini lesson. The interview team may ask you to do a little mock lesson so know the structure of a lesson/lesson plan that the district or school prefers. Also think of a math lesson you’ve done and a reading lesson you’ve done that you could use as an example. They may ask for something specific, though, so be prepared for anything but have some ideas in mind going into it.
6. Know about the school you’re interviewing at! Go on their website and learn their mascot, facts about them, things they’ve been up to. Check out what sort of things the district cares about and get a feel for it. Be familiar with what curriculum they use and if you don’t know a lot about it, do some research!
7. Ask questions at the end of your interview! When they say, “Do you have any questions for us?” at the end, have 2-3! Use it as an opportunity to talk yourself up or show what’s important to you. For example: “Collaboration is really important to me. What is the collaborative culture like here? How do you encourage collaboration?” It shows interest in the position and can really help set you apart from the other applicants. Definitely don’t ask about pay, perks, benefits, etc.
8. If you’re not familiar with a program or term they use, don’t try to fake it. Say something along the lines of, “I’m not familiar with that program but I am a quick learner and always ready and willing to learn.”
9. Bring a copy of your resume for each person that’s interviewing you. If you’re unsure, make a few extra. Hand them to them as you enter.
10. Try not to talk too fast.
11. Make eye contact with every single person in the room when you answer questions so you have a connection with all of them – don’t just look at the principal. That’s uncomfortable anyway! 🙂
12. Don’t be afraid to sell yourself. This is a time to brag about the things you’ve accomplished and what your valuable skills are. Be warm and likable but don’t be modest.
I hope your interview goes well!!! Don’t forget to check out the giant list of teaching interview questions so you can practice!
I have a ton of other lists! Check out:
Flexible Seating Classroom Ideas and Seating Options
Best Back to School Books BY BEHAVIOR
Favorite Back to School Read Alouds
Back to School Books for Kindergarten
