How to Ace a Teacher Interview: Preparation and Passion

By Victoria Ayam

As an administrator what I look for in a candidate is passion.

We employ teachers who are willing to change their students’ lives through education and can convey that in an interview. I want to have in my team lifelong learners and team players. I want whole teachers for the whole child.

Getting an interview is a boost for your confidence. Something about you, your resume, cover letter, or references caught the employer’s attention. So you are there because someone is interested in you!

Some useful tips that can help you get the job of your dreams:
• Be prepared. Just like you would do for an exam, study! Read about the school and the district. Be ready to say why you would love to work there. Prepare answers to frequently asked questions and practice saying them out loud. Organizing your thoughts in advance will help you deliver truthful and concise answers.
• Give plenty of real examples and personal anecdotes. You sound genuine and can give the panel concrete examples of your teaching style, ability to solve problems, inspirational role models, etc.
• Explain your added value. You might have some special ability or interest that can benefit students and the community, and can make you an interesting candidate (tech expertise, sports, or experience with service learning activities).
• Be clued in about big issues in education. You should be informed about the latest trends and topics being implemented and discussed. Share information on the last book you read or an article you found interesting.
• Prepare a paragraph on your teaching philosophy, a self-reflective statement about your beliefs on teaching and learning. This will give the interviewer a lot of information about you as a person, your teaching style and approach, and your strengths.
• Have questions prepared for the interviewer. Most likely at the end of the interview you will be asked if you have any questions. Asking some key questions show that you are interested in the position and the community. It is an opportunity to impress the panel, but always remember that they run the interview, not you. Don’t ask questions you can answer by researching. Take advantage of the occasion to share some of your strengths:
• “I consider myself a lifelong learner. What type of professional development opportunities do you provide?”
• “Do teachers work/plan in teams?” (You show that you like to collaborate.)
• “I love team sports. Is there any extra-curricular activity for staff?” (You are willing to go the extra mile and you are a team player.)

When an interviewer asks you about your strengths, mention aspects of your personality and your professional proficiency that are core to the job: classroom management, technology integration for teaching and learning, curriculum development and planning, social skills, and positive interaction with colleagues, parents, and students, among others. Include examples and personal anecdotes.

Always remember to mention areas to develop and future challenges—show that you are indeed a lifelong learner!
Above all, be yourself. Be unique. Interviewers sense when you are honest with your answers or when you say what they want to hear. Trust your capacity and your potential. We all started as novice teachers without experience, when someone who saw our potential gave us our first opportunity. And remember that preparation, authenticity, and passion are the key to a successful interview.

This content is part of the Pathfinder career article series featured on the ASCD Job Ramp. For more similar content or job search tools, visit www.ascd.org/ascdjobramp.

Victoria Ayam is Deputy Head  of Olivos Primary and Vice Directora EP of St. Andrew’s Scots School in Argentina and a 2011 ASCD Emerging Leader. Her areas of expertise include character education; school climate; teacher supervision and evaluation; education management; and professional development.