This document serves as a comprehensive guide for teachers on how to successfully navigate job interviews. It covers critical interviewing fundamentals, preparation strategies, sample questions, and tips on making a positive first impression. Key advice includes understanding personal skills, researching schools, dressing professionally, and practicing effective communication.

1. Making the Grade in YOUR Job
Search:
A Teacher’s Guide to Career Success
Interviewing 101:
Tips and Strategies for Landing that Job
Presented by: Bethany Bagley
College of Education Career Consultant

2. Interviewing
Fundamentals

3. On average, it takes
an interviewer
less than 4 minutes
to make a decision
about a candidate.

4. In 95% of cases
the decision that is
made
in the first few minutes
did not change
by the end
of the interview.

5. Interviewing Fundamentals:
What do School Administrators Look for?
Content (WHAT you say):
 Clearly articulate career goals
 Demonstrate knowledge of profession
 Use specific examples, success stories
 Prepare great questions to ask
Style (HOW you say it):
 Delivery and mannerisms
 First impressions

6. How to Prepare

7. How to Prepare
 Know yourself
 Know the school
 Know the fit

8. Know Yourself:
Be Able to Identify & Market your Skills
 Communication  Problem-solver
 Leadership  Organizational
 Technology  Vision/Goal Oriented
 Innovative  Motivation/Initiative
 Teamwork  Creativity

9. Know the School:
Resources for Research
 GA Dept. of Education
 School District Website
 Community Information
 Volunteering/Networking
 Informational Interviews
 Internet Search

10. Know the School:
Resources for Research
 Demographics
 Vision
 Belief Statements
 Instructional
Departments
 Accomplishments
 Mission  Future Goals

11. Making a Successful
1st Impression

12. Let’s Start with the Basics:
S.E.N.T.
 Smile
 Eye Contact
 Name
 Touch
 Handshake

13. Measures of Evaluation:
First Impressions
 Posture / Body
Language
 Enthusiasm &
Energy
 Professional Attire

14. More than 70% of
your first impression
is based on
appearance.

15. Based on 1st impression,
who would you buy a car from:
This guy? This guy?

16. Based on 1st
impression, who would
you hire?

17. Candidate A: Candidate B:

18. Candidate A: Candidate B:

19. Professional Attire:
Women Men
 Professional blouse  Professional business
 Business suit suit
(slacks/dress/skirt)  White button down shirt
 Closed-toed dress shoes (or other muted colors)
 Conservative jewelry  Conservative tie
 Conservative hairstyle  Dark slacks
 Subtle perfume or none  Dark dress shoes
 Conservative hairstyle

20. Professional Attire:
Dress for Success
 Business Professional vs.
Business Casual
 Suit Colors: Black, Navy,
Charcoal Grey

21. Questions to
Expect

22. Traditional Interview Questions
 Tell me about yourself.
 What are your career goals?
 What are your strengths (and
weaknesses)?
 How did you choose UGA? Your major?
 Why should we hire you?
Answers:
 Keep answer under 2 minutes.

23. How to Answer Questions
 Givespecific past
examples/situations that reflect
your accomplishments or portray
you in a positive light
 Provideexamples of your greatest
strengths and skill set
 Research the district and school

24. Behavioral-Based
Questions
 Describe a time when….
 Tell me about a time when…
 Give me an example when…
How to Answer
?

25. STAR Approach
S T
R A
S- Describe the situation in which you were involved.
T- Describe the task to be performed.
A- What action did you take?
R- What was the result of your action?

26. Teaching-Specific Questions
 Why do you want to teach?
 What can you contribute to our school?
 Why do you think you will be a successful teacher?
 What are the qualities of an excellent teacher?
Which of these qualities do you have?
 Describe your student teaching experience. What
was your biggest problem? How did you resolve it?
 How do you handle curricular content in classes with
many levels of ability?
 What have you learned from your student teaching
experience?
 What do you believe your role and obligations to be
toward other faculty?

27. Teaching-Specific Questions
 What techniques do you use in developing rapport with
students?
 What procedures work best for you in maintaining
discipline?
 How would you individualize instruction in your classroom?
 Describe the role of the teacher in the learning process.
 What do you consider to be an ideal learning environment?
 How do you feel about team teaching?
 Why did you choose your particular area of preparation?
 What is the role of the school system in today’s society?
 What grade level do you feel most competent teaching?
Why?
 What out-of-school experiences have you had working with
children?
 What would you do if....? (hypothetical situations in the
classroom)

28. Let’s Practice

29. Tell me about a course, work
experience, or extracurricular
activity in which you had to work
closely with others. How did it go?
How did you overcome any
difficulties?

30. What is your greatest
strength and weakness?

31. Tell me about the most challenging
experience you had during student
teaching? What did you learn
because of that experience?

32. Tell me about a time when you
exceeded your title’s expectation
to complete a job or task.

33. Questions to Ask
and NOT to Ask

34. Questions to Ask
 Description of school district as per staff
size, enrollment, etc.
 Professional growth requirements in the
district, i.e., continuing education hours.
 How are parental contacts handled?
 How active is the P.T.O.? What does P.T.O.
spend money on? How do teachers handle
needs from P.T.O.? Does P.T.O. have a major
project each year?
 What extra duties are expected of teachers
(i.e., bus duty, car duty, lunch duty, etc.)?
 Are there any new “programs” (school-wide or
grade-level) that are new or unique to the
school? How long have they been in place?
Are any being looked at as future
possibilities?
 When can I expect to hear from you?

35. Prohibited Employment
Policies/Practices
 Race  National Origin
 Color  Age (40 or older)
 Religion  Disability
 Sex (including  Genetic
pregnancy) information

36. How to Conclude the
Interview

37. How to Conclude the Interview
 Reiterate your interest in the school
 Determine appropriate follow-up
 Get contact information from
interviewers
 Write thank-you notes within 24
hours
 Formal vs. Informal
(fine stationary vs. email)
 Remind administrators of
conversation highlights

38. Interviewing Tips

39. School Districts Speak Out!
What is the biggest no-no in an interview?
 “apathy, lack of flexibility”
 “Not being professional in every way -
dress, manner, presentation, knowledge.”
 “Not dressing appropriately, looking around for others in the room while
an interviewer is talking to them, and having a sloppy copy of their
resume. You are looking for the small things knowing that if they take
care of the small things, they will take care of the larger issues they will
face on the job.”
 “Poor dress or language skills”
 “To show up late and/or unprepared”

40. TOP 10
INTERVIEW TIPS
1. Research the school and the program.
2. Arrive 10-15 minutes early.
3. Dress for success.
4. Have a firm handshake and display confidence.
5. Use body language to show interest.
6. Listen.
7. Bring extra copies of your resume.
8. Have questions prepared ahead of time.
9. Ask about the next step in the process.
10. Thank the interviewers and follow-up with thank-you
notes/emails to each interviewer.

41. Get Practice!
Schedule an appointment for a mock interview
Call 706.542.3375
www.career.uga.edu

42. QUESTIONS
?

43. Come visit me at the Career Center!
To make an appointment
call 706-542-3375
OR
Visit Satellite Hours in
Aderhold 124N every
Tuesday from 3:00pm-
5:00pm
OR
Visit Walk-Ins Hours
Available everyday in Clark
Howell Hall from
12:00pm-2:00pm