The job interview

Some handy hints

Introduction

There are a few things I’ve learnt about going for job interviews, beyond the obvious stuff like combing your hair and making sure you don’t have some of your breakfast on your shirt. Obviously, I can’t guarantee the following suggestions will get you the job, but they certainly won’t hurt. Also, just to say, I think these suggestions apply to being interviewed for any teaching post, but perhaps are especially applicable to going for a middle leadership role like a head of department position.

Dress

I went for an interview once, and made the stupid mistake of getting dressed in the dark. Once I emerged into the daylight, I realised with horror that the staid and quiet maroon socks I’d put on were not staid, quiet or maroon at all, but a bright scarlet. By then it was too late, and I could only hope that the interviewing panel either wouldn’t notice or that they would all be wearing sunglasses.

As it happened, I did get the job. However, the headmaster told me afterwards that one member of the interviewing panel questioned my integrity — because of the colour of my socks. No, I don’t quite understand the connection either. Perhaps she thought I would turn out to be a total maverick. (I did.)

My takeaway from this is that unless you’ve applied for a job in a school where the teachers are expected to be unconventional, it’s probably safer to err on the side of conservativism in your appearance.

Arrive early to the area

I like to get to a school a bit early so that I can ask one or two local shopkeepers what the kids are like. It’s not exactly scientific research, but if the colour drains from their faces when you mention the school that will tell you something.

Another potential benefit of arriving early, like before the start of school or before the start of the afternoon session, is that you can see how the pupils behave on the streets. Obviously, kids will be kids, and they’re going to behave like kids to a certain extent. But you may be able to get a useful impression just from that initial observation.

Use the waiting time well

If I’m part of a group of people who have been called for interview at the same time, I tend to be pretty antisocial. While the others are chatting amongst themselves I spend the time looking at the noticeboard and reading the school newsletter —- you know, the kind of stuff schools have in their waiting areas to impress people!

On more than one occasion that has proved very useful. For instance, saying you were struck by the fact that the new Apple suite of laptops was paid for by a fund-raising campaign makes a good impression. When I’ve done that sort of thing the members of the panel have looked astonished (that I knew) and pleased at the same time.

Don’t sit

If I’m ushered into a waiting room with the invitation to sit down and make myself comfortable, I tend to remain standing. It’s for a couple of reasons. Firstly, if you’re applying for a job as a leader then you have to look like a leader. I don’t like being at a lower level than whoever comes in to interview me.

Secondly, if the seats are particularly comfortable, getting out of them with any degree of decency is virtually impossible.

Conclusion

I haven’t seen these ideas elsewhere, but I’ve found them very useful. I hope you do too.