Are you a teacher ready for your first step into school leadership but finding it hard to get beyond the interview?
Perhaps you are not getting the feedback you need because let’s face it, the school you did not get appointed at is not that invested in you – you’re going to be given simple feedback because it is QUICK.
Nevertheless, make a note because it might show a pattern or even reveal a code behind what is being said simply but what real issue is behind the mask. It’s not a deliberate attempt to mislead you, it’s just that the feedback needs to be quick and not really dive into issues or else coaching is required – and then it’s not quick.
Here are 4 tips to help you get ahead in your first leadership job interviews.
1 Background research
Make sure you have done your research on the school you are being interviewed by. Be prepared that the school are likely to ask you why you have applied to that particular school. Giving answers about how close it is to your house or your own child’s school for convenient pick up may well be true but you will not sound committed to the school you have applied to. What is it about that school that makes you want to be a leader there? What do you know about the school through your research that makes you a good fit for them?
These types of interview questions will enable you to demonstrate your commitment, knowledge of the school and how you will be a great fit there.
2 Examples of experience
Prepare ahead of the interview examples of any experience you have had to date connected to leadership. Describe a time you have led people, led a project, initiated a policy or change. You don’t have to be a serving school leader to have leadership experiences but if you don’t make references to examples of leadership, you will not be ticking the person specifications for the role you are being interviewed for.
Using good quality examples of your experience will enable you to demonstrate you meet the person specifications set out for the role.
3 Relevance
Make sure that your answers are relevant not just to the question being asked but to the role you are applying for. A common stumbling block for many teachers going for leadership promotions is that their answers focus only on being a ‘teacher’ instead of being a leader. So, for example, questions about working with others will often be answered with examples relating to parents or support staff, which is fine in one sense… it answers the question about working with others. But an example about the time you coached a colleague or led a staff meeting training event shows both working with others and leadership.
The more you can demonstrate relevant experience, the higher the quality of answers you will be giving to the questions because they are focused on the role.
4 Impact
Probably the #1 thing new-to-leadership candidates do not include when they are being interviewed is quantifying their experience. So, you led a staff meeting – nice, but so what? If you only talk about this experience as an activity then it has no impact. What happened as a result of you leading the staff meeting? And if you can put a number on any positive outcomes, all the better!
Without impact, leadership is ineffective. If you don’t sell your impact as a potential leader, you are going to limit your chances of promotion.
What does a career and leadership coach do to help your career?
Career and leadership coaching doesn’t just help you get ahead in your career through the development of your skills getting a job, it enables you to find out whether the job you have or are going for is one that is right for you. Dream jobs are possible because a dream job aligns with your core values, fits your lifestyle and makes you LOVE what you do for a living.
To discover more, visit my contact page and send a message.
#LiveDaringDreams
