I think it is interesting to look at the teacher hiring process from the perspective of the interviewer or principal. The job of the interviewer I seem to forget, perhaps because I usually think of how the teacher must prepare and do research on the school, is to create a welcoming environment for the interviewee. I think that establishing a true picture of the school environment is essential to finding educators that enhance it. Principals are advised to make eye contact and listen to the candidate. I think that personal interaction and how that goes tells an applicant a lot about the operations of the school. People want to feel heard. As the head of the school, you get the enthusiasm you put out so why not show job applicants how much you care for the students, staff, and programs your school offers? The interview process and its chance for success rely on interest in an individual’s ability to adapt to new situations, answer questions and be creative on your feet, principals want to hire teachers who show interest in the school and who are thorough. Interviewers look for good leaders. Hearing that one may be left to wonder ‘What about my credentials and content knowledge?’– I think that once you can teach yourself, you can learn to teach just about any subject. To me, this is why it is essential to be open to different levels and grades or subjects. Doing different things and expanding your range of experiences prepares you for these interviews. Even new teachers, through research and feedback, can navigate teaching courses they may feel unprepared for.
Interviewers such as Principals do look for good leaders and I believe that this is why coaches are more likely to get hired because the principal knowns that the teacher is a leader in the classroom and with the students outside the classroom.
I like how you mentioned getting the enthusiasm you put out is what you get back. I think that goes both ways. I think that you should go into an interview with some confidence and want to be there. I think most principles will see right through you and see if you truly want to be interviewed or not.
I also agree with how interesting it was to learn about the hiring process from the perspective of the principal. I always looked at interviews like that from the perspective of one getting interviewed.
However, it makes sense to learn a little from the interviewer’s side. They have to make their school look like a place that people are willing to work at. They have to be able to be attentive to the interviewee and be able to show why their school is the best spot for the candidate.
Make the candidate feel important and you will likely have a good teacher on your side for years to come.