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18 July 2013

NAILED IT: how to interview like a champ

Hey y'all! With interview season quickly upon us, Resource Thursdays is going to take a little different look... Welcome to my first {short} blog series!

you can pin this! crazy, right? so fancy
As I was beginning to think about interviewing for jobs last spring, I googled "teacher interview tips". There were lonnng lists of questions and a few fairly vague pieces of advice. So, I looked around, gave up, and took what I knew from previous job interviews and hiring sessions into my first interview two days after graduation and was offered a job right on the spot. 

This following series of posts are steps that I took as I interviewed, and then recommended to my bestie, Al, as she is trying to navigate the interview process in a big city. I'll be using Al as an example often throughout the series. It's clear that I'm definitely not an expert in this realm, but I have:
  • interviewed for a variety of education and non-education related jobs
  • actively participated on interview committees for a youth pastor at my home church, the head swim and dive team coach at my university, and for multiple staffing positions for the mentoring program I worked for in college
  • attended multiple teacher interview prep sessions with local HR representatives and interview committee members at my little university
Trust me a little? Figure it can't hurt to get some extra tips?

Great! Let's get started! Your first step is simple:

Getcha REFERENCE LETTERS, STAT. Give your admirers professional references a deadline. My peeps (collaborating teachers, college professors, current/recent employers) usually accepted a two week time frame. I gave them casual reminders as the time drew nearer. I also specified why I needed the letters (but that's not always necessary- it's great to have a few general letters that could apply to any job application situation). If you don't get letters, move on after a few polite reminders. 

Check back on Saturday for the next step!

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