EP 134 Standing Out When Applying for Jobs

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You are an amazing and hard-working educator. The work that you are doing for your students is appreciated. Thank you for your dedication and the time you put in to ensure your students succeed. 

In this week’s episode, I will share strategies and tips on how you can stand out when applying for interviews. 

I have told this story about my first teacher interview on Episode 72, and I want to share it again with everything. When I transitioned into a career in  ESL, I was working at a company that supports people with their retirement options. Needless to say, I did not know how to prepare for a teaching interview. The first interview I had was at an elementary school, and there was a panel interview of teachers. All I can remember was sitting down at the end of the table and being in my car. Needless to say, I did not get that job. 

I received a second interview which put a fire under me. I was interviewed at another elementary school. It was another panel interview, and I am pretty sure I was being watched behind a one-way glass mirror. The teachers in this interview were firing off questions to me and I was trying my best to answer. It was in the middle of the interview that I realized that they were talking in “teacher language”. When I got in the car, I wrote down every question they asked me that I remembered so I could research some answers. I did not get that job either, but I learned a lot from that interview.

During the third interview, I went into the interview with my prepared questions from the last interview. It was another panel interview and the panel that interviewed me didn’t initially think I was a good fit for the

position. At this point, I was getting discouraged. I was under the impression that it would be really easy to get a teaching job. After the third interview, I tried some networking sessions, and I kept interviewing as much as possible.

I interviewed again for the same position with a different panel. I went into the interview honest, open, and vulnerable. If I didn’t know the answer, I was truthful. I did let them know that I was open and willing to learn.

Let’s take a look at some ways your resume can stand out. The first way is to ensure that your resume is aligned with the job description. The authentic way to do this is to pull out the key points of the job description. Then, match those skills and keywords from the job listing.

My second resume tip is to include a digital portfolio or a paper copy of your portfolio with the resume. This will give the people interviewing you a chance to see some work examples.

The second tip is to do as much research as you can about the schools. This puts you in an optimal position when you are interviewing and can display your knowledge about the school. Most interviews start with the question,  “Are you familiar with our school?” You can then share some details about the school you are familiar with and/or what you like about the school’s curriculum and extracurricular activities. 

At the end of the interview, this will provide you with enough questions you can ask the panel. This is another way you can stand out from the other teachers who are interviewing for the same position.

At the beginning of every interview there is the infamous, “So tell us about yourself” question that pops up. There is a 98.9% chance this question will be asked of you, so being prepared for it is the key to standing out. When answering this question, provide them with a brief overview of your background. I would also suggest you share with them how you draw your inspiration. Also, include some fun facts about yourself and hobbies that you participate in. The goal is to use this to connect to the interview panel. 

Be ready to shine with concrete and detailed examples when answering questions. This helps the interviewer understand your teaching style and the strategies you use in the classroom. It also strengthens your responses to the questions. 

If you found value in today’s episode, go to myadventuresinesl.com/store to get the full detailed lesson plan which includes 2 full weeks of lesson plans and activities.