How to ace your first teaching job interview

After all your hard work, countless assignments and pracs, you’re eager for your own classroom and the chance to shape young minds. You’ve scored yourself an interview at a great school and you’re nervous. Fear not. Here are some winning tips to help you prep like a pro.

Look the part

This may seem like an obvious one but the saying really is true: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. And research has shown that it takes only a tenth of a second to form an assessment of someone based on their look. So, wear appropriate clothing that’s professional, practical and comfortable, and give yourself a dress rehearsal before the day. The last thing you want while sitting in the interviewee’s chair is to be constantly adjusting an ill-fitting jacket or realising there’s a button missing from your shirt.

Stand tall

Getting your meaning across well isn’t just about what you say, it’s how you say it. Non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and gestures make up a much greater percentage of your message than the actual words you’re saying. Try to be more aware of your movements to avoid sending unintended signals by crossing your arms, slouching, or frowning, for example. It’s important to relax, make good eye contact, lean forward and s-l-o-w down if you tend to talk faster when nervous. Practise breathing exercises so you’re more at ease before the interview begins. Having superior cognitive and emotional intelligence is one of the new requirements for NSW teachers so put your best foot forward to prove that you’ve got what it takes.

Do your homework

Anyone responsible for hiring will tell you that candidates who demonstrate a genuine interest in their school and a better than average insight into its mission and goals will impress. For this, you need to do some real digging. Find out the school’s strategic vision and consider how your own objectives and skills align with it. Then make sure that you tell them—and be specific—so they can see that you’re on the same wavelength.

Get into the nitty gritty

You’re a graduate teacher so people will understand that you’ve probably had little experience beyond any pracs. To showcase your aptitude for the profession, give focused and detailed examples that demonstrate your effective classroom management, for instance, or your innovative use of technology in the classroom, or how you’d differentiate the curriculum to cater for the wide spectrum of abilities in your class. Ambiguity is not your friend here! Your interviewers need to be able to picture you interacting well with students, engaging with parents, and just generally being a collaborative, conscientious team player. And if you had another career before deciding to become a teacher, talk about the many transferable skills from your previous roles that will help you to become a superstar in the classroom.

Ask intelligent questions

Most interviewers will give you an opportunity to ask questions at the end. This is a golden opportunity to showcase your distinctiveness, curiosity, and smarts. Use it wisely. Research all you can about the school and go further. Ask things like:

• I’m someone who really likes to refine my skills. How does the school support its teachers’ professional learning journey?
• What mentoring is available for beginning teachers and how do you match an early-career teacher to the right mentor?
• What are the most important things to know about this school’s culture for a teacher who wants to thrive in their role?

Job interviews can be nerve-wracking but with the right preparation and practice, you can give yourself every chance of doing well. And if all else fails, imagine the most disastrous, angst-inducing situation you could possibly be in. Now compare it to sitting in a room with other educators who ask you a few questions and chat amiably. That interview doesn’t seem so bad now, does it?

Angelica Hannan is a secondary English teacher of more than twelve years who specialises in gifted education. She loves nothing more than helping students find exactly what it is that sparks their curiosity. Angelica is also a writer and researcher with a strong interest in sustainability, zero waste living, behavioural economics, and progressive education systems.