Properly Interviewed

I interviewed at Licking Valley Middle School this morning at 8:15.  A lot of things were going through my head on the way out there, probably much of the same things anyone going to an interview would have.   How do I respond to this, how do I respond to that, what if they ask me this, what sounds better this or that.

My biggest concern though happened to be whether or not I would actually get to show who I am.  I have always been pretty good at speaking with people.  I don’t really get nervous, I can talk about a variety of topics, I have experiences to share, and for the most part I think I come across as a confident person, which has to look good to a prospective employer.  I was concerned that I wouldn’t get the freedom to let myself shine in the interview.  In the teaching interview process, often times the first interview is a set 25 questions in which the employer is looking for key phrases or buzzwords that seem universal to the teaching profession.  I’d imagine I do an average job answering those questions, and probably more because of the confidence I answer them with than the actual key phrases I include (those phrases are most likely the ones that were in the text book we were supposed to read for the education courses at The Harvard, need I say more). 

Anyway, in the interview, we started with those 25 questions, and I feel as though I did a pretty good job.  A typical interview that I went through 3 years ago would have ended there, however in this interview that was only the beginning.  We chatted for another 30 minutes about teaching styles, district philosophies, where we each had come from, building goals, life goals, coaching experiences, and more.  I felt like I got the chance to truly show who I was, not just to answer the same 25 questions everyone knows are coming and can have a pre-planned answer to.   The Principal genuinely tried to find out what type of teacher he was hiring, and more importantly, he tried to find out what type of person will be representing his building to the students, staff, and community of Licking Valley Schools. 

If I am not the guy chosen for the job, then I feel like I at least was given a fair shot, and I did my best. I hope that most interviews are like this nowadays.  I have seen first hand in the past 3 years that the person is much more important than the teacher.  There are teachers that are extremely qualified for the academic portion of the field, but I truly believe that no matter how much of an expert a person is on the subject, if they don’t have the personality to relate to others, their message is not nearly as effective.

I feel confident that I showed myself as both a quality teacher and quality person.  (despite what you all would say about me)

Note:  I had to put that pathetic joke in just because when I wrote the last sentence I pictured my dad calling someone up to recommend them to an employer.  Then turning around and letting the person know that “I told them you were a good person, despite what everyone always says about you.”

Second note:  You know it’s a terrible attempt at comedy when you have to explain your lame joke. 

Yes, this is the person Licking Valley might get.  I hope middle school kids laugh at lame jokes.

Until next time,