For the first time together two of the premier job interview coaches (Dr. Larry Aronstein and Michael Keany) offer a unique and convenient Zoom interactive session covering all you need to know to navigate the selection process and ace your interviews.

Dr. Aronstein, former Superintendent of Schools, and Michael Keany, former Principal and Board of Education member, have coached over 1500 candidates over the last decade with a very high percentage of success.  This workshop is suitable for all aspiring educators from teachers to administrators.

Thursday, June 6 from 7:30 PM to 8:45 PM via Zoom – only $35!

Participants will:
1. Discover strategies for how to stand out from other candidates
2. Learn how to effectively answer the most often-asked interview questions
3. Understand what interviewers are really looking for and how to deliver
4. Develop an effective resume and cover letter
5. Gain insights about the “do’s and don’ts” to successfully get your desired position

In addition, all participants will receive:

• A free copy of Dr. Aronstein’s e-book “THE INSIDER’S SECRETS TO GETTING YOUR SCHOOL LEADERSHIP JOB” (List price $24.95)
• A free “tune-up” of your answers to the ten most commonly asked questions for either teacher or administrative candidates.  Mr. Keany will provide an individual written critique of each response and resources for improvement.
• A free one-year membership in the very popular School Leadership 2.0 website.  (A value of $19.95)
• Valuable handouts with additional ideas and hints.

Enrollment will be limited.  Register now by clicking on the link below to download the form.

Registration Form

Dr. Larry Aronstein spent 46 years in public education, having started as a teacher, then working as a principal at the elementary, middle school, and high school levels, as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, and retiring as Superintendent of Schools of the Glen Cove Public Schools.

Michael Keany has over 50 years of experience in public schools with administration at a variety of different levels.  He has served as a consultant to administrators and boards of education in the vast majority of LI school districts.  He served for 12 years as vice president on his local Board of Education.  He is the founder and leader of the well-known School Leadership 2.0, a full-service online service for school leaders.  Its bulletin, published four times weekly, is received by over 35,000 educators worldwide.

I’ve coached hundreds of school leaders and teachers about the importance of presenting oneself in a confident manner during an interview. This is called “gravitas”; that is ability to project self-confidence, influence, credibility, and command respect. When you speak, do others listen? Do not confuse gravitas with arrogance. People who project gravitas should also be thoughtful; they think before they speak and enhance the conversation by adding. Be mindful that the court jester never becomes the king or the queen.

In seeking a position as a school leader or a teacher, you must convince your potential supervisors that you are the kind of person who brings a certain bearing to the position. The teacher represents the adult leader in the classroom. In the context of a job interview, here are several methods to project your gravitas:

1. Be present, listen, and speak once you’ve formulated a response

People with gravitas are attentive to the core of the interviewers’ questions, the underlying issues and agendas. So, during an interview, take a moment to formulate a thoughtful and relevant response, and draw upon your self-assurance that your response will have value. This can be done quietly without trying to show off that you’re the smartest person that they will interview. Be respectful of the people around the table who may be more accomplished and experienced than you. But be confident that your thoughts have value too.

2. Demonstrate deep understanding

Your challenge is to put forth relevant information and ideas that demonstrate deep understanding. Someone who is self-confident and secure treats everyone with respect, even some panelists who might challenge your answers and might not treat you with respect. Never appear combative or show irritation.

Remember the lyrics to the old song, “You’re got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em …”. Be mindful about timing what to say, when to say it, and what not to say. Try to make your ideas concise, on point, and clear. Don’t repeat yourself. Only when necessary, ask questions to clarify what is being asked, but keep answers on topic, and avoid providing a long context and introductions to your answers. Do not view questions as “gotcha” opportunities. Your goal should be to try to guide the process in productive directions.

3. Communicate like an adult

As an employer, I want to hire professionals—adults. People with gravitas speak like adults. Too many young people saturate their sentences with word fillers and phrases such as “like”, “you know”, “at the end of the day”, “to be honest,” and “in reference to”. You know what I mean! Also, avoid ending your sentences with an upward inflection to your voice as if you’re asking a question rather than making a statement. You want to be taken seriously. Therefore, you cannot just dress and look like a professional, you must also sound like a professional.

4. Do not confuse confidence with arrogance

There is a thin line separating arrogance and gravitas. Arrogance means that you’re perceived as coming across as overbearing, conceited, a know it all, someone who has a lot to say but really offers little in the way of substance. Most of us are repelled by arrogance in others. To me, the opposite of arrogance is modesty. Oftentimes, less is more. We admire wisdom. I once asked an extremely successful businessperson about his newest venture. He described his new business in one sentence. I commented, “You did that in one sentence.” He smiled politely and responded, “If you can’t explain something in one sentence, then you don’t understand what you’re talking about”. That’s gravitas.

5. Monitor yourself

How are my responses being received? Is my audience hearing me? Are they resonating with my ideas?  Are they nodding and smiling? Exercising your gravitas is not a trick—it’s a matter of being effective. When gravitas is lacking, people notice, and when it’s there, it’s magic.

When you walk away from the table, you want your audience to say, “That candidate really held our attention and was most impressive.

Dr. Aronstein is a career coach who works one-on-one with leaders and aspiring leaders in developing their resume and preparing for job interviews. Learn more: www.larryaronstein.com

Frequently my clients tell me, “Despite my best efforts, I’m not moving forward in the interviewing process. I’ve revised my resume and cover letter. Thoroughly researched the school-community. Practiced my answers to the most often asked questions, and yet I’m not moving on. What am I doing wrong? Is it me?”

Candidates who get the job usually present themselves as being “likeable” and representing a “good fit” for the community. What does that mean and what does it look like? I think you’d agree that most of us like others who are friendly, smile, thoughtful, modest, make eye contact, even tempered and direct. Fitting in means that the story you tell about yourself resonates with the values and the vision of the school-community. In general, educational communities value family-oriented people, leaders who hold themselves, their staff and their students to high standards, have a clear set of goals that align with school leaders, and presents yourself as a regular person.

However, there are aspects of the process that you have no control over which have a lot to do with not moving on. What are they? Your experience may not appear to be a good match for the position. For instance, your background at the elementary level is not a fit for a secondary job, an urban experience is not a match for a suburban position, and your work in a small rural district doesn’t match the perceived needs of a large affluent district. Other factors that work against your candidacy are that you might be competing against an “insider”, or you simply might be up against a more experienced, highly competent applicant.

What you do have control over is your preparation including your ability to make a case for your strengths. You can make a case that as an urban school leader you have a great deal of experience in dealing with disciplinary cases. Your experience in a small school has taught you to learn about every operational aspect of managing a school. As an “outsider”, you will bring in a new fresh vision.

It is not my intention to discourage your applying to schools that do not appear to be a good match, but to be realistic. My advice is to be well prepared and able to make your case to maximize your skills and knowledge. So, “is it you”? If you’re not thoroughly prepared, then it is you. If your background just isn’t a good match, then it’s “not you”.

Let me coach you in your thorough preparation.

Grab the committee’s attention by starting your answers in a thoughtful interesting way. Here is a sampling of a variety of strategies you could use to begin your answers:

a. State the Guiding Principles—I suggest that you develop a set of 10 to15 Guiding Principles (beliefs and values) that you hold that guide your practices. Start your answer by clearly and concisely stating one or two principles that will guide your response.

Example Q: “How would you deal with a fist fight between two students in the corridor?”

Opening Response: “I would be guided by the principles of d0 diligence and due process. By this I mean to thoroughly investigate the circumstances, and to apply the appropriate portions of the Student Code of Conduct.”

b. State the Goal—What is it that we seek to accomplish?

Example Q: “Ideally, what process would you use for doing a classroom observation?”

Opening Response: “The purpose on an observation is to gather evidence and present it to the teacher without judgement, in order to stimulate the teacher’s self-reflection regarding his/her practices and resulting in stimulating the professional growth of the teacher.

c. Talk about the Process— in response to “how would you” questions, you should begin by briefly outlining the step of the process.

Example Q: “How would you lead a committee designed to develop a curriculum?”

Opening Response: I would introduce and use the conventions of Conversational Leadership which include the protocols of Listening for Understanding; Speaking honestly; Suspending judgment; Encouraging differences of opinion and Slowing down the inquiry.

d. Raise Rhetorical Questions—I would ask a question that was central to the issue and then provide an answer.

Example Q: “How would you deal with a teacher who is not fulfilling his/her responsibilities such as monitoring hallways during the passage of students?”

Opening Response: I would ask: “What is the purpose of all teachers monitoring hallways during a change of period? The purpose is to provide a safe environment as a result of having a concerted presence of teachers whose presence will prevent unsafe inappropriate behavior.”

e. What Does the Research Say? – Rather than expressing your opinion, you should identify authoritative findings from research.

Example Q: “Assume that you are tasked with designing a major professional development initiative. What PD model would use which would be most effective in improving teachers’ instructional strategies?”

Opening Response:  I would state: “Over the last 30 years there has been a multitude of research regarding the effectiveness of the full spectrum of PD approaches based on changing teaching practices. The research says…”

THESE STRATEGIES SHOULD BE PRACTICED TO MAXIMIZE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS. LET ME HELP YOU PERFECT YOUR STRATEGIES AND MANY OTHER STRATEGIES BY COACHING YOU.