Month: March 2025

Diagnosing Your Effectiveness as a Candidate

Over the last year, how many positions have you applied to for which you were qualified? _____

  1. Of those, how many first interviews (screening) did you get? _____
  2. Of those first interviews, how many second interviews (committee) did you get? ____
  3. Of those second interviews, how many third interviews (Central Office) did you get? ___
  4. Did you interview as a finalist with the Board of Education? If so, how many times? ___

IF YOU ARE NOT GETTING AT LEAST 30% OF YOUR FIRST INTERVIEWS BASED ON YOUR RESUME, THEN YOUR RESUME IS NOT DOING ITS JOB AND IT NEEDS REVISION.

IF AT LEAST 40% OF YOUR SCREENING INTERVIEWS ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN YOU NEED HELP IN YOUR BASIC INTERVIEWING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES.

IF AT LEAST 50% OF YOUR COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS ARE UNSUCCESSFUL, THEN YOU NEED HELP IN YOUR MORE ADVANCED INTERVIEWING SKILLS AND STRATEGIES.

THE SUCCESS RATE FOR YOUR FINAL INTERVIEW SHOULD BE 33%.

NEED HELP? CONTACT DR. LARRY ARONSTEIN—larryaronstein@yahoo.com

BEWARE OF FOLLOWING WELL INTENTIONED ADVICE

Remember the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. After a 48-year career in public education, 40 as a school and district leader who interviewed thousands of candidates, I would like to believe I can speak with some authority about hiring educators. Lesson #1: Be careful about following advice from well-intentioned friends, family and colleagues. Here are a few examples of advice you should not follow, why not, and what you should do.

Seek advice from people who are successful in other fields—NO. Be selective about who may be assisting you. The world of education is quite different than the business world. Private business and public education are culturally worlds apart. Also, be cautious about following the advice of educators who do not have experience in screening and interviewing.  Work with a coach who is an experienced school leader. People who give you advice are certainly well meaning, however acting upon misguided advice can be a costly mistake in time and money.

Put together a standard resume—NO. Do not conform to standard formats. Go beyond what you learned in school. Highlight your special skills and accomplishments; your resume should not look like a job description. Do you have valuable life experiences? Are you fluent or proficient in foreign languages? Have you traveled extensively and developed a deep understanding of world cultures? Can you coach sports or have expertise to run extra-curricular activities?

Bring a Portfolio—NO. Your first screening interview usually will last 10 to 15 minutes. The interviewers are busy people. They will not have time to review your portfolio.

Apply and then wait patiently—NO. You need to be active; passivity doesn’t work. Networking is a key. Contact everyone you know who might have a connection into schools. You may get a courtesy interview—but be aware that it’s only a foot in the door.

Look for geographical regions that are hiring—YES. But be careful. There is a reason why some regions find it difficult to find good candidates. In addition, most of us are unable and unwilling to relocate. It’s difficult and lonely to go somewhere where you don’t know anyone. If you’re adventurous, or have friends or support systems in another region, then seriously consider it. However, anticipate that you may be in for culture shock.

Dr. Aronstein is a career coach who works with educators in preparing their resumes and preparing for interviews. For more information go to his website: www.larryaronstein.com

BEWARE OF FOLLOWING WELL-INTENTIONED ADVICE

Remember the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. After a 48-year career in public education, 40 as a school and district leader who interviewed thousands of candidates, I would like to believe I can speak with some authority about hiring educators. Lesson #1: Be careful about following advice from well-intentioned friends, family and colleagues. Here are a few examples of advice you should not follow, why not, and what you should do.

Seek advice from people who are successful in other fields—NO. Be selective about who may be assisting you. The world of education is quite different than the business world. Private business and public education are culturally worlds apart. Also, be cautious about following the advice of educators who do not have experience in screening and interviewing.  Work with a coach who is an experienced school leader. People who give you advice are certainly well meaning, however acting upon misguided advice can be a costly mistake in time and money.

Put together a standard resume—NO. Do not conform to standard formats. Go beyond what you learned in school. Highlight your special skills and accomplishments; your resume should not look like a job description. Do you have valuable life experiences? Are you fluent or proficient in foreign languages? Have you traveled extensively and developed a deep understanding of world cultures? Can you coach sports or have expertise to run extra-curricular activities?

Bring a Portfolio—NO. Your first screening interview usually will last 10 to 15 minutes. The interviewers are busy people. They will not have time to review your portfolio.

Apply and then wait patiently—NO. You need to be active; passivity doesn’t work. Networking is a key. Contact everyone you know who might have a connection into schools. You may get a courtesy interview—but be aware that it’s only a foot in the door.

Look for geographical regions that are hiring—YES. But be careful. There is a reason why some regions find it difficult to find good candidates. In addition, most of us are unable and unwilling to relocate. It’s difficult and lonely to go somewhere where you don’t know anyone. If you’re adventurous, or have friends or support systems in another region, then seriously consider it. However, anticipate that you may be in for culture shock.

Dr. Aronstein is a career coach who works with educators in preparing their resumes and preparing for interviews. For more information go to his website: www.larryaronstein.com

School Leaders: Not Moving Forward in Your Candidacy? What Should You Do?

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 must 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 needs, values and vision of the school-community.

There might be aspects of your background that can be perceived as negatives which result in not moving on. What are they? Your experience as an urban educator may be seen as a poor match in a suburban school. Or, your work in a small school doesn’t match the perceived needs of a larger district. Other factors that work against your candidacy might be competing against an “insider”, or you simply might be up against a more experienced, highly competent applicant.

What you should do is flip what might be perceived as a weakness into a strength. As an example, you can make the case that as an urban school leader you have a great deal of experience in dealing with difficult disciplinary cases. Another example: your experience in a small school has taught you to master a wide variety of operational aspects of managing a school. Still another example: as an “outside candidate”, you will can bring in new fresh perspectives.

It is not my intention to discourage your applying to schools that do not appear to be a “good fit”. Rather, my advice is to be well prepared and able to make your case to maximize the strengths of your skill set and knowledge base. So, if you are not moving on in the interviewing process, don’t feel defeated. You must be thoroughly prepared to make your case that perceived deficiencies should be seen as strengths.

Let me be your coach you so you are well prepared to “turn lemons into lemonade!”

WHAT DOES SCHOOL LEADERSHIP COACHING CONSIST OF?

Recently, a suburban school district posted an ad for an assistant principal. The district attracted more than 150 applicants, met with 18 for a screening interview, and then had a hiring committee interview 8 semi-finalists. At about the same time, the Kentucky Derby had 19 horses “Run for the Roses.” Those horses had the benefit of the best trainers in the world to prepare them. Trying to get a leadership job is very much like a horse race.

How much of an investment does a serious candidate make in just getting certified as a leader? There are application fees, tuition, books, commuting costs and time. That can easily add up to more than $20,000. Getting the job can get you a 10% raise in salary. Does spending a few hundred dollars for a coach make sense to you?

Being a well-prepared competitive candidate is the difference between playing a good game of checkers and being a fine chess player. A good coach will prepare you to hone your resume and cover letter; confidently present yourself during an interview; tell a compelling story about why you are the right match for the job; anticipate and prepare impressive and unique responses to interviewers’ questions; strategize your narrative; and how to read body language. Yes, coaching does work. Those who receive coaching and mentoring do so confidentially.

The right school leadership coach has walked the walk. He or she has a diverse and well-positioned network of former clients and colleagues; knows the schools and districts, and the inside stories of what they need and want. You will be guided on how to fashion your approach to the special needs and wants of the specific school and district. People who play horses get lots of tips—some good, some shaky. Practically everyone gets, and oftentimes uses, tips on how to invest, restaurants to dine, and places to shop. A tip, of course, is only an opinion. Most of us have been disappointed with tips. But good preparation goes far beyond informal “tips.” Good preparation often requires a good coach who teaches you actionable strategies based on thoughtful analysis of tried and tested practices in getting school leadership jobs.

A good coach or mentor gives you feedback on your interviews and assists you in closing the deal and negotiating your contract. The difference between a coach and a mentor is that coaches are experienced professionals, while mentors are well-intentioned friends and colleagues whose experiences and insights may be limited. Like any good service, you should not expect coaching to come free of charge; however, the cost of coaching is much more modest than you think. Getting a good leadership job is a lifetime gain that requires a modest short-term investment. But remember: the best investment you can ever make is in yourself. All of these “investments” increase your chances of winning that position. In some respects, it is a game of probability. All things being equal, my experience has taught me that the best prepared candidate has the best chance of landing that job.

         If you are serious about your future as a leader, then getting job coaching is a great investment. If you are not getting interviews, consider seeking feedback on your resume from someone who has done hiring. The purpose of your resume and cover letter is to get you an interview. If you happen to be getting interviews but are not moving along to the next step in the process, then you need help in interviewing strategies.

        You should feel comfortable in relating to a coach and sharing your life story, your strengths and self-perceived insecurities. A good coach will help you craft your message, teach you strategies, help build your self-confidence, give you model responses, role-play both sides of the table with you, and offer honest and constructive feedback. Coaching is, pure and simple, a vital critical investment you can make in yourself.