education

MY 20 FAVORITE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS for SCHOOL LEADERS

I have probably interviewed ten thousand candidates over my 50-year career. Below are some of my favorite questions for school leaders. Questions 1,2 and 3 are the most probable. I think they are also the most important because in the case of #1 and #2 it allows the candidate to define him/herself by presenting their story. Question #3 gives insight into the thoroughness of preparation the candidate has committed to the process. Your success is dependent on your performance in responding to questions like these in a coherent, thoughtful and concise way. If you feel you need help to more effectively respond to these questions, then contact me and I will help.

  1. Tell us about yourself. Make your resume come alive.
  2. Why do you want to become a school leader?
  3. What do you know about our school/district? Why do you want to work here?
  4. Describe your “footprint” that you would leave in your current position and why you believe it will be sustained.
  5. Why would teachers want to follow your leadership?
  6. How would you deal with a veteran teacher who is not receptive to your recommendations?
  7. How would you go about determining what your priorities should be in your new position?
  8. What do you know about the NYS Blue Ribbon Commission’s Graduation Requirements Recommendations and how you would address them?
  9. Specifically, what are most the important things you look for when doing a classroom visit?
  10. What is your approach to student discipline?
  11. What expertise do you bring to your staff in enhancing student learning through the use of technology and AI?
  12. How would you go about assisting a teacher who is having difficulty with classroom management/student discipline?
  13. How do you know (what evidence do you seek) that students understand the concepts and skills that they are learning?
  14. What are the most productive ways of consulting with teachers and or parents so they can enhance their effectiveness in working with their student?
  15. How would you go about leading a committee or a professional learning community?
  16. Assume that an unpopular policy has been made and many parents are unhappy about its implementation, how would you deal with a room full of angry parents at a PTA meeting?
  17. If you interviewed candidates for a teacher vacancy, what question would you ask them?
  18. Tell me about a student who you helped that might have changed that child’s life.
  19. How would you deal with a parent who is dissatisfied with how a teacher is conducting his/her class? Assume that the parent has already spoken to the teacher.
  20. Tell me something about yourself that is not on your resume that will help me better understand the essence of who you are and what motivates you.

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!”

SCHOOL LEADERS: ARE YOU HAVING SERIOUS ON-THE-JOB PROBLEMS?

Coaching school leaders goes way beyond revising your resume and preparing for job interviews. Are you prepared to successfully transition into your new position? Are you struggling, even as an experienced leader, with coping with on-going problems? Who do you turn to in order to get strategic advice regarding on-the -job problems and crises?  Do you need guidance in planning the steps for your future career development? Getting objective and confidential sage advice from a highly experienced career coach can be essential to keeping out of trouble and assuring your success. There is no one out there who can coach you with the degree of insight and compassion that I provide to my clients.

Here are a few scenarios of school leaders who needed career coaching:

  • Mr. Smith just started a new job as a principal. He had served successfully and enjoyed popularity in his old job as an assistant principal where he had also been previously teaching for seven years. His assistant principal, Laura, was the runner up for Smith’s new position. Smith has asked Laura for her help in filling him in on matters like procedural things, “how do you handle …”, or “give me some background on Mr. Jones”. Laura’s responses are vague and generic. Smith sometimes observes his secretary whispering to Laura and as he gets closer, they abruptly end their conversation. When he enters the teachers’ cafeteria, it goes silent. He is feeling isolated and unsupported.
  • Mrs. Green is finishing her second year as the district director of social studies. It is generally agreed that she has done a good job and succeeded in solving some difficult problems. Her supervisor just notified her that the superintendent is considering re-organizing the directors’ positions as a possible cost saving initiative and that her job may to eliminated, although no decisions have been made at this time.
  • Dr. White is in his third year as superintendent of schools. Of the 7-member Board who selected him, only three remain. The newer members oppose some of White’s decisions regarding issues such as policies on student use of cell phones, and embracing policies promoting DEI, among other issues. Although White has one and one-half years left on his contract, he feels that his time is running out.

On-the job problems and crises come in a wide variety of forms. School leaders often feel isolated and uncomfortable in sharing their problems with colleagues who may not be trustworthy or may judge them as being weak or incompetent. I suggest what you need is a highly experienced career coach who will maintain your confidentiality and provide you with well-thought out actionable advice.

CONTACT DR. LARRY ARONSTEIN at larryaronstein@yahoo.com, or text at 516-423-0240. Check out his website larryaronstein.com

HOW TO SATISFY ALL STAKEHOLDERS AROUND THE TABLE

The committee interview is usually the second step in the interviewing process. Be prepared to encounter a 30-minute interview in which eight to ten interviewers are seated around the table. It’s important to grasp which stakeholders each member is representing. Usually participants introduce themselves and will tell you: “Jane Smith, President of the PTA,” for example. If their roles are not evident and they seem friendly, it’s okay to ask, “And what is your role?”

Each step in the interviewing process has its own inherent challenges. You have to be prepared to make strategic adjustments. As any experienced football or basketball coach would tell you, don’t expect what works in the first quarter will necessarily work in the next quarter. Unlike the screening interview, the committee interview is longer and will consist of more and a variety of questions and topics. Therefore, your preparation must be much more comprehensive. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of having a good coach along the way to help you strategize and make those adjustments. 

I suggest that you quickly sketch the shape of the table on the pad that you carry in. As the panelists introduce themselves, jot down their stakeholder groups. As the panelists take their turn in asking their question, glance at your notes. Knowing their roles will give you a lot better context as to the implication of their question. However, be aware that your answer must satisfy all stakeholders. Your answer is not limited only to the questioner.

As an example: A parent who is serving on a panel asks, “Assume that a parent calls you and complains about how her child’s teacher is criticizing her child. Her child is very upset by this, and the parent wants his class changed. How would you deal with this situation?” As you look around the table, ask yourself how does each stakeholder want you to respond. My guess is that the parents want you to be a good listener and take the request seriously. They expect that you will investigate the situation and get back to the parent promptly. The teachers, who are probably representatives of the teachers’ union, prefer that you’ll be reluctant to change the child’s class, that you will abide by contractual obligations, and that you will be supportive of teachers. The school administrators will be focused on your diplomacy as to how you will neither alienate the parent nor the teacher, and in the process you will use in investigating the situation. Finally, the central office leaders will be attentive to how you will avoid escalating the situation.

You must use caution and diplomacy in your answers so as not to sound hostile to one stakeholder group in deference to another group of stakeholders, which might have an opposing view on the same issue. The ability to do this balancing act requires the recognition that you are performing to all stakeholder groups, and that your response will be reasoned and acceptable to all. This requires coaching and practice. In a real sense, this balancing act is what successful leaders do every day.

The Interview Process in Four Stages: Making Adjustments

Most interview processes have four stages: the screening interview, a committee interview, a small group interview with some Central Office administrators, and an interview with the Superintendent which may include the Board. The nature of each step is different, calling for different interviewing strategies. How you make adjustments to your approach of interviewing at each stage of the process is critical to your success in getting to the next step. You can compare the four-step process to the four quarters of a football game. A successful team makes adjustments each quarter; that means they change their game plan.

In interviewing, each step is different with regard to the duration of the interview, the cast of characters you meet, the nature of the questions that are asked, the questions that you might ask, and what the interviewers are looking for.

Step 1–Screening interviews usually run 10 to 15 minutes. Typically, there are about three people who will be interviewing about 12 to 18 candidates. Let’s assume you are a candidate for an assistant principal position; you will probably meet the principal, an assistant principal and a teacher (usually an officer in the Teachers’ Union). Their goal is to get an impression of you to determine whether or not you’d be a good fit. Likely, they’ll probably ask you: “Tell us about yourself”; “What do you know about us?”; “Why do you want to be a leader?” They’ll only have time for about 4 or 5 questions.

Step 2–The committee interview team may vary in size from about 6 to 10, depending on the time of year. After schools close in late June, fewer teachers and parents are available. They will probably speak to 6 to 8 candidates for about 30 minutes each. Be prepared to wait because it’s difficult for a large group to stay on time. Oftentimes, the committee will receive a list of suggested questions, and each member will be asked to choose a question. The senior members usually will go last. Expect that they will turn up the heat by getting specific, following up on your previous answers, and picking over your resume. You should also be prepared to solve an open-ended scenario, or even role play how you’d deal with a challenging problem.

Step3–If you make it to the next step, they’ll be down to 3 or 4 candidates. Expect to meet with Central Office people for about 45 minutes. They will pick apart your resume and challenge your judgment. Example questions might include: “Why did you leave…?”; “How would you deal with a veteran teacher who is not responsive to your suggestions? “; “What if you disagree with your supervisor’s decision?”

Step 4–The final step may be with the Superintendent, or even the Board. I call this “closing the deal”. Don’t be surprised if the Superintendent does more of the talking. She/he may want to give you some background and share some of potential problems with which you’ll be faced. Try to make the interaction into more of a conversation rather than an interrogation. Expect that you’ll be asked about how you’d deal with these problems. They will probably ask you about how you spend your first two months on the job, and how you’d go about setting your priorities. Be prepared at the end of this interview to ask one or two of your questions of them. I also suggest that you prepare a closing statement.

Each step in the process has its own inherent challenges. You have to be prepared to make strategic adjustments. I cannot over-emphasize the importance of having a good coach along the way to help you strategize and make those adjustments. As any experienced football or basketball coach would tell you, don’t expect what works in the first quarter will necessarily work in the next quarter.

Dr. Aronstein is a career coach who assists his clients prepare for interviews and in the preparation of their resumes. Find out more about Larry Aronstein and read his blogs on http://www.Larryaronstein.com.