leadership

TEN LESSONS LEARNED AFTER 15 YEARS OF COACHING SCHOOL LEADERSHIP CANDIDATES

Over the last 15 years, I have successfully coached more than 800 candidates seeking school leadership jobs. My work has focused on revising resumes and preparing for job interviews. Once my clients get their new positions, they sometimes reach out to me to get advice on the next step in their careers or how to deal with problems they might be facing in their new job. Looking back and reflecting on my experiences as a coach, I decided to share my “takeaways”, lessons learned, that might help candidates be more effective.

  1. GET INPUT ON YOUR RESUME AND INTERVIEWING STRATEGIES—your resume is a work in progress. Advice you get will be well-intentioned, however, the field of public education is unique. You need to get guidance from an experienced educator who has reviewed countless resumes and interviewed 1,000’s of candidates. Don’t waste years of job searching through trial and error trying to figure it out by yourself.
  2. CRAFT YOUR NARRATIVE—the first question you will probably be asked is: “Tell us about yourself”. In response, most all candidates review their work and educational experiences. After listening to a series of 15 to 20 candidates, interviewers grow weary –begins to sound the same. They’ve already reviewed your resume. So, craft and tell your story. They are dying to find a compelling candidate.
  3. BE AUTHENTIC—your story must be coherent, credible, and relatable. Be real. Present yourself as someone who shares their school-community’s values, and will easily fit in. Tell a short story about a success you had. Mention your own experiences growing up. Talk about your family.
  4. STICK TO 2 MINUTE RULE—most candidates talk too much. They meander and repeat themselves. They go off on tangents and don’t answer the question. Discipline yourself to limit your responses to two minutes. If the interviewers want to hear more, they will ask you to elaborate.
  5. QUANTIFY ACCOMPLISHMENTS—speak to your accomplishments, not your job description. Wherever possible, quantify the accomplishment. “The result of switching to the new approach to literacy, our school-wide achievement went up by 12% over three years”.
  6. BE INFORMED BY PREVIOUS QUESTIONS—take note of the topics of questioning as you go to the next rounds of interviewing. It is reasonable to anticipate that you will be asked similar questions in future rounds. It’s an opportunity to fine tune your answers.
  7. OFFER INSIGHTS INTO THEIR PROBLEMS—do your homework in researching what’s going on in the school and the district. Find out what kind of problems they are facing. Prepare answers that will address their problems.
  8. BE AWARE OF STEREOTYPING—unfortunately, we in education tend to stereotype educational work experiences. There is a strong tendency on the part of decision makers to take a negative view of school settings that are different from their own. For instance, leaders in affluent suburban districts are dismissive of candidates from big cities, parochial and private schools, charter schools, vocational and special needs schools. This practice is not limited to suburban schools; the opposite is valid as well.
  9. STEER CLEAR OF CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES & DISAGREEMENTS—interviewers can be confrontational, and questions concerning controversial social issues such as critical race theory or equity can be asked. Avoid taking the bait. Try to remain neutral.
  10. GET OBJECTIVE FEEDBACK—the need to get objective and candid feedback from an experienced coach cannot be over-stated. Every interview is a learning experience. You don’t have to be in it alone.

LET ME BE YOUR COACH. larryaronstein@yahoo.com

What Questions Should Candidates for School Leadership Positions Ask When Closing the Deal?

You have survived three rounds of interviews and are now down to one of three finalists. Your last stop is with the Superintendent of Schools and two of the Assistant Superintendents. You should predict that they are going to ask you, “Do you have any questions for us?” among other questions.

Be aware, their time is limited, and they will appreciate it if you limit yourself to no more than three questions. Nevertheless, the quality of your questions does make an impact and can be a game changer. Your goal is to impress them with your professionalism, thoughtfulness, and collegiality.

These are a few questions from which you might chose:

  1. What do you want me to accomplish by the end of the year that would result in you saying that I’ve been successful?
  2. Big picture, what is your vision for this district?
  3. In your opinion, what are the assets and the liabilities in coming into this position?
  4. What advice do you have for my success?

How do these questions reflect upon you as a candidate? I would conclude that you are (1) interested in being successful; (2) willing to fit into their leadership team and fulfill their goals; (3) thoughtful and curious about their current status; and (4)  eager to gain background knowledge and get off to an effective quick start.

Asking good open-ended questions also serves as a vehicle to extend the conversation. I suggest, you briefly comment on their responses in your attempt to extend the conversation. “I have some experience dealing with______.” “How much progress are you making in your ______ initiative?” “I’m very impressed with what you are saying about _______ because ________.”

At the conclusion of the interview, you should always ask: “When can I expect to hear back from you?”

YOUR SUCCESS DURING ALL PHASES OF THE INTERVIEWING PROCESS IS DEPENDENT UPON YOUR PREPARATION AND PERFORMANCE. LET ME BE YOUR COACH—WWW.LARRYARONSTEIN@YAHOO.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.

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