During the interview process, research suggests that the individuals who go first or last are remembered the greatest. When given a time choice, consider following this advice. Whether you are in the beginning, middle, or end, you want to make every effort to stand out. A very popular interview question prompts the candidate to tell what they know about the district or school entity. This can be your time to shine!
From the time you are offered the opportunity to interview for a position until the time you speak with the selection committee, you should soak up as much valuable information as possible that will help you craft your interview question responses.
Consider searching information relating to:
Demographics
- Approximately how many students are there in the district or building?
- Do you know their teacher to student ratio?
- Is the school entity urban, rural or suburban?
Accountability and Testing
- How do scores look for the grade level you may be teaching?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses?
Partnerships
- Does the school work with any local agencies?
- Are there local community partnerships that exist?
- Are there opportunities to create partnerships within the community?
When asked what you know about the school, if you can logically construct a response based on what you have researched about the grade level and district, you will be a candidate to remember. Is there a clear area of weakness? What would you consider doing that is collaborative and innovative to bring to the table?
Matthew J. Erickson, Ed.D.
Assistant Professor - Special Education Department
Slippery Rock University, Pennsylvania