5 Tips for Interview Success

For many people, preparing for a job interview is often a bit nerve racking, and in today's economy and the state of many schools with budget cut backs and the like, an interview for a teaching position can be even more stressful. However, if you spend some time preparing it can alleviate much of the stress, and make you feel more confident and prepared to handle the whole process. Here are some tips gathered from top sources on how to prepare and succeed in your interview session.

1. Research the School - It is always an important aspect of interviewing for any position that you know some of the keys elements of the position and entire school district. Do some homework, read through their web site, research the surrounding neighborhoods. What are the school goals and strengths? Having a good amount of knowledge before interviewing will not only provide you with a foundation for potential questions, but will also show, through your knowledge, that you are not just walking in and applying for any job, but that you are more interested in a position at that school itself.

2. Dress professionally - Most may consider this a no-brainer, but many in today's society have become very lax and casual in their ideas of what it means to "dress for success." Think of a job interview as if it were a time you were to meet an important dignitary or someone you highly esteem, and dress appropriately. Clean, ironed clothes, a nice suit or dress, keeping this conservative in the way you dress, and being sure you are clean and smelling fresh. If you smoke, avoid smoking prior to the interview, so as not to enter the room smelling of smoke. Brush your teeth and use mouthwash. Anything you can do to present a well kept appearance will show your professionalism.

3. Make a great first impression - Always be sure to leave for your interview with more time allotted than needed to reach your destination. Take into consideration the time of day and the potential traffic patterns that may affect your trip. Try to arrive ten minutes early and be prepared with all necessary paperwork. Upon entering for the interview, give a firm handshake, with a confident enthusiastic smile on your face. Avoid chewing gum while in your interview, and sit up and proper during the interview.

4. Be Alert and pay attention - Focus and listen to what is being said and asked, and ask for clarification if you are not sure exactly what you are being asked. Keep your answers short, professional, and to the point. Being long winded can not only reveal too much unessential information beyond what is being asked, but it can eat up valuable time that has been set aside by the one interviewing you. This may lead to them not being able to cover all areas of questioning they may have planned on, which may hurt you in the end.

5. Polite and professionalism - Remembering the need to make a great first impression, please remember to keep everything you do on a professional level. This includes the language you use, which should always be kept at a clean, courteous, professional manner. This also includes being respectful and courteous, saying please and thank you. This should likewise apply to any discussions of former employers or employees. Do not let the conversation find you bad-mouthing them, or spreading unconfirmed gossip. All of these are signs of unprofessionalism in attitude and work ethic.

There are some additional tips I wish to share, which I will look at in next week's post. If you have any tips to share, please comment below.

Jeff McCormack resides in Virginia Beach, VA. where he works as a web designer by day. In his off time he is a husband, father, mail order book store manager, and musician. Aside from being a freelance writer for this Education Jobsite blog, he also seeks to assist in career choices and information by contributing to other Nexxt blog sites.