Welcome to my second post in the job search series! If you haven’t read my previous post on first steps in the job search, I recommend starting there. But when you’re on the music teacher job hunt, the first big goal is to get the interview. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard teachers say, “I got the interview! …Now what?!” I’ve been there. As a matter of fact, I used to be a terrible interviewer. I don’t say that lightly. My anxiety disorder, mixed with a lack of confidence and experience, caused me to clam up. Thankfully, I have drastically improved as an interviewer, and I’m happy to share my interview tips with you today.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Before your interview, spend some quality time on the school’s and district’s websites. I can almost guarantee that the interviewers will ask you why you want to work for them, so it’s best that you know what they’re about. Additionally, this will help when they ask if you have any questions. If you’ve researched the school, you can mention that in your questions, such as, “I noticed online that this school offers choir. Does the choir meet before or after school?” Your research will show your sincere interest.
PRACTICE ANSWERING INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
When it comes to the interviewers’ questions for you, there are many lists online of common teacher interview questions. I highly recommend writing out sample answers to these questions. Grab some note cards, and write out one question and its answer on each card. Practice saying your answers by yourself, then for a family member or friend. Repetition will help ease your nerves and keep your answers thorough.
WRITE DOWN YOUR OWN QUESTIONS
As I briefly mentioned earlier, administrators will always ask if you have any questions for them at the end of the interview. Do not say no; an interview works both ways. Although they are seeing if you’d be a good fit for them, you also need to see if their school is a good fit for you. I used to be so nervous that I would draw a complete blank. Now, I have a short list of questions that I keep in my interview padfolio.
- Is there time for collaboration with other music teachers in the district?
- What are the expectations for performances?
- Is there a new teacher mentorship program?
- How often will I see each class, and for how long?
- I wasn’t able to find the music curriculum on the website. Can you tell me anything about it?
USE THAT TEACHER PORTFOLIO
You know that teaching portfolio that your college advisors had you create during student teaching? Well they had you make it for a reason; use it! I have my personal teaching portfolio in a 1/2 inch binder, and I also pack some copies in report covers to give to administrators. Reference your portfolio. If the admin ask you about a lesson that went successfully, turn to that sample lesson in your portfolio, or pictures of the lesson in action. When you show them concrete examples of your teaching, interviewers get a better picture of what it will be like if they hire you. You can find more tips, and see what I include in my portfolio in this video.
BE YOURSELF
I know that sounds cheesy, but this tip made the biggest difference in my interview skills. If you’ve prepared yourself well, there’s no reason not to be confident in yourself. You are a specialist in your field. The administration is looking for a specialist. If you are new, you have enthusiasm and the latest information. If you’ve been teaching a while, you have experience that will help you. Either way, you know what you’re doing more than you think. We teachers tend to suffer from imposter syndrome. I used to think I wasn’t good enough; there are so many great teachers out there. Why would they want me? Well that was ridiculous. Why wouldn’t they want me? I’m a dedicated, driven teacher who will give everything to her job. This confidence was key to interviewing well.
Once I gained confidence in myself, I found that I spoke differently in interviews. I asked questions like, “Will my choir meet before school or after school?” I spoke as if I was already hired. Again, speaking like this helps admin picture you as their new music teacher, rather than as another candidate. You’ve already come so far as a music educator, so be proud of where you are. Relax, be gracious, and be yourself. You’ve got this! And once you’ve nailed your interview, stay tuned for the next post in the job search series: After the Interview.
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