Interviewing For The Job

Click Here for Sample Teacher Interview Questions 

Preparation is the key to a successful interview. To be well-prepared, it is important to know the kinds of questions interviewers ask, predict possible questions, and craft thoughtful responses. Then, practice speaking the responses aloud to lower anxiety and build confidence ensuring a positive interviewing experience.

 

TRADITIONAL OR FACTUAL QUESTIONS

Purpose: The prospective employer is getting to know the candidate and exploring his or her qualifications.
Examples: “Tell me about yourself," ”What prepared you for this position?” or “Why would you like to work here?”
Response: These questions are straightforward and relatively easy to answer. However, keep the position requirements in mind when responding. For example, if you are seeking a teaching position, the response to “Tell me about yourself.” should focus on those experiences that led to your decision to pursue teaching as a career. 

 

BEHAVIORAL QUESTIONS

Purpose: The employer is investigating the candidate’s previous job performance and identifying the candidate’s skills. The employer is making assumptions about future job performance based on past behaviors or attitudes.
Examples: “Tell me about your greatest student teaching challenge.” or “Tell me about a time when your work was criticized.”
Response: Answers should be put together in a way that demonstrates capability. The following STAR framework is an effective way to structure a response in a logical and specific manner.

S    Situation     What was the situation? or
T    Task            What was the task?
A    Action         What action did you take?
R    Result         What was the result of the action?

Using this method, the candidate tells a story giving explicit, concrete examples of the particular situation or task, describing their actions and then the results of those actions. The best way to prepare for this type of question is to recall situations that demonstrate favorable performance concerning projects, work experience, teamwork or past problems that have been overcome. 

 

CASE METHOD

Purpose: These questions are designed to assess a candidate’s problem solving or analytical abilities by describing a problem or situation and then asking the candidate how he or she would respond.
Example: “A parent is angry at the grade you gave his or her child, what would you do?”
Response: Effective responses include a careful analysis of the situation and generating a solution. To prepare, consider the prospective position responsibilities and predict situations or problems that might occur, and then effective ways to address them.