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Interview Questions
Ok so we don’t condone cheating at Teach & Explore, but we are bending the rules slightly and we are giving you a list of questions that you may or may not be asked. We’ve even broken them into categories for you, it literally couldn’t be any easier! Ssssssh we wont tell anyone if you don’t!
Your Skills
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What can you do for us that other candidates can’t?
- What would your colleagues and friends consider as your best qualities?
- Why should we hire you?
What the interviewer really wants to know: can you do the job?
Know your strengths, and mention ones that are relevant to the job you’re being interviewed for. It’s important to quote examples of when you used the skills; it’s not enough to just say you have the skills. Typical strengths employers look for are:
- Communication – the ability to get on with a wide range of people.
- Team working – the ability to be an effective team leader or team member.
- IT skills – most classrooms are looking for leaders in technology.
- Good attitude – hard worker, honest, polite, co-operative.
- Problem solving – using your initiative to identify solutions.
- Enthusiasm – employers like someone positive.
- Quick learner – so you can take on new tasks.
- Determination – shows you are focused on achieving goals.
- Flexibility – doing a variety of tasks to achieve a common goal.
If you’re asked about weaknesses, don’t list many – only mention one! Choose a minor flaw that isn’t essential to the job. Turn it into a positive, such as how you’ve worked on the weakness. Or you could present it as an opportunity for development.
The Employer
- Why do you want to work here?
- What do you know about our school and curriculum?
- Why have you chosen this country?
- Have you read inspection reports about the school if available?
About the Job
- What will the main tasks and responsibilities be in this job?
- What do you think the main challenges will be?
- What would you do in the first day/week/month/year? What would I see in your classroom if I walked in at start of the year or the end of the year?
your ambitions
- What are your goals?
- Where do you see yourself in five years time?
What the interviewer really wants to know: How ambitious are you?
This is your chance to show how enthusiastic you are to get on. (You should avoid sounding too aggressive and over-ambitious: ‘I want to become principal in three years’.) Avoid sounding unenthusiastic and passive: ‘I’m not sure – I’ll see how it goes’. To avoid this, you could talk in terms of short-term and long-term goals. Remember you are at the interview for that particular job – so your short-term goal should be to get that job for the time being. Then you can start talking about moving on higher and leading a subject or year group.
Your work history
- Why did you leave your last job?
- Tell me about a typical day in your current/previous job
- What experience have you got from previous jobs?
What the interviewer really wants to know: What have you done in your previous jobs?
When talking about previous jobs, focus on the positives. Even if you think your previous or current job wasn’t very demanding, if you jot down the tasks and responsibilities it will sound more impressive than you think. You will have learned something, so mention it. Focus on the skills and experience that are relevant to the job you’re being interviewed for. Don’t bring up negative things like having a dispute with a colleague or your boss. And don’t criticise previous employers.
Good answer:
‘In my current job I have developed my knowledge of computer software packages. But now I’m ready for a new challenge, and want to use these skills in a more customer-focused role.
Behaviour Management
- What behaviour management techniques do you use?
- What has been your most challenging day?
- How do you deal with disruptive students?
ESL Teaching
- What experience do you have teaching a child with ESL?
- Give me an example of a lesson that you taught to a class with ESL children present
- How would you deal with a child who cannot speak English?
- How does a child learn how to read?
Child Protection
- What do you do if a child in your class reveals something to you?
- Who do you go to in your school if this happened?
Your personality and interests
- What was the last film you saw or the last book you read?
- How would you describe yourself?
- How would your friends describe you?
What the interviewer really wants to know: Are you a well-rounded individual?
If you’ve made it this far we will hire you ourselves!! ☺
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