Trials of a First-Year Principal: The Interview: Use these tips to set yourself up for success when you interview for a principal position. https://t.co/jb4a7B4g5w via @NAESP @stixbailey #ThankAPrincipal pic.twitter.com/RQ0FvE3hfU
— National Assoc. of Elementary School Principals (@NAESP) October 4, 2020
You have been preparing for the phone call for months or
even years. While you love the work you have been doing as an assistant
principal or other administrative position, you know you are ready to become
the campus principal. All the time and effort you have been putting into the
application process finally pays off when the phone rings inviting you to
interview for the principal position.
For my current position, that phone call came the Friday
before spring break. As it turns out, the weeks following spring break were
soon to become the genesis of a new era of learning thrust upon us due to the
Coronavirus. After a couple of delays in the interview process, as we were all
figuring out how to operate in this ever-changing landscape, my first-round
interview became a virtual interview. I believe that the virtual interview
process will become more common in the education industry, so preparing for
this environment is important if you are going to be ready to present yourself
in the best possible light. If you have never interviewed virtually, the
environment can be every bit as intimidating as a face-to-face environment in
very different ways. Here are some tips to set yourself up for success for a
virtual interview:
· Set your stage – Use the highest quality camera that you have available and position it in a way that allows your face to shine bright without creating shadows. Think about what your background says about you and if you would want the interview committee to be present in the background that you choose.
· Practice with a trusted colleague while recording yourself. Then, watch the video with the audio off. Check to see if your body language becomes distracting. If so, practice to avoid distracting body language that may take away from the substance of your words.
· Take advantage of the virtual environment by laying out some notes that will keep you on message in what you want the committee to know about you.
Every interview opportunity is different, even within the
same school district. Therefore, it is important to prepare in a way that will
allow you to be flexible to the environment so that you give the best
impression. You have only a few minutes to show the committee that you are the
right person for the job. Many principal interviews consist of multiple rounds.
My first round, virtual interview consisted of other campus-level
administrators, district-level administrators, teachers, and parents. The final
round was a face-to-face interview (with appropriate social distancing) with
the superintendent and their executive leadership team. In comparison to the
40-minute virtual interview, the final-round interview lasted nearly four hours
where I was asked to present a transition plan and fielded questions from the
10-member panel.
Whether or not you are asked to write a transition plan for
the position, this can be a great tool to prepare for the interview and the
subsequent work should you be offered the job. A transition plan should
highlight your knowledge of the campus and district, as well as, be an insight
to your organizational identity. My transition plan consisted of three phases:
· Pre-entry (you got the job but may be finishing your previous position) – Listening to stakeholders to develop a deeper understanding of the current learning ecosystem;
· Transition (handing over the baton) – Continue to listen and learn from stakeholders while analyzing data to begin shaping the instructional and operational focus for the upcoming school year;
· Entry (you are in the seat) – As you continue to listen, learn, and analyze, you begin to implement the plan to begin the school year.
This plan will change as you learn more about the position,
but this is a perfect opportunity for you to create a document for your new
position that highlights the attention to detail that you will have as
principal and instructional leader. While your words may fade quickly after the
interview for the committee, your written words will be an artifact that the
committee can return to when they are making their final decision.
Doing your homework and preparing for the interview is
important, but there is nothing more important than an authentic interview
where the committee learns about who you are. Even if you are interviewing in a
school district that you have worked in for many years, do not assume that your
interview committee knows the quality of your work as you answer each question:
· Be specific and thorough in your answers and think of how it connects to the work already happening within the school district;
· Answer questions from the perspective of the principal and highlight the specific work that you have done that relates directly to the principalship;
· Demonstrate the power of vulnerability by taking time to think after a question is asked or being okay with saying “I don’t know the answer to that, but this is how I would learn…”
The interview process for my current position was one of the
most exciting experiences because I was prepared for the ever-changing
landscape. Remember that you are interviewing everyday through the quality of
work that you do in your current role. Authenticity is vital to future success
in the position you are seeking. Whether you are offered the job or not, use
the opportunity to reflect on your work and how you might better support
students and staff.
Please feel free to reach out via Twitter (@stixbailey) if I
can support you in preparing for the interview process. I would be honored to
conduct a mock interview, share my transition plan as an example, or have a
deeper conversation about the interview process with you. Spoiler alert…I got
the job! Next month, I get to share how the fun of principalship began.
