Photograph: Luis Alvarez/Getty Images
Whether it’s your first job after teacher training or you’re an experienced hand, evaluating a potential school is a crucial part of the interview process. But how do you do that remotely? Here are top tips for teachers applying to work at a new school under lockdown.
Prepare for remote interviews
Although the coronavirus pandemic presents us with many challenges, it’s worth remembering that schools and supply agencies have been recruiting teachers online for almost 20 years. Independent and English language international schools are increasingly recruiting teachers via video to work with them overseas. The current lockdown has forced all schools across the UK to reconsider how they recruit teachers.
Be tech-ready
On both sides of the camera it is critical to check the video technology, the microphone and your background environment when conducting an interview via video. What apps will they be using? Have you used them before? If not, rehearse with a friend.
Think the process through
It is crucial to find a school which best meets your needs. Find as many schools as possible before you begin any application process. This will give you motivation, as well as building up a network for future job opportunities.
Visit the school – virtually
In order to determine which type of environment you feel most comfortable with, one important planning aspect to consider is your journey to and from the school, should you be successfully appointed. Under normal circumstances it’s worth considering a trial journey during peak commuter hours to see if the journey is manageable. Under the current conditions, it’s worth trying to arrange for a virtual tour of the school site – just as you would for a position that involves relocating to the other side of the country, or an international job. A conscientious school leader should be more than happy to take candidates on a video tour. This is even more critical during lockdown when all schools are struggling with recruitment.
Prepare your application
Look at the key facts listed on the job advert, and evaluate how they match up with the person specification – not the job description. Think carefully about what you can offer the school. Initial research on examination performance, pupil demographics and inspection reports will help you identify key priorities in the application. It would also be wise to consider why you want to work at the school. For more on this, see the five-minute interview plan. Regarding referees and references, it is always worth asking permission and giving those key people a “heads-up”. References are frequently requested with limited time for the referee to respond, putting them under pressure. You don’t want to put your job application in jeopardy!
Submitting your application
Spellcheck, spellcheck, spellcheck! Whatever you do, do not copy and paste bog-standard educational cliches and fire off application after application without due diligence. I’ve seen thousands of applications thrown in the bin because they accidentally mention another school’s name, have grammatical errors or include inappropriate information (no one needs to know your astrological birth sign!). Ask a friend to proofread your application. Show the reader that you have conducted some research, posing questions and thoughts, as well as some solutions with evidence of things that you have contributed towards in your current role. Remember, you can discuss finer details during the interview, so keep the facts concise.
Plan your questions
The easiest way to discover if a school leadership team is on track is to ask direct questions at the interview. For example: “How many teachers left your school last year?” “How much of the overall budget does the school protect for professional development?’’ “Why should I work at your school?” “Is the school budget in deficit, if so by how much?” If these questions are avoided, it’s a good indication that this might not be the school for you.
Nail that interview!
Be prepared, rehearse potential questions and answers, pick out what you will wear on the day – even for an online interview. Show interest and be conscientious by keeping your questions and answers concise. Whatever you do, do not be late: in an online interview, there really are no traffic excuses.
Have your answers ready
Be prepared to answer a range of challenging questions, and rehearse a variety of scenarios where you can provide concise answers. What would colleagues say about you? What area of the teaching standards do you most need to work on? What has been the greatest challenge in your career to date? Where do you want to be in three years’ time? Why do you want to work in this school? When it comes to “awkward” questions, they can often be a test of how professional and measured you will be in your response, rather than the answer itself.
Final questions
Finally, asking questions at the end of an interview, always have two or three questions prepared. Whatever you do, make sure you ask them. It shows the interview panel that you are prepared, interested and it is your one opportunity to put them on the spot and turn the tables in the process.
If you are currently recruiting for your schools please contact us by going to recruiters.theguardian.com and if you are seeking a new role at a school please visit our jobsite
