So the 31st May deadline has kicked in. Cue a half term filled with mad applications for those NQT's amongst us who still haven't got a job. I felt that I was really lucky to get a job so early on in applying. But looking back, it was a mixture of luck, hard work and a LOT of pencil edits on application forms. A couple of people at my uni got in touch with me when they weren't having any luck with applications. I just passed on the information that I was told earlier on in the year. Most of them are quite happily waiting for their new jobs to kick in. (Not all down to me, I'm not big headed! My mates are fab teachers and would have got a job anyway!)
Any child who has at least one parent as a teacher gets a heck of a lot of nagging throughout their lives. The whole 'kids in school behave better than this' or, in mine and my sister's case, 'I sent a child home today for exactly what you've just done' (no dad, no you didn't. Thanks for the guilt trip though). It's even worse when you decide to go into the same profession. However, as bad as I though my parents were nagging me to get a shift on with everything to do with my teaching career, it was a slight blessing in disguise my dad telling me to take a job anywhere, regardless of where it is.
Okay, I didn't really listen to him, seeing as my new job is only an hour away from where I currently live, but he gave me the incentive to get my backside into gear.
I applied for my first job in January, to a school I thought (and was told by a governor) I'd walk an interview for. That didn't happen. But that first knock back gave me a massive spur on. So, I stripped back my supporting statement, and after a few tweaks and after a fabulous phone call from a primary head (cheers Andy!) I got an interview for everything I applied for.
So, what did I do...
- Ignored the person/job spec! No word of a lie. I wanted to tell schools about me as a teacher, rather than telling them that I am the teacher they want because they said so on a document. Some people use the spec as a starting point, but that's all I would use it for. You're good enough to do the job, so tell them so!
- Made it personal - leading on from the above, I included a paragraph detailing what lead me to be a teacher. One chair of governors who interviewed me said he loved how he could see that this wasn't a short term phase, but it had been a long term goal and I showed how hard I had worked to get to where I was.
- Tell them what I do - 'I use formative assessment regularly in the classroom and I feel that it is a great tool for teachers to use...' so how do you use it? It may seem tedious but back up everything you say! If you use assessment in the classroom, tell them how! They may not do what you do in their school, and they may be genuinely interested! Hello interview.
- what curriculum strengths do you have - pretty straightforward. If you did a specialism at uni, how would you use it in school. If you have a particular area of interest, mention that! I did RE and Maths along with my Music pathway from uni. So for example, 'Having studied Maths to A2 level, I feel that as an able mathematician, I am able to teach alternate methods of calculation to suit the different needs of the learners in my classroom'.
- PASSION FOR THE JOB - the very kind head who gave me feedback on my initial application (FYI, not the same head of the school I applied to, just so not to get your feedback hopes up!) said that although I had mentioned my passion for the job, it needs to be explicit throughout. It's not a just career, it's what we love.
- what makes an outstanding - outstanding teaching = outstanding learning. Simples. Tell them that you know what makes an outstanding lesson...you're halfway there with regards to Ofsted (hint...PROGRESS!)
- faith school? Put a paragraph in there about the ethos of the school! If you are of the faith, tell them how the values you practise as a follower of the faith influence you as a teacher. If you're not, explain how you would upload the values and ethos of the school in your teaching.
- people tell you that you're good, so tell the school! Use quotes to back up anything you have done in school on placement and mention it. I italicised mine just to show how different it was. So...'I am a great staff member and contribute well to a team. In my end of placement report it was noted that...', catch my drift?
Now I know I'm no head teacher, or chair of governors, or interview expert. But I just followed a few tips, along with my head and my heart, and I got a job :) hooray.
Interview tips...now that's a different story
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