Helpful interviewing tips for Prospective Teachers

Knowing where to find the job announcements.  Most school districts will advertise their job vacancies in the Boston Sunday Globe, an expensive way to get the message across, but it has it's benefits.  One of the requirements of buying a display ad in the Globe is the purchase of an online ad with Monster/Bostonworks - the same ad you'll see visually presented in the Globe will also be on the Monster.com website.  Why wouldn't you set up a job seeking bot to email you when teaching positions that fit your search criteria are advertised? 

The Department of Education has a free job posting service on the "ELAR" section of their website - you can make your resume available to potential employers and see which jobs are currently available that match your current license.

With a carefully worded bot, you can also set up a Google Alert that will email you when the Google Search engine finds something that meets your search criteria: be careful, though.  An overly broad search will result in an over abundance of irrelevant hits.

Applying for a job. Your resume is your first contact with any potential employer. It is important to make sure it is up-to-date; your latest accomplishments are included, anything out of date is removed, and there are no typographical errors. Make sure it is clear, concise, and easy to read.  Be certain you are not overstating or embellishing your achievements or fabricating experience.  If you're called for an interview you will need to know what you have on your resume and be able to discuss it; perhaps in detail.

IF you make hard copies, It is generally best to use white or beige paper and to avoid printed designs that tend to distract attention from the content of the resume. Try to remember, your resume may be photocopied several times to be distributed elsewhere within the district and you should therefore use paper that photocopies easily. Because it is your first contact, it is your first (and maybe only) chance to demonstrate your professionalism!  Please don't forget, we take education seriously; it is highly recommended to avoid the use of paper with "cute" designs.

Make sure you include all requested information when submitting a resume for consideration. The Watertown Public Schools, as a matter of course, requests a cover letter, resume, three recent letters of recommendation, transcripts, and copies of your current certification (if any).  With this in mind, please consider a request for recommendations made.

When submitting materials, y ou should follow the protocol articulated in the job posting.

In your cover letter, you should demonstrate a knowledge of the community to which you are applying. Show that you've done your homework in researching the district and explain why you want to work there.  There is a lot of fine work being done in Watertown, at all levels.  A demonstration of your knowledge of what work is being done and how you would contribute to that work makes for a solid cover letter.

You should articulate how your background and experiences relate to the district; articulate your technological experience and interests; acticulate your understanding of curriculum frameworks.  On this site, you will find solid information in the form of Grade Level Outcomes, Teaching and Learning resources, and other resources indicating where our school place considerable emphasis.  You should be able to connect these emphasis points with your own experience and how you believe you can further these objectives.

The more you know about the Community, the district, and the individual school the better. It will also be extremely helpful to know this if you're called for an interview.

Also note: If you write a solid cover letter , it will not be applicable to multiple districts - it will be addressed to and targeted at one district, with pertinent information for an individual district, perhaps even an individual school or position in that district. If you do it correctly, job searches are time consuming.

Interviewing. Bring a portfolio of your accomplishments. Include pictures of projects, awards, evidence of participation in outside events and anything else that might illustrate your commitment to providing a quality education.

You will want to arrive early to your interview. Especially if you're not familiar with the area, make sure you have more than enough time to get to the school in time. You will also need time to complete an employment application (if you haven't completed one already - click here to download a PDF of our application).

This is an important meeting - make sure you demonstrate you believe it to be important. If you have any doubts, dress conservatively. It is generally a good idea to limit cologne and/or perfume. Wear a suit and conservative necktie or simple jewelry. Especially important is good grooming.

Prepare appropriate questions in advance. Asking well informed questions is a good way to demonstrate that you have investigated the district and that you're interested in knowing more. Pay attention that you're not asking questions that have already been answered in the course of the interview.  Again, this website offers a wealth of information about the school district - this is an opportunity to further demonstrate your interest in the district by addressing questions you might have after reading about us.

Lastly, it is always appropriate (and appreciated) to send a thank you note or letter to the interviewer(s).

Please note, this document does not reflect any formalized protocol and is not necessarily the expectations of the Watertown Public Schools.  It is a synopsis of commonly expressed beliefs around interview practices.

 

Updated April 9, 2008