• From the moment you arrive at the interview setting (school or other) be sure you exude professionalism in all that you do - a genuine smile, a firm handshake, and friendly and respectful demeanor will go a long way.
• Interviewing is a two-way process. Be ready to answer questions and to ask questions.
• Know yourself and don't try to bluff your way through - phonies are easy to spot.
• Demonstrate self-confidence in your answers and in your body language.
  

• Non-verbal cues send strong messages to recuiters.
• Professional appearance and etiquette are important elements of successful interviewing.
• Any interview setting can lead to a job offer - from the relatively laid back approach at a job fair - to the phone - to the formal on campus interview. Be professional regardless of location.
• Take key materials along to the interview site - extra résumés, transcripts, and portfolio.
• Do your research: Know about the community, the district, and the school before you arrive.

• Why did you choose teaching as a career?
• What is your teaching philosophy?
• Describe yourself using 5 adjectives.
• What worked best for you in classroom management & tell me how you handled a difficult management/discipline situation?
• Tell me about the use of technology in your classroom. What technology do you use and why do you use it?
• What are some of the most pressing issues in education today (achievement gaps, poverty, assessment, school reform, etc.)
• Tell me about a specific assessment strategy you used during your student teaching experience.
• As you look back on your student teaching experience, what was most effective about you? About your style? What was least effective about your teaching style?

• What were your most effective ways to motivate students?
• How did you get students excited about your subject area?
• What strategies do you use to evaluate student performance?
• What technology did you use in teaching your subject?
• Describe in detail a lesson that you taught.
• Tell me about the type of relationship you established with your students during student teaching.
• What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses?
• Give examples describing your communication with parents.
• How did you provide for individual differences within your classroom?

Don't forget that employers are looking to find the right fit, and this should be one of your concerns as well. Employers almost always ask at the end of an interview if you have any questions. Recruiters regularly inform us that this too, is an important interview question because they want to see how much homework you've done and the level of interest in their district you might have. It's a critical moment in the interview - don't blow it by saying you don't have any questions. You can ask about:

• Family and community support
• Support systems for staff and for students (mentoring, staff development)
• Evaluation and assessment methods for students and staff
• Established policies for student behavior
• Specific teaching materials in your specialty
• Participation in professional development and in-service training
• Building and district goals