The faculty hiring season will soon be upon us once again. In preparation, we want to share a few tips from HR and recruiting experts as quoted in a recent Wall Street Journal article by Ruth Mantell, Must Have Job Skills in 2013. While these experts spoke from the candidate’s perspective, we’ve turned around each point to consider the key skills that employers (schools) need to identify in interviews.
Skill #1: Clear Communications
Being able to clearly articulate ideas verbally and in writing is a skill all employers have sought for decades. With technology playing such a profound role in our lives, formal communication skills (in terms of grammar, punctuation, etc.) have declined in many areas of the work force. Since a key element of teaching is getting your point across clearly in a variety of ways to a variety of audiences (students, parents, and colleagues), this is an important skill to probe thoroughly with all candidates.
What to Look For:
- A well-written resume, free of typos (demonstrating written communication skills)
- Confidence in relating stories of their past experience (since it’s hard to “sell” an idea if you’re not confident about it)
- Presentation skills (one-on-one, in small groups, and to large gatherings)
Possible Interview Questions:
- What is your preferred communications style with students, parents, and peers—and why?
- Can you tell me about a time you had to change communication styles to be effective in a situation?
- Tell me about your greatest communication challenge, and how you addressed it.
Skill #2: Flexibility
In our 24/7 fast-paced world, deadlines change, job descriptions evolve, and your school’s needs change. Employees should be flexible and easygoing enough to adopt with the changing times. Candidates should exhibit a willingness to learn new tools and skills.
What to Look For:
- Evidence that the candidate regularly seeks to gain new skills and knowledge
- An ability to “let go” of old methodologies when newer and better techniques and practices arise
Possible Interview Questions:
- Tell me about the latest professional development seminar/class you attended? Why were you interested in it—and how did it benefit you?
- Can you tell me about a time when you were nearing completion on a project or report and the criteria changed? How did you react, and what were the results?
Skill #3: Personal Branding (i.e., Personal Mission)
How someone reflects himself or herself to the world is important—especially in the education realm, where a teacher’s personal interests or activities can affect how he/she is perceived in the classroom. The candidate’s social media image may reflect their values, interests, and beliefs—which often go directly to how well the individual may fit with and embrace your school’s mission, culture, and values. While secret screening of social media presents certain risks and dangers for the school, asking the candidate how they present themselves in public is fair game, as long as it is clearly linked to their ability to fulfill the requirements of the job at your school.
What to Look For:
- What the candidate says about his/her presence in social media—including posts, comments, photographs, etc.
- Perspectives that align with (or contradict) your school’s mission, culture, and values.
Possible Interview Questions:
- Have you ever thought twice about posting something because of how it might be perceived in the school community? What did you decide to do and what were the results?
- How well do you believe your personal mission aligns with the school’s mission? How does it affect your teaching—or your outside-the-classroom relationships with students, parents, and colleagues?
The above are just three examples of skills that may directly impact a candidate’s success in your school. These qualities are just examples, of course—the school needs to determine its own set of characteristics that it requires from employees to live out its mission, culture, and values.
Additional ISM resources of interest
Private School News Vol. 11 No. 1 How ‘Evaluation’ Can Help Attract, Develop, and Inspire Faculty
ISM Website What You Can Ask and What You Can't (Legal and Illegal Job Interview Questions)
ISM Monthly Update for Division Heads Vol. 7 No. 5 It's Hiring Season—Know What Not to Ask
Additional ISM resources of interest for Gold Consortium members
To The Point Vol. 15 No. 1 Pre-Employment Screening Essential in Hiring
To The Point Vol. 12 No. 7 Perfect Fit: Design a Safe and Legal Hiring Process Based on Your Mission and Culture
