Interview this Thurs!

py2006

Hi folks,

I have an interview this thurs and I am ****ting myself! I would really love the job as its a fulltime/permanent position. I am already in a similar role but its only part-time position.

Anybody got any good interview tips?

Should I bring anything to it? I was thinking of producing 2 written references.

Ginger

Depends on what type of interview it is...

If you are in a similar role you already are on the good side.. You will at least know the subject matter and know who to deal with most of the questions that pertain to the role.

Chill!

If its competency based .. check online for sample questions and run through them aloud.

If its technical/knowledge driven, think up some difficult questions and try and answer them.

Best o luck

py2006

Thanks for that!

Its a teaching role! I teach basic IT skills (ecdl etc) to early school leavers!

I am not sure whether they would ask questions about my knowledge of Office etc or not!

I wasn't going to bring anything to the interview as I have never done that before but somebody was saying I should be producing all qualifications I have etc

Is it advisable to produce hard copies of CV's? (they already have a copy I emailed.

Ginger

Hard copy of your CV just in case you need to reference it yourself quickly, rather than trying to remember it.

You can always bring them in, in case they need to see them straight away. I have never interviewed for a teaching post so this wouldnt come into it for me.

Like a condom, prefer to have it and not need it, then need it and not have one!

Tom Dunne

Having been through similar type of interviews myself, I would only bring what I am asked for. If you walk into an interview with a handful of documents, how are you supposed to shake hands with the interviewers? You may fluff and fumble and make a bad first impression.

Secondly, make sure you know your subject matter - intimately. You should be as calm and professional as possible, nerves are to be expected, but don't walk in quivering like a jelly. Expect them to ask you technical questions.

Thirdly, be prepared to do a brief presentation. Even if they don't ask for it, be prepared. I went to an interview where the asked me on the spot to train them, without specifying on what subject. I was well prepared and the training went well (I got the job, btw).

abetarrush

Yeah, always bring your CV, just in case, cos they usually ask you to talk them through it

Be 5 mins early! They get iffy about people who show up right on time

Dress well! If you're a guy, defo wear a shirt! [sorry, dno if ur a he or a she! :P]

Keep talkin. If u dont know the answer to one of their Questions, relax, its not d end of the world

R E L A X


Hope that helps

Mad Mike

Teaching positions often use a panel of interviewers. Each person on the panel will typically take a different role. I guess you should probably expect questions in the following areas:

Technical competency: Do you know the subject you are trying to teach.

Teaching competency: Given that you have been teaching for a while expect questions about teaching style or teaching methods. Interviewers often like to ask about "the most difficult student you had" or similar questions. I guess if you were teaching art or similar a portfolio would help here but for IT training I'm not sure what you could show.

Administrative ability: Almost every level of teaching involves some amount of administration and there may well be someone on the panel with a purely administrative focus.

Vocation: Particulalry if you are teaching young people you will be expected to show a vocation for teaching. Think about why you want to teach and what it means to you.

Lifelong learning: In almost any area of teaching you will be expected to show that you are committed to lifelong learning. At third level you would be expected to undertake research at other levels you would need to be able to discuss how you intend to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.

Jargon: For better or worse most teaching organisations suscribe to certain teaching philosophies and the jargon associated with these. In my organisation for example the topics of the moment are "student centred education" and "learning outcomes". If you knew the teaching philosophy of the organisation you are interviewing with it would be no harm to get up to speed on the relevant jargon but NB don't try to baffle people with bull***.

py2006

tom dunne wrote:

Thirdly, be prepared to do a brief presentation. Even if they don't ask for it, be prepared. I went to an interview where the asked me on the spot to train them, without specifying on what subject. I was well prepared and the training went well (I got the job, btw).

Wow, I hope not! I would hate to be put on the spot like that! I was hoping it would be a fairly relaxed type thing. The interview for my current position was fairly relaxed.

Congrats on getting the job btw!

py2006

abetarrush wrote:

Yeah, always bring your CV, just in case, cos they usually ask you to talk them through it

Be 5 mins early! They get iffy about people who show up right on time

Dress well! If you're a guy, defo wear a shirt! [sorry, dno if ur a he or a she! :P]

Keep talkin. If u dont know the answer to one of their Questions, relax, its not d end of the world

R E L A X


Hope that helps

Yea I got a really smart suit to wear! even have some posh cufflinks for me shirt!

I will bring a hard copy of my CV too!

py2006

Mad Mike wrote:

Teaching positions often use a panel of interviewers. Each person on the panel will typically take a different role. I guess you should probably expect questions in the following areas:

Ok now your scaring me!!!! There wasn't a panel for my current position! Its not for a large college or anything, its a small setup kinda like FAS but with far less students.

Mad Mike wrote:

Technical competency: Do you know the subject you are trying to teach.

Teaching competency: Given that you have been teaching for a while expect questions about teaching style or teaching methods. Interviewers often like to ask about "the most difficult student you had" or similar questions. I guess if you were teaching art or similar a portfolio would help here but for IT training I'm not sure what you could show.

Administrative ability: Almost every level of teaching involves some amount of administration and there may well be someone on the panel with a purely administrative focus.

Vocation: Particulalry if you are teaching young people you will be expected to show a vocation for teaching. Think about why you want to teach and what it means to you.

Lifelong learning: In almost any area of teaching you will be expected to show that you are committed to lifelong learning. At third level you would be expected to undertake research at other levels you would need to be able to discuss how you intend to keep your skills and knowledge up to date.

Jargon: For better or worse most teaching organisations suscribe to certain teaching philosophies and the jargon associated with these. In my organisation for example the topics of the moment are "student centred education" and "learning outcomes". If you knew the teaching philosophy of the organisation you are interviewing with it would be no harm to get up to speed on the relevant jargon but NB don't try to baffle people with bull***.

Thanks for that! That was very helpful! I hope it wont be as intense as all that but you never know!