VEC interview

Dionysus

OK, so I've a VEC interview coming up and I'm wondering would any of you have advice for me?

Apparently it should last @20 minutes -my last teaching interview lasted 1 hr 40 mins - and it is expected that there'll be three people in the interview, including the (political party) head of the VEC. Ahem. Well, I've no political connections so I'm not exactly hopeful - particularly since somebody "in the know" said that while the application form says "'canvassing will disqualify" - "in reality, not canvassing will disqualify you." Wrong on so many levels.

At any rate, I've been called for interview so any experience, potential questions and advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

peanuthead

Dionysus wrote: »

OK, so I've a VEC interview coming up and I'm wondering would any of you have advice for me?

Apparently it should last @20 minutes -my last teaching interview lasted 1 hr 40 mins - and it is expected that there'll be three people in the interview, including the (political party) head of the VEC. Ahem. Well, I've no political connections so I'm not exactly hopeful - particularly since somebody "in the know" said that while the application form says "'canvassing will disqualify" - "in reality, not canvassing will disqualify you." Wrong on so many levels.

At any rate, I've been called for interview so any experience, potential questions and advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

WOW, 1hr 40mins!! though you probably don't notice it going at all!

Well they will obv be keeping it quite short at 20mins. I would say you will be asked how to manage weak students, disruptive students, gifted students that sort of thing. Check out the school too beforehand.

implausible

Dionysus wrote: »

OK, so I've a VEC interview coming up and I'm wondering would any of you have advice for me?

Well, I've no political connections so I'm not exactly hopeful - particularly since somebody "in the know" said that while the application form says "'canvassing will disqualify" - "in reality, not canvassing will disqualify you." Wrong on so many levels

Advice? Lose the attitude! I don't mean to be rude, but you seem to think that the whole thing is rigged or about 'pull', an attitude which personally I am sick to the back teeth of hearing about.

You're doing an interview at the end of September, which makes it less likely that the job is gone already to someone already in the school. Just do your best. Be prepared to answer questions on your subject area, past experience and anything extra you can bring to the school e.g. extra-curricular activities.

However, if you're that cynical before you even begin, I don't know why you're bothering your a*se:rolleyes:

spurious

Your 'somebody in the know' hasn't a clue tbh.

VEC interviews broadly stick to the application form, with maybe one or two subject related questions. To be honest they take it as a given you know your subject, what they want to see is can you manage with all levels of ability of children.

If you feel afterwards you were diddled, challenge it and get to see the interview marks, it's quite a transparent process, which presumably the someone in the know knows, if they know anything.

BTW canvassing will disqualify.

gaeilgegrinds1

I agree it is who you know, I only got my job because the candidate who who was supposed to had a family funeral. [SNIP] Glad I'm out.

Cat82

I done VEC interview last year. Got asked a good bit about my subject and how I would teach it to boys, as my whole teaching experience was in an all girls school and I was being interviewed for a mixed school. I also got asked about handling disruptive students and about pastoral care and how I was involved in it. Then I got asked about how I contributed to extra curricular in the past and would I partake in any activities in the new school.

I got offered the job and I can guarentee that i had no 'pull' or 'connections' with anyone in the know. You will get the job if you are the best qualified for it...simple as that.


Also I have a friend in a VEC school at the moment filling in for 3 weeks for a job which was advertised in early Sept. She didn't get called for interview as she hadn't enough experience. So just goes to show the VEC have a process which they follow.

Good Luck with the interview.

Toto Wolfcastle

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