Fake it till you Make it
You may look good on paper, but what about in person? Many people apply for jobs with their shiny CV filled with qualifications and skills but when it comes to selling themselves in person, it can all go downhill. Getting an offer for an interview means that you have already impressed the employer and it is an opportunity to stand out from other candidates to prove that you are the only person suitable for this job, but believe me, it’s easier said than done.
Throughout this blog I will utilise Gibb’s Reflective Learning Cycle to analyse my experience of participating in a simulated interview for the job of a primary two teacher in Ashgrove Primary school. Using this model of reflection allows for a detailed exploration of my performance during the interview, ‘it is from the feelings and thoughts emerging from this reflection that generalisations or concepts can be generated, and it is generalisations that allow new situations to be tackled effectively.’[1], consequently allowing me to identify my strengths, areas for improvement and therefore, how I can plan and take action to enhance my interview skills.
[1]Graham Gibbs, Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods (Oxford: Oxford Further Education Unit, 1988).
Don’t expect success, prepare for it
I treated the simulated interview as a real-life interview for an actual teaching job which made the experience highly beneficial. I conducted adequate research on the school I was applying for, I familiarised myself with assessment methods, studied the job description and gathered relevant answers to potential questions. I looked at Indeed to find questions that I could be asked as their website included sample answers which provided a basis for my own responses. They also state that ‘Having a thorough plan can both help you remain calm during the interview and set you apart from other candidates.’[2]. Additionally, after I had prepared for the interview, I felt in control, I was confident in the answers I had rehearsed. To strengthen my knowledge, I took to the Ashgrove Primary School website to find out more about their community. Their mission statement is ‘Learning, Caring, Growing Stronger Together’[3], which I made sure to include in my responses to show I knew the school, as part of the essential criteria in the job description was to show how my experience and approach to work reflect the school’s values.
[2] Indeed Editorial Team, How To Prepare for an Interview (2021) <https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview> [accessed 16 February 2022].
[3] Ashgrove Primary School (2022) <https://www.ashgroveprimary.com/home/> [accessed 16 February 2022].
So what?
Every other candidate will have done their research, studied the school and prepared answers so what makes me stand out? In my simulated interview I was asked “How do you manage challenging students?”, it was here where I was able to sell myself. In my recent work placement, I was in a class with several challenging students, so I was able to draw from my own experience to answer this question. To make sure I didn’t go off topic I used the STAR technique, this helped me focus on the question asked, and eliminated the risk of talking about areas irrelevant to the question.
I stated the situation which was, a child in the class was calling other children names and when he was reminded that his language was not part of the classroom rules and values, he became angry and began hitting the desk. My task was to keep the classroom environment calm and the action I took to complete this was to calmly remove the child from the room and bring him to the school’s sensory room. This had various results, firstly, by removing the child from the room it ensured that he would not injure himself by hitting the desk and by allowing him to calm down in the sensory room, he could reflect on his actions. Secondly, the rest of the class were able to continue with their work as there were no more disruptions and they were not being called names anymore. Lastly, when the child returned, he realised what he had done was wrong and proceeded to apologise to the class. The use of STAR in my answers did not go unnoticed as feedback stated that ‘In answering questions about the challenges she has overcome in the workplace Aoife used the STAR technique, outlining how she dealt with and overcame these challenges’.
Dress to Impress
Interviews are tricky enough without having to worry about your outfit, but you can’t show up in shorts and a t-shirt, and although that’s comfortable, it isn’t professional. Throughout the year I have developed a ‘professional wardrobe’ to wear to my placement in St. James’s Primary School, so the day before my simulated interview I raided it and found a smart dress to wear paired with smart shoes and minimal accessories. Going into my interview I automatically felt more confident in myself as I was put together and was thoroughly prepared. ‘You have the skills and the qualifications for your dream teaching job, so take the time to make sure that your appearance communicates just that.’[4] Not only would my appearance communicate my qualifications, but it also provides a first impression for the employer. Employers will instantly form an opinion as soon as you walk into the room so by dressing to impress, they will know you are professional before you even say hello.
Confidence is key
Practice makes perfect, so why wasn’t my interview perfect? I had taken all the advice and prepared the best as I could, but I still came out of the interview feeling like I could’ve done better. In an interview the one thing that will set you apart from the other candidates is confidence. I said all the right things, but felt myself using filler words which gave the impression I was unsure of my responses. ‘Being confident, calm, prepared, honest and professional is very important in the interview’[5] because you need to be able to sell yourself to your potential employer. My simulated interview feedback advised that I ‘should lessen the use of the words ‘em and um’ when talking but all else was brilliant’. The use of filler words could give the impression that I was not prepared so by eliminating these next time, I will appear as confident as I feel in answering questions. I maintained eye contact and a good posture throughout, but the one thing I didn’t realise I was doing, was fidgeting. In a survey by OfficeTeam, ‘senior managers said that after eye contact, facial expressions, posture, handshakes, and fidgeting were some of the most telling nonverbal cues in an interview.’[6]. Something so minor could be the decision maker on who is getting hired. Putting on a brave face and adjusting my posture to hide the nerves are just a few things I could’ve done to appear confident.
Action Plan
Through participating in a simulated interview, I have composed an action plan for my future interviews. The preparation that I carried out was beneficial, but I did miss a few aspects. One being including current educational issues in my answers as my responses could have been enriched with information and allowed me to show off my knowledge of education. Another aspect of preparation I could improve is preparing more questions to ask the panel to show my genuine interest in the school and the job.
Feedback from my simulated interview stated, ‘Don’t forget to fill the time because it is yours to fill.’ This has made realise that I am able to talk about my experiences in great depth- without going off topic- to further impress my future employers. Confidence is the key in interviews, and I know going forward that I will learn to sell myself and believe in myself because I know I can get the job, I just need to stand taller than everyone else. Even if I’m not feeling confident, I can fake it till I make it.
[4] Indeed Editorial Team, Complete Guide for What to Wear to a Teacher Interview (2021) <https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/dressing-for-teacher-interview> [accessed 16 February 2022].
[5] Rayma Harchar, ‘Mock Interview Strategy: An action research study of administrator and teacher candidates’ preparation for interview field experience’, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 5.1, (2005), 33-45 (p. 38).
[6] Taneasha White, 8 Body Language Tips for Your Next Job Interview (Because It’s Just as Important as What You Say) (2022) <https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-body-language-tips> [accessed 17 February 2022].
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ashgrove Primary School (2022) <https://www.ashgroveprimary.com/home/> [accessed 16 February 2022]
Barnes, Jasmine, Building a Professional Wardrobe from the Bottom Up (2020) <https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/tips-tools-advice/building-professional-wardrobe-bottom/> [accessed 17 February 2022]
BBC, Primary education (2022) <https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c77jz3mdqr1t/primary-education> [accessed 17 February 2022]
CCEA, The “Big Picture” of Assessment and Reporting (2019) <https://ccea.org.uk/downloads/docs/ccea-asset/Curriculum/The%20“Big%20Picture”%20of%20Assessment%20and%20Reporting_1.pdf> [accessed 16 February 2022]
Gibbs, Graham, Learning by Doing: A Guide to Teaching and Learning Methods (Oxford: Oxford Further Education Unit, 1988).
Harchar, Rayma, ‘Mock Interview Strategy: An action research study of administrator and teacher candidates’ preparation for interview field experience’, Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 5.1, (2005), 33-45
Indeed Editorial Team, Complete Guide for What to Wear to a Teacher Interview (2021) <https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/dressing-for-teacher-interview> [accessed 16 February 2022]
Indeed Editorial Team, How To Prepare for an Interview (2021) <https://uk.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/how-to-prepare-for-an-interview> [accessed 16 February 2022]
Indeed, Teacher Interview Questions (2022) <https://www.indeed.com/hire/interview-questions/teacher> [accessed 17 February 2022]
Jones, Gareth, Benefits of Sensory Rooms in Schools (2020) <https://www.experia.co.uk/blog/benefits-of-sensory-rooms-in-schools/> [accessed 17 February 2022]
OfficeTeam, Is Your Body Language Costing You The Job? (2022) <https://rh-us.mediaroom.com/2017-06-06-Is-Your-Body-Language-Costing-You-The-Job> [accessed 17 February 2022]
White, Taneasha, 8 Body Language Tips for Your Next Job Interview (Because It’s Just as Important as What You Say) (2022) <https://www.themuse.com/advice/interview-body-language-tips> [accessed 17 February 2022]
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