definitive questions to ask at an interview
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E.B. White
- Posts: 45
- Joined: Sat Jan 28, 2006 6:41 am
- Location: International School, South America
definitive questions to ask at an interview
This might be an odd question unless you are facing the same situation. What are some of the best questions you ask at interviews to determine the really intangible qualities - like the integrity of the school and its administration, or whether the school really is internationally-minded or just an American school in another country? What are some of the questions you ask that inform your mind AND your "gut"? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
I'm sure I'm going to get slammed for this (being glib or patronizing) - but here goes. I don't know if it is so much a question or questions you would ask, it is much more about the responses and pattern of responses. A lot of redirection, vague answers, things that sound too good to be true are all some indicators of a potentially bad situation. My biggest concern would be an interviewer who has nothing but perfect answers about the school and country. Every school/country has good and bad parts. I like to think in reverse. If I was interviewing someone and they have "done it all and seen it all, and in an outstanding manner", I would be concerned.
It’s interesting to see that my original post ‘Another year over....’ and its subsequent responses are still eliciting references. Certainly it’s a clear indication that this forum provides valuable opportunities for teachers to freely discuss topical matters.
Just to clarify for a moment; my original posting was obviously laced with humor. Interwoven with the jests were some serious points. I reiterate the main focus, which is to use caution when exploring international jobs. Part of this process is to fully exercise your opportunities to ask probing questions. Yes, there are many good schools. By the same token there are some real shockers. There are some truly energizing leaders, but also mean spirited resume fillers, whose preoccupation is with personal power and financial gain rather than education. This includes not just management but some of the fellow teachers you’ll eventually be sharing your staffroom with. If asking sensible, probing questions elicits defensive answers from management or staff, cross the school off your list at least until you’ve found the information you need.
Similarly, the blindingly obvious: each country has its particular advantages, attractions and difficulties. Decide which set of variables best fits your specific goals and interests. Take a line from the recruiters and find which schools’ pieces ‘…fit your puzzle…’, rather than the other way around. Ask not what you can do for the country, but what the country can do for you.
You wouldn’t dream of walking into a hotel room and buying an expensive house or car located thousands of miles away, on the strength of a salesperson’s patter and a convincing video presentation. Yet accepting a job far away from home at a recruiting fair often amounts to much the same risk. The car may turn out to be exactly what you wanted. Or it may be a complete lemon - too small, too big or an energy guzzling behemoth which simply doesn’t meet your needs. Obviously the ideal option is to visit the school in person, yet this is beyond the scope of most teachers.
Remember that you’re about to give up a few years of your life. Yes, they may become some of the most exciting and rewarding years. Commitment to the obligations of your contract is essential for both the employing school and yourself; breaking contract never looks good. Use whatever means are at your disposal to thoroughly do your research in order for this commitment to be fulfilled on your part.
The International School of Timbuktu can seem like an exotic and intriguing idea at a hotel in Boston, London or New York, especially when you still don’t have a job lined up yet. Just remember that your time at IST will probably be mostly spent with Mary from Montreal, Mike from Melbourne and Annie from Auckland. Life outside IST may become confined to partying at each other’s apartments or the occasional dinner at an expensive hotel restaurant and glimpses from the school bus window at six thirty in the morning. For some, belonging to the club is just what they want. For others it can get lame. Caveat emptor.
The pirate ship - in the original posting is also more than humor. Many schools operate in an isolated bubble, frequently “…meeting the needs…� of their wealthy clients. They have to do this to survive, since most international schools are ultimately commercial enterprises. Many of them achieve admirable educational success and credibility simply through the strength and dedication of their hard working, diligent teachers. Yet some schools pay little more than lip service to local labor laws and national educational requirements. This can be liberating, especially to those with recent experience of national curricula and stifling regulations in a nanny state but it can also leave teachers completely at the mercy of their principal / director / superintendent, who in turn is often at the mercy of her/his respective governing board. Evidence suggests that the average tenure of a director in international schools is about eighteen months. Imagine the pressure some of them must be under, especially in startup schools, and it’s not difficult to guess why they’ve often little patience for nagging questioners. Yes, there are some chronic whiners in staffrooms around the world, but relatively very few and rarely are the complaints completely unjustified.
To speak out can sometimes mean not just professional suicide in your current workplace but also well into the future incarnations, since personal references from administrators subsequently influence your ability to gain decent jobs. Militant is one word you’re unlikely to see or hear in most international schools. There are no teacher unions or external managing government organizations to support you if things turn really bad, hence perhaps the popularity of the anonymous postings on this website. Maybe there is a correlation between perennial malcontents and postings on this site, but personally I doubt it.
Ultimately you are on your own, often surviving on your intuition and wits. International school teaching can be a wonderful experience. Many are fortunate enough to have built a satisfying career from it. They are generally a savvy, tenacious breed. Good luck, best wishes and please; be careful.
Just to clarify for a moment; my original posting was obviously laced with humor. Interwoven with the jests were some serious points. I reiterate the main focus, which is to use caution when exploring international jobs. Part of this process is to fully exercise your opportunities to ask probing questions. Yes, there are many good schools. By the same token there are some real shockers. There are some truly energizing leaders, but also mean spirited resume fillers, whose preoccupation is with personal power and financial gain rather than education. This includes not just management but some of the fellow teachers you’ll eventually be sharing your staffroom with. If asking sensible, probing questions elicits defensive answers from management or staff, cross the school off your list at least until you’ve found the information you need.
Similarly, the blindingly obvious: each country has its particular advantages, attractions and difficulties. Decide which set of variables best fits your specific goals and interests. Take a line from the recruiters and find which schools’ pieces ‘…fit your puzzle…’, rather than the other way around. Ask not what you can do for the country, but what the country can do for you.
You wouldn’t dream of walking into a hotel room and buying an expensive house or car located thousands of miles away, on the strength of a salesperson’s patter and a convincing video presentation. Yet accepting a job far away from home at a recruiting fair often amounts to much the same risk. The car may turn out to be exactly what you wanted. Or it may be a complete lemon - too small, too big or an energy guzzling behemoth which simply doesn’t meet your needs. Obviously the ideal option is to visit the school in person, yet this is beyond the scope of most teachers.
Remember that you’re about to give up a few years of your life. Yes, they may become some of the most exciting and rewarding years. Commitment to the obligations of your contract is essential for both the employing school and yourself; breaking contract never looks good. Use whatever means are at your disposal to thoroughly do your research in order for this commitment to be fulfilled on your part.
The International School of Timbuktu can seem like an exotic and intriguing idea at a hotel in Boston, London or New York, especially when you still don’t have a job lined up yet. Just remember that your time at IST will probably be mostly spent with Mary from Montreal, Mike from Melbourne and Annie from Auckland. Life outside IST may become confined to partying at each other’s apartments or the occasional dinner at an expensive hotel restaurant and glimpses from the school bus window at six thirty in the morning. For some, belonging to the club is just what they want. For others it can get lame. Caveat emptor.
The pirate ship - in the original posting is also more than humor. Many schools operate in an isolated bubble, frequently “…meeting the needs…� of their wealthy clients. They have to do this to survive, since most international schools are ultimately commercial enterprises. Many of them achieve admirable educational success and credibility simply through the strength and dedication of their hard working, diligent teachers. Yet some schools pay little more than lip service to local labor laws and national educational requirements. This can be liberating, especially to those with recent experience of national curricula and stifling regulations in a nanny state but it can also leave teachers completely at the mercy of their principal / director / superintendent, who in turn is often at the mercy of her/his respective governing board. Evidence suggests that the average tenure of a director in international schools is about eighteen months. Imagine the pressure some of them must be under, especially in startup schools, and it’s not difficult to guess why they’ve often little patience for nagging questioners. Yes, there are some chronic whiners in staffrooms around the world, but relatively very few and rarely are the complaints completely unjustified.
To speak out can sometimes mean not just professional suicide in your current workplace but also well into the future incarnations, since personal references from administrators subsequently influence your ability to gain decent jobs. Militant is one word you’re unlikely to see or hear in most international schools. There are no teacher unions or external managing government organizations to support you if things turn really bad, hence perhaps the popularity of the anonymous postings on this website. Maybe there is a correlation between perennial malcontents and postings on this site, but personally I doubt it.
Ultimately you are on your own, often surviving on your intuition and wits. International school teaching can be a wonderful experience. Many are fortunate enough to have built a satisfying career from it. They are generally a savvy, tenacious breed. Good luck, best wishes and please; be careful.