Are you dedicated? Committed to teaching? Do you have expertise in your field? Are you knowledgeable about effective teaching and classroom management? Do you understand learning theories? Can you differentiate your instruction with relevance to the learner? Can you collaborate with other departments and grade levels and be a team player? Are you honest, hard-working, and competent? Do you possess high-quality personal characteristics such as being conscientious, caring, confident, creative, intelligent, articulate, enthusiastic, flexible, motivated, adaptable, and have a sense of humor? If you answered yes to these questions, employers are looking for you.
Now that you know what employers value, it is time to prepare and present what you can do for an employer. First, do your research before interviews. Learn as much as you can about that school/organization beforehand. Second, learn how to articulate your skills and experiences. Practice saying your answers out loud. Conduct yourself as a professional in all that you do. Keep a mindset of what you can do for them--not what they can do for you. Third, decide what kind of school/organization and community of which you would like to be a part. Try and find a good match. Fourth, bring your experiences to the table. Utilize all that you have done to enhance yourself as the top candidate the school should hire. And lastly, always be yourself.
Davida Bluhm
Director, Educational Career Services
University of Illinois
Urbana, IL