Job Interview Essentials - Part 2

So as not to overwhelm you, here's part 2 of the previous blog...

•    Be prepared for questions

The key is not simply to describe your personal qualities, but rather show how you can provide students at the school with what they need.

Why do you want to teach here?

Again, show your knowledge of the school. Explain why the particular type of teaching interests you. Describe (genuine) positive comments you've heard regarding the school's educational quality. Mention your long-term plans to stay in the country.

Avoid focussing on what's in it for you ('the salaries are higher')!

What teaching methodology do you use?

Don't get caught up with lots of terminology here. Be practical ('I want to make sure students have lots of practice') and support your answer ('because language learning is a skill, like playing an instrument').  

Emphasise your approach is based on what students need. If they need to pass an English exam, your focus should be to prepare them for the exam.

Avoid suggesting that you're going to revolutionise teaching at the school, and that other teachers have been doing it all wrong!

What are your strengths as a teacher?

Back up your comments ('I'm committed to my individual students' welfare') with concrete examples of things you've done ('For instance, I arranged weekly one-to-one sessions to help a student prepare for an IELTS exam, and she achieved the score she needed').

What are your weaknesses?

Be upfront about an area you need (or needed) to develop ('I used to spend a lot of time on correction')  but show how you've addressed this ('I found it's more effective and efficient to tell students I'm only focussing on the target language they learned that day').

•    Ask questions

You've already shown you've spent time researching the school. Ask for more details about the students and the materials to emphasise your focus on the students' needs ('What do students say they like and dislike in classes?', 'What exactly do your corporate students need English for?').
It's generally fine to ask one or two practical questions (for example about hours, shifts and salary) in a businesslike way, but it's probably not advisable to make your conditions the focus of the interview.

Good luck! We'd love you to share your job interview experiences and advice.