Assume that you are a well-qualified applicant who is applying for a mid-level leadership position and are 1 out of a total of 150 applicants. Assume that there are at least 15 other candidates who are equally qualified. Why do you need to be well prepared for a job search? What must you know and do so you don’t sound like the rest of the candidates? Consider the following:

1. Do you know how to strategically organize and design a resume that gets the reviewers’…

Remember the adage, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. After a 46-year career in public education, 38 as a school and district leader who interviewed thousands of candidates, I believe I can speak with some authority about hiring educators. Be careful about following advice from well-intentioned friends, family and colleagues. Here are a few examples of advice you should not follow, why not, and what you should…

As a candidate, everything you write and say contribute to building your narrative; the story you tell about yourself. This includes your resume and cover letter, how you present yourself in person or virtually, your answers to the interviewers’ questions, the questions you ask, your letters of reference, and what your references say about you. It's about developing a picture of yourself, creating a chemistry, demonstrating you are a good match, an easy good fit for what they're really…

Over the last 10 years, I have coached more than 500 candidates seeking school leadership jobs. Most of my work has focused on revising resumes and preparing for job interviews. Once my clients get their new positions, they sometimes reach out to me to get advice on the next step in their careers or how to deal with problems they might be facing in their new job. Looking back and reflecting on my experiences as a coach, I decided to share my “takeaways”, lessons learned, that might help…