I have been coaching school leaders and aspiring leaders in preparation for their interviews for about eight years. My clients frequently ask me questions that no one else seems to be able to provide effective answers. Here are some of those questions:

1. I don’t think I will get a positive recommendation from my supervisor, what can I do?
2. I am an older candidate and feel that my age is working against me, how do I deal with…

Nassau BOCES -- March 7th from 3:45 to 5:15...Find our Larry Aronstein's secrets to getting your leadership job

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ANNOUNCING: Dr. Aronstein presents his hour and a half "How to Get a Leadership Job" only once each year. Registration is limited, so register soon. Thursday, March 7th from 3:45 to 5:15 at Nassau BOCES.

https://www.mylearningplan.com/WebReg/ActivityProfile.asp?D=10056&I=2988991

1. What do you anticipate being the most difficult types of problems that you will face in our district?
2. What process will you use to build an effective leadership team?
3. What strategies would you use when responding to a crisis?
4. What steps do you go through in developing a District Budget?
5. Assume that there is a serious need to improve buildings and grounds, how would you go about Capital Improvement Planning?
6. What is your…

1. Don’t talk too much. Answer each question within two to two and one-half minutes. Give one good example. The panel is working within a tight schedule. Nobody likes a chatter box. If they want to hear more, they will ask you to elaborate.
2. Answer the question. Stick to the interviewers’ questions. Stay on topic.…

Candidates for leadership positions are often asked: “What do you look for in an excellent teacher?” My response to this question is the ability to teach for student understanding. The learning of knowledge and skill are at the core of education. We want students to deeply understanding the important concepts in all the subject areas. Understanding does not mean that a student can memorize and recite minute facts and demonstrate routine skills with very…

You got your new leadership job. Now what? What can you do on day one to maximize your success in your new position? You have been a successful teacher who enjoyed a reputation of being friendly, warm and collegial. Now, as an entry-level administrator (assistant principal, chairperson, coordinator, dean), you are expected to deal effectively with teachers who in some cases may be more experienced than you and who may be resistant to your leadership, and…

ADVICE TO NEW LEADERS

Here is a typical message I get from new school leaders at the beginning of each school year:

“I wanted to touch base with you as I had a few questions and value your insight.  I had a very successful year.  Being a leader is certainly a challenge, but I learned a lot and have a good teaching staff with which to work. Do you have any advice for year two or three?

(1) How, in your experiences, do…

Getting a Teaching Job: When All Else Fails

         “I’ve done everything I can think of; now it’s the summer, and I still don’t have a job. What should I do now?” Well, this calls for extraordinary measures. Basketball coaches motivate their players as the game draws to an end and the score is still close by telling them,…

YOUR CANDIDACY: WHAT THEY’RE LOOKING FOR AND HOW TO PRESENT YOURSELF

Everything you submit in writing and say contributes to building an attractive and effective narrative, that is a story and picture of yourself as a candidate. This includes your resume and cover letter, how you present yourself, your answers to the interviewers’ questions, the…

Being Interviewed by a Board of Education

Over the last several years boards of education have become more actively involved in interviewing and selecting candidates for leadership positions. State law dictates that only the Board can make personnel appointments. Of course, board members are elected officials and as such they have their own…

Interviewing: Do You Need to Be Coached?

Trying to get a leadership job is very much like a horse race. Recently, a school district posted an ad for an assistant principal. They received more than 150 applicants, met with 20 for a pre-screening interview, and then a hiring committee interviewed 8 semi-finalists. The Kentucky Derby had 16 horses “run…

Resumes That Get You Interviews

Resumes and cover letters should be designed to get you an interview. If you’re a fairly well qualified candidate and you aren’t getting interviews, or if your rate of getting interviews is low, then your resume and cover letter are probably your problems. Well qualified candidates should be getting interviews at…

Dealing with Difficult and/or Resistant Staff

Every faculty has difficult and/or resistant people. I think that most supervisors would agree that dealing with them is the most challenging aspect of their job. Being a difficult person is a personality trait. Difficult people come in several varieties. They are often whiners, judgmental, opinionated, and negative. Resistant…

Projecting Your Gravitas: A Key to Winning the Job

In interview situations, I’ve coached many school leaders and teachers about the importance of presenting oneself in a confident manner. Many refer to this as gravitas. Someone with gravitas projects self-confidence, influence, credibility, and commands respect. When you speak, others listen. Do not confuse gravitas with arrogance.…

Interview Preparation: What Does the Coaching Process Entail?

Have you considered being coached to improve your performance during an interview and wondered what it entailed? As a successful coach of 100’s of educators over the last seven years, let me give you an overview of my approach which includes: (1) a preliminary review of your resume and cover letter; (2) a brief complimentary telephone in-take conversation; (3) several (between one and four)…

LEAVE REPLACEMENT: AM I INTERESTED?

Should you consider taking a leave replacement position? Like most other complex questions, the answer is, “It depends”. It depends on your specific set of circumstances. It depends on the conditions surrounding the leave.

What are your circumstances?

• Are you starting a new career as a teacher? If you have been unsuccessfully seeking a position in teaching, then a leave replacement makes sense. A leave…

So, You Want to Be a Superintendent of Schools: Topics for Interview Questions

1. Improvement of Learning and Teaching
2. Implementing the Common Core
3. Building Constituencies
4. What do you think are the most difficult type of problems that you will face?
5. Dealing with an angry hostile crowd
6. Building an Effective Leadership Team
7. Succession Planning
8. Response to Crises
9. Developing a School…

The Inside Candidate

Should you even bother to apply for a job when you know that there are inside candidates? Can you beat out an insider? Are the cards already stacked against you? The short answer is that you should apply—there is nothing to lose. The actual status of the insider or insiders is unknown. The “powers that be”, the superintendent, board members, other administrators, may not favor the insider. The insider may have been on the wrong side of some…