Q: I will be graduating from college mid-year and am hoping to get a teaching position then. I recognize I may have to settle for a long-term sub position, but my professors think that if I cast a wide net, I should be able to get a permanent position, even mid-year. I’ve started applying to big districts around the country that offer the most in terms of salary, benefits, and training because, well, why not? There’s no point in settling before I’ve even graduated. These districts will do an online screening interview (and some have representatives doing the screening right on my campus), but if I make it past that point, they all seem to require an in-person interview with individual principals. Really? In the year 2023, do I really need to fly across the country and spend money and time I don’t have to meet with people I could have talked to on Zoom? If there’s such a big teacher shortage, can’t they just hire me based on the visit to my school or the Zoom screening interview?
A: You make some good points, and I’m going to offer a counter argument. For starters, while interviewing in person is a pain and can be expensive, it’s in your best interest, too. There are lots of reasons for the teacher shortage, but one reason people quit relates to poor fit. Yes, each school is assessing you, but you’re also assessing them. Visiting a school gives you a chance to meet your potential future principal and colleagues. Teachers may reveal stuff about the school in casual conversations that you wouldn’t have gleaned any other way. You can scope out a city to see if you can envision yourself living there. You can get a better sense of whether the school provides its teachers with adequate resources by taking a tour and peeking into classrooms. You can demonstrate your commitment and enthusiasm, too, which might improve the odds that they’ll hire you. In short, you can make a better-educated decision about your first job, which in turn could prevent future regrets — such as a broken contract or an expensive move. Sure, you could find places that would hire you without making you jump through any travel hoops, but that’s not necessarily to your benefit.
While interviewing in person is a pain and can be expensive, it’s in your best interest, too.
But you asked me why these schools are insisting that you show up for an in-person interview, so I’ll share some possible reasons. Administrators can pick up a lot of information in person that a Zoom screening interview can conceal. For instance, do you show up on time? Are you polite to the front-desk receptionist who buzzes you into the building? Do you think quickly on your feet and engage well with others, during the interview and when you pass them in the hallway? It’s a lot easier to pick up on nonverbal communication in person, too. Subtle cues — such as your ability to make eye contact with everyone on the interview panel and your body language (are you smiling? Are you slouching?) — can say a lot about your interest in the field and in their school in particular. They also may have some practical reasons to invite you to visit, such as wanting you to teach a lesson to students or participate in a group activity. And they may want to dig deeper to verify your qualifications and assess your knowledge of local students’ needs. In other words, they can get a better sense of whether you share the school’s educational philosophy and will be a good fit. That’s to both of your benefit.
Yes, it’s expensive and time-consuming to interview in person, but if you can swing it and the district you’re interested in is offering you no other alternative, I’d look at it as a short-term investment for long-term gain. It’s worth confirming, however, that the system won’t reimburse you for your travel expenses. You can’t know if you don’t ask. In the meantime, keep doing the Zoom screening and on-campus interviews, which are good opportunities to bolster your interviewing skills and decide if you want to invest the time, energy and money to travel to a school.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Phyllis L. Fagell
Phyllis L. Fagell is the school counselor at Landon School in Washington, D.C., a therapist at the Chrysalis Group in Bethesda, Md., and the author of the Career Confidential blog. She is also the author of Middle School Matters and Middle School Superpowers, available at https://amzn.to/3Pw0pcu.
