Interview for a Teaching Job – Theo Griff

The companion volume to Applying for a Teaching Job, my latest book: Interview for a Teaching Job* is a comprehensive guide to interviews for a teaching or leadership post in a school or college. Both interviewers and interviewees will find useful information and guidance here.

Applying for a teaching job - by Theo GriffIt is written by me, Theo Griff.  For nearly twelve years, I was the forum host for Jobseekers on a popular online advice forum for teachers, answering thousands of queries for posters and helping them get jobs – and promotions – teaching in schools and colleges in the UK and in British schools abroad.

I have several decades of experience as a middle and senior leader in a range of education establishments: state school, independent school, tertiary college, sixth-form college and university, and have worked as a consultant on staff appointments to both schools and candidates, in the UK and abroad. During this time, I have interviewed around a thousand candidates for teaching and leadership posts, and am now sharing with you the secrets to success.

Whether you are a supply teacher hoping to move to a more permanent post, a NQT about to apply for the job to start your career, an experienced teacher looking to move into middle leadership, or aiming for the top as a member of a senior leadership team, this book will support you throughout the interview process. Full of new tips and suggestions, this clear guide is comprehensive and thorough; it gives specific advice that make you take a fresh look at how to prepare your interview and then face the panel.

Interview For A Teaching Job - Theo GriffInterview for a Teaching Job* is the essential handbook that will give you insider information about all the stages of shortlisting, interviewing, and decision-making before that all-important telephone call with the good news. It shows you how to prepare so that you can perform well and demonstrate to the panel that you are the right choice for appointment. It has a general section for all candidates, and a comprehensive section on SLT interviews.

In Interview for a teaching job you will learn, among others:

  • Where not to look for interview advice and observed lesson ideas
  • Common misconceptions about references
  • Longlisting and shortlisting
  • When will you hear that you’ve been shortlisted for interview?
  • What if you have a clash of interviews, or your favourite later?
  • The observed lesson
  • Some things that you probably do not know about the interview panel
  • The 5 mistakes that you make in an interview
  • What to wear to the interview
  • Do the smell test        
  • The wrong sort of talking
  • The right sort of preparation
  • Putting the preparation into practice
  • The wrong questions at the end
  • The telephone call and feedback
  • Internal candidates
  • Interviews for independent schools
  • Comprehensive section on the SLT interview process

Some comments by senior leaders in schools and college:

Headteacher of large secondary school: Clearly written and comprehensive, this is a treasure chest of advice, tips and insider information for the candidates. The perspective of an experienced interviewer is invaluable for novice interviewers too.

Consultant, Ambition School Leadership (formerly Future Leaders): I'd make this book compulsory reading for all PGCE students – and for the NPQH, for that matter. I work with senior leadership candidates and it would make my life so much easier if they all read and used the advice here.

Vice-Principal, Sixth Form College: I was surprised by how much I learned, and how much I enjoyed reading this book, since I thought I was pretty experienced in interviewing, and knew a lot about it already

Secondary headteacher in the North: Theo, it's fabulous!  I really, really enjoyed reading it, which is remarkable and to your credit, given how familiar I am with the topic.

It’s a Kindle book; if you don’t have a Kindle (why ever not!), you can download the Kindle App from Amazon to a phone, tablet or computer, and begin reading the book immediately. Fast and very cheap!

Check out the reviews – and write one yourself after reading the book!*

Have you read the book? Passed the 'smell test'? Leave a comment below and let us know how it helped you!

*This article contains affiliate links.

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About Sharon Wood

Sharon Wood, aka NuttySupplier, launched the forum at SupplyBag.co.uk in 2005 whilst on supply. Having worked as a primary teacher for too many years, I chose supply teaching as a career, in order to achieve a good work / life balance.