​“Failure to prepare, is preparing to fail.”

Cliché? Maybe. But there’s certainly truth to it! In this month’s blog, I’m here to help you gather all the tools you need to help you be the most confident version of yourself during an interview. Here’s what type of research you’d want to look into:

Research on yourself:

Take some time to think about your achievements. Remember, there is a difference between what you have “done” in a role, and what you have achieved. Employers want to know how you benefited your last workplace, to envisage how you will be an asset to their team, so it’s really important that you rack up your brain to think about how you made a difference! Aside from making a note on your experience, make sure you also think about why you want the role you are applying for – find an answer, and make it convincing. Here are some questions that you can think about when carrying out the research on yourself:

• What makes you stand out?

• What are your strengths / weaknesses?

• What did you accomplish in your last role working with children?

Research on the school:

This one almost seems too obvious to state, but is easily overlooked. Too often during interviews, many are taken aback by the question “What do you know about our school?” It’s not a trick question, employers genuinely want to know what you know about their school and why you have chosen to work there, rather than somewhere else. Here are some things you can find out about a school to ensure you can give a great answer to that question.

• The school’s values

• Their latest Ofsted report

• Do the school have any special facilities? For example, an SEN unit, or extra sports facilities etc.

Terminology:

Understanding the terminology used in a school, and particularly within the role you are applying for is crucial. For example, if the role you are applying to relates to SEN, carry out some research on different special needs terminology. Such as, EHCP (Education Health Care Plans), IEP’s (Individual Education Plans), ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) – the list goes on! Just showing that you know what you are talking about gives you more credibility, and adds that little bit of professionalism that could be exactly what sets you apart from anyone else.  

Here’s some links to great websites where you can learn all about the school based terminologies.

http://www.gostudyuk.com/glossary/

http://www.educationengland.org.uk/history/glossary.html

Research on the role:

Make sure you are fully aware of the role you are applying for! This is research that can be carried out both prior to and during the interview. Ask as many questions as you can think of about the role beforehand, so that you can prepare some interview answers based around the role, and have perhaps 2 – 3 questions ready to ask during the interview about the role – this will make you come across more keen and genuinely interested about the role you are applying for. Here are some questions you might want find out about the role before your interview:

• What is my job title?

• Which year group will I be supporting?

• What are the needs of the pupils I will be supporting?

• How long does the role last and what are the timings?

And here are some questions you can ask the employer during the interview:

• What qualities are they looking for in their ideal candidate?

• When will the role start?

• How do the school structure their day for supporting SEN pupils?

As you know, Envision Education are here to not only find you your perfect role, but to help you develop professionally in all areas. If there’s any other questions you have that might not have been covered in this call, give us a call on 020 3771 1138 and one of our friendly Consultants will be happy to help you.