+Interview Season: Putting the SLLA Exam

into Practice,

Top 5 Interview Tips

+SLLA EXAM, PASSED!

You've passed the SLLA exam, now what?

Your journey is only beginning. The path to

successful school leadership begins with

the search and obtainment of your first

school administrator job. I have talked

about this process before, and went

through the same thing 4 years ago. You

can hopefully benefit from my mistakes

and my positive experiences, which I will

share with you.

+Resume in Shape

First, get your resume in shape. Make sure

you highlight your leadership experiences,

via Internship or as a Teacher-Leader. List

accomplishments and how you handled

difficult problems, or conflicts

+Cast a Wide Net

Cast a Wide Net. Try to target open

positions at least 1 hour drive from your

current home. If you don't have any

constraints, your opportunities are

greater. Your goal is to get that 1st school

administrator job. With experience you

will be able to make your way back closer

to your home district , or to your desired

location.

+Possess some Specific Skill Sets

Possess some Specific Skill Sets, that will

be of assistance to that particular school. If

you are a curriculum specialist, technology

wizard, exceptional children's guru, or a drill

sergeant, make that known on your

resume, during your interview and in

following up with the interviewing team.

+Research the School you are

interviewing

Research the School you are interviewing with. Look at data from the

past 3 years, academic and discipline.

Understand the community partnerships, parent involvement

and how the teachers feel about the school

( Check teacher working conditions surveys).

Most of this data is public knowledge on the web.

Be prepared to ask relevant questions regarding this data,

and how you can improved student achievement,

discipline and school culture.

+Finally, Principals Crave Loyalty

Finally, Principals Crave Loyalty. The

principal's job is one of the most isolated

professions in the education field. They need

to be able to count on someone, and know

that they can confide in you. You will soon

understand why school admins call this the

"Dark Side". You will encounter many

scenarios that will challenge you mentally,

physically and even morally/spiritually. School

leaders need to be able to trust in each other

and know that you have their back. State this

in your interview, and Be Convincing.