Category: Career

There are few things more nerve-wracking than attending an interview. 

We worry about what we should wear, what time we need to leave at, what questions we might be asked and whether the other candidates will be better than us. But in all honesty, once we set foot through those doors what happens next is anybody’s guess.

The only thing that we can focus on is how we perform, how we come across and doing the best that we can to convince the panel that we are the person that they’re looking for. 

If you’ve not had an interview in a long time or you’re preparing for one right now and want to make sure you’ve got your bases covered, then this blog post is for you.

As an experienced interviewer, I’m going to share with you some of the things that I look for and have trained other interviewers to look for outside of the 45 minutes that you’re sat in front of the panel. 

Whilst some of these might seem like small things, put them together and they add up to either a good impression or a bad impression. Sure, you want to be a memorable candidate but make sure that it’s for the right reasons!

1. Presentation

Beyond the obvious, in terms of whether you’ve dressed appropriately for the day, we’re going to be checking out your body language. We’re going to be looking for whether you make eye contact with us when you introduce yourself, whether you smile and whether you’re giving off good energy. No, I’m not going woo-woo on you! I mean, are you presenting as someone that’s happy to be here? Good recruiters don’t judge people for being nervous, but they will be able to tell if you’re positively engaged in the process the moment that they meet you. Show them you’re invested in the opportunity or they will feel you are wasting their time.

True story…

Unsurprisingly, the worst impressions I’ve had of candidates have been within the first 30 seconds. I’ve seen them slouched on chairs, had them chatting away on their phone and refusing to hang up and even ignore me completely to watch what was going on behind me as I introduced myself. As a recruiter, it’s difficult to shake these first impressions and it means that these candidates have to work a lot harder throughout the day to recover from this, even if they don’t know it.

2. Preparation

Candidates who’ve done their homework and ask insightful questions make an impact. Those who make reference to our organisation when they answer questions during their interview impress us. So do candidates who bring along everything that we’ve asked them to; identification, qualifications etc. By doing your research and providing any additional information we need you show that you are prepared, that you’re well informed and that you pay attention to detail.

True story…

I’ve had candidates who have not only arrived late but have then gone to great lengths to bemoan their commute. They’d say things like ‘wow, I didn’t realise it was this far away’. It might seem obvious to most of us, but they clearly didn’t check out our location or Google Map their route beforehand. Any candidate who said this basically told me that they were already having doubts about working for us and made me wonder that if they did accept the job, how long they would stay.

3. Attitude

What we don’t openly tell you (but you should assume) is that we’re watching you for the entire time that you’re in the building. Ok, maybe not the entire time – you’re safe in the toilet – but everywhere else, you’re under observation. It’s important that you treat everybody that you come across as a potential interviewer. Ensure that your behaviour and attitude throughout the day is consistent with how you present to the panel.

True story…

I’ve had candidates be rude to the Receptionist, throw a tantrum at the ICT Technician who was trying to help them log on to a laptop and even talk openly on the phone, negatively, about the interview day. The panel got to hear about it and of course, they took this into consideration during their deliberation.

Why these things are important…

All these things are hard to measure, and they’re not covered in the person specification. But when it comes to looking beyond what can be measured, we’re going to start considering who would be a good fit in our organisation. How you conduct yourself throughout the day shows a lot about the type of person you are and what your values are. As recruiters, if we’re stuck between two candidates who have performed equally well, we’re ultimately going to pick the candidate who we feel can not only work with us best but also represent us and what we stand for.

With all the above being said, I don’t want you to think that if you’ve forgotten your ID you’ve blown it. Or if you’ve had to take a call from your boiler repairman at an inconvenient time that we’re going to write you off. How you manage any hiccups throughout the day also tells us a lot about you. So be open, be honest and be professional.

One final thing that you should remember is that you are interviewing us too. If you show up for an interview and you’re greeted by someone who doesn’t make you feel welcome, if staff are rude to you or if the day is completely chaotic, this will tell you a lot about how the organisation operates and will give you an insight about what it would be like to work there. Again, issues crop up – printers don’t work, a panel member might have been replaced at the last minute or a meeting room might have been double-booked. Watch how we handle it and you will learn a lot about us too!

In all the roles I’ve had in education in the last decade, I’ve led on recruitment. I’ve recruited Executive Leaders, Headteachers, Senior Leaders, Support Staff and temporary staff.

Whilst the roles and job descriptions vary, the application process does not. I must have read thousands of application forms over the years and whilst some have been amazing and even a pleasure to read, many have had me banging my head off the desk.

If you’re considering applying for a new job or are in the process of writing an application, then this blog post is for you.

Here are my top 7 tips for writing a quality application. By taking note of these, not only will you increase your chances of getting an interview, you will also help those who manage recruitment in schools and MATs stay sane!

1. Do your research

Before you start writing your application, ensure that you:

• Read the advert, job description and person specification carefully and thoroughly
• Look at the website to learn more about the organisation
• Research the structure of the organisation and the governance arrangements
• Check the latest Ofsted report and performance tables
• Google the name of the organisation (and its leader) and see what comes up
• Research the community they serve as well as their partnerships, collaborations and affiliations with other stakeholders

All of the above will help you to understand the organisation you’re applying to work for as well as where your role fits in the broader picture. 

2. Arrange a visit 

Visit the organisation before you submit your application. This is especially important for leadership roles. It may save you time in the long run and you will learn so much. Before your visit, make sure you use your research to draft some questions to ask when you’re there. The aim of a visit is to find out more about the organisation as well as see what it’s like in action. Is it somewhere you can see yourself working? What are the people like? How does it feel? If you don’t like it, you’ve not wasted your time writing an application. If you do like it, the insights you gain will help you to write a stronger application. Win-win!

3. Do exactly what you’re asked to do

Wherever there is a box on an application form, always write something in it; even if it’s N/A. It shows that you’ve read the form thoroughly and it doesn’t leave recruiters wondering if you left a box blank accidentally. If they ask for online applications, submit it online – don’t post it. If they specify a format for an answer, use it. If they ask you to keep your answers to a specific length, do it. By completing the application correctly, you’ll not only demonstrate your ability to follow instructions but also the recruiter will be very grateful! 

4. Personalise it

Filling out applications is time-consuming. The education sector does not do enough to make it easy to apply for jobs, especially if you are applying for multiple jobs simultaneously. This is why you need to be savvy in terms of personalisation and structure. All recruiters have to judge you on at this stage, is what you write on that application so, as small as these things may seem, they matter a lot. Recruiters will make a judgement about you if you address your application to the wrong person or leave in references to the last organisation you applied to. When recruiters read your application, you want them to feel that you’re invested in getting this job, not just a job. It’s harsh but it’s true; if you slip up on this one or you write an application that is clearly copied and pasted (they can tell), then you could be bumped down the shortlist. 

5. Structure it

Recruiters learn the most about applicants from their ‘personal statement’. The first few pages of the form are to check that you meet the basic requirements in relation to education, qualifications and suitability. The personal statement is what truly differentiates you as a candidate and can be the difference between your application being selected or tossed to the side.

Make sure that your personal statement:

• Outlines your knowledge, skills and experience in a way that directly relates to the role and person specification – before you start writing, map out the criteria and write some bullet points for each area to ensure that you don’t miss anything 
• Is written in a way that is easy for recruiters to tick off the criteria listed in the person specification – they don’t want to spend time hunting through pages and pages of narrative. They shouldn’t have to try to figure out whether what you’re saying matches the person they are looking for. You should make it abundantly clear. (Also, if you structure your personal statement carefully, you’ll find it easier to personalise and edit it for other applications)
• References your experience explicitly and specifically – some applicants think that it is enough to say that they meet the criteria without demonstrating how, or fill the page with broad, vague statements. Be specific about what you’ve done, how you did it and what impact you had so there is no room to question your expertise or credibility as a candidate.
• Uses your research to best effect – whilst maintaining your focus on the role you’re applying for, look for ways to incorporate other skills and experience that may be relevant but not explicitly referenced on the person specification. If you know that literacy is an issue and you have previously led a successful reading initiative, then talk about it. If you know that finance is an issue and you’ve got experience in bid writing or fundraising, talk about that too. This attention to detail and ‘marrying’ of your skillset with their needs will help to set you apart from other candidates and make you more memorable. Just be mindful not to get too carried away or stray too far from the core role.

6. Express yourself appropriately

When we read personal statements, we want to get a feel for what you’re like as a person. But remember, there is a fine line between showing personality and showcasing yourself like you’re on a shopping channel. Keep adjectives to a minimum, don’t use slang and don’t go off on a tangent. Be enthusiastic, confident and specific. It can be tempting to throw everything at it but hold something back for the interview. You want recruiters to read your application and see not only that you are appropriately qualified and experienced but that you’re an interesting person that they’d like to find out more about. 

7. Proofread it

Recruitment season gets crazy I know, but try and give yourself at least enough time to write your application and put it away overnight before proofreading and editing. When you stare at something for too long, you lose your objectivity and typos, missing words and rogue capitalisation can slip past you. Read your application out loud to yourself – maybe even record yourself reading it. This way, you can catch any awkward sentence structures and disjointed statements. If you feel comfortable and you have time, ask someone else to proofread it for you, not only to make sure you haven’t missed anything obvious but also to give you some objective feedback.