I have been really busy this year hiring staff for elementary building positions. I have a great model to follow , Mr. Duncan, who shows how to conduct interviews fairly and professionally. It has been such a great learning experience. I enjoy meeting the applicants, giving tours, talking about the building and the school district, and even the interview process. It takes more time than most realize and is taken so seriously by the interviewing committee and administration. I don't enjoy calling applicants that we can't offer a contract but that is an important part of the job. It doesn't help when every applicant was fantastic and you wish you could hire them all. It is even worse when you don't get enough applicants and you have to make a decision anyway.
So now to me....egocentrically speaking.
I also have been on the job search. Have been close and know how it feels to get that interview and be one of three finalist. I know the mind set of thinking about what it will be like in that position and how it will impact your life and the life of your family. I know how it feels to really need the job. I know how it feels to have a job and take a risk and apply for another. I hate the call back as much as I hate calling back. So that being said here is the point I am making with the title of the blog....
How bad do you want the job?
I am an okay writer, I don't enjoy writing but can put together an document or letter that is readable when I am required to. Will the person reading it say, 'Wow that is exactly what I needed to read!" or "What a writer, what an intelligent communicator".NO.
I just hope and pray I haven't spelled a word incorrectly or used the wrong grammatical phrase. I do use spell check but it doesn't catch everything and sometimes it tells me things are wrong that I disagree with.
So do I spend the money and have a professional resume' and application letter written for me? I have seriously thought about it. Might even do that if the next run of applications go know where. For now I just look at samples and try to make my application essays, and cover letter,s my own.
In education the applications ask you to write essays on questions such as, 'Tell what leadership style you use and how it relates to the job". Okay know one told me in school when you applied for a job that you would have to write essays. Seriously at this point I could write a book (short book) with the essays I have written. If I could just draw a picture they would be impressed but I doubt any essay I write is going to jump off the pages and impress anyone. Think about how many truly remarkable people are being passed by because they are not prize winning authors and think about how many not so great educators are getting the interviews because they or their sister-in-law can really write.
So now the interview. When I get one I am thrilled beyond belief. Then comes the worries. What will I wear (yeah I am a woman). If I wear my heels I will be 6'2" so will that intimidate the interviewing committee, what questions will they ask, study the web site like a final test, remember clean shoes and clean fingernails say a lot about the person. Try not to be nervous. Yeah like that works. I have interviewed individuals who were so nervous it threw off the interview and when you see them in their element they are fantastic. The reverse is also true. I really think if you are not nervous something is wrong.
All this is over and you wait for the call and beat yourself on the way home about every question and how you should of answered it.
I also know for a fact that most times who you know goes a lot further than what you know. The connections you make in education everyday are reflected in the selection of applications to view, and interviews granted. So do you try to connect with the powers that be or just do your job and hope they realize what a great job you are doing? Some people are not into social functions but are excellent employees that work well with staff and do incredible jobs.
So again ,'How bad do you want a job?' and are you willing to be yourself or do you NEED the job so bad that you are willing to hire out the writing and get interviewed and hired.
Well this post is a great example of the style of writing I am talking about. I did not use any words I could not spell, used spell check and disagreed with it, and think the gramar is okay. It won't make anyone scream 'yahoo' when they read it and I will be lucky if anyone reads it to the end or at all. It is me though and when it is not enough I do know someone who writes much better. Wonder if he is busy?
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