Yesterday I did secret shopping in a movie theater and had a job interview. Today I started the last weekend of a certification class I am teaching in Berkeley this month. On the last weekend I teach people how to do phone interviews. I used my own advice yesterday when I had a phone interview for a job for me. The day before I had talked to a lady at the company I applied for a job with and she told me they would call me on Friday. I didn't know for sure what time so I woke up early, 6:30 and took a shower and dressed for an interview. I always say that you should dress nicely even for a phone interview, you need to feel like it is an interview.
I had made an obligation to do a secret shopping at a movie theater on Friday morning and when I got there around 9:00 I got a call from the lady I had spoken to the day before. She asked if I had sent in the application she had sent me the day before and I told her I had. She said she would check with her boss and get back to me about an interview. At 10:30 she emailed me and asked me when I would be available for an interview. I told her I would be available at 11:00 and she emailed me and said I would get a call at 11:30. My last movie I had to do something at was at 11:05 so I finished it and went outside to take the phone call.
I tell my students to stand when they do a phone interview so their voice sounds stronger. I found a quiet place I could stand and do the interview. I tell my students to do research on the company they are interviewing for so they can ask intelligent questions. The should have 3 questions prepared for the end of the interview when they are asked if they have any questions. I had the three questions written down. I also had information written down from research I had done the night before. So, I was prepared and waiting for the phone call.
I finally got a call at 11:45 and the interview went very good. The lady had 5 questions she asks everyone. One of the questions was how I approach something new that I had to do. I told her that I was often in that situation when I did substitute teaching. When I had to teach an AP History class I have the students help teach the class because I don't want them to think I am more knowledgeable about the subject than they are. I needed to talk about my substitute teaching experience since one of the negatives I have for this job is my K-12 teaching experience and I hadn't talked about substituting before.
When questions were asked I wanted to tell her certain things about me rather than only answer her questions. I tell my students that the longer the interview the better the chance of getting the job. I wanted the interviewer to "feel" my passion and not just hear my answers. I think I was very effective doing that. At the end she asked me if I had any questions and I had one left that I hadn't asked before hand. I asked how long in advance I would know my schedule. She said she wasn't sure, but expected I should know a week in advance. They needed me to start next week if I was hired.
Another question she asked me is what my teaching philosophy. I told her I really think you can't learn if you can't laugh. I think it is important for students to enjoy your class and will pay more attention to what you are teaching if you don't take things so seriously. I am hoping I hear from them soon. The last question she asked was one I wasn't prepared for. She asked me what question she should have asked. I told her that I wanted her to ask me how I felt about driving around California so much as then I told her I was excited about that part of this job because I have been doing it over the past 6 years and I enjoy it because I travel with my camera.
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