Recommends an interview technique that penetrates teacher candidates'"good impression" efforts and probes their past experiences--such as how they handled a specific discipline problem or taught a difficult lesson. Intensive grilling about specific lesson plans, disciplinary actions, and achievements and failures is more revealing than informal…

An experienced school personnel administrator shares some advice about using a 10-minute screening interview to identify the most promising teacher candidates. Through this process, school executives can quickly eliminate candidates whose paper credentials mask unsuitability and consider greater numbers of talented, inexperienced individuals with…

Provides 14 pointers for school administrators on how to hire the "perfect" secretary, including accurate job descriptions, checking of references, mental preparation for interviews, freedom from biases, effective interview questions, and attention to applicants' body language. (RW)

An extended interview process is designed to give the superintendent and the school board a better opportunity to get to know prospective school executives. Each job applicant spends eight or nine hours in activities that offer a revealing look at the candidates. (MLF)

Offers tips to help administrator job hunters hone their interviewing skills. Interviewees should know the setting, practice interviewing, use ingenuity in their preinterview research, prepare a concise portfolio, master the handshake, listen carefully, know the interview time frame, be positive, avoid creating distractions, ask questions, end on…

Prospective superintendents desiring successful interviews can improve their chances by getting to know the community, watching what they wear, arriving on time, paying attention to the all-important first impression, listening attentively, using jargon judiciously, positioning themselves well, and leaving a good impression. (MLH)

Recommends an eight-step program for school districts seeking first-rate teachers, including (1) determining desirable staff characteristics, (2) broadening recruitment strategies, (3) honing selection procedures, (4) completing preemployment paperwork and placement decisions, (5) beginning orientation immediately, (6) setting up support systems,…

To enhance their district's chances of hiring superior principals, Nanuet (New York) Public Schools developed an intensive administrator selection process involving careful job descriptions reflecting school objectives, checklists of desirable professional experiences, an "action interview," and structured visits to finalists' school…

Administrators seeking a dream job need to develop some savvy search and self-presentation strategies. Job seekers should concentrate on only two districts, learn about community issues, investigate district problems and opportunities, and match their strengths with a specific district's needs. Tips are provided for preparing credentials, resumes,…

Offers guidelines for selecting a school principal, including samples of a job description, interview questions, and correspondence. (WD)

To impress search committees, administrator candidates should address replies to all committee members, avoid alcohol drinks during lunch, find out committee members' names and their proper pronunciations, drive around the community before the interview, dress conservatively, avoid bad-mouthing their current school system, ask questions, and…

School executives can ensure themselves a superior teaching force by aggressively seeking applicants from numerous teacher education institutions, inviting teachers to visit schools, observing candidates in the classroom as part of the selection process, and using intelligent interviewing practices. Del Stover's sidebar reviews John Goodlad's…

Presents a 10-question instrument to help school leaders interview and select outstanding school personnel directors. The questions and responses cover prospective candidates' basic skills and required attributes; knowledge of roles and functions; communication abilities; teacher recruitment and orientation strategies; staff motivation and…

Exit interviews are invaluable devices for obtaining feedback on schools and staff relations, handling important administrative details, and turning departing teachers into school ambassadors. This article discusses several basic steps for enhancing oral and written interviews. An inset offers sample questions. (MLH)

Several studies indicate that often principal selection operates on the buddy system. New ways to select the most competent person for the principalship include identifying employees with leadership potential, internships, structured interviews, and assessment centers. (MLF)