I wanted to take the time to write a follow-up to my last post, where I shared about reaching out to potential hiring principals.
This went better than expected! I was offered a sit-down conversation with two of the principals I reached out to.
Now, I realize this opportunity is unique to my current position, where I have good relationships with all of the secondary principals in my district. However, for two of these principals to take time out of their day to speak with me about my future spoke volumes about their leadership.
Principals don’t have a ton of time in their day to take a meeting with an aspiring administrator. For these two principals to make the time meant the world to me. They both stated that they believed in growing future leaders within the district. It may seem like a small gesture in the grand scheme of things, but this was a big confidence boost. I felt seen, heard, and valued in my potential to impact this district.
Side note to current leaders: take the time to pour into your people. The return on your investment will be massive.
Pro tip for the aspiring assistant principals out there: If someone gives you their time like this, send thank you notes to show your gratitude. In my thank you notes, I like to include a coffee on me as well.
Preparing for my Leadership Journey
Since my last post, I have done a couple of things to prepare myself for the leadership journey.
First, I did a mock interview with my friend and mentor, also the founder of NSL, Lute. This was game-changing. I learned that if I had not done a mock interview, I would have fallen flat on my face. Never having any administrative experience, it was evident I didn’t know a lot of things. By being able to sit with Lute and have him give me feedback on my answers, I was able to adjust my answers to be more appropriate for the role I am trying to obtain.
Find someone who will do this for you. Seriously…it’s not that awkward, and it will set you up for success in your future interviews.
Speaking of… I had my first assistant principal interview!!! Because I did the mock interview with Lute, I NAILED IT! I was able to practice and gather my thoughts beforehand. Sure, I got stumped on a couple of questions they asked, but overall, I walked away feeling really good about the answers I gave, and how I represented myself. I walked away confident that I would hear back from this district.
Surprise…I did hear back! I have a second interview lined up. This interview will be with the principal and some key teachers from the school. Right now, I am focusing on learning about what teachers want in an assistant principal. I think back to the APs that led me and what I liked about them. I am reflecting on why I liked them, respected them, and sought their guidance. Once I go through this interview, I will report back with some questions they asked and let y’all know how it went.
For now, get that mock interview lined up! If you have any questions, reach out to us, and we would be more than happy to support you as you take the next step in your journey toward school leadership.
Looking for more articles to help you with your assistant principal interviews? Click here.
Looking for assistant principal interview questions to help you prepare? Check out this YouTube Playlist.
Are you preparing for an assistant principal interview? We are excited to share the release of our first online course: The Assistant Principal Interview Bootcamp. This comprehensive course is designed to help you develop the skills and confidence you need to dominate your assistant principal interview and obtain your first assistant principal position.
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