Will you have schools from other states besides Indiana?
Yes! While schools from surround states are common (Illinois and Kentucky), we also usually have schools from as far away as Texas, Arizona, Washington DC, and even Alaska.
How can I attend?
You must receive an invitation by first:
- Complete your Career Connections Onlineprofile
- Have your status set to “Seeking Employment”
- Upload your resume by the Thursday of Spring Break week
How can I register?
We will send invitation emails to students who have completed the above steps on the Monday following spring break. The final deadline to sign up will be the last Friday in March, so that gives you roughly a 10 day window to register.
What does registration entail?
You will tell us the subject area(s) for which you are seeking employment, and choose up to 12 participating districts that you would like to interview with, as well as the maximum number of interviews you’d like.
How do you decide who will be on my schedule?
We will schedule interviews in the order that candidates register, attempting to schedule as many of your selections as possible. Most candidates will get almost all of their selections. Some districts will not have enough interviewers to accommodate every student.
We also ask employers what type of candidates they are interesting in interviewing. We then work the equation from both ends playing “match maker” to accommodate as many interviews in your best interests that we can.
What if I miss a deadline?
We’ll help late students on a case-by-case basis. Anyone can attend Interview Day, but we may not be able to offer prescheduled interviews if you’ve missed the deadline. If you do, we suggest submitting a late registration form as soon as possible in order to receive more information.
What are the interviews like?
Twenty minutes are allotted for each time slot, but you’ll want to give yourself about two minutes to get to the next interview. Some districts will consider this a first round interview, but some will just consider it a screening method. All districts will want you to apply online, before Interview Day if possible.
How can I prepare?
Treat this like a normal interview. Practice answering questions you think will be asked. Some of the common ones are:
- Tell me about yourself …
- Describe your teaching style/philosophy …
- Talk about a lesson plan that was successful …
- How do you handle conflict …
And of course, in addition to resume reviewing, Career Connections offers interview prep, mock interviews and job hunting strategies. You can always make an appointment or stop by our office to speak with someone in more detail.
Can I get a job through this?
The short answer is yes! Last year we had 9 on the spot offers and many more requests for secondary interviews. The long answer is that while jobs are not guaranteed on the day or even from any of the attending districts, the event is a great networking opportunity. More than that, it’s a perfect way to build interviewing experience. “Tell me about yourself” is the hardest question you may ever have to answer and we’re giving you 12 chances to get it right.
If I’m offered a job do I have to take it?
If you’re lucky enough to be offered a job during the event, no, you do not have to accept on the spot. All districts will give you at least 24 hours to think it over before they need a final answer.
What if I don’t get a job?
Don’t worry. This isn’t the end of the road. If anything, it’s a first stop. Many schools are posting openings all summer long even as last as August for positions that they need to fill. While Interview Day may be over, you still have months of job hunting ahead in which you can implement your new interviewing skills.
How do I know what schools will be there?
We start inviting schools sometime in February. Usually by mid-March we have a pretty good idea of who will be there for the event. Last year we had 60 districts in attendance, many of which sent multiple interviewers. We keep an updated list so you’ll always know who will be there as this information is crucial to make your schedule.
Click here to see our current lists of schools that have indicated they will be in attendance.
We still recommend you attend even if you don’t see the district of your choice on this list as the chance to gain interviewing experience and insight into what kind of candidates real employers are looking for is invaluable.