Don’t Be Shy: This Interview Opener Is All About You
Mastering the delicate balancing act of creating a memorable impression without promoting one’s ego in pursuit of a superintendency
BY TERRY B. GRIER/School Administrator, September 2021

Terry Grier, with 32 years of past experience as a superintendent, mentors superintendents on developing their personal story before interviewing for a vacancy in front of a school board. PHOTO © BY DAVE EINSEL

First impressions matter. “I am Inigo Montoya,” the Spanish swordsman of The Princess Bride novel and film practiced saying for an important encounter. “You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

That introduction, only half-jokingly, is held up as a model for its polite salutation, relevant personal connection and strong declaration of purpose.

From childhood, we are taught to deflect attention from ourselves, to be modest and avoid any appearance of egotism. Yet as you aspire to and prepare for educational leadership roles, you must master a balancing act that requires you to introduce yourself — quickly, precisely and reliably — and make a memorable impression on the board of education or whoever is making the hiring decision.

Deceptively Simple

Over a 32-year career as a superintendent in districts across the country, I have been on both sides of literally hundreds of interviews — for prospective educational leaders wanting to join our teams and with numerous school boards while considering my own career opportunities. Almost all those interviews started off with this deceptively simple request: “Tell us a little about yourself.”

Ironically, what should be an innocuous chance to put candidates at ease can be their undoing. After all, it requires us to do exactly what we have been trained not to do — open up about ourselves. Me, myself, I. Many blow the opportunity by stumbling and mum-bling or over-sharing information. Some answer the question with a question: “Do you want to know about my personal or professional background — or both?” Others start fine but veer completely off the subject. Many botch their response so badly they can’t recover, struggle through the rest of the interview and never get called back.

So important is this seemingly casual entreaty that many national training programs — such as the AASA/Howard University Urban Superintendents Academy, the Broad Academy, the DA Leadership Institute’s National Superintendents Academy and Chiefs for Change — place a premium on coaching their participants in the art of interviewing. Why? That adage about how you “never get a second chance to make a first impression” is true, so preparing is essential for a first interview or a meeting where the candidate does not know the interviewers.

Professional Pointers

For those not participating in formal training, simple strategies are available to prepare to take a swing at that likely opening question and to score big.

»Research the position for which you are applying.

Who held the job before it became vacant, for how long and why did she or he leave? What skills and other requirements is the organization seeking in a successful applicant? That intelligence is not for you to show off but to internalize, to help you create a narrative that provides insight into why you are a fit.

»Rein yourself in.

Understand that while this question is designed to make you comfortable and allow you to ease into your time with the interviewers, it is usually the only question that you will be asked that allows you the freedom to say almost anything. Unfortunately, some people do. By constructing your own narrative in advance, you can be warm and authentic and help the interviewers to know important in-formation and traits about you without getting off-topic or going out-of-bounds in your remarks.

»Develop your story.

Interviewers for a superintendent vacancy seek candidates who project confidence and ease. PHOTO © BY DAVE EINSEL

Begin by thinking carefully about what you want people to know and remember about you. Focus on the highlights, who you are, where you came from, your experiences along the way, what makes you unique, and what your goals are. Your story should help in-spire beliefs in your ability, character and capacity to fit into the organization you are trying to join. And you should do that in no more than three to four minutes when speaking to groups, five to seven minutes in an interview.

While many suggest one’s story be strictly professional, I think you should begin with where you grew up, went to high school and college and something about your hobbies, family and other suitably revealing personal information. It should flow seamlessly from there into your professional experiences and accomplishments, always subtly conveying how you are a fit for the job.

»Keep it real.

Your story must be more than stating the facts of a chronological order of jobs held, and you absolutely cannot bend facts or stretch the truth. The more your story resonates with your interviewers, the better. Interviewers like to hear how you overcame obstacles, were the first in your family to go to college, had to work yourself through schools, were inspired by a grandmother or a coach, took on a task no one else was willing to tackle, fought for equity — those character-defining experiences that you cannot list on a CV.

Many school board members run for office primarily because they want to improve educational outcomes for children. Sharing your story gives you a phenomenal opportunity to succinctly highlight specific and tangible accomplishments that impacted the lives of students, distinguishing yourself from other candidates.

What you share and how you present it should help clarify to your interviewers why you are interested in this job from a personal and professional standpoint — and make a lasting impression.

»Avoid these no-nos.

Politics, religion, your current salary, relationship problems, legal situations, complaints about previous jobs are all fraught with interview peril.

»Rehearse. Refine. Repeat.

Once you have developed your story, practice saying it out loud in front of a mirror without referring to your notes. Video or electronically record your story and play it back to yourself and be your own sharpest critic about how compelling you sound and how suitable you look. If you were a casting director, attuned to image projection, would you cast yourself as a good fit for the position?

Make changes and practice more. Once you rehearse enough for it to become second nature, practice your story with family, friends and colleagues. Ask for feedback. Practice some more. Practicing will help you continuously hone your story until you are satisfied it is embedded in you, and you can easily deliver it in any situation.

Candidates for a superintendency should look in a mirror to practice sustaining a pleasant expression even during the stress of an interview. PHOTO © BY DAVE EINSEL

»Work on the nuances.

How you tell your story is as important as the story itself. The right body language, attention and behavior can make or break your story and your interview. These nonverbal signals allow you to convey “I care about you. I am someone with whom you, the staff and communities will want to work.” Look the board members in the eye and smile. Offer a firm but not bone-breaking handshake. Project confidence and ease.

Also, watch the distractors — twirling a ring on your finger, thumbing the table while answering a question, using filler words — like, um, er, uh and you know — which lower the quality of a speech.

When interviewing for a superintendent’s position, I recall once ending my story by telling a school board that my wife and I had a cool dog, and she had a cat. That was perhaps a bit risky with any cat lovers on the board, but it did convey my sense of humor (as well as my appreciation for an independent-minded woman and her beast). They offered me the job.


»Mind your screen presence.

Electronic interviews are one of the new ways of doing business that will remain in place long after the pandemic. Hiring bodies have discovered they are cheaper, more convenient and as effective as in-person interviews, particularly first-round sessions.

Your story remains the same, whether delivering it in-person or virtually. However, practice is even more important when preparing for a virtual interview. It is more difficult to remain focused on the camera while projecting a pleasant facial expression the entire time. Prior to the interview, conduct a dry run to check your internet connection, audio and video feed. Make sure your background is distraction free and that you dress for the job you want.

Think of it as a television interview. Keep your hand gestures to a minimum and frame yourself from the chest up. Again, remember to continuously make eye contact with the camera when speaking, listening to board member comments or the next question.

Carryover Value

Consider the process an investment. The thought, energy and time you put into creating this personal narrative will serve you well for years to come. Your story will change over time, and once you have the essence, you can easily modify it to reflect your changing life and career.

You will find yourself using it not only for interviews, but for speaking to a civic club, a gathering of school bus drivers or a teachers’ meeting. The more you tell it, the more you will find your own core — and people will see the real you. Whether during an inter-view or a town hall, people will come to know you as “the solution to a problem that needs to be solved.”

Just remember: You should be able to tell your story in no more than five to seven minutes.

And you will never again be at a loss for words when you are asked, “Tell us a little about yourself.”

TERRY GRIER served as superintendent of eight school districts over 32 years. Twitter: @tgrierhisd