INSIDER TIPS &

TRADE SECRETS TO HELP

YOU MOVE UP THE

CAREER LADDER © Ryder and Associates

D R . M A R I L O U R Y D E R A s s o c i a t e P r o f e s s o r

B r a n d m a n U n i v e r s i t y

DID YOU KNOW?

Educational Administration is becoming one of the fastest growing

careers nationwide.

One half of all current school administrators plan to retire

within the next 3-5 years.

ARE YOU READY TO

MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE?

Education is rapidly changing and our students need your leadership.

Education needs strong, innovative and collaborative leaders now.

TAKE THIS QUIZ

Are you being granted interviews

when applying for advanced

positions of leadership?

Does your cover letter

and resume stand out in the crowd

and show paper screeners you’re

ready for the job?

Are you aware of the wide range

of questions asked in interviews?

Are you prepared for the challenges

of the high stakes interview

environment?

Are you tired coming in second?

Do you have someone you can

talk to knowledgeable about job

search particulars?

Do you know how to inform your

immediate supervisors about your

plans to move up?

Do you know how to ask for

recommendations from key

people?

Do you know what to do

regarding announcements or

resignations once offered a new

position?

Will you know how

to accept an offer of employment ?

If you answered NO to five or more

questions you may be ready to

Boost Your Promotion Quotient!

Promotion

WHAT’S A PROMOTION QUOTIENT?

PROMOTION Career Goals

Resume

Letter of Introduction

References

Interview Skills

Contract Negotiation

Mentors

Planning Packaging Preparing

Persevering

PLANNING DEVELOPING THE GAME PLAN

CROSSING OVER FOUR TARGET AREAS

CROSSING OVER

Teacher

Assistant Principal

Principal Assistant

Superintendent

Superintendent

PLAN YOUR

STRATEGY

DECIDE YOUR NEXT

CAREER MOVE

FIND A MENTOR AND

SPONSOR

ASSEMBLE A NOTEBOOK

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

PROMOTION

THESE WHEELS ARE MADE FOR DRIVING

Commute Time

How eager are you?

District choice not that important

I’VE GOT A PLAN AND I’M STICKING TO IT

Close to home?

Know your timeframe or willing to wait?

Selective about type of district?

TO TELL OR NOT TO TELL

R E A D Y O R N O T H E R E I C O M E

CH O S E N F E W

RECOMMENDATIONS

REFERENCES

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Letters from former supervisors, colleagues, board

members, university professors.

• Offer to send person your brief accomplishments and

work history.

• Continue to update your file throughout your career

especially when working with new supervisors.

• Ask for signed copies so you can make a PDF or hard

copy.

REFERENCES

• You will be asked to list 3-5 people as references.

• References may or may not have written a letter

of recommendation but are still willing to speak

on your behalf if called.

• Ensure your references will speak positively

about you.

• Always let your references know they may be

called.

PACKAGING THE ART OF SELF PROMOTION

PROMOTION

CHECK EDJOIN,

EDCAL

ACSA WEBSITE REGULARLY

NETWORK WITHIN YOUR OWN COUNTY

TO LEARN ABOUT FUTURE LEADS

WINDOW BEGINS IN FEBRUARY AND

LASTS THROUGH LATE SUMMER

KEY TO PAPERWORK

You can’t get the job if …

you can’t get to the interview table!

PAPER SCREENING

Application form

Letter of application

Resume

Letters of

recommendation

Additional questions

THE APPLICATION

APPLICATION FORM

Do not aggrandize accomplishments or

degrees.

Don’t lie. EVER!

No typos or misspellings. These will help

you get into the reject pile during paper

screening. Proof, proof, proof.

LETTER OF INTENT

LETTER OF APPLICATION

COVER LETTER

ALL LETTERS SHOULD…

EXPLAIN WHY

YOU ARE APPLYING

SHARE SOME JOB HISTORY

TELL WHY YOU WANT

THE POSITION

SUMMARIZE SOME RECENT

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

USE DATA TO SHOW SUCCESS

FOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS

SHARE YOUR STRENGTHS

ADD SOME HEARTFELT INFO

SIGN OFF WITH CLASS

THE RESUME

The resume is a tool with one main

purpose: WIN AN INTERVIEW. A

resume is an advertisement, nothing

more, nothing less.

In today’s world you need a powerful

resume. Your resume is a door

opener and will also be reviewed just

before making the choice of the

successful candidate.

WINNING RESUMES

Written by the candidate.

Whet the appetite and stimulate interest to meet you and learn more about you.

Present you in the best light.

Convince the employer you have what it takes to be successful in this new position or career.

A resume should not be a

history of your past or a list of

job duties.

CONNECT WITH THE DISTRICT

• Read through the job prospectus to determine

district needs.

• Underline key areas of need such as

curriculum, finance, or team building.

• Call people (you know) who may share

additional information.

• Structure your resume around these areas if

possible.

WINNING RESUMES

CREATE CONTENT THAT SELLS

Go beyond showing

what was required and

demonstrate how you

made a difference.

Provide specific

examples.

98%

How did you perform better than

others?

What were some problems or

challenges faced and how did you

overcome them?

Did you receive any awards or

recognition as a result?

Successfully developed and

monitored $100 million budget

and created a stabilization plan

that enabled Central USD to end

the year with an 18% reserve with

positive certification. District was

applauded for no layoffs or pay

cuts.

CREATE A TAGLINE

Avoid using a flowery or general objective statement. Rather replace the resume objective with a tagline stating what you do or your expertise.

Student focused instructional leader. Recognized for

developing mutual trust

and respect, building

collaborative teams,

public speaking, and sharing

information through honest and open communication.

AVOID PRONOUNS AND

ARTICLES

Your resume should be concise and

there should be no mention of

“I” or “me.”

I developed a student

attendance program.

Developed student

attendance program.

USE POWER WORDS

Use as many leadership or

“in charge” key words as possible

Executed Evaluated

Promoted Negotiated

Developed Administered

Allocated Established

Contracted Reviewed

Identified Operated

Overhauled Coordinated

Motivated Recommended

WHICH IS STRONGER?

Maintained

oversight of a

student attendance

program

Provided leadership

for developing

Everyday Counts!

a program resulting

in a 5% increase in

student attendance

over one year.

DON’T WORRY ABOUT LENGTH

Don’t stress about making your

resume too long or too short. Many

people try to squeeze their

experiences onto one page and as a

result delete important information.

When writing a resume

ask yourself,

Will this statement help me land an interview?

CREATE DESIGN

THAT GRABS ATTENTION

Design must highlight the most

important information and be

pleasing to the eye.

IDENTIFY EMPLOYER NEEDS

Focus on district concerns

and areas of emphasis in

the brochure or job

prospectus.

Desirable Skills: Ability to

reduce the drop out rate.

Mention your experience

or expertise in that area.

PRIORITIZE CONTENT

As you compose headings prioritize them by importance, impressiveness, and relevance to the job you want.

Education usually should not

be on the first page.

However if you attended

Harvard, Stanford or Princeton

rethink that placement.

NO IRRELEVANT INFO

Date of Birth

Hobbies

Marital Status

NO TYPOS

Their

There

They’re

To

Two

Too

I am attacking my resume for

you to review.

I have a keen eye for derail.

Hope to hear from you, shorty.

Strong pubic relations

background.

WRITE ON!!

1. Check out sample resume books to get ideas.

2. Pick a template from Word or design your own.

3. Arrange categories that make sense to you

and prioritize according to their importance.

4. Write to your audience. Try to showcase your

leadership experience and align it to the next

level.

Which example shows more

leadership potential?

Worked with grade level

teachers to develop a job fair

Provided leadership at the site

to implement a sixth grade job

fair.

FINAL DRAFT!!

• Edit your first draft.

• You don’t need to use complete sentences.

• Set draft down on table, walk away and give it

a quick glance. Does your formatting grab

your attention or is it just ho hum?

• Ask friends to proofread.

• Save in several places and be prepared to

tweak to address specific skills.

YOUR IMAGE

WHAT’S THE BUZZ OUT

THERE ABOUT YOU?

MONITOR YOUR

SOCIAL QUOTIENT

PREPARING PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

PROMOTION

THE INTERVIEW

GAME TIME

When called for an interview be prepared.

Sound excited.

Ask important questions.

Smile when talking.

Questions: 1. Where and when

2. What’s involved… how many

panels, writing exercise

3. Panel composition

4. Search timeline

5. Phone number for main contact

6. Be cool and try not to call back

Don’t ask about

salary, chances for

getting the job or

what kind of

questions may be

asked.

EXTRA CREDIT

Performance tests

Do your best and stick to the prompt

Proof your final edit

Save many times throughout the process if on a computer

Don’t touch anything on

the desk

No complaining if you have

to handwrite.

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

Wear clothing that signifies leadership

and success.

Administrators on their best days wear

suits and ties.

Feel comfortable.

No long fingernails, or over the

top make up.

No Easter egg colors.

No tight clothing.

No fads .

Never wear an outfit for the

first time.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

SICK TO DEATH

Deathly ill? Ask yourself

if you can make it.

Don’t apologize for being

sick or divulge illness.

Not likely to get another

interview.

STICKS AND STONES

Hurt or bruised? Call

ahead if you need special

access.

Have a good story for

your black eye.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?

No excuse for being late.

MapQuest in advance.

If late, call and explain

the situation.

EARLY BIRD

Checking in early to

hang out in the lobby

before scheduled

appointment gives the

impression you’re

desperate.

IDLE CHATTER

Make good use of your lobby time.

Discuss district information with secretary or

read available brochures.

Don’t play with your IPhone or chatter on

endlessly.

SMALL TALK

Be prepared with things

to say to the lead

interviewer on your way

into the interview room.

Have some small talk

ready about the district

to create synergy.

SORRY HANDSHAKE

Use a medium-firm grip to

exhibit confidence and

authority.

Always look your

interviewers in the eye and

say their name to make a

confident, lasting

impression.

NICE RECOVERY

No matter what goes

wrong during your

first introduction, it’s

how you recover

that’s important.

STRANGER THAN FICTION

Do research before the

interview.

Know how to pronounce

key names.

Visit the community.

TAKING THE HOT SEAT

Greet and shake panel

member’s hands.

Take your seat, don’t act

too casual, fidget or cross

your arms.

Sit up straight with your

shoulders back to ensure

confidence.

TIME TO PLAY BALL Tell us a little about yourself, what

qualifications you have for this position

and why you want to work for us.

CATCH YOUR BREATH

I would like to take this opportunity to

thank you for granting me an interview

today. I am happy to be here and look

forward to getting to know you better.

OPENING STATEMENT Three personal qualities.

Three skills you bring to the position.

Develop a story why you want the job.

Practice your response in front of a mirror

and with friends until you feel comfortable.

Tell us about yourself!

What qualifications and

skills do you bring to this

position?

Why do you want to

work for us?

GAME TIME: THE INTERVIEW

Panel gets to the heart and soul of the

interview to determine:

Your personality

Your decision making ability

Your skills

Do we like you?

FOR INTERVIEWS

DON’T WORRY ABOUT BEING

NERVOUS

Ninety-nine percent of all

applicants recover from

being nervous after the

first question.

SHOW CONFIDENCE

Don’t say, “Did I get

that right?”

… “Is that the right

answer?”

KEEP YOUR ANSWERS TO

LESS THAN THREE MINUTES

Many people talk too

much and lose sense of

time. Listen carefully to

what is being asked and

try not to be overly

anxious to impress.

THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG

ANSWERS IN AN INTERVIEW

There are just various

degrees of good and bad

responses. Listening will

allow you to answer

questions better.

DON’T PLEAD STUPIDITY

If you are asked a

question that renders

you speechless pause

and try to collect

yourself. Don’t point

out any personal

weaknesses.

Tell the panel you have no

experience or knowledge in

that area but are a fast

learner and know

how to find the information

to address that issue.

LEAVE YOUR PORTFOLIO AT HOME

Portfolios are

distracting and present

problems.

Have your resume

handy to distribute.

SHARE A HEARTFELT STORY

Tell a story that is appropriate but

only if it fits nicely into a specific

question or part of your exit strategy.

SELF PROMOTE WITH EXAMPLES FROM

YOUR CURRENT JOB THAT

INDICATE SUCCESS

SELF PROMOTE WITH EXAMPLES FROM

YOUR CURRENT BOSS

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Develop scrimmage notes to use in the

preparation phase of your job search.

Greatest strengths

Building trust

Improving student achievement

Leadership style

Problem solving

Effective teaching

Conflict resolution

Navigating change

Accountability

Technology

Hobbies, fun, last book read

Budgets

Communication

Making Decision

Assessment

English Language Learners

Special Education/GATE

Unions

Diversity

Dropouts

Greatest Accomplishment

HOW DO YOU WORK WITH UNIONS?

1. Teamwork

2. Transparency

3. Trust

4. Training

5. Example

WHAT IS YOUR COMMUNICATION

STYLE?

1. Honest and Open

2. Improve access to information

3. Work to create avenues for two way

communication

4. Example

AVOID SLANG

AVOID SLOUCHING

AVOID CASUAL SPEECH

AVOID

SMOKING

BEFORE

INTERVIEW

AVOID ASKING ABOUT SICK

DAYS, SALARY OR HEALTH

INSURANCE

AVOID ASKING WHO YOUR

COMPETITION IS

AVOID WEARING PERFUME

BEST ADVICE Pre-visualize yourself in a successful interview.

Know what’s in your resume.

Research the district.

Practice your opening and closing statements.

Find a mentor.

PERSEVERING CROSSING THE FINISH LINE

PROMOTION

Getting a job can be

more difficult than

keeping or doing a job.

Jeremy Nichols

Real leaders are

relentless.

Dr. Dale Marsden

Participate on district

committees to learn the big

picture.

Chad Wood

Your entire application packet

is your golden opportunity to let

employers know why you are

the best candidate for the job.

Michael Krause

Chief Business Official

The interview is an opportunity not

only for the district to decide if they

want you but also for you to decide

if you want to work for them.

Jeff Hinshaw

Controller

In this age of permanent

whitewater, persevere and go

beyond the typical and

everyday.

Tony Lamair Burks II

Superintendent-in-Residence

My advice is to think of any selection

procedure as a horse race. On any

given day, one horse is going to be a

nose faster than all the others, and

it’s not always the same horse. Losing

by a nose doesn't make you any the

less a thoroughbred. Dr. Pat White

Dean, Brandman University