Pittsboro, NC – By all means, if an interview team offers an opportunity to ask questions, then ask questions, Northwood High School principal Justin Bartholomew told a group of college students interning in Chatham County Schools (CCS).
“They should ask, ‘At the end of the year, how will you know whether or not I was successful?’” Bartholomew offered. “It requires the team to essentially state what they want from a candidate and opens the door for the candidate to weave in their skills to what the team is seeking.”
The interns were nodding their heads and absorbing the advice that CCS principals delivered during a March meet-and-greet at the Chatham County Agriculture & Conference Center. CCS superintendent Dr. Derrick D. Jordan is encouraging those same interns to return to the center for a career fair May 6 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The invitation is open to aspiring educators from outside of the district, too. CCS administrators will be available for one-one-one interviews.
There will be occasions during interviews when there’s silence — don’t be scared of that, Bonlee School principal Kim Taylor said. That sort of quiet time won’t necessarily come across as unpreparedness, Pittsboro Elementary School principal Chris Poston said.
“Take your time to reflect on the question to give a good, quality answer,” Poston said.
And go ahead and toot your own horn — it’s OK, Poston said.
Poston, Taylor and Bartholomew each have earned stints as the top principal in the district.