feeback from interview - what was the actual reason?

[energyfirst]

did not get a job. they said that subject wise all went extremely well, apart from the ending of the lesson - lost the pace. BUt interview- I bought my profesional portolio and refered to sbout 4 papers from it while answering questions. also had a clip board with my mind map on the desk... and di not refer to it but just glanced to remind myself of the map. They said that they di not like th fact tat I had notes with me...as I need to be confrident in waht I want to say etc...COuld this be the BIG NO and the most important reason I did not get a job? I focused on my subject and lesson reparation for few nights - all went in there and I guess I underestimated the interview as a boardroom competition where I have to persuade them in me as teacher?

Clip board and mind map would put me off, to be honest. They need to like you as a person and feel that they want to work with you. Clipboard doesn't scream fun and confident.

I've never interviewed anyone who brought notes. I don't think I would be put off by it but I would definitely be surprised. The person giving feedback may not have given a lot of detail because thy were trying to be (a) nice and (b) quick. It's very difficult to give really useful feedback to someone you're unlikely to see again.

Clipboard and notes in an interview? Combined with a lesson that lacked pace? You weren't getting that job I'm afraid!

Don't under-estimate the interview part of the day.

At least it's something concrete to work on. I once didn't get the job because I didn't answer a question they hadn't asked!

I've never seen anyone take notes or a clipboard in, other than when given a task just before the interview.

I have used my professional folder in interviews as evidence of my experience and skills in a particular area, and have interviewed people who have done the same. I've always got the job when doing this.

Mind you, I used to be an art teacher where taking a portfolio into interview is standard practice.

I might decide not to interview someone after a lesson if the lesson really shows serious weaknesses that can't be put down to unfamiliarity/nerves. But the interview is absolutely key for me. I'm not sure what a professional portfolio is in teaching, but referring to notes would put me off. Sorry.

Howe

However, sometimes the reason why someone doesn't get a job is because someone else is even better. And then you feel foolish giving very positive feedback, but not the job. So it might just be that.

Things I have referred to in interview are tracking schemes/proforma I've devised, evidence of interventions and relevant data etc, as well as photos of students' work.

Ah. I just talk about them, with no evidence at all!

I like pretty graphs

I once didn't get a job because I didn't take anything in to show the interviewers. According to the feedback, they wanted to have something to look at to help them understand!!!!

One of the other candidates was a man?

I would be disconcerted if someone had a Mind Map in an interview tbh. What kind of information had you noted on it? The only time I think notes are appropriate are if you are expecting e.g. to have to explain a very complex problem or provide feedback on an earlier exercise. However, if someone brought a Mind Map to remind themselves of their own life, I would wonder how you would react under the pressure of a busy classroom or if you didn't have everything written down.

Yes other candidate was a man

Instead of just focussing on the fact that the other candidate was a man, which is probably completely irrelevant in this case (not sure why it was introduced as a factor at all) you may have to accept that his lesson was better than yours and he came across better at interview.

Unexpected It's not necessarily irrelevant that the other candidate was a man. Lots of schools want to increase the number of male classroom teachers they have, as it is seen as a positive thing for the boys in the school (good male role models and all that). There are also Heads who will deliberately recruit men to avoid the whole maternity leave issue. The question of merit doesn't arise then, at least not if the male candidate is seen as 'good enough'. It might be illegal but it happens.

after all, I think I did not do well in the interview. I did not feel i was able to "sell myself"; I was took too long to answer questions and the feedback I had is that I was deviating from questions and that I need to ask for more details of the question if I am not sure what has been asked for...need to practise my interview - even just with someone else, just for practice

I wonder if having the notes exacerbated that? I've had candidates who have clearly prepped an answer, but not to the question asked!

You were clearly right in your OP, when you said that you need to focus on the fact that the interview is just as important as the lesson. More so for me, although a seriously weak lesson won't get someone to interview, so you can't neglect it...

HopeClearwater it may indeed not be irrelevant that the other candidate was a man, although I think the idea that the OP lost out to a man was introduced by another poster without us even knowing how many other candidates there were and the OP then answered only that question without taking on board any of the other suggestions which people had made. However, from what she has said since, it does genuinely sound as if, in this case, the job did go to the better candidate.