Mastering the School Counseling Interview Process
Interviews can be intimidating, right? From what to wear, how to answer questions, and when to follow up, it can be a stressful time as you start your school counseling career, but it doesn’t have to be! Check out these strategies for mastering the school counseling interview process.
I had some cringe-worthy moments when interviewing for counseling jobs which is why I want to help you!
Rocking the Interview: A 5 Step Process
Find jobs to apply for: Find your local education job database (I used EdJoin) and seek out word of mouth opportunities too.
Include resume must-haves: List your education, experience, and letters of recommendation
Dress for success: Dress business professional but keep it comfortable and confident.
Show time! Bring your resume to life by communicating your experiences.
Sent a thank you card: It's old school but effective. A handwritten thank you card goes a long way.
For more details on rocking the interview process, read this blog post.
Join my free school counselor bootcamp to feel prepared and ready for everything from your internship to your first 90 days as a new school counselor.
What questions are they going to ask in my counseling interview?
The most important part of the interview process is preparing for the questions. You are likely racking your brain trying to figure out what you will be asked! Wish you had a hint at which questions you'll have to answer in your interview? You're in luck! ASCA has a list of sample interview questions you can practice here.
For more help on how to answer those challenging interview questions listen to this episode of School Counseling Simplified where I do a mock interview with Lauren from Counseling Clique.
How do I build a school counseling resume?
In order to land an interview, you first need to have a solid resume. There are my recommended key components to put on your school counseling resume. Wish you had an outline of what to include in your resume? These are my go-to points:
Education
Counseling Experience
Work Experience
Technology Skills
Activities and Honors
References
Be sure to listen to this podcast episode where Carol Miller from Counseling Essentials shares all about the resume building process. And if you want even more support, check out Boost to learn all of the resume building tips you need!
Strategically Selecting Internship Experiences to Build your Portfolio
Did you know that you can strategically select internship experiences to build your portfolio? Try the following to increase your chances of landing a job!
Cover the 3 tiers: Try to teach your own class lessons, lead your own small group, and observe individual sessions.
Take initiative: Seek out opportunities to shadow, observe, plan, and participate!
Be obnoxious! Remember you don’t get opportunities you don't ask for.
Begin with the end in mind: Think about future interview questions / resume building when selecting experiences.
I hope these strategies make you feel confident and prepared to ace the interview process. You’ve got this!