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Interview Tips to Prepare for an Online Teaching Position

By Dr. Bethanie Hansen
Faculty Director, School of Arts and Humanities

If you have traditional, face-to-face teaching experience and want to teach online, you’ll need to know how to specifically prepare for an online teaching position interview. Online education is a growing field, and getting hired to teach online is increasingly more competitive.

When you have focused on live classes throughout your career It can be difficult to focus your interview comments toward online education specifically. I’ve interviewed hundreds of prospective faculty members in recent years and I want to share these tips from my experience. They can help you stand out in your next online teaching interview and hopefully land the job.

Do Your Homework before the Interview

Before your interview, do your homework to learn about the institution. Each school, college and university is unique in its mission and philosophy. Many cater to specific populations or have focused programs that set them apart.

Interviewers will want to know how your skills and expertise will be a good fit for their institution. Most educational institutions have informative websites, where the mission and vision of the institution are cited. Take the time to read and understand them.

Also, explore the specifics of the program for which you have applied. You might be able to find details about the student population most likely to enroll in the program, such as whether they are mostly adult learners, military and veteran students, or members of other demographic groups. Use the information you find to help tailor your responses when answering interview questions. That strategy will help you to stand out from others being interviewed.

Knowing about the specifics of the job will give you an advantage during the interview. And by including your insight about the programs or student populations for which the interviewer is responsible, your responses will be thoughtful and impressive to your interlocutor.

Learn What Matters About Online Education

If you are not familiar with online education practices, learn about the Community of Inquiry model, andragogy and strategies specific for your subject area. There are many well-known “best practices” in online education, and applicants for teaching positions are expected to know about them.

As you learn about what matters in online education, you will find teaching methods that you already use that align with online practices. Then, rehearse how you will  present your strengths and abilities to work well online.

Even if you have little practical experience, knowing how to transfer your teaching skills online will prepare you for an interview much better than guessing. As you learn about what matters in online teaching, you can think about the potential job expectations for the role you’re considering. That means what you already know about the institution, its priorities and its student population. Mentally connecting these areas can often generate a list of questions you might want to ask during the interview to decide whether the position is a good fit for you.

Get Clear About Your Strengths and Weaknesses in Online Teaching

Regardless of your online teaching experience, interviewers want to know about your strengths and weaknesses. The first step to explore your professional traits is to take the “Teaching Perspectives Inventory.” The TPI identifies teaching priorities and can help you clarify your teaching goals in general. Once you’ve identified your focus, you can describe both your teaching strengths and your focus together—something few teachers are able to do concisely.

After you’ve assessed your teaching priorities, connect them to what you believe matters in online education, as well as what works well for you and what doesn’t. Decide how you stand out through your strengths and teaching approaches, personality, teaching philosophy, and the ways in which you help students learn.

Likewise, identify your weaknesses. No one can be good at everything, and being clear about where you’re still growing adds validity to what you say in your interview. It’s a bonus if you also have a plan how you will address your weaker areas or regularly improve these areas.

Share Your Key Ideas Clearly and Concisely

Find ways to express the unique and authentic details about yourself concisely. Avoid jargon. I’ve conducted many interviews when time was limited and interviewees were asked to share their most important thoughts in just a few minutes. Yet many of them were not able to do so. So as you prepare for an interview, aim for placing your best response information up front. That way you’ll express what is most important without running out of time.

Think about potential interview questions and practice responses. Then answer clearly and concisely during the interview. It’s obvious when interviewees have previously written responses prepared and they try to fit everything they’ve thought of into the questions, only to fail to answer the actual question that has been posed. Your ability to adjust helps a potential employer see how you might also be able to say a lot in a short period of time. That will show that you can adapt quickly when needed.

Listen and Respond Well

After you’ve taken the time to do your homework about the institution, have learned what matters about teaching online, increased your awareness of your strengths and weaknesses, and prepared yourself to respond clearly and concisely, give yourself time to listen and respond well. Take the time to consider what your interviewer is saying or asking. If you’re unsure what the question means, ask for more details or a clarification.

Once you’ve fully grasped what you’re being asked during the interview, take a breath and respond confidently. If you feel anxious, close your eyes for a moment and bring your awareness into the present before answering. You’ve done your homework and are prepared. You have much to share. And you will be able to do so clearly and concisely.

Listening to your interviewer and connecting with him or her allows you to engage in a rich conversation that sets you apart as a good potential faculty member. You’ll notice things you might have otherwise missed if you are anxious, jump in too quickly or fail to catch the meaning of your interviewer’s questions.

By slowing down and being precise during the interview, you will leave the experience feeling confident about how you presented yourself and your unique expertise. You’ll also believe that you have the best chance of getting an online teaching job.

Dr. Bethanie Hansen is a Faculty Director and Certified Professional Coach for the School of Arts & Humanities. She holds a B.M. in Music Education from Brigham Young University, a M.S. in Arts & Letters from Southern Oregon University and a DMA in Music Education from Boston University. She is an educator, coach, manager, writer, presenter and musician with 25 years of experience helping others achieve their goals.

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