Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Don't Be a Mush Mouth

I recently sat in on some interviews. It's a tough market out there, so I thought some helpful tips were in order.

1. If I offer you my hand when I introduce myself, please don't put a dead fish in it. I'm polite, but I'll have to work at not grimacing, wiping my hand on my pants, and saying, "ewww."

2. Mush mouths do not command an audience. "Classroom management mumble, mumble. Kids learn mumble expectations mumble proactive discipline mumble........" I'll just feel sorry for you. High school kids will chew you up and spit you out.

3. Know when to shut up. Don't talk a question to death to hide your lack of a good answer. My BS radar is a fine-tuned machine. If you don't understand a question, clarify. If you don't know the answer, say so and then tell me how you would find the answer.

4. Leave the droning to bees and political pundits. I'll smile encouragingly while I mentally run through my grocery list.

5. Stop fiddling! Put the pen, your glasses, and that strand of hair away!

6. Be awesome. Show me you have your act together, that you have the requisite knowledge, that you're confident and capable.

7. Take care of number 6 and 1-5 won't matter.

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