Teaching Interview Tips for ADEC
One of the most common questions we are asked here at in the Footprints Middle East department is “How do I pass the interview?”
If the word interview makes you sweat a little bit, you are not alone. This can be a scary prospect for a lot of people. We will try to make it as easy as possible for you and hopefully you can gain some insight as well as some tips and tricks from this section.
The important thing to remember first and foremost for the interview is that we would not have invited you to attend if you did not qualify for the position. This means that on paper you are acceptable for the job and should be hired. What I am saying here is that if you have been invited to the interview the job is yours to take or to lose. Let’s focus on what it is going to take to secure the job.
1. Preparation :
Before the interview we will send you a guide on how to prepare yourself. We will include potential questions that the interviewers might ask as well as some simple tricks to help you through the interview but some of the most important things to remember to shore up on are; the history and culture of the UAE, modern methodology and pedagogy and ways to describe your current classroom and how that could transition to the middle east.
2. Appearance :
In a perfect world you would be hired simply on your resume alone, however, the world is not perfect. First impressions are just as important in this interview as in any other. The guide that we will send you will include a section on how to appropriately present yourself for the in-person interview but a couple quick rules are; men should dress in a suit and tie including dress shoes, women should dress in conservative business attire. Remember, you are applying for a job in a Middle Eastern country. Abu Dhabi may be a liberal nation, however, the culture respects modesty and conservative dress. Show that you understand the culture by dressing appropriately and please do not show up in shorts, running shoes or revealing clothing.
3. Attitude :
You might be the best teacher in the world, in fact, we hope you are, however, modesty is important in Emirati society. Being boastful in the interview will not help you at all. Also, being too rigid will cause you to fail the interview. ADEC requires that teachers be flexible when in their country as the UAE does not work the same way that North America does. If are perceived as inflexible during the interview the panel will fail you regardless of your qualifications or experience. If you can’t prove to them that you can roll with the punches they will simply assume that you will not be able to fit in when you arrive in Abu Dhabi.
4. Examples and how you give them :
Think back to the phone interview you completed with us here at Footprints. Remember how we asked you for specific examples? This is what ADEC wants to see. Anyone can say what they would do in a given situation, ADEC wants to see how you have actually reacted to a similar situation in the past. Also, make sure your answers are detailed but don’t go overboard. The interview panel needs to see that you can present your information in a clear and concise manner. If you can’t present to them, how are you going to fare with a classroom full of Emirati students whose first language is not English?
5. Smile !!
Seriously, nobody wants to work with, let alone hire someone who looks miserable all the time.