As one of the most overlooked phases of obtaining a new job, interview preparation is highly underrated.
Once we know our resume and cover letter have been accepted, it is easy to feel confident and think “oh I am going to ace the interview as well.”
But there is nothing obvious about this. There is no guarantee that you will ace an interview if you have been selected from a pool of candidates. The real test starts now – from the interview stage.
Sitting across a panel of people whose only job is to judge your every move and every word that you say is nothing less than unnerving. But if you do not let it frighten you, it can become a great learning experience.
Your preparation will show on your face – interviewers are great judges of that so make sure you do not give them an inkling of how intimidated you are. Interview questions should be practiced beforehand.
Related: Educational Administrator Resume
Here is a list of possible questions (and probable answers) that you may come across:
14 Possible Interview Questions and Answers for Educational Administrator
1. Tell me about yourself?
I am a hardworking individual who is serving in the field of education for the past 7 years. I started my career as a teacher and was promoted to the academic coordinator after 3 years.
Also, I have ample knowledge of curriculum and teaching methodologies applicable at junior and senior levels. I’m good at managing things and maintaining effective communication with the teaching staff and higher management.
2. What are the typical duties of an educational administrator?
Typically an educational administrator is required to ensure proper execution of educational and side activities at the institute, supervise the teaching and non-teaching staff, entertain parents’ complains and queries and coordinate with the school management, staff, and student to resolve any issues.
3. What qualifies you for this job?
My 5+ years of teaching experience, a first-class degree in educational planning and management, and hands on experience in school administration qualifies me for this job.
4. Why do you want to work with us?
Your school is a popular system and since my daughter studied here, I know the system well. I believe that you are doing a great job and I want to be a part of the contribution you are making to society.
5. Which skills do you think are a must for an educational administrator?
Time management, task prioritization, and leadership – these traits are important for the job of educational administration. Some knowledge regarding teaching styles and curriculum is also a must.
6. Give me an example to show that you have the acumen needed to succeed as an educational administrator?
Last year the school head was on leave and I was in charge. There were 2 events in the same week and the seniors also had their exams. I managed everything by organizing and prioritizing the tasks and allocating the duties to all teachers based on their aptitude. The week went smoothly with all the events on time.
7. How do you deal with the contradictory demands and expectations of different parents?
There are often parents with conflicting interests. In such cases, I always stick to the school policy, if needed I also consult the school head. I explain to the parents that we follow a certain policy from which it is not possible to deviate. I also refer them to senior management or the school head with their suggestions.
8. Share a stressful workplace experience and how did you handle it?
During my first few days as an educational administrator the school was to have a sports day and as a part of planning, invites had to be dispatched to the parents. I was told by a senior teacher that the previous administrator had made the address tags.
I did not check until the last day, only to find out that they were not made yet. I did not panic but involved the team of teachers and coordinators to make new tags in one day by retrieving address details from the database and was able to dispatch the invites timely.
9. How would you define your leadership style?
I would call it diplomatic. I am firm, but over the past years I have learned, that employee productivity is maximized if their duties are negotiated with them first and they are allowed to work in their style. This way they can be held fully responsible for their allocated duties.
10. Do you think discipline is important for learning to take place?
Definitely, a disciplined environment is needed for students to concentrate on their lessons and it is also a part of their grooming to become responsible civilians.
11. What do you know about the student lifecycle pertaining to an educational administrator’s work?
The student lifecycle refers to the entire process of student registration to graduation and all the activities in between. This includes admissions, course selection, placement, student services, counseling, examinations, and the leaving process.
12. How would you ensure that a school office is run smoothly as far as administrative work is concerned?
It is extremely important to ensure that the administrative end of any educational institute is run properly. This can be done through effective scheduling of staff, providing support to academic teams, coordinating examinations, and ensuring that all financial systems are run properly.
13. Do you think there is a “typical” job profile that defines the work of an educational administrator?
I believe that there isn’t really a typical profile. Educational administrators work on an array of planes – from regular clerical duties to more profound ones such as liaising with external organizations, everything is part of their job.
14. Give us two examples of duties that an educational administrator does which are not part of the standard clerical agenda.
Helping with course approvals and evaluation and formulating and implementing educational policies can be deemed as two such activities.