The School Corridor Tatler

The STAR interview technique is used by interview panels nowadays to assess the candidate's competency for the job advertised.In the previous post  here  , I discussed the concept of competency and underscored the fact that schools need highly competent senior management team members. It is for this reason that many SGBs have shifted to the competency-based tests to help them find the most suitable person for a senior post. Dilemma: What if the Interviewee outsmarts the Interview panel? That article generated a healthy response amongst my Facebook friends, particularly those who are teachers or heads of schools.The key thread of the comments was that interviewees may be so well rehearsed that a false picture may be painted. The interview panel would then be faced with a dilemma: how much of the interview responses would be factual? What if the interviewee outsmarts the panel? Would those who have rehearsed well not have an advantage over those candidates who are too ...

Schools have switched to the competency-based interview question model  Nowadays most interview committees prefer to pose competency-based questions so that they can find someone who matches the job and role that person has to fulfill in their school. Schools are complex, fast-paced organizations where many people have to work in concert to meet their various objectives. Schools need highly effective, competent senior management leaders who can build strong, healthy teams and then lead these teams cooperatively to achieve their goals. So, what is competency ? Why is this attribute a critical factor for leaders, especially those who are in charge of managing schools? Perhaps a scenario can help set the scene for us. Here is the scenario. You believe you are a highly skilled, effective administrator. When you are assigned a task, you will complete the task well and meet the deadline IF the task depends on solely on your input. However, when the various aspec...