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SEVEN WAYS TO STAND OUT DURING THE INTERVIEW 59

Version 2 is an improvement. The answer provides the listener with
detail; on the other hand, it does not give the interviewer all the informa-
tion required to fully appreciate the extent of the teacher’s experience. In
both versions, the interviewer will most likely have to ask follow-up ques-
tions to solicit more information. And those follow-up questions break the
momentum of the discussion. Lastly, version 3 offers all the interviewer
needs to know: the situation, the action, and the result (SOAR; see Chap-
ter 2). A well-thought-out response leaves the interviewer with a positive
impression of experience.

Script or Outline Your Responses

There is no right or wrong method to prepare your answers for inter-
view questions. It is a matter of preference and comfort. You can choose
to script your responses whereby you flesh out your thoughts, or you can
create an outline with answers for the questions that may be asked.

There is a sense of security to be gained in writing down, word-for-
word, your answers to potential interview questions. This method will
make you brainstorm your answers and to think through your work ex-
periences. There’s a caveat, however: becoming too accustomed to deliv-
ering perfect answers may cause you to freeze during the actual interview
and you may “go blank” when off-the-cuff answers are required. Also, fol-
lowing a script too closely may make you sound stiff. On the other hand,
scripting your responses keeps your professional history and accomplish-
ments at the forefront of your thinking. You will find scripted responses in
Chapters 6 through 10.

In contrast, outlining your responses—say, on index cards, on which
you write a question and a short list of answers—may allow you more
flexibility during the interview. With ready answers, during the inter-
view you won’t trip over your words trying to remember every detail.
Also, you will sound more natural. See Figure 5-2 for an example of an
index card prepared as an outline response.

In short, anything that you can do to make yourself stand out from the
other candidates is a step in the right direction. By following the sugges-
tions in this chapter, you will approach the competency-based interview
confident and prepared.

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