How to Interview for a School Leadership Position: Essential Tips for Aspiring Educational Leaders

by Summer Pannell, PhD

Stepping into a leadership role within a school is an exciting milestone in any educator’s career. Whether you're aiming to become an assistant principal or preparing to navigate a leadership pool interview, understanding how to effectively present your experience and skills during the interview process is crucial. Drawing from extensive experience both interviewing candidates for leadership positions and interviewing for such roles myself, I’m here to share practical, actionable tips that will help you succeed in your next leadership interview.

Leadership interviews can be daunting, but with the right preparation and mindset, you can confidently showcase your leadership potential and make a lasting impression. This guide will walk you through key strategies, help you frame your experiences effectively, and prepare you for common questions you’re likely to encounter. Let’s dive into how you can leverage your background, even if you feel your leadership experience is limited.

Understanding the Leadership Interview Process

Before we jump into the interview tips themselves, it’s important to understand the context of leadership interviews, as they can vary depending on your school district’s size and structure.

• Leadership Pool Interviews: In many larger school districts, candidates are required to first interview in front of a panel. Successful candidates are then placed in a leadership pool, which qualifies them to interview directly with individual principals. This panel interview is often a preliminary screening step.

• Direct Interviews: In smaller districts or after completing necessary qualifications such as the leadership exam and a master's degree in educational leadership, candidates may interview directly with principals without the panel step.

Regardless of the process, the techniques and tips shared here will serve you well across both types of interviews.

Leveraging Building-Level Leadership Experience

One of the most critical pieces of advice I can give is to focus on your building-level leadership experiences during your interview. It’s tempting to talk about classroom success since that’s where many educators spend most of their time, but leadership roles require a broader perspective.

When interviewers ask about your leadership experience, they want to know how you’ve contributed to the school or district as a whole, not just your own classroom. Here are some examples of building-level leadership experiences you can draw from:

• Leadership Internships: If you completed an internship as part of your educational leadership program, highlight the specific leadership tasks you performed. Did you shadow a principal? Take over responsibility for discipline or curriculum? These experiences are gold.

• Coaching Roles: Coaches lead not only students but also work closely with parents and the wider community. Organizing fundraisers or managing team logistics are tangible leadership activities that demonstrate your ability to lead and collaborate.

• Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): Participation in PLCs or department meetings where you helped analyze data and make instructional decisions shows collaborative leadership beyond your classroom.

• Committee Work: Serving on textbook selection committees, organizing professional development, or helping plan school-wide events are all examples of leadership contributions.

Don’t worry if your leadership experience feels limited. You can creatively pull from any relevant experience that shows your ability to lead, problem-solve, or collaborate beyond your classroom walls.

Three Essential Mindsets for Leadership Interviews

When preparing for your leadership interview, keep these three important mindsets in mind. They will help you present yourself authentically and thoughtfully:

1. Embrace Imperfection and Resilience

Leadership is not about being perfect. In fact, interviewers appreciate candidates who are honest about challenges and setbacks. If you share an experience where something didn’t go as planned, explain how you used data to reflect, adjust your approach, and try again. This shows resilience—a key leadership trait.

"I love it when people tell me something failed and then they learned from it. That’s really important." — Chris Ferrell, Superintendent

2. Remember You’re Applying for an Entry-Level Position

Many candidates make the mistake of trying to appear as the all-knowing leader ready to run the entire school from day one. Remember, entry-level leadership roles like assistant principal are the beginning of your leadership journey. It’s okay not to have all the answers. Interviewers want to see your potential, willingness to learn, and collaborative spirit.

3. It’s Okay to Pause and Think

When asked a question, don’t rush to respond immediately. Taking a few seconds to gather your thoughts shows that you are thoughtful and methodical. Silence can feel uncomfortable, but it’s better than rambling or giving an unfocused answer.

Answering Common Leadership Interview Questions

While you never know exactly what questions will come up, there are some common themes in leadership interviews. Below, I’ll share three frequently asked questions and how you can prepare strong answers by pulling from varied experiences.

1. Tell us about a time you used data to make instructional decisions. What did you do, and what was the outcome?

This question is designed to assess your ability to use data collaboratively to improve instruction beyond your own classroom.

What not to do: Don’t default to classroom-level examples like how you differentiated reading groups based on assessments. Interviewers want to hear about leadership at the building or district level.

Where to pull examples from:

• PLCs or Department Meetings: Talk about how you worked with colleagues to analyze data and make decisions that impacted multiple classrooms or the whole department.

• Discipline Roles: If you worked in ISS or handled discipline referrals, you likely reviewed academic and attendance data to support students’ instructional needs. For example, you may have coordinated with teachers to re-integrate students into classrooms with appropriate supports.

• Curriculum Work: Perhaps you helped adjust the master schedule or teaching assignments based on teacher strengths and student performance data.

• Surveys and Professional Development: You might have analyzed staff or student surveys to guide professional learning or instructional initiatives.

Make sure to always mention the outcome of your actions. Did the data-driven decisions lead to improved student performance? Did you have to adjust and try again? This shows your reflective practice and commitment to continuous improvement.

2. Tell us about a time you diffused conflict with colleagues or students. What did you do, and what was the outcome?

Conflict resolution is a critical skill for any school leader. Your answer should demonstrate your ability to listen, investigate, empathize, and apply school policies fairly.

Situations to draw from:

• Discipline and Parent Communication: If you’ve worked with parents regarding student behavior, explain how you calmly communicated concerns, sought solutions, and supported families through difficult conversations.

• Staff Conflicts: Maybe you helped mediate disagreements between teachers or between staff and parents, ensuring all voices were heard and a fair resolution was reached.

Key points to emphasize:

• You investigated the situation thoroughly before acting.

• You showed empathy and tried to understand all perspectives.

• You followed school policies and ethical guidelines.

• You knew when to escalate the issue to higher leadership if necessary.

Remember, the outcome doesn’t have to be perfect. Sometimes parents remain upset despite your best efforts, and that’s okay. Showing professionalism and calm under pressure is what matters most.

3. Tell us about a time you worked with the community. What did you do, and what was the outcome?

Community engagement is a vital part of school leadership. Here, interviewers want to see your ability to organize, collaborate, and build relationships beyond the school walls.

Examples to consider:

• Coaching and Fundraising: Coaches often lead large fundraisers, organize tournaments, and engage parents and community members. Highlight these leadership experiences and the impact they had.

• School Committees: Participation in School Advisory Councils (SAC), homecoming committees, or textbook selection teams demonstrates your commitment to school-wide initiatives.

• Community Events: Organizing open houses, community cleanups, or securing discounts for students through partnerships with local businesses shows your ability to connect school and community.

Describe the outcomes, such as funds raised, increased community involvement, or improved school reputation.

Additional Tips for Interview Success

To further prepare, consider these additional strategies:

• Prepare Multiple Examples: Have at least two or three examples ready for each category—curriculum/data use, conflict resolution, and community involvement. This will help you avoid repetition and tailor your responses to specific questions.

• Be Authentic: Speak honestly about your experiences and growth areas. Authenticity builds trust with interviewers.

• Focus on Leadership Language: Use terms like “led,” “collaborated,” “analyzed data,” “facilitated,” and “resolved conflicts” to communicate your leadership skills clearly.

• Practice Pausing: Practice taking a moment before answering questions to gather your thoughts. This will help you stay composed and deliver focused answers.

Final Thoughts

Interviewing for a school leadership position is a significant step in your educational career. By focusing on building-level leadership experiences, embracing resilience, and preparing thoughtful examples for common interview questions, you can confidently demonstrate your readiness for this new role.

Remember that leadership is a journey, and it’s perfectly acceptable to be learning and growing. Interviewers appreciate candidates who show potential, honesty, and a collaborative spirit. Use these tips to highlight your strengths and experiences, and you’ll be well on your way to starting the new school year as an assistant principal or in your desired leadership position.

Good luck on your leadership interview! Stay calm, be authentic, and show them the leader you are becoming.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What if I don’t have much leadership experience beyond my classroom?

A: You can pull from any experience where you took on responsibility beyond your own students—such as coaching, committee work, PLC participation, or even organizing school events. Leadership is about influence and collaboration, not just formal titles.

Q: How should I handle questions about failures or challenges?

A: Be honest and focus on what you learned and how you adapted. Interviewers value candidates who demonstrate resilience and the ability to grow from setbacks.

Q: Is it okay to take a moment before answering a question?

A: Absolutely. Taking 3-5 seconds to think shows that you are thoughtful and deliberate. It’s better than rushing into an answer that may be unclear or incomplete.

Q: How can I show leadership if I’ve never been an assistant principal before?

A: Highlight experiences where you led initiatives, collaborated with colleagues, or influenced school-wide decisions. Leadership comes in many forms, and your ability to work with others and take initiative counts.

Q: What are some examples of data I can talk about in the interview?

A: Data can include test scores, attendance records, behavior referrals, survey results, observation notes, or any information you used collectively to make decisions that impacted instruction or student support.

Dr. Summer Pannell is an educational leadership professor and Executive Director of the National Leadership