Standing Out in the Hiring Season - A ForwardED Booster Shot with Chris Whetzel

Welcome to Your Booster Shot from the AWB Education Network. This podcast series is our opportunity to dive even deeper into the topics and skills that will help you lead your school with confidence. Check out information on our partners along with additional resources and services at www dot AWB education dot org. Now Here is your Booster Shot. Today we have the privilege of speaking with Chris Wetsill, a renowned expert and educational leadership and the founder of Coaching to the Next Level. Welcome back to the. Show, Chris, Thank you for having me back. Absolutely Today we are talking about the ways to make yourself stand out in the pool of school leaders that are looking for a new opportunity or a new challenge. We recognize that the climb through any organization is a challenge, but I really think it presents unique hurdles for school leaders. We navigate complex systems with competing priorities and student needs, teacher morale, budget constraints, and the ever evolving curriculum standards and all of this demands attention. And on top of that, you're trying to build trust and foster collaboration among staff and parents in the community, and it's crucial yet time consuming work. And then you can add political pressures both internal and external. All of this stuff requires leaders to be both decisive and diplomatic. So now with all of that, can we really be shocked at trying to put together a resume and a cover letter to showcase our talents? This can be overwhelming at times. So given these complexities, how can aspiring school leaders effectively translate their unique experiences and accomplishments into a compelling package to get noticed? Yeah? I think first of all, I want to give a shout out to grin Meyer Leader Services because we are there are a strategic partner here in Colorado to do superintendent searches, So I appreciate them. And you know what, Here's here's something I've learned over mean a principal and superintendent now doing searches is that it starts with a broader look at jobs in your career. And so when I read when I think of package, Adam, I think about about five things that some of them are tangible part of your package, and some of those are mindsets or reflection or commitments. And the first one is I learned a long time ago from a supervisor to think about this one thing, and I've seen it over my career. People will spend a lifetime over their career trying to get back to their family or their home. And I've seen this in my coaching and I've seen this in other ways that people we all, we we bite on carrots and opportunities, Adam, and we pretty soon we find ourselves somewhere and we asked ourselves the question how did I get here? And the first or of this package or this thoughts for the audience is really think about that doesn't mean you're not going to go and grow. I've been told to do that and how to do that? Really think about that thought because it often will come back true to those of us who are looking for a career in leadership. So that's the first thing. The second thing is I was actually on another interview about two weeks ago and I talked about prioritizing fit. Sometimes what I see as people apply for jobs and they can't communicate their fit at them because it's not a fit. You can't communicate something that isn't. So what people we all and we've probably all done it. We try to fight to make something a fit sure when it's not, and that fit can be about the organization. The fit can be about my strengths, be about many things. So the other part of it is to prioritize a fit as a coach who coaches a lot of leaders. The other part of this pre work or thinking about going for a job is to avoid starting wounded. Many it's hurt, right, And this goes back to the other episode about being superman. We think we have to be superman because we're told then we're chastised for being superman or whatever whatever. We're just never good enough as a leader, and so wounded Adam. And sometimes what I have seen and even in searches for superintendents is people are not ready because they're still wounded. We have a program that we've started called Jumpstart. It's a six week intensive coaching program that we have and one of the reasons we I wanted to do it is just that reason to help people get you know, kind of healed up or unstuck or whatever it might be to do their next big thing. And so Jumpstart is something we're very invested in and it's going well. And so you know, don't go in wounded as much as possible. Now, let's get to paperwork, which is people what people mostly think about. Yeah, no kidding, do you have any Yeah? So I mean you're right though, because I can think back to even just during my undergrad you know, when I'm just trying to go out and get that first job and they're saying, oh, you got to have the the like I remember the resume that should be a little bit bigger paper than anybody else has. So here sticks out right and all of that stuff. Well, now everything's digital, so the world is completely changed from I'm going to date myself a little bit from back in the early nineties when I was having those conversations. But you know, what are some keywords or phrases that you should incorporate into resumes cover letters. It's going to help increase visibility to potential employers. Well, I think what I see that stands out the most in a positive way is is show me, tell me, but show me in your words, show me that you can do something and have done something versus Well, I have an idea about it. That is, if I could give the biggest tip in interviewing in paperwork is people don't want to hear you talk about it because there's too many ways to create content where you can talk about it and sound really good. You have to be able to articulate examples of being a leader, and you need to articulate examples of being a leader in the context in which you want to be or explain that crossover in a very wieldy way, but in some sort of way. So I think that's really important to communicating. Some actionability to those steps, is really what you're talking about, right, Yes, that's good. Yeah, So beyond traditional qualifications, then what unique skills or experiences kind of piggybacking on that, you know, those actionable pieces there, Which ones do you believe are most valued by hiring committees today in the education landscape? And how can school leaders effectively showcase those on their applications to show that they're ready for today's leadership opportunities. Yeah, I think one is to show that they have can point to mentors and people who have assisted them along the way, that they can point to references. This is really huge for those who are listening. I kind of tell you how many times I have reviewed packages. You know, paperwork and the references are old, and that's a killer for applicants. So you need to take you need to be serious about it and take the time to get current references. Define old for us real quick. What would you consider to be an old reference? Because I hear that a lot from people like, oh, that's you know, they were one of my favorite people I ever worked for, and I really want them to talk about me. But that was eight years ago, you know, I mean, what do you think is too old? I don't know that if it's age or I can tell you what draws like the board the school boards that I've seen is even if it's somebody that worked with someone eight years ago, they're able to speak to their relevancy and that letter. If you're applying in December, that letter needs to say December, not two thousand and nineteen. That's huge. Sure, So you have to get you have to show that you have some sort of connection even with an old reference, that they're willing to write you a new reference, and yes, that it pertains to the job that you're you're so in leadership, the bar is raised. You know that. You know this absolutely, So don't put in a letter from two thousand that's day to twenty nineteen. Don't do that. Okay, got to revisit it, and it needs to be a new letter. It can be from an old reference, a new letter that because here's what I'm looking for, Adam, that you had a conversation with this person. How can I know that someone really thinks you're a good fit for a job when you work together eight years ago? Disconnect? Yeah, absolutely, I want to know you had a conversation. Hey, Adam, I'm applying for this job. I know we worked to go seven years ago. Here's the kind of job. Do you think you could give me a reference? It's based on that. Well, it might also say something that we may be worked together eight years ago, but in the eight years since, we've still maintained that connection and we're still working together. That's that's the reason why we're still a good fit for an application. Or excuse me for a reference. Yes, I think it's huge. Well at listen in the domain I work in. That that really speaks to boards I've had and I know this this is rare, but I've seen it more than once. I've had letters, seen letters where where it's addressed to the wrong person, it's about the wrong person or. A different job or yep, I've seen those two. Yeah, you got to be tied on that. So any other unique skills or experiences that you'd really want to try to focus on in your application if possible. Yeah, I think people we all need to speak to being adaptive. But that doesn't mean a jack of all traits. There's a different sure adaptive, right is I can based on this, I can adapt to a situation. I'm really good at this. Why as board in the case of boards are hiring that they're looking for a person with certain kind of qualifications, tell them, tell them what you're qualified to do? Mm hmm. Yeah, we're I mean we're we're likely not going to be an expert at everything, and we're going to have some weaknesses going to areas that we need some people to continue to help us grow and continue to get better. Yeah. Absolutely, focus on the good stuff. Focus on the stuff that you can really bring and going to be a big support for the district to love it. Chris, how can school leaders leverage their professional networks? We talked a little about that with the references, and but you know, how else can you get to all of the stuff that's available online, LinkedIn professional organizations, all of those things that are out there that help enhance your we'll call it your marketability, but also increase your chances for being discovered by potential employers. Yeah. You have to communicate your it somehow you know that that person's got the it whatever it is, either the personal connection or the or the skills or whatever it is. So there's so many ways to do that. Now is so much broader, you know, like for example LinkedIn, you know, be active there. If you're not active there, then be active in your school administrator association. If if you're good at presenting, try to you know, present tend these events. You have to build this capacity of some sort that people are looking at this capacity, whether it's you know you've you've done this and then it doesn't have to be off the chart. Yeah. Sure that you. Took the time to speak, you know, someone like yourself says, hey, will you be on my podcast? Right instead of shine away from that, be on the podcast? Yeah. Absolutely. In a competitive of job market, how do school leaders demonstrate their unique value proposition and then differentiate themselves from those other qualified candidates? Again, how do you stick out? Yeah? Yeah, one I think that you tell people on you tell people how you because let's be honest, people are going through these processes that are pretty linear, right, So they're doing certain things. So you've got to figure out how you're more competitive. And you want people in your references telling you how you are unique, how you've done something that no one else could have done, et cetera, et cetera. And I think that's the way to do that. And it's work, you know, it's just like building this business of mine, right, which is a passion. Yes, I'm passionate about it, but it's a lot of work. Oh yeah, absolutely. Do you want a great job, you got to work at it. You got to get out there, you got to get your name out there. And there's so many ways to do it. So we're getting there. We've gotten to this point where we've we've you know, gotten past the first hurdle to get in the door. Hopefully. Now, how do I prepare myself for that interview process? You know what what is good research practice to look up potential employers and practicing responses to common interview questions. If you're coaching me right now on getting prepared for that interview, how do I demonstrate that passion for education and put a good put a good step forward? In front of that team. So number one research and there's so many ways of research, right websites, reading, linking, linking up with someone in that organization to understand what they're about and kind of watch what they're about, or watch who the hiring manager is and what they're about to be able to communicate that. The The other thing that is really really important is getting in a mindset that you're going to get this job. And oh, by the way, if they offer to you, what's answer going to be? You shouldn't be waiting until they offer you the job to know what the answer is. No, that's a good point. That's not a good place to be. So you got to know. I tell people if they ask you now, I'm not saying you don't say, hey, I need twenty four. That's not what I'm saying. But you should know in your heart you've done enough research and work and your mind that I know what the answer is. It's either yes or no. It comes back to your fit again, like you were talking about before. You if you know you are a fit for this position, which is why you're going to this much trouble to try to get there, that's going to help you with that question now that the interview may change mind. You know, I talk about that with people that I interview all the time. I'm interviewing you, but you should also be interviewing me, even though I'm trying to be the one to hire you at this point in time. And again it goes down to that. I think that's really good. Yes. And what I find is, man Adam, some of the best candidates they hawk me. You know, I'm facilitating these searches. They hawk. What I mean is they're asking me questions why they want there. They want to know what they're getting themselves in, and they want to come in with a solid answer if everything lines up. They want to be all in. And that all in mentality comes across after a while, and that, Yeah, you have to be what I would say is active. There's so many ways right through your association and LinkedIn asking questions, Hey do you have a minute? Can I talk to you about this? Asking someone else that's connected to this organization a question, read one more article. You know you have to be active. This is not a sit back mode. If you want them, if you want to communicate, you're the person. What are some of the common mistakes then that school leaders make on resumes or cover letters. If you know, if there are a few things you can say, these are the ones that stand out the most. You want to try to avoid these mistakes. What might those be? Chris, Well, in this era you have to figure out? This is not easy. Ready, I doing a search right now, and I'm just gonna be honest, And this is not everywhere an applicant got thrown out because he or she used AI and someone was privy to that, and they put them back and their voice carried. In that room. So I don't know how to answer that. I don't know in this era, I don't know what to say. I'm not saying don't use that. Yeah, well, to use it the right way, right, I mean, yeah, right way. Absolutely, you got to spend money to make money. If you want a really good job, you got to spend money. How do you do that? You hire someone to prep you up? Sure? Right, okay, here, whatever that preparation looks like in preparation in my world is Chris. I know, I'm carrying this little chip on my shoulder. Then we're going to get somewhere out of right, I'm carrying this chip on my shoulder and I need not carry this chip on my shoulder because it's going to be spotted. And they are right. So you got to invest. You gotta spend money. Money, You got to invest. Get yourself prepped up, whether it's answering questions, whether it's you know, getting your you know, your your your beliefs and your behaviors aligned, because at these levels, people spot that. If you're going to give somebody a quick suggestion if they wanted to try to stay informed about current trends and best practices and educational leadership just to if nothing else, to ensure their skills and knowledge remain relevant and also marketable in this evolving job market. What we're what would be a couple tips you give them. Yeah, One, you know, be connected and watch your associations because they put out well, there's so many associations right, Yeah, for your niche position, whether it's principle, whether it's assistant superintendent, whatever it is, watch those associations. Why they boil down much of the hot topics that you need to know. Then do your own, you know, your own decision making around that topic so you can communicate around that. That's one to read. Read read. Yeah, there's bright minds out there writing books. There's bright minds like yourself saying I want to do a podcast. Oh okay, listen to it. Yeah, this is all great information. Well, Chris, I'll tell you what, this has been a pleasure. Your insights. They are just incredibly valuable for listeners. And I am just confident that even just a few tips like you're talking about here, even if you just do a handful of these things, it's going to empower you to be you know, to more effectively showcase your talents and help land those dream positions and find that perfect fits. That's just awesome stuff. Chris. Before we go, please remind our guests where can they get a hold of you and find out more about your work and reach out for some partnership if they need. Sure our website coaching to the number two TNL dot org. Then put a Chris at before that and you have my email. That is awesome and we will include it in our show wrap up as well in the in the insight, Chris, anything else you want to share before we go? I appreciate you providing this platform for all of us, and it's much need and I appreciate it. I love it. Well again, Thanks Chris, thanks for joining me today. This has been awesome stuff and thank you to listeners on joining this episode of your Booster Shot. And as always, we will have another Morning boost coming out tomorrow with a tip to help you in this work that only a few have the ability to do. So thank you for being one of those few. We will talk with you again tomorrow. Thank you for listening to this episode of your Boosters Shot from AWB Education. Want to join in this mission. We are always looking for partners to help provide what our school leaders need to thrive and survive. Contact us through our webpage at www dot AWB education dot org to get connected. Otherwise, remember you are doing the job that only a few are strong enough to do. Thanks for being one of the few. We will talk with you again next time.