Coaching Interview

Congrats and good luck with the first interview. Ultimately it's going to come down to whether you can impress them with your baseball knowledge (teaching knowledge - is that part of the package??). But remember this the more unprofessional you dress the more you will have to impress.

Let me ask you this - are you going to run a quality program that looks good and does good things? What about in the classroom - are you going to have a neat / organized room that is run efficiently? I'm willing to bet that your answer will be a yes to both (assuming teaching comes with it). No better way to sell that approach that you are capable than dressing the part. My advice is wear shirt / tie and khaki pants with dress / nice shoes. You want a professional program then you have to project professional appearance.

Yeah there are people who are less formal but like the old saying goes - you only get one chance to make a first impression.

My very first teaching interview is a place I had never heard of so obviously I didn't know a soul. Not going to lie - I looked good in my shirt / tie. I walked into the school and met the principal who was wearing what used to be khaki pants that were cut into shorts. A white school basketball t-shirt that had the sleeves cut to allow more freedom. He had a huge chaw of tobacco in his mouth and was leaned back with his feet up on the desk with work boots on. If I had came in with jeans / t-shirt it probably wouldn't have mattered one bit but I didn't know that coming in.

So I say dress to impress. Good luck with the interview.

In general, my view on job interviews is better to be over dressed than under dressed. I would go with at least slacks, polo shirt (tucked in of course), dress shoes. I doubt the people interviewing you would have a problem with a shirt and tie, or even a suit. If your interview is with the AD, find out how he dresses for work each day. If its khakis and a polo, wear that. If he wears a suit, I would wear a suit.

Realize too, that at a private school the interview questions might be a little different than those that can/will be asked at a public school, especially if the private school is a church school.

I was onced asked at a private school interview for my opinions on abortion and homosexuality.

Secondly, as mentioned earlier, dress to impress. Wear a coat and tie.

Suit and tie. No gum, clean shaven, haircut...I think you get it

Dress the part for the interview. Any interview where you want to get the job. I just had an interview Tuesday. Much of the questioning can be classified as typical. Take in documents etc. to show them as you interview. For example, if they ask about practices, have a practice layed out already. I know most of the coaches have one they can email to you if you don't have one. I do as well if you want so send me a pm and I'll send you my email. Other harder questions will include how you intend to build a program. What are your short term and long term goals? How will you handle discipline? Do you have a fundraiser answer? They are going to want to know if you intend to run camps etc. as fundraiser and do you want to do more. I'm an old guy and have been through this many times. I'm getting back in because my daughter's coach resigned. He did a great job with her and her team and it is my daughter's seinor year. I don't want just anyone to coach her for that. Good luck with the interview. You have a great resource here to draw upon. Us this site as a resource.

Thanks guys. Lots of good ideas. Teaching does not come with it so the pressure of that aspect is gone. I definitely plan on going in with practice plans, and my team rules/policies. This will only be the 3rd year they have had a team, so I am not sure what kind of expectations they have for the future of the program. They were 0-12 last season and 1-12 the year before that.

quote:

Originally posted by callen:
I have an interview next week for my first High School coaching job. I have been coaching for 8 years for a 18U select team. The school I am interviewing with is a small (>600 students) K-12 private school.

I know what kind of questions to expect (coaching philosophy, situational q's, etc), but I am really stumped on how formal these interviews have been for others. Did you go in wearing slacks and shirt/tie, or are Jeans and a T-shirt more acceptable?

I know that what I saw is more important than what I wear, but its just been buggin me lately.

Thanks

Is this a public education job? If it is then unless there is an incredible baseball culture at the school I wouldnt go in talking about how you are going to make the program an example of excellence. Talk about how you will make a difference in kids lives.. especially "at risk" kids and how your program can benefit them.

Through my years the best advice i received was your program philosophy should be based on what you can do for the kids, the community and the expectations you have for the program of its entirety.

Best of luck to you, there are some politics involved as you know so i hope you have some things that work on your side, but also another piece of advice is if its your time to be the coach then its your time.

Did you get the job? Did you wear a coat and tie?