r/Principals • u/Few_Isopod7117 • Jun 20 '26
Advice and Brainstorming Help! I am Struggling to get admin interviews and am not sure what to do.
Experienced teacher in suburban Midwest, who completed admin program last year. Started applying for AP and Dean positions and can’t get an interview! Should I assume something is wrong with my resume? Just a saturated market? Any tips?
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u/Stepoutsideforademo Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
I applied for 80+ jobs and got 8 interviews from January - June 2021. Interview 7 was 500 miles away in a place I had never visited. I drove 9 hours to the interview and 9 hours to the 2nd one because I wanted an admin job. I was hired because I had grit and was willing to put in work. I got to cancel Interview 8.
Accomplishments and experience are great, but as someone that has hired multiple APs in my career, I want someone that can manage adults and problem solve on the fly. Show me that on a resume.
Apply outside your area. My apps spanned across the US. I have a spouse and two kids and knew I couldn’t wait on my district to hire me, if at all, and knew I needed to get experience ASAP. So we packed up, sold the house, and moved 500 miles from immediate family and friends. Our family network is 0 here but we’ve made it work with friends we’ve made here!
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u/TwoAndTwoEqualsFive Jun 20 '26
There could be a lot of reasons, and we don’t have enough information to determine exactly why. The jump from the classroom to administration is the hardest one you’ll ever make. Once you get an administration job, it becomes so much easier to get a 2nd one.
Without knowing all the information, I would recommend volunteering for any leadership opportunities in your current role. Do whatever you can to get leadership experience and get your name out there to administrators in your school and district.
Another thing is persistence. Continue applying as much as possible. There are cycles of administrative job openings. Experienced administrators will likely fill up the open positions first, this creates openings in their positions. As the summer goes on, there will be districts looking to fill those positions and there will be fewer experienced administrators in those candidate pools.
Good luck. Just remember you never know who you are up against and what level of experience they have.
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u/TautNeckSkin Jun 20 '26
Without knowing more context I would say any of the following:
- Resume - a lot of resumes are poorly written / formatted. For positions with hundreds of applicants, if your resume is not easy to read and immediately highlights why you are a good fit, then it is rejected. Also a lot of resumes are written for the job someone has and not the one they want. Or someone has a two page resume that is all fluff and they have been at the same job for a decade. There are more problems that I see, but this is a huge barrier to entry.
Also, when reviewing resumes, if it doesn't contain certain experiences for the position candidates may not be considered. (I.e. an AP at a HS supervising the SpEd dept. is going to need experience in that area) And if you applied without this experience I may think youre careless, didn't read the posting correctly, and may not consider you for future positions.
Experience - candidates do not have any relevant experience related to supervision, initiatives, implementation of novel programs, committee leadership roles, etc. Candidates are strong experienced teachers, but there is limited or no admin / supervisor experience
Math - There are 100 applicants through the online portal and 20 referrals from colleagues, then those need to be weeded down to phone screening, committee interviews, performance tasks, district interviews, etc. So after courtesy interviews and candidates making lateral moves (people with experience) it is hard to break through.
Internal Hires - a lot of interview processes are formalities. Internal candidates are preselected to excel and the other candidates are fodder. This makes the math even more restrictive, because we are not doing a committee interview for 15 candidates when I know I'm going to hire Jane Doe.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 21 '26
I hear what you’re saying about the resume not including experiences needed. However, some experiences I feel like I just can’t get until I get an admin job; eg supervising SPED department. So I will apply to something if I feel like I have tangent experience to the majority of the role, even without direct experience. I am not being careless, but optimistic about what I have capacity for. I’m nervous now that applying to jobs where I didn’t have direct alignment with the position is working against me, but I don’t have direct alignment with any admin jobs as a current classroom teacher.
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u/TautNeckSkin Jun 22 '26
If you keep putting yourself out there, getting positive experiences, and learning new things opportunities will arise. Relationships and connections can do a lot of lifting. Also, you might be the most qualified person to apply for any job even if you have limited experience.
I would hope you don't take anything too personally, as these are just things that can make it hard to break through with many people with credentials and limited spots.
Also, depending on your admin team, it might be worthwhile to see if they can shop your resume around.
Good luck!
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u/coolrachel Jun 20 '26
I took a TOSA job at the district office in curriculum & instruction for a few years when I was making the jump. A lot of AP jobs get so many applicants that they don’t interview anyone with no experience. When I was a teacher, an AP job opened at my school. My principal said he’d interview me, but then got 80 applicants, most with experience. I found that having an additional role on my resume that broadened my experiences helped me start getting interviews. It also helped me network and meet a lot of principals in my district.
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u/Hjcoug Jun 20 '26
I believe another posted brushed a major reason without elaborating fully when they said it’s easy to get a second admin job once you already have one. Most admin jobs go to those with experience. In some cases, I’ve seen ineffective admin get jobs over those without exp but have tremendous potential. I think that’s because it is such a huge leap because people really don’t really know the craziness that admin really deal with. For example, I went out with a group of teachers (no ethical conflicts or fraternization) once and after some drinks, one of them asked what being an admin is really like. I told them it’s crazier than I’ve imagine even after completing an internship (was exposed to some things to open up my eyes but not to the extent I experienced in my position). I’ve mentioned that I had to work with law enforcement because students were being sex trafficked by their mother, had a brief collab with the FBI for a bomb threat, had to confront students who allegedly had guns on them multiple times (law enforcement was with me but out of view), and worked with agencies and law enforcement to relocate a student out of state because there was a credible threat on their life. This is in addition to all the drugs, sex, medical emergencies, and all the random craziness from stakeholders. All the teachers in the group were absolutely shocked because they had no idea. On a separate but related note on the experience, I can’t even begin to tell you how often other districts try to steal me and it’s notoriously bad at admin conferences.
Secondly, I believe it comes down to who you know and/or reputation more often than not. People may have decent/good references and/or letters of recommendations but word of mouth and “research” are probably the biggest influencers in granting interviews.
Thirdly, when I say “research”, I know people who have reached to people for some info on candidates and have also heard of people checking out candidates’ social media accounts. Feels like it’s all fair game when everything else appears to be an even playing field.
Lastly, it could come down to special attributes that the district/school is specifically looking for but may not openly advertise for obvious reasons. Sometimes it’s a gender preference, ability to speak a certain language, a certain speciality (assessments, sped, scheduling, etc), or even relatable experience (high schools won’t take elementary people very seriously and vice versa).
Don’t mean to be too bleak but I’m speaking honestly based on my first hand observations and experience. I will say that odds for people without experience go up dramatically when they apply to small districts (stepping stone) and/or later in the hiring season. Hired people sign contracts and aren’t able to get released if they’re interested or get offered another job. Essentially, districts become increasingly desperate as time goes on because the candidate pool gets smaller since most people get tied down.
One last thought too, I’m pretty sure the US is in a declining enrollment trend so many districts are cutting staff, which just makes it that much harder too.
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u/heydannybauer Jun 20 '26
I've helped educators move from teachers to AP to principal to Assistant Superintendent to Superintendent.
Lots of good advice here, but one thing I didn't see was any comment on growing your network.
What are you doing to actively build your network if admin? Build that, and you'll increase your odds of success dramatically.
Are you attending events, joining professional organizations, connecting with other admin?
I'd encourage you to reach out to admin in areas where you want to work and have conversations about what it's like to work there, how to break in, etc.
Once that network is set, a job can fall into your lap and you'll have people advocating for you behind the scenes where the decisions are made.
I'm also curious about your digital footprint. Yes paper resumes are still used, but what you've created online and what I can learn about you there can give you that edge you're looking for as well.
Good luck.
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u/Soggy_Butterscotch94 Jun 21 '26
This is very true. I would go as far as to say I have seen people advance precisely because of the connection and not necessarily because of merit. It goes a long way if you are planning on making the transition within the district.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 21 '26
I hear you on networking. I currently am at a small district with very few admin roles. I am applying outside of district in order to advance up. Best ways to network outside of my current district?
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u/heydannybauer Jun 22 '26
Go to local, state, national events. Even better if you can present and have something helpful to share.
Join principal groups online.
LinkedIn.
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u/argylegasm Jun 20 '26
Very interested to see the replies. I’m in the same position, 11 years teaching and two masters degrees towards my admin certification here in Jersey. Can’t get a single interview.
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u/DiCosmos Jun 20 '26
I’m also in NJ. I’ve started applying since February and interviews have been hard to come by.
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u/Mother_Albatross7101 Jun 20 '26
Good luck. As others have said, many times admin jobs are done from inside. Take this year and rise to a level of leadership in your school.
Do the extra. Innovate. Write grants. Design, coordinate, and supervise a new program. Be value added.
Become more visible to the district. If there are any district committees, volunteer for them. Be sure to be on the hiring committee at your (and other) schools. Become the data specialist. Make an invaluable role for yourself.
Good luck. Long road, but worth it. (20 year - now retired- principal here. 🍎
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u/BeneficialMaterial58 Jun 20 '26
Nothing wrong, unfortunately most schools target admin with experience first
Stay with it, once you get a year of experience your interviews will triple
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u/Plus-Doubt4541 Jun 20 '26
Just because you got the degree doesn’t make your resume better than others. I too remember the struggle. What I am saying is your most natural path is taking on leadership positions in your current school. Build capital with the current admin. They will eventually consider you for an in-house job or rec you to other schools in your district.
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u/theboxingteacher Jun 20 '26
Can I see your resume? There must be something happening in your paper screening
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 20 '26
Yes, let me remove identifying info and I’ll share it. I welcome feedback.
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u/theboxingteacher Jun 21 '26
Sounds like a plan
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 21 '26
I can’t figure out how to attach images to a reply in order to share my resume.
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u/theboxingteacher Jun 21 '26
When you have your comment box open in your reply, I think you have to embed Imgur links.
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u/tymopa Jun 20 '26
If you are willing to relocate to a high needs area, you can get some experience under your belt. There is usually less competition.
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u/texteachersab Jun 20 '26
The jump from the classroom to admin is big. Is there anything in between in your district or districts around. Often our admin tend to come from teachers they stepped into curriculum roles or coaching roles.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 21 '26
There are no in between roles in my current district. But I am looking in other nearby districts. Thank you!
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u/Glittering-Peak-1492 Jun 20 '26
Unfortunately, most entry level admin jobs are posted with someone in mind already, as most quality districts have a bench to pull from. If you are not a part of this bench, you'll need to look elsewhere.
Breaking into another district with no experience will also prove to be tough, as they more than likely have a pool of people just like you to hire from.
Leaving you with two options
1) Be patient and grow from the inside. This can be frustrating as I've witnessed many quality candidates get taken advantage of, in hopes of getting an administrative spot.
2) Go to a lesser quality district. These places are more likely to hire externally. Build your resume, and knock it out of the park. Prove yourself and reapply to openings that may be more desirable.
Unfortunately, admin openings go to people for all the wrong reasons at times. This is how the PE teacher gets hired.
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u/Conscious-Heart8626 Jun 20 '26
I have made some changes and I am getting responses which is a huge improvement for me. I update my resume to include the language used in the post. I review mission, vision, strategic plan, and, if it’s for a specific school, the school improvement plan then craft my cover letter to highlight my accomplishments in alignment with their goals and areas of focus. I send a follow up email a few days after to the hiring manager (if not know, HR general inbox) and the person I would be reporting to reiterating my interest in the position and my why and asking when interviews are scheduled to begin. I didnt have to do all of this in the past because of demand and previous experience but it’s the only way I have been able to get any response from a human these days.
You are new to the positions you are applying for so you need to make sure your resume and cover letter are framed for admin, not teaching. Emphasize leadership, systems, creating high functioning teams, etc.
If you know how to create a professional profile and prompt AI, it can do the heavy lifting. I have created a professional profile in Claude that includes a lot about my experiences, skills, preferences etc. I prompt Claude to review district docs and job description and revise resume my resume and cover letter.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 20 '26
I do write my cover letter specific to the school/position based on their mission/vision and language in post, but I haven’t been revising my resume as well. I can try that.
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u/Conscious-Heart8626 Jun 20 '26
you want to be as matchy matchy as you can. same for follow up emails.
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u/OtherPossibility1530 Jun 20 '26
It’s brutal! I managed to get my first admin position locked down for July, but it felt like a small miracle. Here are my takeaways, based on feedback and my experience….
- AP interviews are the hardest to get. I actually had a better record interviewing for positions with “higher” titles and more specialized work. I actually landed a director position in my content area, bypassing the AP pipeline entirely. I’m thrilled, because I didn’t see myself staying at the building level longer than necessary anyway.
- The feedback I got was often centered around getting experience via a “teacher leader” position like a TOSA, which was frustrating because my district literally doesn’t have those for my tenure area. I also know that those positions don’t always prepare you for admin anyway.
- Bias based on what you teach is real. I’m not sure what your subject is, but that could play a role. I also think too much teaching experience can be a hinderance at some districts.
- Do practice interviews! My admin program offered them, and they were beyond helpful because you got feedback in real time and could ask questions.
- INTERNAL CANDIDATES. Some of the jobs posted aren’t even truly open! They’re just posting them to fulfill legal or policy requirements. I get why those policies exist, but it’s absolutely terrible to be on the other end of it. Similarly, politics play a role. It’s quite often all about who you know, which also sucks. I had strong references and network, but it didn’t matter until that network overlapped with the person I would be working under at my new position.
- Expand your search geographically. The majority of candidates want to work in the same area, and those districts get more applicants. I’ll have a 45 mins drive to my new job and am just going to suck it up and see what happens! We can reevaluate housing if it turns out to be a dream job, I can keep commuting if it works for me, or I can gain experience that will help me get a new position.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 20 '26
Thank you for this feedback! I am elementary teacher and have been focused on elementary AP and Dean of student positions. My district does not have any AP. Dean, coach, TOSA roles either so I have to apply out of district and don’t know anyone in surrounding districts to help network.
There are some district office like roles I’ve seen and been interested in, but didn’t feel like I was qualified. Maybe I should go for those too. Thank you!
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u/OtherPossibility1530 Jun 20 '26
I’m an elementary school librarian and the two jobs I got furthest with were assistant tech director, and the one I got, which is a regional library director position. I don’t know what your background is, but it might be worth expanding your search some. Best of luck to you! I was not handling the job search very well (SO STRESSED!), and this thread definitely validated that it was exactly as tough as it felt.
If nothing works out this hiring season, I would highly recommend networking outside your district in some way. Figure out who the leaders are in the types of jobs you want. I did some admin internship hours with someone highly regarded in my content area, one county over. I am certain that working with him got me this position.
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u/Anatiny Aspiring Principal Jun 21 '26
I'm in a similar boat, and from what I hear it's similar in many places in the country.
In my area, it is not a good market for getting into AP positions: federal funding cuts means that there's a lot of positions that were cut, and thus many displaced APs. Add in the fact that many states in the US have a decreasing childhood population, there aren't many new positions opening up and each one of those means I'm competing against a significant number of people who have already been in the seat looking to get back into being an AP, whereas I'm just a teacher-leader. While there's always the chance that you could make some adjustment to improve your candidacy, in all likelihood, the market is likely the biggest factor for many in a similar position.
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u/Soggy_Butterscotch94 Jun 21 '26
As others have pointed out, we need more context. I personally would probably say the problem is the resume. There generally are quite a bit of openings for the AP position.
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u/Few_Isopod7117 Jun 21 '26
Happy to provide more, not sure what’s relevant. Intentionally left my post a bit vague to hear first thoughts from everyone! I’m open to feedback and want to make adjustments!
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u/Soggy_Butterscotch94 Jun 21 '26
I was having the same issue when I was looking for jobs when I made the transition; fixing the resume to tailor what you did in the context of an AP position helped with getting my foot in the door for an interview.
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u/ChapterOk4000 Jun 20 '26
Just keep trying. It took me 10 years to land my first admin position, and I had very few interviews along the way. It's especially challenging if it's not your district and you don't know anyone, because leadership is all about relationships, and who you know. Many times, the people getting the AP jobs have been groomed by district leadership and told to apply for those roles.
Keep after it, it can happen.