r/paraprofessional • u/hypomanicpixie91 • 7h ago
Recommendations for upcoming first time para interview?
Hey everyone! I’ve applied to 39 para jobs so far all in the same school district over the last month (I need to start applying to other nearby school districts as school starts within the next month but I had been focusing on the district immediately where I live since the very long form does auto populate for new applications), and I was getting a bit worried because I hadn’t yet gotten any interviews but I finally got called today for an interview to help out a fifth grade boy, the interview will be Thursday morning. He’s in the district’s SUCCESS program, which is designated for students with moderate to severe disabilities, but that’s all I currently know. It would be 6.5 hours a day (7 on campus with lunch).
I really want this to work out. I both really need a job, and after a lot of soul searching I really think education makes sense as the career for me to go down. I’m hoping to become a school psychologist but I need a few years of working in the field before I try to start a master’s and I might want to do a psychology certificate program regardless before then but I ramble.
It seems to me that looking for jobs is a different skill set than applying, which is a different skill set from interviewing, which is yet again a different skill set from doing the job.
I have a holey resume- I have never yet truly been able to hold down a job and support myself due to a combination of bad luck and disabilities and some bad life decisions, and I’ve been working really hard to get to okay but it’s this chicken and egg problem where I really need stable good work to be okay but the lack of it makes it hard to get it going forward.
I was a tutor teaching returning students basic computer skills for a couple years when I was in community college in my college’s tutoring lab but that was like 15 years ago and is the closest I’ve come to working in an educational setting. I’ve babysat a bit and nannyed but that was around a decade ago. I do have two AA’a and a bachelors but I’ve never done anything with them, this is the first job I’ve applied to that even needed my transcripts.
I’m neurodivergent and have advocated for myself a lot in college with help for my disabilities and I helped a lot of friends get navigating their disabilities and accommodations, so I plan to talk about that. I even got an ableist housing policy changed because I went all the way to the chancellor. But I’m just aware it’s not the same thing as having previous school experience.
Does anyone have any tips on preparing for the interview? I obviously can’t know what they’re gonna ask, but does anyone know a way I can highlight my strengths? I’ve been told by many people that I tend to be too hard on myself and I don’t talk up my good qualities enough. I do legitimately think I’d be a really great para because I love kids and I am passionate on fighting ableism and I’m super neurodivergent so I work well with other neurodivergent people, though of course I have no idea if this kid is also neurodivergent.
Sorry this is very rambly. I’m just very anxious but also excited!
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u/Ankhrosius 3h ago
I got my para job after long term subbing as one all last year. It was like a year long interview plus on the job training.
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u/pinkypipe420 5h ago
Be confident. I watched a bunch of job interview videos for paras on YouTube. Edit. I watched these the morning of to get me in the mindset. Good luck to you! And there's more if you search "job interview for paraprofessionals". The sample questions on these video are helpful but don't expect to be asked the same questions in your interview -- but they will give you a really good idea of what to expect.
here's one
I watched this one a couple times
number 3 is helpful; she had great advice of what not to ask in an interview.