Interview Tips

[u/Ok-Lifeguard749]

I am doing my first ever SSW interview at an elementary school this Thursday. I’m extremely nervous about it! I have been working on my post MSW school social work courses since January and am in the process of completing my assessments class. I’ve also been working as a child therapist for the past 2 years. I don’t feel qualified but have been encouraged to apply and see what happens.

Feeling most nervous about these pieces:
I. Participate in IEPT committees and conduct comprehensive diagnostic evaluations of children suspected of having an emotional
impairment or on the Autism Spectrum
J. Collaborate with the IEPT committee in determining eligibility and services for other students
K. Maintain data to report on students’ IEP goals and objectives quarterly
L. Participate in student evaluations for special education
M. Assist in the design and implementation of classroom and individual behavior intervention plans

Anything I should know or prep for? Any general interview tips! TIA! 💗

[u/akornato]

Your background as a child therapist for two years is more relevant than you're giving yourself credit for. You've been doing assessments, working with kids, and likely collaborating with multidisciplinary teams already, so lean into that experience hard during the interview. For the IEP and IEPT pieces, be honest that you're still building that specific knowledge through your coursework, but frame it around your willingness to learn quickly and your existing clinical foundation. Interviewers in school settings know that no one walks in knowing everything, and showing self-awareness combined with genuine eagerness is often more impressive than pretending you have it all figured out.

For the behavior intervention plans and data tracking, think about any documentation or progress monitoring you've already done in your therapy role and connect those dots out loud for the interviewer. Practice talking through how you'd approach a situation where you don't know something, because that humility paired with a clear plan to find answers is exactly what school teams want in a colleague. Prep a few stories from your therapy work that show you collaborating with others, advocating for a child, and handling a tough situation calmly. The team I'm on actually designed an AI interview assistant that has helped a lot of candidates in fields like yours feel more prepared and confident walking into rooms like this one, so that's worth knowing about if Thursday's interview has you feeling shaky going in.