It is important for aspiring administrators to know and understand what schools are looking for in future admin. If you have begun your journey of becoming a principal or assistant principal, you need to start thinking about putting yourself in the best possible position to reach that goal. Here is a list of some common things that school’s around the world are looking for in admin candidates:

1. Record of successful teaching (at multiple levels) – If you have been primarily a freshman English teacher and are interested in a high school assistant principal position, expand your knowledge and experience by teaching elective classes for juniors and seniors. The more experience you have at different levels, the better prepared you will be to address the various academic, social, and emotional needs of students, parents, and teachers.

2. Promote within the current staff – The best way to move into an administrative role is to be a successful teacher at your current school, express your interest to the current admin, take on various challenges and tasks, and slide into an available position (it is a little easier said than done, but I think you get the idea).

3. Knowledge and support of school goals and vision – Administrators need to have a clear understanding and knowledge of the school’s mission and vision and be able to articulate it to various stakeholders. You can begin this step now by studying the school’s philosophy and beliefs and making sure they are in line with your current practice.

4. Understanding of various programs and curricula – The longer you are in education and the more experience you have, the more familiar you will be with various programs and curricula. If this is not a strength of yours, begin by reading literature (books, articles, blogs, etc.) and becoming familiar with current best practice. You can also find time to meet with current administrators (principal, curriculum coordinator, etc.) to gain more understanding.

5. Self-starter and initiator (accountability) – As you see different needs within the school, express your thoughts and ideas with admin and begin working with others to find solutions and make positive change. Two things to be cautious of here, are not take on more than you can handle and to make sure that your suggestions for improvement are delivered in a respectful and thoughtful manner.

6. Interest in staying at the school for 3+ years (longevity) – Especially within the international school setting, administrators are expected to stay at a school for 3+ years. If you plan to apply and move into an admin role, you want to be there for a significant amount of time to make positive changes and help move the school forward.

7. Willing to make mistakes and learn from them – It is not the mistakes that define our character, but rather what actions we take afterwards in an effort to learn from them. We all make mistakes and if you do, we need to be willing and able to apologize respectfully and offer suggestions for ways to move forward.

8. Role-model and example – As a future administrator you will be the person to turn to during the good times and the bad. The school community needs to see you present at evening and weekend events as well as engaging with students and teachers during the school day. Begin to set the example today of how you will support and lead others tomorrow.

9. Ability to relate well with others – Building positive relationships, as I have written in previous posts, will differentiate one administrator from another. Positive administrators are  willing to spend the extra time with various stakeholders when needed as well as have a keen understanding of what teachers are going through before criticizing actions or jumping to conclusions.

10. Getting the right people on the bus (the right fit) – Most importantly, you need to make sure that the school you are interested in, is the right fit. Take an adequate amount of time and effort to research the school and determine if the school’s vision and beliefs are in line with your own philosophy. Once a school gets the right people on the bus, they should then work tirelessly to make sure that all of the people are in the right seats (taken from Jim Collins in Good to Great).