Superintendent Interview Questions
Go Back1. What has been your biggest career-related achievement to date?
2. Talk to me about the various ways that you evaluate student success and achievement.
3. What are your career goals as a school superintendent, and how will this role help you to achieve those goals?
4. Tell me about a professional goal you have set and achieved. What personal qualities and characteristics helped you achieve that goal?
5. Have you ever worked with a school board on setting school district goals?
6. As the school superintendent you are the point of contact for all government related interactions. Are you confident in your ability to professionally communicate with government agencies?
7. How do you respond to feedback?
8. How would you describe your personality?
9. Are there any work-related situations or tasks that make you uncomfortable?
10. In what area do you feel you need the most professional development? What are you willing to do to strengthen yourself in that area?
11. In your opinion, how important is careful budget planning and resource allocation in the school system?
12. Would you consider yourself a creative person?
13. How do you go above and beyond your general requirements as a school superintendent?
14. Community involvement is important to us. What do you know about our community and school district?
15. What makes you the best superintendent for us?
16. Do you feel performance should be rewarded over experience?
17. Setting educational standards is incredibly important. How do you ensure your standards are set, clearly communicated, and met?
18. What was your favorite post-secondary course and why?
19. What course was the most challenging for you during your post-secondary studies and why?
20. What is the primary difference, in your opinion, between school board goals and school district goals?
21. Tell me about the last book you've read for professional development purposes. What did you learn?
22. Tell me what led you to choose a career as a superintendent.
23. What is your personal secret to a successful career as a superintendent?
24. To be a successful superintendent, you will have to deal with a wide range of personalities. Can you handle this?
25. When did you complete your master's degree? What was the focus?
26. Many superintendents have their Doctorate in Education. Are you planning to obtain this designation?
27. What major challenges and problems did you face in your last position?
28. Do you have experience with professionally developing senior staff members?
29. How do you like to encourage ideas in your students?
30. Do you have experience with hiring senior staff members?
31. If you were the successful candidate, tell me the first thing you would do to make an impact on our school board.
32. In your opinion, what should a school board member do when contacted by a parent with a school-related problem?
33. What are the standards you use for judging whether or not your board of education is doing its job?
34. Do you have a valid certification to be a superintendent in our state?
35. How important is it for the superintendent to have a strong relationship with the school board's leadership team?
36. What are your salary expectations?
37. Do you feel that you are currently paid what you are worth?
38. As a superintendent, you will be under a fair amount of stress. How do you successfully handle stress?
39. On an especially tough day, what motivates you to succeed as a superintendent?
40. Do you think honesty is always the best policy?