Winter Series E3 - Mastering Interviews Part Two with Jenny Cole

Send a text

Walking into a leadership interview can feel overwhelming, especially in the high-pressure world of educational leadership. But what if the key to success isn’t about having perfect answers, but about telling authentic, memorable stories? After 15 years of coaching school leaders, I’ve seen how striving for perfection often backfires. Interview panels aren’t looking for textbook responses – they want to connect with a real person who brings genuine value, courage, and perspective to their team.

In this episode, part two of Mastering Interviews, I break down five common mistakes candidates make and share a storytelling approach that helps you stand out. Using the SAO framework, you’ll learn how to craft three to five key stories from your experience and shape them into engaging narratives. These stories – when delivered with clarity, vulnerability, and purpose – help panels remember who you are, not just what you’ve done.

The best candidates speak confidently from their leadership values, connect big-picture strategy to real-world results, and manage nerves with simple mindset shifts. If you’re ready to stop reciting bullet points and start sharing the story of who you are as a leader, this episode will give you the tools to do just that.

Did you know there is more? You can access every episode, show notes, links and more via my website Positively Beaming.