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#Interview Preparation

Blog+ Podcast Quotes by Guest Speakers (2)

Backing Yourself for Success in The New Year

Welcome to 2025! I’ve been thinking a lot about how this year can be a turning point—not just for me, but for all of us who are ready to step into leadership with confidence and purpose. The idea of “backing yourself” has been at the forefront of my mind.

This isn’t just a phrase; it’s a mindset. It’s about believing in yourself, showing up with intention, and taking action, even when the path feels uncertain. Let me share a little about how I’m approaching this year, and maybe you’ll find someth


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Jan 10, 2025 08:00am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #Confidence, #careerchange, #AssistantPrincipal, #Interview, #Interview Preparation, #Growth mindset & #DeputyPrincipal
5 min read
Blog+ Podcast Quotes by Guest Speakers

Key Leadership Interview Questions and How I Mentor Clients to Answer Them

1. Tell me about a time you faced a challenging situation. 

This is one of the most common leadership questions, and it’s designed to assess how well my clients can navigate tough situations on their own or while leading a team. 

How I Approach This in the Mock Interview:

  • I start by helping my clients identify a meaningful challenge they’ve faced. Together, we focus on how they approached the problem, engaged their team, and ensured a positive outcome.

  • Then, I guide them to use the STAR method (Situ


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Dec 23, 2024 11:17am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP, #AP2, #Interview, #Interview Preparation, #Interview questions & #Education
8 min read
3

Insights into the Necessary Job Seeking Skills - Peter and Gwenda Johnson

This blog post is inspired by my most recent episode of The Growth in Educational Leadership Podcast. I spoke to Peter and Gwenda Johnson - a fantastic duo with tonnes of recruitment and job-seeking advice. Gwenda is a retired Primary School Principal and spent 9 years leading St Joseph’s - A Special School For Children with Visual Impairment.

Read on to uncover the stand-out points in our discussion.

You can listen to the podcast 👉 here.

  1. The Importance of Tailoring Applications Both Peter and Gwe


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Sep 24, 2024 03:49pm
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP, #applications, #Career, #careercoaching, #Interview & #Interview Preparation
4 min read
Podcast (3)

Brand New Method to Understand The Four Domains to Simplify Your Interview Answers

Lately, I’ve been finding myself discussing the impact that teachers have in their role. Helping them to see things from an external perspective has been a real game changer in helping them articulate their skills and the difference they have made.

This blog explains why you should reflect on your impact as a school leader and gives you common statements I hear. See if you can think about the impact that these teachers may have had as a result!

Self-Awareness

Self-reflecting on the impact that you'


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Aug 13, 2024 08:00am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP1, #AP2, #applications, #CPD, #DeputyPrincipal, #Growth mindset, #How to SAF, #Interview Preparation, #Interview questions, InspiringSchools & #Interview
5 min read
Blog Covers

10 Confidence Tips for STAR Leadership Interviews

Stories are very powerful. I first became interested in people's stories when I became a coach. And I realised that the stories that we told ourselves have direct results in the kinds of opportunities that we have and the kind of results that we get. So there's a huge mindset associated with storytelling, the STAR technique, and the empowering beliefs that we have about ourselves.  The STAR technique is a framework that you can use to frame your answers and your stories in interviews in an empow


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Aug 6, 2024 08:00am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP, #Career, #careercoaching, #Interview Preparation, #Interview, #DeputyPrincipal, #Growth mindset & #cpd
8 min read
I don’t give ad-hoc discounts on my 1-1 services and courses - here’s why. (1)

I Don’t Give Ad-Hoc Discounts on My 1-1 Services and Courses - Here’s Why.

It’s brilliant to get a discount on goods and services - and shur why not try to see if you can get something at a discounted price?

As a small business owner, I don’t give ad hoc discounts to customers. 

The GOOD NEWS IS though - that frequently, I run promotions on my email list - AND when you keep a keen eye on your emails from me - not only will you get FREE promotion-focused tips, but you will also pick up some incredible bargains! You can sign up to my email list here. 

The reasons I don’t gi


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Jun 26, 2024 04:09pm
By Orla Dempsey
Under #jobapplications, #education, #careercoaching, #Interview Preparation, #teachingjob & #InterviewPreparation
2 min read
Domain 2 Blog

Sarah's Journey in The Career Accelerator Programme

Craving a change? Know that you have more to offer and just need that first break to get to the next step? 

As teachers enrol in The Career Accelerator Programme right now - I'm sharing the story of Sarah who invested in the Programme when it first launched in early 2023. Reflecting on the clients who have enrolled to date - they all have one thing in common - they are HUNGRY for a new role and they know that they have got what it takes.  Does this sound like you too? 

Sarah's Story

Sarah had


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Mar 14, 2024 08:12am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #careerchange, #DeputyPrincipal, #careercoaching, #Leadership, #Interview Preparation, #Growth mindset, #Lookingatourschools, #TeacherEmpowerment, #JobHuntingStrategies & #InterviewSuccessGuide
3 min read
Copy of Chris - Images For Website (Instagram Post (Square))

FAQs About The Four Domains Simplified Course for School Leaders

Are you curious about the Four Domains Simplified Course?

I know that you may have questions that you'd like answered. đŸ€© So I thought I would address some of the questions that I’ve been getting about it. Here are the top questions I'm being asked. 

1. Is ‘The Four Domains Simplified’ better than ‘Help I’ve an Interview in a Week’?

In ‘Help I’ve an Interview in a Week’, I teach Looking at Our Schools through the lens of a variety of interview questions – each starting with the phrase ‘How do 


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Aug 18, 2023 06:03pm
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP, #AP1, #AP2, #applications, #AssistantPrincipal, #AP positions, #DeputyPrincipal, #careercoaching, #Interview, #Interview questions, #Interview Preparation, #primaryschoolteacher, #Teaching & #Lookingatourschools
9 min read
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Working with Me as The Teacher Promotion Coach (non-principal!)

If you're an aspiring school leader you may be wondering how I can help you if I'm not a principal.

Truthfully - teachers don't work with me because I'm a principal. As an independent mentor, I think that's my superpower!

Teachers work with me because they know me from my social media presence and they've seen firsthand the helpful information that I share online to help teachers.

Teachers work with me - because I make things easy for them to shift their mindset from working IN their JOB t


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May 8, 2023 11:22am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #AP, #education, Learning, #Interview Preparation, #Mock Interview Preparation Primary, #inspectorate, #DeputyPrincipal, #Teaching, #successfullinterview, #coaching, #SAF, #TeacherIreland & #sellingyourself
3 min read
Evidence of LAOS

What Are The Most Challenging LAOS Topics?

The main concerns in interviews that my clients have are...

  • How to answer the conflict question.
  • How to answer the challenging situation question.
  • The fact that they feel that their competition ‘is high’ for the role
  • How to answer the ‘vision’ question.

School principals can avail of coaching to help them plan their vision, to help them strengthen team dynamics, to help them reflect on how they responded to incidents of conflict or discuss challenging situations. Isn’t that cool?

Most 


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Dec 26, 2022 08:00am
By Orla Dempsey
Under #jobapplications, #careercoaching, #primarymockinterviewpreparation, #DeputyPrincipal, #primarymockinterview, #Interview questions, #careerchange, #STARtechnique, #SAF, #primaryschoolteacher, #AP1, #AP2, #Opportunity, #AP positions, #postprimaryteacher, #News, #Career, #Teaching, #leadership, #Mock Interview Preparation Primary, #sellingyourself, #AssistantPrincipal, #Interview, #education, #Teacher, #teachers, #saf, #cv, #principal, #Interview Preparation & #Leadership
2 min read

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