{"id":180,"date":"2011-12-05T18:41:21","date_gmt":"2011-12-05T18:41:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/?p=180"},"modified":"2019-01-17T09:10:37","modified_gmt":"2019-01-17T09:10:37","slug":"the-wonderful-world-of-intl-school-hiring-fairs-lesson-4-being-yourself-is-better-come-what-may-than-trying-to-be-someone-else","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/the-wonderful-world-of-intl-school-hiring-fairs-lesson-4-being-yourself-is-better-come-what-may-than-trying-to-be-someone-else\/","title":{"rendered":"Lesson 4 at International School Hiring Fairs: \u201cBeing yourself is better, come what may, than trying to be someone else.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cThink about it. Not only does pretending to be what you\u2019re not cheat your interviewer \u2013 it also cheats you. Show your true colors now, so you\u2019ll know whether it\u2019ll be okay to show them over the length of your contract.<\/p>\n

I love the fact that, at my second interview with the two interviewers for the school I chose, Singapore American School, I replied to a question by saying something to the effect of, \u201cThere\u2019s no denying that people\u2019s first impression of me is often, \u2018Damn, Burell, you\u2019re too intense!\u2019 But after a while they see the rest of me, and realize I\u2019m also mellow in my own way.\u201d \u201cDamn\u201d is a soft enough word these days \u2013 and I certainly don\u2019t toss out higher-level potty words like rhymes-with-fit<\/em> or ends-many-limericks-about-Nantucket<\/em> or leads-to-supposedly-eternal-damnation<\/em> in professional company \u2013 and I wondered about the wisdom of the utterance after it escaped my mouth (and this was<\/em> in like the middle of the second hour of the interview), but somehow the fact that the offer was still made left me feeling even happier than otherwise about accepting it when it came in hour three.\u201d<\/p>\n

Is it really that difficult to just be yourself, and just for a moment, maybe pretend that you are a better version of who you really? The thing about admitting your own true colors is that you might have to admit some of the things, that you yourself, might find questionable, or that society deems one thing or another.\u00a0 Even worse is when you realize mid-interview that you are indeed not the \u201cbest fit\u201d as you had hoped you would be…for that international school you have been wanting to work at…in the city you really had been wanting to live in.<\/p>\n

\"hiring<\/p>\n

The famous psychiatrist Carl Jung operates with something called archetypes. Two of those archetypes are known as the Shadow and the Persona. The Persona is the way we want the world to see us at our very best, the peak of our personality, but always with a mask that protects the ego, and paints an uneven picture of the person we are. The Shadow is the exact opposite. This is, according to Jung, the essence of us. The Shadow contains all our traits, the good and the bad, the flattering and unflattering, but it is our true personality. With age comes sagacity, and we start to know more about who we are, and as years pass we learn to accept ourselves, flaws and all. We learn to deal with our shortcomings, and learn to see beyond what we aren\u2019t and what we are. The human being is of a complex size, we contain so many different traits, and as we get older we learn, and become better to deal with what is giving and what we achieve, what we learn and the wisdom we obtain.<\/p>\n

The thing about job interviews is that we only want people to see us at our very best, or to put in a more accurate sense: what we think they want! We somehow create an illusion, that\u2019s inevitably going to burst, it might turn out for the better, but it could as easy turn out for the worse. Honesty is the best policy, especially in the international teaching world. We so desperately want to be everything a job applicant is looking for, when in the end, all that weighs the most, probably is our personality. Our own true personality and how that matches up with the administration and staff at a school.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cLet the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you?\u201d is a quote by comedienne Fanny Brice. When you create illusions or pose in a manner that is untrue to yourself, can you really expect to be liked or hired for the person you are. What sets us apart, and makes us different, is in the end what makes us unique, and when it comes to a job interview, it is the way we should be judged.<\/p>\n

So is it really so difficult to just be yourself? If you let go of some kind of perfect perception of yourself, and just act natural, it really isn\u2019t. Of course it takes years to accept yourself and to fully come into your own, but you will find that it somehow feels better in your own skin, when you are simply just yourself.\u00a0 And maybe, just maybe you will make one of the hardest and scariest decisions you will make in your life (accepting a job at an international school in a location of the world you have never been to; and not knowing anybody there) a bit easier on your mind knowing that you have done your best to show your true self at the interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cNine Lessons Learned\u201d taken from The Wonderful World of International School Hiring Fairs article by Clay Burell\u2019s blog Beyond School<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cThink about it. Not only does pretending to be what you\u2019re not cheat your interviewer \u2013 it also cheats you. Show your true colors now, so you\u2019ll know whether it\u2019ll be okay to show them over the length of your contract. I love the fact that, at my second interview with the two interviewers for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[7],"tags":[469,336,56,272,32,33,64,338,292,470,65,244,60,314],"class_list":["post-180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-9-lessons-learned-regarding-intl-school-hiring-fairs","tag-being-yourself","tag-cis","tag-international-educators","tag-international-school-recruitment-fair","tag-international-schools","tag-international-teaching","tag-interviewing","tag-iss","tag-job-hunting","tag-recruiting-teaching","tag-recruitment-fair","tag-search-associates","tag-teaching-abroad","tag-uni"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2flVT-2U","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2566,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/iscommunity-blog-series-highlight-9-lessons-learned-regarding-international-school-hiring-fairs\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":0},"title":"ISCommunity Blog Series Highlight: 9 Lessons Learned Regarding International School Hiring Fairs","author":"ISCommunity","date":"January 11, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"January: RECRUITMENT FAIR SEASON STARTS! \u2022 Stressing out about the upcoming international school recruitment fair that you are going to this year? \u2022 Want to get all the \"head's up\" you can get? \u2022 Want a review of all the basics so that you can be the most prepared as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Information for Members"","block_context":{"text":"Information for Members","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/information-for-members\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iscommunity-blog-series-highlight-9-lessons-learned-regarding-international-school-hiring-fairs_2566_52bc0.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iscommunity-blog-series-highlight-9-lessons-learned-regarding-international-school-hiring-fairs_2566_52bc0.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iscommunity-blog-series-highlight-9-lessons-learned-regarding-international-school-hiring-fairs_2566_52bc0.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/iscommunity-blog-series-highlight-9-lessons-learned-regarding-international-school-hiring-fairs_2566_52bc0.jpg?fit=800%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5124,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/the-international-school-recruitment-fair-toolkit\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":1},"title":"The International School Recruitment Fair Toolkit","author":"ISCommunity","date":"January 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The recruitment fair season has started! International School Community is the place to gather information and ease your mind. Over the past five years, we have amassed\u00a0a vast array of informative materials for everything to do with recruitment fairs. The following is a list of all of our materials and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Great Resource"","block_context":{"text":"Great Resource","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/great-resource\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2015-01-13-22.50.19-1024x768.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2015-01-13-22.50.19-1024x768.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2015-01-13-22.50.19-1024x768.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/Screenshot-2015-01-13-22.50.19-1024x768.png?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1343,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/comments-and-information-about-hiring-policies-on-international-school-community-6-saigon-south-intl-school-amer-school-of-the-hague-changchun-amer-intl-school\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":2},"title":"Comments and information about hiring policies on International School Community #6: Saigon South Int\u2019l School, Amer. School of the Hague & Changchun Amer. Int’l School","author":"ISCommunity","date":"September 12, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Comments and information about hiring policies on\u00a0International School Community: Every week members are leaving information and comments about the hiring policies at international schools around the world.\u00a0 Which ones go to the Search Associates Recruitment Fairs?\u00a0 Which ones hold interviews over Skype?\u00a0 Which ones have hiring restrictions imposed on them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/hiring-policies-at-intl-schools\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2012\/09\/images.jpeg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":485,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/comments-and-information-about-hiring-policies-on-international-school-community-3\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":3},"title":"Comments and information about hiring policies on International School Community #3","author":"ISCommunity","date":"March 3, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Comments and information about hiring policies on\u00a0International School Community: Every week members are leaving information and comments about the hiring policies at international schools around the world.\u00a0 Which ones go to the Search Associates Recruitment Fairs?\u00a0 Which ones hold interviews over Skype?\u00a0 Which ones have hiring restrictions imposed on them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/hiring-policies-at-intl-schools\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.files.wordpress.com\/2011\/10\/interview_vidconf_1014.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1710,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/survey-results-are-in\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":4},"title":"Survey results are in: On average, how many interviews do you go to at an international school recruitment fair?","author":"ISCommunity","date":"March 10, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"The\u00a0survey results\u00a0are in, and it seems as if most visitors and members of\u00a0International School Community\u00a0who voted have had 1-2 interviews when they attend international school recruitment fairs. Going to one to two interviews at an international school recruitment fair can probably mean one of four things: \u2022 You probably don't\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Surveys"","block_context":{"text":"Surveys","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/surveys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Screen Shot 2013-03-10 at 9.58.51 AM","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Screen-Shot-2013-03-10-at-9.58.51-AM.png?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2429,"url":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/comments-information-hiring-policies-international-school-community-8-benjamin-franklyn-intl-school-escola-internacional-de-alphaville-guangdong-country-garden-school\/","url_meta":{"origin":180,"position":5},"title":"Comments and information about hiring policies on International School Community #8: Benjamin Franklin Int\u2019l School, American Cooperative School of Tunis & Green School Bali","author":"ISCommunity","date":"November 12, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Comments and information about hiring policies on\u00a0International School Community: Every week members are leaving information and comments about the hiring policies at international schools around the world.\u00a0 Which ones go to the Search Associates Recruitment Fairs?\u00a0 Which ones hold interviews over Skype?\u00a0 Which ones have hiring restrictions imposed on them\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools"","block_context":{"text":"Hiring Policies at Int\u2019l Schools","link":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/category\/hiring-policies-at-intl-schools\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/JobFair-Teacher-03lg.jpg?fit=600%2C397&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/JobFair-Teacher-03lg.jpg?fit=600%2C397&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/11\/JobFair-Teacher-03lg.jpg?fit=600%2C397&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/internationalschoolcommunity.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}