How can i prepare my self for ICT manager interview?

[jonny_2010]

I have been invited to an interview for the position of ICT manager at a secondary school.

How can i prepare?
What will they be interested in during the interview? (e.g goals for first 6 months)

thanks

jon

[teejay]

They probably just want to see if you can communicate properly and are someone they can work with.

[GarnierSkinNaturals]

I would prepare within these aspects or potraying these aspects:

1) Technically
2) Enthusiasm and communication ability
3) Being able to BS
4) Telling them what they want to hear
5) Coming up with answers to the questions they will ask. If you have worked in schools before you should know.
6) The future of IT in schools and how you will come into this
7) Ability to manage IT, People and Money
etc etc

[vikpaw]

Be prepared to do a test, or at least be asked questions about your technical knowledge, potential problems that might crop up from lack of email / internet, lost passwords, to more complex failure of server / hardware, firewall, proxy server, troubleshooting to include pinging servers, dns resolution, calling third party as required.

This could also be combined into a priority management question, like you arrive at work and have 4 tickets on the helpdesk, what do you do. They may ask around what you would do if asked to do a private job, would you do it in work time, would you say no etc. Very delicate and different managements would expect different answers, so worth thinking about before hand, rather than blurt something out.

Find out about the school if you can from the material they send you, and website, like what is their infrastructure, do they even have a helpdesk..? You can add anything you don't find out as questions to them at interview.

It might be worth reading up if you haven't already, current issues in education sector, move to academies, funding, anything that might be going on with the local authority that you know about.

Depending on what they've told you, they might want you to comment on how they are set up, and how they can improve. You could talk about the budget, but avoid the salary issues unless it comes up.