lssp interview questions

• Describe a normal day in your current role.
• Why are you transitioning to a new position?
• Tell me a bit about yourself.
• What three adjectives would you use to describe yourself?
• What are your strengths, and how may they apply to this role?
• What do you like about being a school psychologist?

School Psychologist Interview Questions | School Psych Sunday

A school psychologist’s responsibilities include:

A school psychologist should have the following skills:

School psychologist positions require a bachelor’s degree as well as a master’s degree in school psychology or a similar master’s program in education or psychology. A doctorate is required if the applicant wants to participate in academic research in the field of school psychology. Experience in the field will bolster an application, but appropriate training at the master’s level is usually required.

Salaries for school psychologists range between $48K and $213K with the median being $79K.

Be ready for anything with the interview simulator.

Question: What do you like and dislike about being a school psychologist?

Explanation: This is a general question that the interviewer will likely ask early during the interview. The purpose of a question like this is to get you talking, learn a little bit more about your background, and collect information they can use for future questions.

Example: “There are many things that I like about being a school psychologist and very few things which I do not like. Chief among the things I like are the outcomes I see in the students and the progress I witness due to my intervention on their behalf. What I don’t like is the administrative work associated with this role. I would rather spend face time with the students than be head down, filling out forms, and completing reports. However, I recognize the importance of the paperwork, so I do it willingly, trying not to let it interfere with my relationships and the time I spend with the students.”

Question: As a school psychologist, what do you believe are the most common mental and emotional problems children face?

Explanation: This is an operational question which the interviewer will ask to understand your approach to school psychology. Operational questions are best answered directly and briefly. The interviewer will follow up with another question if they need additional information.

Example: “Some of the common issues I encounter in my work as a school psychologist include anxiety and mood disorders, eating disorders, and sometimes schizophrenia. Some students talk about feelings of deficiency, lack of recognition, false self-, and similar issues.”

Question: What is your strategy for working with teachers, parents, and school administrators?

Explanation: This is another operational question addressing your ability to collaborate with other stakeholders in the student’s mental wellness. You should be able to communicate your ability to work with a team of other adults concerned about the child’s welfare.

Example: “I believe that parents and teachers are the main adults concerned with a child’s health, as it relates to their education. As a school psychologist, I have to cooperate with these adults as well as other staff members, including other psychologists and counselors, to ensure that each child is prepared to reach their full potential. I make sure to include all of the stakeholders in my counseling plans for individual students.”

Question: As you are probably aware, violence is increasing in schools and sometimes results in fatalities. How do you address this in your role as a school psychologist?

Explanation: This is another operational question in which the interviewer is trying to determine how you perform your job as a school psychologist. You can anticipate that the majority of questions you will be asked during an interview will be behavioral or operational in nature. The best way to be prepared for this is to practice answering questions like these.

Example: “Unfortunately, on-campus violence is increasing. Even if it doesn’t happen on our campus, it still impacts the students we work with. I have found that the best way to address this is to acknowledge it and then reassure the students that the administration, staff, teachers, and other adults associated with the school have taken every precaution possible to prevent or reduce violence on campus. When working with individual students, I acknowledge their feelings and try to help them understand that while school violence is sensational, it is a rare occurrence.”

Question: What criteria do you use to help you decide whether a child should be placed in a special education program?

Explanation: This is a technical question. Technical questions seek to identify your knowledge of specific issues, terms, or practices within your profession. Like operational questions, technical questions should be answered briefly and directly. You should anticipate follow-up questions to each of your answers.

Example: “Recommending a child for a special education program is a delicate matter. Many teachers and parents will dispute whether a child would do better in such a program rather than being mainstreamed in a regular class. The criteria I use for recommending a special education program for an individual child focus on the outcome and whether the child benefits from such a program. I also make sure the teachers and parents understand the child will be periodically reevaluated to determine if they can return to a mainstream program.”

Question: How would you react if a parent insisted you do an inappropriate test or have a discussion with their child that you disagreed with?

Explanation: This is a behavioral question. Behavioral questions seek to understand how you would react to a specific situation common to this profession. When responding to a behavioral question, you can either cite an example of what you did before or project what you would do going forward if this situation were to arise.

Example: “Most parents want the absolute best for their children, but sometimes they become a little aggressive when it comes to assessing their child’s mental health. One of my jobs is to assist the parents in having reasonable expectations and taking appropriate actions when addressing psychological issues with their children. Whenever a parent asks me to do something I feel is inappropriate or which I do not agree with, I push back, explaining my rationale and relying on my background and training. In most cases, the parents will agree with me, and we move on. If they continue to be insistent, I engage an administrator or one of my supervisors to support my position.”

Question: What would you do if a teacher came to you about a student acting out in class?

Explanation: This is another behavioral question that asks about a specific situation. An easy way to respond to behavioral questions is by using the STAR framework. You state the Situation, present the Task you need to accomplish, describe the Actions you took or would take, and then discuss the Results you hope to achieve.

Example: “Students who are disruptive in class is a common occurrence in most schools. The majority of teachers can handle the situation themselves, but occasionally, things get so out of hand that they seek the assistance of a school psychologist. When this occurs, the first thing I do is confirm the behavior exceeds the teacher’s ability to control it. I then seek to understand the motivation behind the behavior, including issues they are encountering either at home or in school. I first work with this student to try to modify their behavior and get them back in the classroom. I then work with the teacher and parents to correct the situation a student is encountering. This normally results in the student understanding that their behavior is disruptive and them cooperating with the teacher going forward.”

Question: How would you deal with a situation in which you disagreed with your manager over the diagnosis you made for one of the students you work with?

Explanation: You probably already recognize this as a behavioral question. Disagreements with management and co-workers are typical topics of behavioral questions. It would help if you practiced your answers about how you deal with disagreements at work because these are part of virtually every interview you will go on.

Example: “It is common to have disagreements about a clinical diagnosis when dealing with children. When this occurs, I try to keep an open mind and always focus on what is best for the child. I actively listen to other people’s opinions and am willing to change my diagnosis if convinced to do so. However, if I feel that I am right, I use my communication skills to bring the other party around to my way of thinking. Whichever solution I choose, it usually works out the best interests of the student.”

Question: What types of interventions do you recommend for students diagnosed with ADHD problems?

Explanation: This is an operational question which is seeking to determine how you deal with a specific situation. Remember to keep your answer brief and to the point. Also, anticipate follow-up questions from the interviewer due to this being a common issue at most schools.

Example: “ADHD diagnoses are common in contemporary educational environments. This often causes a problem because ADHD is overdiagnosed. The first thing I do is try to confirm the diagnosis to make sure the child is not experiencing some other issues which may present as ADHD. I then work with the teachers, parents, and administrators to develop an individualized program for the student which will help them continue their education in a normalized manner with small adaptations that mitigate their disorder.”

Question: How frequently do you evaluate a student’s progress when they are in an individualized education program (IEP)?

Explanation: This is a simple operational question that addresses how you go about doing your job. Since IEPs have become common in today’s schools, you should have experience dealing with this and be able to provide the answer the interviewer is looking for.

Example: “By definition, IEPs are distinct and differ between students. There is no standard schedule for a reevaluation of the student’s progress. However, I make sure that I reassess the student periodically while they’re still in the program to determine if they are making progress, whether the program needs to be modified, or if they’re ready to return to the mainstream classroom. Evaluation schedules may range from weekly to once a month.”

Yet, even after youve earned an advanced degree in school psychology, you still need find the right employer. It should be pretty obvious that the real career work is just beginning. This page is is specifically targeted to help graduate students in school psychology training programs know how to prepare for their first school psych job interview.

Often times, interviewees think that the job interview is a one way street. In fact, the opposite is true. The job interview is a time for an employer to find a good potential employee who meshes well with the professional goals of the agency, and vice versa. Knowing what types of interview questions may be asked of you as a future school psychologist will help you prepare for the interview. Youll need to bring your own set of interview questions to the interview in order to make an informed decision about the employer. Asking your own questions also makes an interview team know that youve come prepared; youve done research and there are some things you need to have answered.

When I originally created this website things looked differently; I was in graduate school myself, virtual school psychology wasnt available, and the average salary of starting school psychology in my state (Kansas) was around $45,000. Im now a supervisor for a team of school psychologists, I offer our starting school psychologists $62,000, and COVID-19 has made remote work common for teachers and related service providers across the nation.

When a potential employee comes with good questions in mind, it changes the vibe of the interview committee from “no thanks”, to “when can you start?” In more than one recent interview, I was not impressed with a candidates responses to our prepared questions, yet their follow-up questions positively impacted my overall impressions of those candidates. Consider that free career mentoring advice.

A good candidate can nail some interview questions with practice. A good candidate can also bomb an interview (I know I have!) However, a great candidate will come to the interview prepared with questions that indicates they want to make a difference with the school. They already know some of the problems with the system and have solutions in mind. A great candidate will be able to pick up on cues from the interview and follow up on those when given the chance: “You asked me about my experience working with novice teachers, will I able to develop relationships with both new teachers and experienced teachers if I were to be offered a job?”

Additional School Psychologist Interview Questions

FAQ

What questions are asked in a school psychologist interview?

What qualities make a good school psychologist?

• Empathy.
• Good Listening Skills.
• Good Problem-Solving Skills.
• Ethical.
• Good With Children.

What is the hardest part of being a school psychologist?

Why do you want to become a school psychologist?