By Bill Alden
Having been a full-time athletic director at independent schools since 2001, Tim Williams has gained a wealth of experience in running sports programs.
Williams, who served as the athletic director at Princeton Day School from 2011-2020, has decided to impart some of that considerable wisdom in connection with the AD interview process.
After making presentations on the subject at some summer conferences, Williams decided to turn his remarks into a book.
“This is one of the subjects that I was talking about,” said Williams, who is currently the AD at the University School of Milwaukee. “From that subject matter, I was thinking this could be a real good book, a how-to manual, that type of thing.
Working on the project over 2023-24, Williams initially self-published the book, The Essential Interview Guide for Independent School Athletic Directors last year. Williams then put his 57-page work on Amazon and it can be purchased there.
The book contains four chapters and two appendices that set forth a step-by-step approach to the process of seeking, obtaining, and then sealing the deal in landing an independent school AD position.
“It is a chronological piece,” said Williams. “It is going from thinking about a job and then going about selecting where you want to go and all the way to the end to hey I just got a job offer, what do I do now.”
In order to get the book completed, Williams made time in his busy schedule.
“It was definitely nights and weekends and a big push over spring break,” said Williams. “That was really helpful. I did a lot of outlining and brainstorming about how it might come together.”
Filling in the outline, Williams relied on his years in the AD field.
“It is really experiential,” said Williams. “I have interviewed for job a Virginia, for a job in Kentucky, the one of Princeton and the one here. Then I have been interviewing people. It really follows a formula whether it is an athletic director or some other type of administrator or teacher when they come in. At independent schools, they bring you in, whether you are from in town or from distance, and you get the full day treatment.”
Noting that interviewing is a skill that can be improved with training and preparation, Williams includes a number of tidbits that can help an applicant ranging from what to say, what not to say, what to wear, and how to improve one’s Zoom game.
“It is really geared to those who are interviewing in particular, whether you are searching for your first job or maybe your third job,” said Williams. “It can be very enlightening because of things that you don’t know or just reminding you of the things that are really important because we are not interviewing every other year hopefully. You may have been interviewing for eight, nine years but you haven’t had an interview. It is different from who you have been interviewing. It is making them as familiar with the process so they feel comfortable with it and be the best version of themselves. They can feel comfortable and really present themselves in the best light.”
Williams has received positive feedback to the book and a 5-star review on Amazon.
“The first groups that have gotten the book really enjoyed it,” said Williams, who is planning to write other books on interviewing for any independent school job and a primer on succeeding as an AD. “They said that is is very practical and that is exactly what I wanted it to be. I wanted it to be a book that you could say, take x, y, or z suggestion and put it right to work in your own personal interview. I have been really happy with that it translates directly to the presentation that I do at my summer conferences.”
Williams’ relationships with his work colleagues over the years motivated him to become an author.
“What has really helped me write this book and given me inspiration for the others is all of the people I have had the chance to work with and work for,” said Williams. “They have really helped me to form what I believe in as far as my philosophy in being an AD. I hope that I can help others get into it but also be more prepared when you start up. It is a busy job.”