Help me with my interviews

[bllewellyn]

The reason for this thread that I'm posting is, I seem to do well with the resumes, pt tests, and background checks, yet when I come to the oral interview, I always seem to shoot myself in the foot. I won't be excluded from the eligibility lists, yet I won't be as high up on the chain as I would like to be.

On my latest interview, which I'm pretty sure didn't go as good as I would have liked, the main thing I tried convincing the board of is my familiarity with the position; college degree, internship, volunteer work, etc.

I am also asked a question quite a bit along the lines of "Where do you see yourself in X years?" When I actually don't think that far ahead. So I also stumbled with that answer.

I was very nervous during this interview (more so than with previous interviews with other agencies), and I'm pretty sure I blew my opportunity with them. How can I improve in these areas? Any help will be appreciated.

[Samuel]

The reason for this thread that I'm posting is, I seem to do well with the resumes, pt tests, and background checks, yet when I come to the oral interview, I always seem to shoot myself in the foot. I won't be excluded from the eligibility lists, yet I won't be as high up on the chain as I would like to be.

On my latest interview, which I'm pretty sure didn't go as good as I would have liked, the main thing I tried convincing the board of is my familiarity with the position; college degree, internship, volunteer work, etc.

I am also asked a question quite a bit along the lines of "Where do you see yourself in X years?" When I actually don't think that far ahead. So I also stumbled with that answer.

I was very nervous during this interview (more so than with previous interviews with other agencies), and I'm pretty sure I blew my opportunity with them. How can I improve in these areas? Any help will be appreciated.

So, where do you see yourself in X years?

[BJJVad]

You should go in there and tell them that you like to "Reinvent the wheel" and that you "jump to conclussions" and think that all regular line officers should be thrown in front of the media. I am sure you will make it to Captain or higher in no time.

;)

[Plazoo]

On my latest interview, which I'm pretty sure didn't go as good as I would have liked, the main thing I tried convincing the board of is my familiarity with the position; college degree, internship, volunteer work, etc.

I am also asked a question quite a bit along the lines of "Where do you see yourself in X years?" When I actually don't think that far ahead. So I also stumbled with that answer.

I was very nervous during this interview (more so than with previous interviews with other agencies), and I'm pretty sure I blew my opportunity with them. How can I improve in these areas? Any help will be appreciated.

I remember what a spaz I was during my first interviews. In fact, I was so sprung up that I think I would have impressed them more if I would have just kept my mouth shut and sat there lighting my farts instead of answering their questions like I did.

Anyway, here's a couple pointers.

Stop trying to convince them you're familiar with the position. You've never done police work so there is no way you can be familiar with what we do. You can have book knowledge about police theory and practice but until you get your hands dirty you're not familiar with the work. Accentuate your education and leave it at that.

Try to remember questions asked on previous interviews and come up with creative answers for them, in case they're asked again. When asked "why do you want to be a police officer..etc" don't use the lame standard of "I want to help people." Everybody and their mother says that and I'm sure the interviewers get sick of hearing it over and over. Originality will help you stand above the crowd.

As far as the "where do you see yourself in x years?"...well...where do you see yourself? Do you plan on working patrol for the next ten years? Then tell them that. Do you want to move into swat/k9/motorcycles/detectives or maybe you'd like to be an instructor at the academy and teach the new batch of spastic newbies how things are done. Use a little imagination, man, and think ahead.

But what worked best for me was...drumroll....I stopped caring. Yep, as soon as I stopped caring about how well I did, I calmed right down and began doing great. The way I saw it was is I was the best person for the job and if those stuffed shirts didn't see that then it was their loss. The trick with that is you have to really believe it..if you don't you'll just get all dry mouthed and retarded in your next interview.

Another good tool is practice. You've been through enough interviews now to make up a list of questions. Give them to friends/family and have them act as board members. Do practice runs with them and have them critique you and make improvements as you go.

Anyway, the more of these you do the easier they'll get so take a deep breath and..reeeeelaxxxx.