Behavioral Sheriff Interview Preparation Guide

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I've never been very comfortable with public speaking - which as you know, can be a hindrance in this field. Realizing this was a problem, I asked my previous department if I could enroll in a speech workshop. I took the class, and was able to overcome my lifelong fear. Since then, I've given several safety presentations to school children across the county. I still don't love it, but no one else can tell!

I'm more interested in the role itself than the pay. That said, I'd expect to be paid the appropriate range for this job, based on my five years of experience. I also think a fair salary would bear in mind the high cost of living here in New York City.

My work is important to me, so I won't be satisfied with any old job. Instead of rushing to accept the first thing that comes my way, I'm taking my time and being selective to make sure my next position is the right one.

This is one tool interviewers use to see if you have done your homework. You should never attend an interview unless you know about the company, its direction and the industry in which it plays. If you have done your research, this question gives you an opportunity to show initiative and demonstrate how your experience and qualifications match the company's needs.

This is one of the hardest questions, particularly for those with little experience. The first thing to do before going to your interview is to research the salary range in your field to get an idea of what you should be making. Steer clear of discussing salary specifics before receiving a job offer. Let the interviewer know that you will be open to discussing fair compensation when the time comes. If pressed for a more specific answer, always give a range, rather than a specific number.

This isn't something like "I can benchpress 500 pounds." What about your character is illustrated in a trait. Are you a hard worker? Are you full of integrity and honor? Do you have a personal story that illustrates that trait in concrete terms.

The secret to answering this question is being honest about a weakness, but demonstrating how you have turned it into a strength. For example, if you had a problem with organization in the past, demonstrate the steps you took to more effectively keep yourself on track. This will show that you have the ability to recognize aspects of yourself that need improvement, and the initiative to make yourself better.

This question is seeking to clarify why the individual is applying for a position within the department and if the individual has realistic expectations regarding a law enforcement career. As they listen to the candidate's response, the assessors will be seeking to identify those persons who may be thrill seekers or have ulterior motives.

When responding, broad, idealistic statements such as "I want to make a difference" or "Giving back to the community" should be avoided. Rather, this question should elicit a personalized statement that represents their motivation for applying with the department. For example, some candidates may seek a job that allows them to work outside and to be involved in different activities everyday.

In other instances, the officer may have experienced a negative event such as a family member who died as a result of domestic violence or close friends who destroyed their lives with drugs. When responding, the individual should describe his/her motivation to be an officer and how working in the agency will help satisfy this need.

I've learned a lot from my current role, but now I'm looking for a new challenge, to broaden my horizons and to gain new skill-sets - all of which I see potential for in this department.

This introductory statement serves as a smooth transition into more focused inquiries and provides the candidate with an opportunity to provide the interview board with information that will set them apart. Too often candidates begin their response with a long recitation of their name, age, and other mundane information the assessors already know.

The best response begins with an appreciation for being allowed to participate in the interview followed by a short description of work and volunteer experience and advanced education completed. The goal is to grab the raters' attention by demonstrating how the individual will make an exceptional officer who adds value to the organization.

Sometimes it is hard to come up with a response to this request, particularly if you are coming straight from college and do not have professional experience. Interviewers want to see that you can think critically and develop solutions, regardless of what kind of issue you faced. Even if your problem was not having enough time to study, describe the steps you took to prioritize your schedule. This will demonstrate that you are responsible and can think through situations on your own.

This is not the time to ask about salaries and benefits. The candidate should have determined this type of information from other sources such as the department's website, speaking with the recruiter or staff in human resources. Rather, the individual should use this as an opportunity to give a 30- to 45-second summary of his/her strong attributes and how he/she will be a valued contributor to the department. Thank the assessors for taking the time to meet with him/her and a willingness to meet at anytime to continue in the selection process.

I have always appreciated and admired those who put their lives on the line to protect our comminutues. My interest really piqued in law enforcement after I witnessed a domestic dispute and watched the responding officers diffuse the situation. I heard the calling as I saw the officers control the situation and remove one of the parties from harm's way. It was then I knew that this is what I was meant to do.

I'm a people person. I was always happiest - and most satisfied - when I was interacting with community residents, making sure I was able to meet their needs and giving them the best possible comfort in a tough situation. It was my favorite part of the job, and it showed. Part of the reason I'm interested in this job is that I know I'd have even more interaction with the public, on an even more critical level.

The secret to this question is being specific and selecting an accomplishment that relates to the position. Even if your greatest accomplishment is being on a championship high school basketball team, opt for a more professionally relevant accomplishment. Think of the qualities the company is looking for and develop an example that demonstrates how you can meet the company's needs.

Despite the perception portrayed in the media, law enforcement is not about the lone hero. Rather, officers are required to coordinate their activities throughout the shift as they respond to and investigate activities. During this time, they not only work with a partner, but other officers on their own shift. In addition, they are frequently required to interact with officers in other divisions as a well as other criminal justice agencies, local, state and federal organizations, and private companies.

The successful candidate should be able to describe not only how they worked well with others to successfully accomplish a goal, but also how they played an active part in the process.

There was nothing about my last job that I hated, but I guess there were some things I liked less than others. My previous role involved traveling at least twice a month. While I do love to travel, twice a month was a little exhausting - I didn't like spending quite so much time out of the department. I'm happy to see that this role involves a lot less travel.

My friends would probably say that I'm extremely persistent - I've never been afraid to keep going back until I get what I want. In college I worked as a program developer, recruiting keynote speakers for major conferences. I usually got one rejection after another - this was just the nature of the job. But I really wanted the big players - so I wouldn't take no for an answer. I kept going back to them every time there was a new company on board, or some new value proposition. Eventually, many of them actually said "yes" - the program turned out to be so great that we doubled our attendees from the year before. A lot of people might have given up after the first rejection, but it's just not in my nature. If I know something is possible, I have to keep trying until I get it.

My work style matching exactlty what cashier job requires by: being honest and ethical, maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations, being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations, accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high stress situations, being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.

Law enforcement agencies operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As a result, employees are required to work shifts and at unusual times. This question is designed to place the candidate on notice they will be expected to work during these times and achieve acknowledgment of this from the candidate. If a candidate is not willing to work these times, law enforcement is not a good career choice.

When I was in college, I took an art class to supplement my curriculum. I didn't take it very seriously, and assumed that, compared to my Engineering classes, it would be a walk in the park. My failing grades at midterm showed me otherwise. I'd even jeopardized my scholarship status. I knew I had to get my act together. I spent the rest of the semester making up for it, ended up getting a decent grade in the class. I learned that no matter what I'm doing, I should strive to do it to the best of my ability. Otherwise, it's not worth doing at all.

Here's where something more than the vague "it's the best department" is appropriate. You need to be more specific. First hand knowledge of the agency that you have gained from doing ride-alongs or talking to the officers is crucial to helping you to come up with an answer that is truthful and works.

For example, maybe, after riding with a variety of agencies in your area, you were particularly impressed at how officers on a particular shift handled people at calls for police service with dignity and respect which reflects how you want to practice the art of policing. Or perhaps you found that the agency is heavy into DUI and traffic enforcement, which has meaning for you since a relative died from a drunk driver crash.

I have the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem, communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand, combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events), listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences, apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.

This is a behaviorally based question that is founded upon the premise that past behavior is the best predictor of future performance. These types of questions focus on competencies that are critical for performing as an officer such as conflict resolution, problem solving, teamwork, and integrity.

When responding to a behavioral question, the candidate should provide a three-part response that includes a description of the situation, the action the candidate took in response to the situation, and the results of their action.

For example, in response to this question, a candidate may describe how he/she was working at a fast-food establishment. A customer came in who was very angry and confronted him/her about ketchup being on his hamburger when he specifically asked for 'no ketchup.' The angry customer went on to make a number of unflattering comments about the quality of service he had received and the inadequacies of the staff. As customer voiced his complaint, he became very loud and was starting to disturb the other customers.

The candidate respectfully responded, "Yes, Sir. I remember you placing your order and the request. I am sorry for the mix-up. Either the cooks did not see the request or I picked up the wrong items. Regardless, I am very sorry. I will fix the mistake and include a couple of desert pies for the inconvenience." Before he left, the customer apologized for being rude and thanked the candidate for his/her efforts to resolve the issue.

There are an unlimited number of responses to this question. But in this example, the candidate spoke of a situation when a person who was angry and acting very hostile. He/she initiated action to address the problem and resolve the conflict. In the end, the result was a happy customer.

Talking to others to convey information effectively, Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times, Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems, Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do, Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.