Police Panel Interview Questions and Answers - Practice Questions and Answers For the Oral Exam

The police panel interview is a tough interview session which includes some really tough questions. In order to get into the department that you want to be in, you must do well on your interview. To help you prepare for the oral interview, I have a couple of sample questions for you.

Question #1: You are on traffic duty and are sitting on a median with your radar gun. A car goes by and they are traveling 25 miles over the speed limit. You turn on your lights and pull the car over, initiating a traffic stop. As you approach the car, you realize that the driver is your girlfriend. What do you do?
Well, the answer to this question is tough, and one that you will most likely hear during the oral exam. The panel wants the truth, but how to put the truth is the key. The best way to answer this question is by saying that you would not give her a ticket, but would let her off with a warning and explain to her that she has put you in a very awkward situation and tell her that you hope she will not do it again. Your honesty will go a long way, because most officers would do the same thing.
Question #2: While still in your training phase, you hear your training officer call someone a racial slur while on duty. What would you do?

This is a tough one, as your training officer is who you report to. The correct way to answer this one is to tell the panel that you would discuss this with your training officer in private and make sure that what you heard was correct. If it was correct, then you would go to his supervisor and report him.
As you can see, both of these questions are tough, but with the right answers, you will be able to ace the oral part of your exam, while never having to actually deal with either of these issues during your tenure as a cop.

Article source: ezinearticles.com

Behavioral Interviewing - Are You Asking the Right Questions?

If you go online to find behavior interview questions, STOP! The questions are all good, but do they relate to the position you're trying to fill?
Stock behavior interview questions probably won't get the answers you need to get the right person for a particular job. You need customized questions that relate to that specific job.

JOB REQUIREMENTS
First, you need to know exactly what the job requires for superior performance in three areas:
1. You need to know the job's task distribution. Does it require project tasks, routine tasks, or troubleshooting tasks - and in what percentages of each?
2. You need to know how the job needs to be done - what behaviors does it require for superior performance?
3. And you need to know what motivators the job rewards. For example, if the job rewards service to others, then you need someone who is passionate about helping people to fill the position. That person will be intrinsically motivated to be a superior performer in this job.

CANDIDATE QUALITIES
Next, you need to know which types of tasks the applicant prefers doing on a daily basis.
Then you need to know what behaviors the candidate brings to the position.
And you need to know what motivates the applicant to do the job the way it needs to be done for superior performance.

JOB FIT
How can you discover all this beyond a shadow of a doubt? There's only one way I know of to be sure you're getting the right person for the job and that is with behavioral interviewing and job benchmarking.
First, you benchmark the job using a team of your best current employees and their manager to determine the ideal job requirements. They do this using a job benchmark assessment that gives you the ideal task quotient, behaviors, and motivators the job demands.
Before conducting the behavioral interview, you assess your candidates in the same three areas. Then you compare their assessments to the job benchmark. Those who most closely match the benchmark are the ones you want to hire. They will be the right people for the job.

BEHAVIOR INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
You want to use a job benchmark assessment that gives you a number of specific questions to ask based on the job's requirements.
For example, let's say you're filling a customer service position. The job benchmark shows it requires a task quotient of 62% troubleshooting. One behavior interview question the job fit assessment suggests is, "Tell me about a time when you had to solve problems that occurred unexpectedly."
The primary behaviors the job demands are frequent interaction with others and customer orientation. Two suggested questions are, "How do you handle frequent interruptions by other people? How about your response to people who ask you question after question?"
The primary motivator/value the job rewards is Theoretical (a passion for knowledge). A suggested behavior interview question is, "Which is more important, action or knowledge, and why?" (The best candidates will say "knowledge.")
All of these questions are based on the job's requirements established by the benchmark. In each behavioral interview you ask the same questions in the same order to get comparable feedback from each candidate and to comply with EEOC regulations.

SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Job benchmarking and behavioral interviewing can cut in half the time you spend recruiting employees. And this process guarantees you'll hire top talent. You'll also save money by retaining them. An added bonus is that with an employee assessment, you'll know if the answers you're getting are truthful.
Imagine, in one hand you have a report that accurately identifies the job's requirements for superior performance. In the other hand you have a report detailing the candidates' qualifications. In front of you, you have a report that compares the candidates and shows you which one best matches your ideal job benchmark. That's the one you should hire.
According to Quintessential Careers, behavioral interviewing is said to be 55% predictive of future on-the-job behavior, while traditional interviewing is 10% predictive. But to get the best results, behavioral interviewing must be done right.
Conducting a behavioral based interview using job benchmarking and employee assessments will get you the best results possible - and the best people.

Article Source: ezinearticles.com

What Is Your Body Language Saying in the Interview?

Once when I was working for Johnson & Johnson, I was invited to sit in on a test marketing study where we asked average consumers about a new product we were launching. I actually sat behind a two-way mirror for hours watching people answer questions. It was kind of like an episode of Law and Order but without the crime.....

Anyways, before the study got started, a psychologist met with those of us who observed the consumers and gave us a crash course in body language, or non-verbal cues. We were to use these cues as a way to either reinforce what the consumer was saying or to reveal their true feelings. I was fascinated! I did not know that someone could say so much about what they were thinking without using any words. Over the years, I have done a lot of research on the subject and when I was a hiring manager, I loved to read the candidates' non-verbal cues that would often reveal so much more than they were saying. I now use this information to help my candidates be more successful in the interviewing process by teaching them how to project positive body language and even how to read the body language of the interviewer. You can literally tell what the hiring manager thinks of you if you know how to read not only what they are saying, but how they are saying it.

OK, let me just say upfront that I am not a trained psychologist. But I have seen a lot of job seekers spend so much time concentrating on what they are going to say in the interview that they completely overlook the power of their non-verbal communication, or body language. Experts estimate that up to 93% of face-to-face communication is nonverbal. To be an effective interviewer, you must learn to communicate both verbally and non-verbally. Especially if you do not have all of the qualifications of your competition, you can still perform better in the interview by learning and using the body language techniques that I teach my candidates all the time.

I know you have a lot to think about in the interview and you might be thinking that you do not need to add "body language" to the list of things you are worrying about. But I have found it very interesting in my years of experience how powerful body language can be in the interview process. So in an interview, your words can actually be overwhelmed by the message you are sending non-verbally. Some job seekers never give it any thought. They assume that if they say the right things at the right time, they will get the job. But I have seen too many times that the "right" candidate does not get the job because the body language signals they are sending to the hiring manager are not good. Also, I have been able to teach my candidates some basic body language strategies so that they can read what they are being told non-verbally by the hiring manager. Let me give you the most obvious, but often overlooked, example - the handshake.

You have finally landed that interview and you eagerly approach the hiring manager with an outstretched hand. Did you know that how your handshake is perceived says a lot about you? Once you give a poor handshake, it can be very difficult to recover and build rapport with the hiring manager. For example, a limp or weak handshake (also known as the "dead fish") gives the impression that you are either disinterested or weak. If you just give the tips of your fingers in a handshake, it can be perceived as a lack of ability to engage. And the overly enthusiastic, big "arm pump" handshake presents you as someone who is insincere or overly aggressive. Clearly, none of these characteristics are what a hiring manager would want in a sales rep calling on doctors. When you approach the manager, confidently, but not too firmly, grasp your interviewer's hand and make eye contact while saying hello. Even if you think you do not have a problem in this area, ask for honest critiques from friends who aren't afraid to tell you the truth. This is an easy one to fix, but can be the most damaging if you are unaware of the effects.

Bottom line, non-verbal communication is critical on both sides of the interviewing table. You must know how to project a positive, friendly, and confident image using body language. I teach my candidates everything from how to have to good eye contact to what it means if you rub your nose! You must also know how to read the non-verbal cues from the hiring manager that will tell you whether you are on track or if you need to change your tactics. For example, our bodies give off body language signals even before we realize what we are thinking. If a hiring manager gives you a negative non-verbal cue, you can respond quickly and get them thinking positively about you, often even before they realize that they had a concern! You must know what the negative non-verbal cues are so that you can respond and get back on track immediately and keep the hiring manager excited about you. I teach all of this information and the latest training techniques in my job search tool kit "Ultimate System for Landing Your Dream Job in Pharmaceutical or Medical Sales" where I will also show you what the big pharmaceutical companies are now teaching their hiring managers about what to look for in you regarding your body language. Most job seekers out there have no idea about this information, much less how to use it to their advantage. Just another way I will teach you to set yourself apart from everyone else and land the job!
Dedicated to your future success,

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Ace a Telephone Screening Interview in 7 Easy Steps

Job postings on major internet job boards tend to generate a large volume of resumes. If your resume stands out well enough to make it through the preliminary sorting you'll receive a phone call.

The purpose of this call is to determine whether you meet the minimum position requirements. The caller is looking for specific job related information and is also making judgments about job related personal characteristics.

1. Gather your reference materials together and keep them close. These materials include a copy of your resume, a copy of each job posting or ad to which you've applied and your research notes about the company. Since it's a phone call you can easily refer to these things without the caller being aware of what you're doing.
2. Be prepared to discuss your qualifications. Why you're currently looking for work; what skills you have that meet the position requirements; and whether your pay requirements fall within the hiring range are all areas that will be explored. There may also be questions relating to your job stability or why you changed from job to job.
3. Control the setting. The call will generally be made during business hours and may take you by surprise. If that happens ask the caller to hold for a moment while you move to a quite location. Or ask if you may call the person 'right back'. It is also acceptable to let the call go to voice mail. (Make sure your outgoing voice mail message is brief and business like.)If at all possible take or make the call in a quiet room, alone. If you're at work or out and about your car is the second best choice. Minimize background noises and distractions. (Whatever you do don't take the call in a public restroom; you don't want flushing noises in the background!)
4. Write down the caller's name and use it. Use Mr. or Ms. Don't use the caller's fist name unless invited to do so.
5. Know what the caller's role is within the hiring process. You need to know who you're dealing with. If you can't tell by the caller's title ask if she's "the hiring manager". If she isn't she'll be flattered and if she is...good!Remember: If the caller's role is to screen candidates she can only pass you through or eliminate you from consideration. She can't hire you.
6. Be articulate. Practice talking about yourself and your accomplishments so you can do so fluidly. Use correct grammar and pronounce words correctly. Avoid slang.
7. Relate well to the caller. Be confident, relaxed and easy to talk with while remaining business like. Listen well. Smile when you talk. Don't talk too fast. When you want to emphasize a point don't raise your voice. Stand up instead. This will give your voice more energy.

One of two things will happen at the end of a screening interview call. An appointment to interview will be set. Or the caller will thank you for your time and say someone will be in touch. Obviously setting a time for the interview then and there is preferable.

Set the interview appointment and get the details. Make note of the date and time; the name, title and phone number of the person with whom you'll be meeting; the address or location; and if offered, directions to get there. (If directions aren't offered don't ask. Be resourceful and look them up.)

If however, an appointment is not made immediately all is not lost. In some situations the screener will forward her short list to the hiring manager and the appointments will be set from there. If this happens ask how soon you should expect to hear something.

In either case stay pleasant through the end of the call. Thank the caller for her time and consideration. End by stating that you'll look forward to your meeting or to hearing from them.

Shirley Ray has interviewed thousands of job hopefuls during her 17 years as a hiring professional. Starting as a corporate recruiter, then moving into professional recruiting and finally staffing agency ownership she has successfully placed hundreds of deserving candidates with top companies.

Article Source: ezinearticles.com

Interview Body Language Tips and Techniques For Interview Success

These interview body language tips have been created specifically to help you clinch the interview and go on to win more job offers. When you go to an interview, much more is going on than the interviewer asking questions and you answering them. The interviewer is looking and listening to try and work out if you are someone who will become a worthwhile addition to the organization - you should also be looking and listening to work out if the organization is right for you. The interviewer will do her best to put you at your ease so that you feel relaxed and therefore give of your best, they have certain techniques that they use to do this, so you need to have a few interview techniques up your sleeve too.

In this interview body language tips article, I'm going to talk about rapport; the crucial effect of eye contact, and the importance of the handshake. I also want to look at how you sit or stand and why you should forget about trying to look 'cool' because it can work against you.

Naturally, before going to an interview you should have some questions and answers already worked out, but don't worry if you don't get them all right, because the WAY you answer the questions carries a lot of weight with the interviewer.

Rapport
As you know, rapport is just a feeling that you get when you are comfortable or at ease in the company of another person. The interviewer wants you to feel at ease - see above - and if you can give the impression that you are relaxed, the interviewer will feel that she is doing her job well and relax too. This takes a lot of tension out of the interview.
So how can you give the impression of being relaxed? This is where my interview body language tips come in.

Eye Contact
Looking someone in the eye on greeting them for the first time is a great way to start building rapport. Avoiding the other person's eyes sends out the wrong signals and can give the impression of 'shiftiness', dishonesty, having something to hide or lacking in confidence, so look the interviewer in the eye when you meet and throughout the interview. Never hold the eye contact for more than a few seconds as that seems a little hostile, but keep coming back and remaking the eye contact. At the end of the interview when saying goodbye, hold the contact for just a little longer and make sure you smile.

The Handshake
Always allow the interviewer to initiate the handshake, and respond by matching the interviewer in firmness, but do not give a firmer handshake than them. Make sure your palms are sweat-free, if necessary by drying them on your coat with a quick wipe, smile at the interviewer while shaking hands and look them in the eyes. It should last between two to five seconds. Since the visual sense is dominant for most people, eye contact is an especially important type of nonverbal communication. When departing the interview, the handshake may last longer and if you smile and lean forward as you shake hands the impression is longer lasting.

How You Sit Or Stand
The impression formed about you is largely dictated by how you act and by how you appear to be. The way you sit or stand is a very large part of that so you want to look relaxed and confident, but not cocky. Going back to rapport, it feels most comfortable when you are with someone who acts and sounds similar to yourself. Now, going back to rapport and my interview body language tips, if you sit or stand in a similar way to the interviewer, angle your body, cross your legs at the same time or lean forward when they do, they will feel the rapport between you. These simple techniques can change the whole interview as long as you are not too obvious about it. It's sometimes called 'mirroring' by the body language experts and is something you can try out easily.

Looking 'Cool'
If you're so conscious of looking 'cool' even in an interview, you run the risk of turning off the very person who can make the decision to hire you if their opinion of 'cool' is different from yours. Forget it for now and concentrate on being the person they want to hire; you can go back to being cool once you have been offered the job.

My interview body language tips should help to to understand what's going on outside the questions and answers and by applying some of the techniques I've given you, should make a big difference to your success rate. Of course, you also need a great CV and cover letter to get a chance of being called for an interview and if you're going to write your own CV, please take some time to understand why they are written in a certain way; my experience comes from years of recruiting people both as a Recruitment Consultant and as an employer, so I have seen and written thousands of CVs and know what is needed.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Second Interview Questions: 3 Ways to Prepare for Your Second Interview

Second interview questions are questions you'll be confronted with during the second step in the hiring process. Of course, the first step is to create a good enough impression in your first job interview to be invited back for a second interview. The types of questions you'll likely be asked in your second interview will have a different focus and you'll need a new strategy for preparation.

Whereas your first job interview may have been conducted by somebody from Human Resources in a large company, your second interview questions will likely be conducted by somebody from the Department to which your job applies. And in much smaller companies, the interview will probably be conducted by the Owner/Manager.
In any case, you should plan to be interviewed by a different person than before and expect the second interview questions to be tailored quite a bit more to your specific skills and the requirements of the position for which you are applying.

Preparing for Your Second Interview Questions

So, how do you prepare? Well first and foremost, keep this in mind: You made it to the second interview. That definitely puts you on the inside track for landing the job! And that means you must have made some very good impressions on the first interviewer. Follow these tips and you will be prepared:
1. Recall and relive every moment you can of the first interview. How did you dress? How did you sit? What did you do when they were talking? What did you do when you were talking? Were you rigidly professional and business-like, more laid-back and friendly or a combination of both? Do you remember smiling? Do you remember nodding at all? Did you ask questions of them?
This point cannot be over-emphasized. Dig in and relive the first interview as best you can, while making notes of what you consider may have made the difference. Then, plan to repeat them in the second interview because what worked before will probably work again. People like to associate with others of similar values and personality types. The job environment is not any different.
Most of the time, job applicants who have been called in for a first interview will possess similar levels of technical skills. Therefore, your personality, values, and the way you conduct yourself can make the difference. For you to be called in for a second interview is an indication that certain qualities and actions you expressed in the first interview, may have made the difference.
You should devote sufficient time to this step and take notes as best as you can while you relive your first interview.

2. You will have submitted your resume prior to the first interview. If the interviewer didn't think you were qualified, you never would have been called in for the first interview. So, the first interview was more about evaluating you and not your qualifying skills regardless of the way it may have seemed. The second interview questions will therefore be more specific and be centered around your skills as they would apply to the position for which you have applied.
The best way to prepare is to again recall what took place in the first interview. The interviewer will have at some point described the nature of their business, the needs of their business and in particular, why they need to fill the position. Recall what they said and make note of it.

Now, rehearse how you would tailor your skills to fulfilling the needs of the company based on your notes. Make up second interview questions you might be asked, such as points about your experiences and abilities. Then, figure out how you would answer them.

3. You may be asked "Test" questions designed to explore your ability to solve a particular type of problem. Don't worry about them. Chances are, there is more than one correct answer. What the interviewer is primarily looking for is whether or not you can think and evaluate situations.
So, don't panic. Just be yourself and answer these types of questions based upon your experiences. Do not answer them according to what you think they want to hear. You do have skills and experiences so be confident of them.

Remember: The interviewer has probably heard so many possible answers to their second interview questions after interviewing so many applicants, that their "head may be spinning". Therefore, your best bet is to always be yourself, base your answers strictly upon your personal experiences and ask questions. Asking relevant questions always demonstrates strong interest.

Article source: articlebase.com
 

Six Proven Interview Strategies That Will Get You Hired

In an optimistic economy, an average technology professional generates about one to ten interviews for every hundred applications. While a candidate's background, industry, and geographic location influence this number, on average the response rate for technology resumes tends to be less than ten percent.
As of July 2010, unemployment rates touched nearly 9.5% and the number of unemployed individuals now peaks at 14.6 million. What's worse? The average workweek is approximately 34.1 hours, leaving many candidates the option to pursue a second job. With so many qualified professionals looking for work, the competition is undeniably intense and response rates could fall even further down the curve. In such an environment, every interview is a priceless opportunity that cannot be compromised.
Consider the following tips to ace your interview:
Focus on accomplishments
Behavioral interview strategies leverage past performance to predict a candidate's future potential and the selection process is as challenging for employers, as it is for potential hires. Acing behavioral interviews is not as hard as it appears. Showcasing past accomplishments is a powerful antidote to challenging behavioral interview questions and the strategy can catapult even an ordinary candidate to the "most promising" shortlist.
During interview coaching sessions, I often find that technology professionals deliver modest responses to important questions. Modesty is an admirable quality but a competitive process such as an interview is certainly not the place to exercise this value.
When asked about leadership skills, for example, a chief information officer (CIO) may deliver the following response:
Weak Strategy: "I am an excellent leader with over ten years' experience."
Better: "As CIO for XYZ, Inc., a Fortune 100 company, I had the ability to demonstrate a solid synergy of technical and leadership skills. Under my leadership, the IT organization at XYZ evolved from an isolated technology department to a cutting-edge, solutions-driven business partner supporting the company's business needs in 90 countries. I developed state-of-the-art IT strategies that eventually became a model for the rest of the industry to emulate and enabled XYZ to win twelve Best Practice awards. I also managed, developed, and groomed over 600 IT professionals worldwide."

Differentiate yourself from the competition
Until recently, branding was considered a marketing concept that was the exclusive domain of products and services. In recent years, though, the principles of branding have proliferated to the individual level and professionals and executives are now being considered brands in their own right. Most technology professionals would go the extra mile to showcase their technical proficiencies, but if everyone is technically proficient, who should be hired? The following illustrations describe how two technical support professionals would approach a similar question: "Tell me about your troubleshooting skills."
Weak strategy: "I offer very strong troubleshooting skills and am able to quickly and effectively resolve complex technical problems."
Better: "My seniors have often recommended me as an ace troubleshooter who went the extra mile to maximize customer satisfaction. In addition to resolving over 90% of tickets within the first call, I was often complimented about my people skills. Within a short duration of four months at ABC Corp., many callers started asking for me by name."

Highlight benefits for the employer
Allowing the employer to draw conclusions about your candidacy can prove to be a self-defeating exercise. Do the work for them. Instead of just addressing questions, respond in a manner that helps the employer understand how you will benefit the organization.
Weak Example: "I am an experienced network administration."
Better: "My ten years' networking experience with nationally-reputed franchise operations have honed and developed my networking skills to such an extent that I can single-handedly manage and administer large networks with hundreds of users. As a result of my efficiency and productivity, my past employer was able to reduce overtime manpower needs and save at least $40,000 every year. My networking skills have benefited my past employers, and I am confident I can save costs for your company as well."

Research, research, research
Preparation is absolutely the key when it comes to interview success. Dig into as many resources as you possibly can to learn everything about your employer and her needs. This knowledge can be very empowering as you can raise valid issues that may be very specific to the company you are interviewing with.

Position yourself as the "best solution" for the position
Demonstrate how you are the perfect solution for the employer's needs. Develop a compelling value proposition that showcases you as the best person for the company's needs. Kim leveraged this strategy to her advantage.
Kim was interviewing for an E-commerce position. During her research she had uncovered some pressing technology needs that her new employer needed to address immediately. She formulated a possible response and outlined some strategies she could use to resolve the crisis. She was able to create a very promising solution that would benefit the company tremendously. Needless to say, she was offered a position at the first interview.

Develop written scripts for key interview questions
Prepare responses and scripts for common interview questions. It may not be such a good idea to memorize the answers, but a little preparation can certainly go a long way.

Article Source: EzineArticles.com