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Police Oral Board Interview - From Stress To Success

SUCCESSFUL SPEAKING TIPS

Do:

Listen Carefully.

Let the interviewer finish their question.

Look at the person speaking to you, show active listening with affirming nods.

Take time to think before answering.

Give an answer that reflects the interviewers line of thought.

Speak slowly and clearly pronounce your words.

Don’t:

Let your mind wander, forcing you to ask for the question to be repeated.

Interrupt the interviewer.

Answer before giving yourself time to think.

Use poor grammar, slang, or jargon.

Speak too rapidly or too slowly.

Give unrelated or off subject ideas or opinions.

WHAT TO WEAR

Wearing proper interview attire goes a long way towards creating a positive image. Ideally, your qualifications and character should be the ultimate criteria for judging you as a police officer candidate, but in reality, surface impressions play a significant role.

Putting your best-dressed foot forward is fairly simple and straightforward and can be applied to male or female candidates:

Wear conservative colors-dark blues and browns,and grey.

Wear clean, pressed clothing that fits well.

Wear your hair neatly groomed.

Wear minimal jewelry.

Wear mild cologne or perfume, lightly applied – better yet wear none at all.

Wear black or brown leather shoes in a simple style, clean and polished.

Wear makeup appropriate to daytime business.

WHAT YOUR BODY SAYS

Two-thirds of what we communicate to others is through nonverbal ‘body language’. Skilled interviewers are trained in interpreting nonverbal communication and consider your body language to be the truest indicator of your character. Learning what nonverbal signals you are sending to others and controlling those signals will help you make the most positive impression possible with your interviewers.

Friends and family are excellent resources for learning your particular, nonverbal communications in certain situations. They can help you see the image your body language presents, especially in stressful situations.

Some nonverbal communication tips you may find useful are:

Do:

Show you are alert, interested, and energetic by maintaining good posture.

Show honesty, confidence, and interest by maintaining consistent eye contact.

Show active listening with appropriate gestures-like a nod of understanding.

Show openness by smiling, keeping arms at your sides, hands relaxed in your lap

Don’t:

Appear casual by slouching in your seat, crossing your legs, or sitting at an angle to the interviewers.

Appear fearful by sitting rigidly or at the edge of your seat.

Appear aggressive or confrontational by leaning too far forward.

Appear nervous by tapping your feet or talking ‘with your hands’.

Appear dishonest or lacking confidence by looking down or away from the interviewers.

Appear to lack the ability to focus by staring at the interviewers. Staring is considered rude and antagonistic.

RECOVERING FROM A POOR FIRST IMPRESSION

A poor first impression can be derived from a number of things, from an ill-timed laugh to tripping into the room. Whether the damaging event was avoidable or not is not important in this situation. The only important thing is taking action to recover control of the interview and yourself.

How does this happen? What can be done to get your interview back on track?

Recovery is simple.

Do not panic.

Maintain your composure.

Take a deep breath and smile.

Make steady, friendly eye contact with the interviewers.

Offer a brief, sincere recovery statement that establishes your commitment to becoming a police officer.

Shake off your jitters and hold your course for a strong finish.

The bottom line in facing your police oral board interview comes down to your ability to present yourself in the most easily assimilated, universally accepted, integrity-driven manner. You should appear professional, polished, poised, and comprehensively able. Your interviewers should be able to visualize you in their department’s uniform, enforcing the law in their community, and supporting their department regulations with every action you take and decision you make.

Other Resources From The Oral Board Mega-Guide:

• 10 Tips for Mastering the Police Oral Board
• The Police Oral Board Secret Weapon
• Answering Common Oral Hiring Board Questions
• So You Wanna Be A Cop?

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