15 Tricky Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

29 Comments

9. What is your greatest failure, and what did you learn from it?

Bad answer:
I never finished law school – and everything that has happened since then has taught me that giving up, just because the going gets tough, is a huge mistake."

You don’t want to actually highlight a major regret – especially one that exposes an overall dissatisfaction with your life. Instead, focus on a smaller, but significant, mishap, and how it has made you a better professional.

Good answer:
“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.”

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Anonymous

over 1 year ago

Because i can help people with there problems
ojidbs55

over 1 year ago

14 Comments

@Franlcastle I agree the question "Tell us about yourself" is probably the worst interview question there is, but the truth is it is not going away. That's why it is important to answer it correctly without sounding vague. I'd suggest looking over the top 100 most commonly asked police interview questions at http://policeoralboardinterviewsecrets.com
jatlanta06

about 2 years ago

2 Comments

I wanted to drive fast and shoot guns.
fireems31

over 2 years ago

274 Comments

This will be a great foundation for me since I am just starting out and need to brush up on my interview skills.
TRPD758

over 2 years ago

32 Comments

Very informative
mmmm

over 2 years ago

522 Comments

As I approach retirement from my current employer I have begun to seek my next employment. This article was helpful to remind me of some job interview tecniques that I have not used in some time.
clobster

over 2 years ago

1552 Comments

FrankCastle43, the example for the "tell us about yourself" questions is a bad one. Most departments ask for single greatest strength or multiple strengths as it is. And few people work with a department before making the move to a job as an officer.

However, it's not necessarily a bad question to ask. It gives the panel an idea of who you are. It's an opportunity to establish yourself as a hard working member of society looking to give back to their community, not some boob who sits on the couch and goes drinking with his friend's and works part-time at McDonalds.
ac314stl

over 2 years ago

52 Comments

Thanks! This is very helpful!
FrankCastle43

over 2 years ago

4 Comments

The question "Tell us about yourself", is the single worst interview question there is, yet this question continues to be used in not only law enforcement departments, but many other fields as well. Open ended, vague, and wide focused questions will produce the poorest of answers. I wish board panels would realize, that type of questioning fits in the be political world, not with potential police officers.
ddeangelo

over 2 years ago

176 Comments

I belive in all of my officers, so I think I can trust you gyes with that answer.
ddeangelo

over 2 years ago

176 Comments

You gyes, know about me, but I am educated in this field and I have a great appration for our officers, and their safty, as well as my own in mind every single day.
ddeangelo

over 2 years ago

176 Comments

I always, looked up to my father when he whent out their on duty, putting his life on the lines for our safty. I amire, and apprate all of you who do the same, each and everyday for our pertection and our safty in mind. Now I fill it's my obigatied to serve and pertect the ones who, like my father, and you who made me fill safe, knowing when i am hurt, your my friends, and you'll be their when I am sard or ingered.
ddeangelo

over 2 years ago

176 Comments

I want to help others, reallize that when you have been hurt by someones negient actions, you can and have the right to tell the police. I can relate to anyone who is hurt by someone bad choices, and when I arrest that indivigle, I will qustion them, and they will answer to what they did to the other person. You may had though you won, but really hurting someone else, and lying to me, wont fly, the law is law. Now your going to jail. What I want to tell the person who has been hurt by the crimimails actions, You did the one thing you can do: You servied, now you need to put this man behind bars, HOW OFFICER?: testify thats how young lady.The rest is my job, and I will, I promess to do my job. Your going to be alright, and heres my contact information incase you want to talk somemore.
blue2thebone

over 2 years ago

2 Comments

Thanks, the 15 questions will come in handy. I have an interview in aprox 2 weeks.