The oral interview will be conducted by an oral board consisting of department staff and community members, and will cover the following six categories:
- Experience – assesses your ability and experience in accepting responsibilities and performing assigned tasks as demonstrated through achievements in work, school and other activities.
- Problem Solving – assesses your reasoning skills in developing timely, logical responses to a wide variety of situations and problems.
- Communication Skills – assesses your oral communications skills, which includes speaking, listening and non-verbal communication.
- Interest/Motivation – addresses your interest in and preparedness for the peace officer job. It includes an assessment of your general level of interest, initiative and goal orientation.
- Interpersonal Skills – assesses many facets, such as social knowledge/appropriateness, social insight, empathy, social influence, social self-regulation, sociability, team orientation, social self-confidence, conflict management skills and negotiating skills.
- Community Involvement/Awareness – focuses specifically on your experiences and interest in community issues, as well as your interest in and ability to fill multiple roles and serve a diverse community.
These six categories are covered in the POST Interview Peace Officer Candidates: Hiring Interview Guidelines document. This document is designed to assist agencies in conducting the interview, but candidates may find some of the information useful.
The oral interview is a professional interview, which you should adequately prepare yourself for. Here are some basic steps in preparing for the interview:
- Do your research – learn about the department, the job, the community, current law enforcement issues within the community
- Dress appropriately – remember that this is a professional interview so wear business attire
- Be prepared – arrive about 30 minutes early; plan and/or drive your route ahead of time; allow for delays due to traffic, parking, etc.
- Remain calm – interviews are inherently stressful; however, if you have prepared yourself, you should be able to relax and enjoy the interview process
- Be gracious – at the end of the interview, take time to thank each interviewer and shake their hand
These basic steps are intended as a guide in preparing for the interview. It is in your best interest to conduct your own research to determine what would work best for you and the specific position you are seeking.
POST Peace Officer Selection Standards
www.post.ca.gov/peace-officer-selection-process.aspx
POST Public Safety Dispatcher Selection Standards
www.post.ca.gov/dispatchers.aspx
After reviewing this information, if you have any additional questions regarding Police Officer recruitment, testing, hiring or training, contact the Personnel and Training Division at jobs@ucpd.ucla.edu.