How to Prepare for an Oral Board Interview

How to Prepare for an Oral Board Interview How to Prepare for an Oral Board Interview The interview is an important component of your criminal justice  job search.  Depending on the specific job youre applying for, you may have a one-on-one with your potential supervisor, or you may face the dreaded oral board interview. Whatever the situation, learning to ace the oral interview will help you make that all-important first impression and put you on a path toward success in your criminology career. Follow these tips if you want to impress during your oral board interview. Do Some Reconnaissance Before your interview day, take the time to scope out the location. Get a feel for how long it will take you to get there and what the best route will be. Planning your route to the interview will help calm your nerves and make sure you get there on time. You wont impress anyone if you show up late for your interview. Remember, early is on time and on time is late. Anticipate Questions While preparing for your interview, try to anticipate the type of questions youll be asked. You wont know everything, but youll be surprised at just how much information you can get through a simple web search. Nearly every agency has a mission statement and core values, and they often post them somewhere on their website. These will help you get a feel for what the department feels is its most important function. You should also search for recent news stories about the agency to learn about the issues that the department is currently facing. Aside from web research, consider talking to people who already work for the department. Theres no harm in asking about the types of questions you can expect. The worst that can happen is that theyll say they dont know or cant tell you, but at least youve shown interest and initiative. Devise some practice questions, and rehearse your answers. Some questions youll almost certainly hear will be about that type of person you are, why you want the job, and what you think you can contribute to the department. You can also expect to get some scenario-based questions, where the interviewer or interview board will present a situation and ask you how youll handle it. Dont panic; the idea is not to test your knowledge but to get an overall snapshot of your problem solving and critical thinking skills. Practice Makes Perfect Get your family or friends to help you practice. Have them ask you the questions youve come up with. Ask them to give you feedback and evaluate your response. Youll also want to spend some time practicing in the mirror so you can see for yourself how your mannerisms and facial expressions look. If you feel silly looking at yourself in the mirror, try recording video of yourself so you can do an honest self-evaluation. Maintain Eye Contact and Eliminate Gestures During the oral board interview, be sure to maintain eye contact and pay attention to your hand gestures. If youre allowed to sit down at a desk or table, try to keep your hands folded on the table top and make small hand movements to accentuate points only when you feel its necessary. Watch Your Verbal Cues in the Interview Pay attention to your verbal cues, and eliminate as many ums, uhs, and ahs as you can. These distract the interviewer from the actual thought youre trying to convey. They give the appearance that you either dont know a lot about the subject matter or that youre making it up as you go along. Honesty Is  Always the Best Policy Above all else, the key to acing any oral board interview is, to be honest. If you always give honest answers to whatever question youre asked, your knowledge and passion will shine through, and youll never have to struggle to come up with a response. Also, dont forget that theres never anything wrong with saying I dont know. Interviewers can often see right through deception, and they always appreciate forthright honesty. The bottom line is, be yourself. Theres no need to be nervous in an oral board interview if you make it a point to put your best foot forward and have confidence in your abilities. If you believe in yourself and are well prepared, youll nail the interview. Even if you dont get the job, youll have gained valuable experience to help you find a great criminal justice job in the future.