Urbana Police

Department

Recruiting and Selection Process

The Process

1. Compete The Application

2. Video Exam

• You must present a photo ID to be admitted.

• The test will take approximately 3 hours to complete.

• Don’t be late!

3. Civil Service Register Established

4. Panel Interview

5. 2nd Interview (w/ Police Chief and Command Staff)

6. Conditional Offer

• Includes: Medical, Psychological, Physical Agility and

Background.

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Preference Points5 points for veterans

Be sure to answer “yes” to this question on the application and upload your DD-214 (or other documentation).

5 points for Urbana residents

Mark this on your application and upload your documentation

If you are an Urbana resident AND a veteran, you get 10 points added to your score!

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Preparing for Your Interview

Research the organization and job responsibilities

Review your resume

You developed marketable skills that apply to the

civilian workplace!

Think beyond the specific function you carried out and

identify the core values, skill or expertise you brought

to the table.

Think back on your previous positions and be prepared

to highlight your successes. Give the full picture of your

experience.

Source: Hire Our Heroes.org

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Preparing for Your Interview

Be sure to include the following types of skills:

Technical Skills

Interpersonal Skills: Interpersonal skills highly valued and should be detailed in your resume to reflect your ability to work with many different kinds of colleagues.

Working in the military requires working with a variety of personalities.

Service members must master the art of interaction to complete a task.

Leadership Skills: Any leadership experience or training that you’ve acquired (doesn’t have to be law enforcement related!).

Source: Hire Our Heroes.org

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Prepping for Your

Interview

Show your interest

Research the organization prior to the interview!

Be organized

If your information has changed since you

submitted your application, bring updated copies

of your resume.

Bring questions for the employer to be sure you've

gathered the information you need to make a

decision.

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

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Prepping for Your

Interview

Be honestBetter to acknowledge past mistakes now!

Practice, practice, practicePrepare a succinct, clear answer to each of the

questions in the interview questions section.

Practice answering questions with a friend, or in front of a mirror.

Avoid words such as “like”, “um” and “you know.”

Source: Washington State Employment Security Department

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What Do You Bring?

Leadership

Communication Skills

Adaptability

Trustworthy, responsible and, dependable.

Ability to handle stressful situations

Resourcefulness

Teamwork

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What the interview will look

like:

Interview panel (4-6 people).

Structured interview with set questions.

Some questions may contain multiple parts .

Be ready to relate your experiences and your transferable skills to the position and organization specifically .

The panel will take notes on your answers.

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During Your Interview

Listen to the question carefully.

Some questions have 2 parts.

Ask to repeat the question if you can’t

remember what the 2nd part was.

Be yourself! Speak clearly and

enthusiastically about your

experiences and skills.

Be professional, but don't be afraid to

let your personality shine through.

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Answering the Questions

You may want to use the STAR technique to answer the questions:

Situation

and/ or

Task

Describe a specific event or situation, not a general description of what you have done in the past. Be sure to give enough detail for the interview panel to understand.

Action

you took

Tell us about your role in the situation and what you did. Even if you are discussing a group project or effort, describe what you did -- not the efforts of the team.

Results

you

achieved

What happened? How did the event end? What did you accomplish? What did you learn? If faced with the same situation in the future, would you do anything differently?

Source: http://www.quintcareers.com/STAR_interviewing.html

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Tell Me About a Time

When…

We want to know what you actually did in

a situation, even if it was in a group or team

setting.

It’s okay to say “I” instead of “we”.

Not what you think you would do.

There are NO trick questions.

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“Tell us about a time when you had to interact with

someone who didn’t like you personally. How did you

handle this situation?”

Situation: In my last job, I was partnered with a person who

clearly didn’t like me from the first day. Our job was to keep

track of inventory and order supplies as needed.

Even though I had been doing this job for three years when he

started, he micromanaged me and questioned everything. I

started second-guessing myself and took more time to

repeatedly check each detail.

Task: I needed to build trust with this person to do my job

efficiently and accurately.

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“Tell us about a time when you had to interact

with someone who didn’t like you personally.

How did you handle this situation?

Action: After work one day, I invited him to go for pizza. I

told him that I was glad we were working together and I

appreciated how seriously he took his job. I then asked if he

felt comfortable with me, and if there was anything I could

do to be a better coworker.

Result: He told me that in his last job, his partner forgot to

order some critical parts and as a result, both were

disciplined. He admitted he knew he was micromanaging me

and apologized. After that, we developed a great working

relationship and are friends to this day.

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The Day of Your Interview

Where

Review the location of your interview. Know how to

find the Urbana City Building AND your designated

waiting area once you get here.

When

Pay special attention to the date and time of your

interview. If you are late, you will not be able to

reschedule.

Remember to turn your cell phone OFF!

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For More Information

Urbana Police Department Recruiting Information:

www.urbanaillinois.us/updjobs

How to talk about your transferable and soft skills:

http://jobs.utah.gov/jobseeker/smartstart/workplaceskills.pdf

Using the “STAR” technique for interviewing:

www.clacareer.umn.edu/interviews/behavior.html

Developing your interview skills (video):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKBubKO-798

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