April of 2008 - Interview

I receieved a letter stating that I had passed the written test and that I would be contacted to set up an interview!

This was great news to me because again, I wanted to work for this department.

I set up my interview with one of the Human Resources ladies and spent the week preceeding it studying up and sharpening my interviewing skills.

Upon the day of my interview, I was called early in the morning while I was still sleeping. The HR lady asked me if I could be there about 5 hours earlier than I was originally scheduled because they had had a cancellation. Of course, I didn't refuse. I accepted the interview slot and got up and got ready in a storm of haste.

When I arrived, the staff was very happy that I had come in early. I didn't have to wait long until I was shown into a room with about five people in it. Keep in mind, this was a board interview. Two individuals from the city commission (I believe) were there, one patrol officer, and two sergeants (one of whom was a detective).

Once my nerves calmed down a bit, it was fairly relaxed. They asked me all kinds of questions, but because I had studied and freshened up my interview skills, none of these came as a surprise to me. Everyone was very friendly and seemed happy to be there interviewing candidates. This was very important to me as I have been to other interviews where the interviewers act as if I am a pain in their rear.... like they would rather be doing something else. This has been the cause for my leaving the hiring process more than once.

The way I look at interviews is that I am not the only one being interviewed. The agency for which I'm applying to is being interviewed by me. This agency passed all of MY tests with flying colors.

At the end of the interview, they took my picture because they said they had so many interviews that day, that they were afraid of confusing candidates.

I went home that day feeling very good about the interview... and the possibility of working for their department.

I waited yet again...