Written & Agility Tests + First interview and Fingerprinting on 21st--what to expect?

[norinco982lover]

Hey all,
I know you get a lot of these threads ...but I really don't know who else to ask

I applied online to our local county sheriff's office and received an email saying that the testing will be on the 21st of this month.

It says they are doing the written, agility, first interview, and fingerprinting all on that day...

I wasn't really prepared for it to come up this soon so what do I need to do to prepare?

What would I wear to a testing day like this? It's cold here!

Will I find out my results right away?

It's a very large department...will I even have a shot at getting in with no experience or degree? (almost done with associates).

I am 21 with an immaculate record.

Will I actually have an interview and get to complete all of the tests or do I just get failed if I don't pass one?

Thanks for any light you can shed on this...I am excited but really nervous. I have never done anything like this before.

~Norinco

[Wired]

Originally Posted by norinco982lover

Hey all,
I know you get a lot of these threads ...but I really don't know who else to ask

I applied online to our local county sheriff's office and received an email saying that the testing will be on the 21st of this month.

It says they are doing the written, agility, first interview, and fingerprinting all on that day...

I wasn't really prepared for it to come up this soon so what do I need to do to prepare?

What would I wear to a testing day like this? It's cold here!

Will I find out my results right away?

It's a very large department...will I even have a shot at getting in with no experience or degree? (almost done with associates).

I am 21 with an immaculate record.

Will I actually have an interview and get to complete all of the tests or do I just get failed if I don't pass one?

Thanks for any light you can shed on this...I am excited but really nervous. I have never done anything like this before.

~Norinco

I just did a similar test not long ago. I took the written exam in the morning. Since these were sent out-of-town to be scored, I didn't know right away if I passed or not. After lunch, we had the physical test and you did know right away if you passed or not, everyone did so that was not an issue. At the end of the physical they announced the time of your interview for the next day. The board then had you leave and made a decision right there if you would continue on or not. Unfortunately, I didn't pass. I hope this helps shed some light on your situation.

As for what to do. Start running or speed walking now. In the beginning I walk for 2 min, run for 1 min, walk for 2 min. After a couple days or when I don't feel so tire after the 1 min of running I'll extend it by 15 sec. Push yourself, but not too hard or you'll hurt yourself. Don't over do it as you can end up with shin splints that can take you out for a couple days or more, but just get some exercise done. Contact the recruiter, he can tell you what attire they're expecting that day and what the minimum requirements are for the physical portion. As for the interview, just be sure you look good, you're honest, and you look everyone in the eye. Good Luck!!

[norinco982lover]

Originally Posted by Wired

I just did a similar test not long ago. I took the written exam in the morning. Since these were sent out-of-town to be scored, I didn't know right away if I passed or not. After lunch, we had the physical test and you did know right away if you passed or not, everyone did so that was not an issue. At the end of the physical they announced the time of your interview for the next day. The board then had you leave and made a decision right there if you would continue on or not. Unfortunately, I didn't pass. I hope this helps shed some light on your situation.

As for what to do. Start running or speed walking now. In the beginning I walk for 2 min, run for 1 min, walk for 2 min. After a couple days or when I don't feel so tire after the 1 min of running I'll extend it by 15 sec. Push yourself, but not too hard or you'll hurt yourself. Don't over do it as you can end up with shin splints that can take you out for a couple days or more, but just get some exercise done. Contact the recruiter, he can tell you what attire they're expecting that day and what the minimum requirements are for the physical portion. As for the interview, just be sure you look good, you're honest, and you look everyone in the eye. Good Luck!!

How could the board make a decision on whether you passed if your test hadn't been scored and you hadn't done anything but complete the physical portion so far?

I think we are just doing the agility portion on that day...like vault a fence crawl thru a hole in a wall and run 200 yards in under 47 seconds...plus drag a body (mannequin) weighing 150lbs like so many yards in so many seconds.

Thank you for your reply.

~Norinco

[Wired]

Originally Posted by norinco982lover

How could the board make a decision on whether you passed if your test hadn't been scored and you hadn't done anything but complete the physical portion so far?

I think we are just doing the agility portion on that day...like vault a fence crawl thru a hole in a wall and run 200 yards in under 47 seconds...plus drag a body (mannequin) weighing 150lbs like so many yards in so many seconds.

Thank you for your reply.

~Norinco

They made their decision w/o knowing the results of the test. The interview had nothing to do with the written part really. If I had passed and I passed my test then they would have setup another appointment for the rest of testing. Since I didn't pass the oral, it was the express trip out the door, irregardless if I passed my written or not.

As for the agility, practice that. Do some light distance running with sprints in it. This helped me a lot over the other candidates, but some were from lower elevation and couldn't breathe. We had to jump a 6' fence, go through a window, run for so long and drag the mannequin like 50'. I fell twice w/ the mannequin, but it didn't hurt me. I was the first one to try and drag it backwards, don't do that. It's worse.

Find out what the written test consists of too. Min was some weird test that was a skills test as much as an aptitude test for them. There is no study guide for it.

[norinco982lover]

Originally Posted by Wired

They made their decision w/o knowing the results of the test. The interview had nothing to do with the written part really. If I had passed and I passed my test then they would have setup another appointment for the rest of testing. Since I didn't pass the oral, it was the express trip out the door, irregardless if I passed my written or not.

As for the agility, practice that. Do some light distance running with sprints in it. This helped me a lot over the other candidates, but some were from lower elevation and couldn't breathe. We had to jump a 6' fence, go through a window, run for so long and drag the mannequin like 50'. I fell twice w/ the mannequin, but it didn't hurt me. I was the first one to try and drag it backwards, don't do that. It's worse.

Find out what the written test consists of too. Min was some weird test that was a skills test as much as an aptitude test for them. There is no study guide for it.

Oh, ok--it was the interview board that failed you. I was confused

What did the interview consist of? This is probably the part that I am most worried about.

Are you giving up or just waiting til next year?

How did you go about dragging the mannequin? Grab an arm and run sideways?

[Wired]

Originally Posted by norinco982lover

Oh, ok--it was the interview board that failed you. I was confused

What did the interview consist of? This is probably the part that I am most worried about.

Are you giving up or just waiting til next year?

How did you go about dragging the mannequin? Grab an arm and run sideways?

Yeah, the interview got me.

It was my first LE interview, so I learned a lot from it, but I just didn't make the cut.

I was applying for Police Academy Recruit so they just basically wanted to know why I was interested in LE, how I got interested in LE and where I saw myself in 5 or 10 years. They seemed to ask similar questions over again, just worded different.

Like I said, this was my first interview so I learned a lot. A year or so ago I was looking at going on to the federal level after some time in patrol, but then I decided it probably wasn't worth it. From my research I would have to take a pay cut and move quite often. Those are a couple things that don't mash well with a family. I was honest with them, but maybe a little too honest and I told them too much about my past that made me appear indecisive or unsure about where to go in LE. After my interview the HR representative informed me it was this that got me. She suggested some community policing programs to maybe help me get my foot in the door.

I can understand their decision though. They were going to pay me $15/ hr to go to the academy, plus pay for the academy. They want to be sure they're going to get their money's worth out of someone.

I already have my AA in CJ, so I decided I'm going to finish my BA, then try again. I'll probably put myself through the academy as I absolutely hate job contracts w/ a passion. Then I'll try for some more departments. I was going to try the work full time and go to school part time scenario to finish my degree if I got the job, but I think things worked out like this for a reason. I'm just going to finish my degree and be done.

As for the mannequin, it was tough. Several people fell but it didn't affect your score. I guess the falling did, but you were not penalized for the fall itself. Like I said, I tried grabbing under both arms and carrying it backwards. This really hurt the back of my calves. A lot of people seemed to have luck grabbing under one arm and trying to pick most of it up off the ground.

[norinco982lover]

Originally Posted by Wired

Yeah, the interview got me.

It was my first LE interview, so I learned a lot from it, but I just didn't make the cut.

I was applying for Police Academy Recruit so they just basically wanted to know why I was interested in LE, how I got interested in LE and where I saw myself in 5 or 10 years. They seemed to ask similar questions over again, just worded different.

Like I said, this was my first interview so I learned a lot. A year or so ago I was looking at going on to the federal level after some time in patrol, but then I decided it probably wasn't worth it. From my research I would have to take a pay cut and move quite often. Those are a couple things that don't mash well with a family. I was honest with them, but maybe a little too honest and I told them too much about my past that made me appear indecisive or unsure about where to go in LE. After my interview the HR representative informed me it was this that got me. She suggested some community policing programs to maybe help me get my foot in the door.

I can understand their decision though. They were going to pay me $15/ hr to go to the academy, plus pay for the academy. They want to be sure they're going to get their money's worth out of someone.

I already have my AA in CJ, so I decided I'm going to finish my BA, then try again. I'll probably put myself through the academy as I absolutely hate job contracts w/ a passion. Then I'll try for some more departments. I was going to try the work full time and go to school part time scenario to finish my degree if I got the job, but I think things worked out like this for a reason. I'm just going to finish my degree and be done.

As for the mannequin, it was tough. Several people fell but it didn't affect your score. I guess the falling did, but you were not penalized for the fall itself. Like I said, I tried grabbing under both arms and carrying it backwards. This really hurt the back of my calves. A lot of people seemed to have luck grabbing under one arm and trying to pick most of it up off the ground.

Ok, so I need to be decisive about where I am going...and know what I am going to say if they ask about my future.

I'm not really interested in moving a lot and such (although we may) so I won't bring that up and I am also hoping to stay in as a local LEO for the future (although I may pursue federal in the future).

This job that I will be testing for is just the county deputy sheriff...although I do believe I will attend the academy alongside the PD recruits.

I have also applied for the PD although they won't have openings until march and I may need to get my GED (I was homeschooled and I heard they won't accept my diploma) before I can actually get in. I may also finish up my AA next semester to see if that might help me.

No worries.

Thank you very much for your replies. This has given me an idea what I am in for.

~Norinco

[Wired]

Originally Posted by norinco982lover

Ok, so I need to be decisive about where I am going...and know what I am going to say if they ask about my future.

I'm not really interested in moving a lot and such (although we may) so I won't bring that up and I am also hoping to stay in as a local LEO for the future (although I may pursue federal in the future).

This job that I will be testing for is just the county deputy sheriff...although I do believe I will attend the academy alongside the PD recruits.

I have also applied for the PD although they won't have openings until march and I may need to get my GED (I was homeschooled and I heard they won't accept my diploma) before I can actually get in. I may also finish up my AA next semester to see if that might help me.

No worries.

Thank you very much for your replies. This has given me an idea what I am in for.

~Norinco

Yes, be very confident in your answers. They asked me, "where do you see yourself in 5 or 10 years?" I said, "well that's recently changed. I did want to go federal, but now I'm not thinking that would be good for a family. In 5 or 10 years I would like to..." I should have left out the part in italic. Even though you may be considering other options for your future, interview as if you're going to make a career with that department.

Good luck!! A degree certainly would not hurt. I know a lot more departments are looking for an AA degree and even more are looking for a BA, in anything. Be sure to let us know how you do.

[silly34]

My interview is this Friday.. I'm nervous..

[norinco982lover]

Originally Posted by silly34

My interview is this Friday.. I'm nervous..

Hang in there!