Who Created Your Questions?
Not all oral board questions are created equal. In fact, knowing who created yours may be one of the most important pieces of research you do before your test date.
Large agencies often use professional test preparation services that develop legally defensible questions with structured scoring systems known as anchor points. Every response is measured against a predetermined list of expected answers. Miss enough of them and the score reflects it regardless of how well you spoke.
Smaller agencies typically have in-house personnel develop the questions, which tend to be more open ended with more subjective scoring criteria. There is more room for personal insight, leadership perspective, and storytelling.
These are fundamentally different tests requiring fundamentally different preparation strategies.
When I begin working with a client the first thing I research is how their agency develops and scores oral board questions. It shapes everything that follows. A candidate preparing for an anchor point system needs to approach each question like a checklist. A candidate testing at a smaller agency has more room to demonstrate who they are as a leader.
Know which one you are walking into.
This comes from my book, "The Strategic Promotional Guide for Law Enforcement." If this resonates, there is a lot more inside.
This piece first ran in The Edge, my newsletter for law enforcement professionals. Subscribers get it first.
It goes out every two weeks and covers promotion strategy, career performance, and leadership. New subscribers also receive The Oral Board Edge, my guide to winning your next promotional oral board.
