Posted: 5/15/2007 7:22:00 AM EDT
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I have a interview with the Texas game Wardens this week and am working on my personal history statement. When is comes to why I left my last job, I need some help with what to put. The reason I left is the owner was a crook and had horrible business practices. He wanted me to do things that were very immoral. That being said how do I put that on paper and have it be PC. Also what can I do to help me move along the interviewing process? |
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Listing moral differences might work. Then again, the interviewer could turn it around and ask you what you did to rectify the situation. Owner was doing unethical/illegal crap and your answer to the situation was quitting? Or did you get a higher up/law enforcement involved? See how it's going now? Maybe going a neutral route, such as you want a challenging/different career path, love working outdoors, etc, etc. Just my $0.02. |
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Generally, it probably doesn't help to say bad things about one's previous employer. As far as the moral differences, that's possible though one does need to be careful on how to approach it. Just remember, it is possible for someone to be immoral without breaking the law. Unless one was a LEO or court officer at the time, where one knows what is and what isn't the law, what is in the code as offense and what is in the code as defense, what is and what isn't indictable, what the prosecutor will and won't proceed on, then knowing what is illegal is difficult. Of course, you could always find other reasons as well to why the previous job was left. As far as interviewing: be yourself. Don't try to be the kind of person you think the interviewer is looking for if you aren't that kind of person to begin with. If anything on your application is false, politely decline from the interview and withdraw the application. Take a copy of the best report you have ever written with you; in my case, it was my professional paper for my Master's degree. If you have a thesis, odds are it will be that. Wear a suit but don't wear watches, rings, any jewelry; it breaks the line of the suit. If you are married, the wedding band is allowed but not the class ring. Be on time, be early, but never be late. They may ask you to do an on the spot writing example, so you might want to think ahead about that one. If you don't understand the question, ask for clarification, though they may not be able to give that to you. The default address title for a police officer is "Officer" though if the person is introduced with a title such as Captain, Doctor, or such, use that. "Sir" or "Ma'am" otherwise although "Ma'am" has mixed reviews though in Texas it might be permissable. Let them sit first unless they tell you to go ahead and be seated. It is generally wise not to carry too much with you though for my last LEO interview, I had the professional paper, a copy of my DD214, and the oath certificate I had for another state. While this hasn't come up yet, to be asked on, I have compiled notes of everything I say on my application, resume to be able to refer to, explain, should the question come up about something. If you have investigative experience, case experience, be up on your knowledge about that BUT if that knowledge is about the organization you currently work for and revealing such may violate the security of that organization, you might not want to talk about and you might want to express why you are using older cases. If you don't have that or even if you do, be able to explain how you've used your analytical ability to solve a particular problem. Know your degree and be able to tell the interviewer what that degree, your knowledge will do for their organization. Don't ramble on but be concise, think on your feet. Personally, treat every interview like getting that job is what you've always wanted. Interview as much as possible because the more you do it, the more comfortable you'll be, the better you'll become. Study the organization ahead of time. Consider the possible questions that may come up, learn the answers. If one is applying for a LEO job that is for a certain government program, know the basics of the laws of the program, such as what its entitling act states, what may be the major differences of the primary components. It may be a bit much to know the major cases that affect it, what cases, what laws in the legislature are awaiting for decision (but if you have the time ......), but know at least the primary aspects. 'Illegal' questions such as marriage, age, ethnic background, are debateable to whether or not they should be answered, that if answered, how should they be answered. It is my practice to ask at the start if I can take notes, whether or not I actually do it. Have questions about the job to ask at the end of the interview. Good luck to you! I was once interested in that program but changed course since I didn't have the eyes and didn't want to risk them with laser surgery .................... but you have my envy! --------------------------------------- ("I broke the law, I saw a felony and didn't report it."--British tourist "No, you didn't. There is no requirement in the United States for civilians to report felonies."--Sgt. Hunter, (w,stte), "Hunter") |