Hello there, my name is Richard McMunn from the interview training website, PassMyInterview.com.
And in this tutorial, I will teach you how to pass a Correctional Officer interview.
So if you want to become a Correctional Officer and you have an interview coming up, please
make sure you stick around and watch the presentation fully from start to finish, because this is
going to make a huge difference to your preparation! And to achieve my goal this is what I'm going
to cover. I'm going to give you a number of Correctional Officer interview questions and
STRONG TIPS for answering those questions effectively. I will give you UNIQUE SUGGESTED
ANSWERS to the most common Correctional Officer interview questions to help you succeed. I
will give you some tips on how to be the STANDOUT CANDIDATE during your interview. I will also
tell you about FURTHER RESOURCES that you can get access to, to help you succeed. There
are 4 reasons why you should stay tuned. Now, just very quickly before we get started. A
very warm welcome to this Correctional Officer interview training presentation. My name is
Richard McMunn. That's me there in the center of the screen. I am a former firefighter of
17 years. And since then I've been helping people to pass their interviews. And I always
do that by giving you top-scoring, unique answers you cannot find anywhere else. Please
make sure you SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHANNEL. Come and join the community so you don't miss out
on any of the presentations that I upload. You can also connect with me on LinnkedIn.com
if you want to. My LinkedIn link is in the description below the video and it is always
great to connect with like-minded professionals such as yourself. Please also do GIVE THE
VIDEO A LIKE… by liking the video that motivates me to create more content for you. Thank you
very much. So, the first interview question that I want you to prepare for is: Why do
you want to be a Correctional Officer? Now, this Correctional Officer interview question
is designed to assess your motivations for applying and why you want to work in correctional
rehabilitation. Within your answer, show you have the necessary skills, the confidence
and resilience to perform the role to the standards needed. And as you and I know, to
be an effective Correctional Officer, we have to maintain high standards at all times. Here
is my suggested answer to our first question. “I want to be a Correctional Officer for
three reasons. The first reason, and perhaps the most important one is that I am at a stage
in my life where I want a new challenge that allows me to utilize the skills and qualities
I have built up over the years. I have excellent judgment and leadership skills, I am a very
strong team player, I am comfortable making difficult decisions and I can be trusted to
follow rules and procedures correctly. Finally, I genuinely want to work in a rehabilitative
environment where I can influence people to lead better lives and make better choices.
Having studied the job description of a Correctional Officer carefully, I believe I will be a good
addition to your already-established team.” That's a very strong answer and it sets you
up for the remainder of your Correctional Officer interview with confidence. You can
either pause the video if you want to and take a note of the questions and answers as
I progress. Or if you want to wait, I will tell you where you can DOWNLOAD my full set
of 22 Correctional Officer interview questions and top scoring answers, including the ones
we are going through today. The next question: What can you tell me about the role of a Correctional
Officer? Having a thorough understanding of the main duties and responsibilities of a
Correctional Officer is vital if you are to succeed. Here's a great answer to help you.
“The role is extremely varied, and you have to carry out all of your responsibilities
with diligence and professionalism whilst following strict rules and procedures. Included
within the role is a requirement to monitor and supervise inmates, maintain order, escort
inmates around the prison to job sites or for medical assessments for example, and regularly
check inmate numbers for accuracy. You must also respond to difficult situations quickly
and calmly whilst following procedures; de-escalate confrontational situations; look after your
Correctional Officer partners; keep and maintain accurate records; conduct regular inspections
to find contraband or unauthorized goods and aid in the rehabilitation and counseling of
offenders.” So, that response shows that you fully understand what your main duties
and responsibilities will be as a Correctional Officer. Now, don't go anywhere because I
still have more questions to work through with you, including answers. But when you're
ready, if you want to CLICK THAT LINK in the top right-hand corner of the video, it will
take you through to my website, PassMyInterview.com, where you can DOWNLOAD all of the questions
and answers within this presentation. Plus, in total, 22 Correctional Officer interview
questions and answers in PDF format. The next question, this is guaranteed to come up. Tell
me a time when you had to deal with a challenging situation? Being able to deal successfully
with difficult or challenging situations is a daily requirement of the Correctional Officer.
So, make sure you give a SPECIFIC SITUATION you've been in where you used the same skills
needed to be an effective Correctional Officer. Here's my suggested answer. “I was in a
bar with my partner one evening and a confrontation started between two young men and the bar
tender. The men started to get abusive after the bar tender had asked them to leave. I
decided to approach them in a calm manner to see if I could encourage them to walk away.
I went over to them and whilst using a calm demeanor and open body language, I asked them
if they were OK. They told me to mind my own business, but I stayed, and I explained to
them that it wasn’t worth getting frustrated with the bar tender because he was simply
doing his job. I went on to explain that they’d potentially end up getting into trouble and
that the bar had cameras installed so it would be sensible for them to use their intelligence,
walk away and find another bar to drink in. My intervention had the desired effect of
de-escalating the situation which had the potential to get out of hand. Once they had
left, the bar tender thanked me for assisting him. I feel confident in situations like this
and I would always try to defuse things by being calm, using open body language and persuading
people to make the right decision in the heat of the moment.” That situation is pretty
similar to the kind of situations you may have to deal with as a Correctional Officer.
So, it's a good example that shows that you can use strong communication skills. You are
not confrontational at all. You are being confident, but you are using open body language
and appropriate styles of communication to defuze the situation. The next question, how
would you ensure the safety of both yourself and other Correctional Officers? Now, although
you will not yet have had any training in the duties of a correctional officer, you
can still show common sense and aptitude when answering this difficult question. Here's
my suggested answer to help you. “I would ensure I followed my training and the operational
procedures that were in force at the state prison or correctional facility I was working
at. I would maintain a safe egress, make sure all keys and equipment I had in my possession
were secure and I would never discuss anything personal with an inmate or allow myself to
be compromised. I would make sure I was familiar with the layout of the prison including knowing
the whereabouts of alarms and making sure my radio was serviceable. I would always ensure
I communicated with other Correctional Officers to pass on important information relating
to inmates and I would always have my wits about me and use good observational skills.
Finally, I would ensure I looked after my own health and fitness so I could concentrate
and perform my duties to an optimum level at all times.” That's a pretty good answer,
considering you have not received any training yet to be a Correctional Officer. And it shows
that you are aware of the type of things you would need to do to ensure safety. What I
like about the answer in particular is you are saying at the start that you would always
FOLLOW YOUR TRAINING and the operational procedures that were in force. And that's very important.
The next question. Describe a time when you demonstrated integrity at work? Honesty and
integrity are two vital qualities needed to be a competent and professional Correctional
Officer. Here's another strong answer to help you during your preparation. “In a previous
job I was working on a task with other team members. We were putting together some components
for a piece of machinery that a client had ordered when one of the team members suggested
we cut corners by using a cheaper product part that would save the company money. Straight
away, I said that I was not comfortable with this because the client had paid for a certain
specification and we should, therefore, deliver on it. Although the client would not have
been aware that we had used a replacement part, once you start lowering standards in
one area, it encourages you to do it again. Integrity is an important part of the Correctional
Officer’s role and I would never take risks, cut corners or be dishonest.” That's a very
good answer. A specific situation that you've been in where you are showing that you can
demonstrate integrity and honesty at all times. And those two qualities are essential within
the role of a correctional officer. So, the next thing to do is please do CLICK THAT LINK
in the top right-hand corner of the video, go through to my website, PassMyInterview.com
and look at those 22 Correctional Officer interview questions. You also have the option
to DOWNLOAD ALL OF THE ANSWERS, including these slides within PDF format. So, you can
have them in your inbox within two minutes from now. And it's a great guide to help you
pass your Correctional Officer interview. Please don't forget to SUBSCRIBE and do hit
the LIKE button. Thank you very much for watching and for supporting my channel. And I wish
you the best for passing your Correctional Officer interview. Have a brilliant day!