Thursday, May 01, 2025

When I applied to be a Dispatcher & Records Clerk at a local police department when I was 18, how bad was my answer to "How will you get ready to be a records clerk?" And would your panel interviewers have rejected me as an applicant for the same reason?

 

When I applied to be a Dispatcher & Records Clerk at a local police department when I was 18, how bad was my answer to "How will you get ready to be a records clerk?" And would your panel interviewers have rejected me as an applicant for the same reason?

I panicked at that question and, starting to sweat bullets, couldn't think of anything better than to say something to the tune of:

You know how folders containing the dossiers of people are in alphabetical order, right? I know that folders with last names starting with A-R will be put behind folders starting with A-J, while they're in front of folders that start with A-T, so since I already know how the folders in a records library should be ordered, gulp, I'm... already ready to be a records clerk.

One of the panel interviewers then replied, ooooh...kay. "Let's move on, shall we?"

Would that answer alone be the make-or-break that would've broken the interview at your LEA?

I don't remember much of the other interview questions.

At the end, when the police chief asked if I had any questions, I couldn't think of any, but said I'll call you guys to ask these questions when I think of some. Not having any at the moment also disqualified me from the position, didn't it?

If you interview prospective records clerks, what would a WINNING answer be to the question, "How would you get ready to be a records clerk?" In 2025? And what would've been the winning answer back in 2003, when I interviewed there?

How often does your LEA hire 18-year-olds anyway? And for which positions?

PS: I decided to abandon my pursuit for a dispatcher position because due to having Anxiety issues, I'd not handle well a hysterical-sounding caller on the job. I likely would've been plenty more comfortable as a records clerk.

 

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