- Can you tell me about yourself?
- What do you enjoy most about being a school resource officer?
- Why did you choose to become a school resource officer?
- What unique qualifications do you have for this position?
- How do you handle stressful situations at work?
- Why would you be a good fit for this role?
School resource officers may seem a modern addition to the school setting, fueled by fears of in-school violence. Despite this common perception, however, the presence of law enforcement officials carrying this title dates back to the 1950s. Since the development of this position, the objective of school resource officers has remained the same – to keep students and staff safe, as explained by Today. If you are seeking a school resource officer, identifying appropriate interview question to ask a police officer is the first step in ensuring that the candidate is up to the rigors of performing this important duty.
Interviewing a police officer for a school resource officer job should start with discerning why your candidate would like to serve as a school resource officer. As the National Association of School Resources Officers reports, not every police officer is ideally suited for this specialized position. To ensure that you have a candidate with the right personality traits for success – and the intrinsic motivation to stand up to the stresses of the job.
Seek someone who wants to work in this position, not someone who was thrust into it. By selecting a candidate who has a vested interest in school safety in general, and your school’s safety in particular, you can reap the maximum benefit from your hire.
Because school resource officers can be called upon to conduct searches, make arrests or even question suspects, they must be keenly aware of the rules and regulations governing each of these potential actions. Before the interview, educate yourself on what a school resource officer can and can’t do in your state. Pose interview questions for a school resource officer candidate regarding these rights to see if his knowledge of what he can and can’t do is adequate.
To be optimally effective in creating and maintaining a safe school environment, school resource officers must be adept communicators. Ask your candidate how he would communicate with students, staff and parents. If he gives a broad answer, ask him to elaborate, seeking specific details as to what he would feel the need to communicate with each of these stakeholders and how he would share his messages effectively.
A school resource officer should do more than just enforce the laws and rules of the school. He should also serve as a positive role model. Ask your potential new hire what he will do to serve as a positive role model for students. Judge the depth and clarity of his answer to infer whether or not he is truly ready to tackle this serious and important challenge.
School Resource Officer Interview
Interview Questions for School Resource Officers:
Demonstrates candidates interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills. Take note of candidates who lack the skill to diffuse arguments.
What methods would you use to lessen or prevent bullying in the school?
Demonstrates candidates problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Can you describe an incident when you used force in an emergency situation? How did you resolve the issue?
Demonstrates candidates experience and ability to work in stressful situations.
Why do you want to work as a school resource officer?
SRO pays better than most police jobs. As you can guess though, you should not point out your salary while explaining the reasons of your choice. Try to refer to the meaningful purpose you see in this role. You are aware of the crime at schools, and the difficult position of teachers and administrators in trying to mitigate it without having the law enforcement authority.
Perhaps you are also a father (or plan to become one), and want a safer environment for children at schools. With your experience, authority, and motivation to actually change something–not only arresting, but also educating students, you hope to help create such an environment.
You can also say that with your excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills, you believe to be the right match for this job, to handle all the functions you’ll have as a school resource officer, and your cooperation with other bodies from school.
To be optimally effective in creating and maintaining a safe school environment, school resource officers must be adept communicators. Ask your candidate how he would communicate with students, staff and parents. If he gives a broad answer, ask him to elaborate, seeking specific details as to what he would feel the need to communicate with each of these stakeholders and how he would share his messages effectively.
Seek someone who wants to work in this position, not someone who was thrust into it. By selecting a candidate who has a vested interest in school safety in general, and your school’s safety in particular, you can reap the maximum benefit from your hire.
A school resource officer should do more than just enforce the laws and rules of the school. He should also serve as a positive role model. Ask your potential new hire what he will do to serve as a positive role model for students. Judge the depth and clarity of his answer to infer whether or not he is truly ready to tackle this serious and important challenge.
School resource officers may seem a modern addition to the school setting, fueled by fears of in-school violence. Despite this common perception, however, the presence of law enforcement officials carrying this title dates back to the 1950s. Since the development of this position, the objective of school resource officers has remained the same – to keep students and staff safe, as explained by Today. If you are seeking a school resource officer, identifying appropriate interview question to ask a police officer is the first step in ensuring that the candidate is up to the rigors of performing this important duty.
Because school resource officers can be called upon to conduct searches, make arrests or even question suspects, they must be keenly aware of the rules and regulations governing each of these potential actions. Before the interview, educate yourself on what a school resource officer can and can’t do in your state. Pose interview questions for a school resource officer candidate regarding these rights to see if his knowledge of what he can and can’t do is adequate.
Tell me about your ability to work under pressure?
Answer tips
You may say that you thrive under certain types of pressure. Give an example that relates to the type of position applied for. Mention routine pressure you face, such as dealing with deadlines on a regular basis. Try not to use an example where you created the pressure yourself, by waiting too long to start something, or by handling a task irresponsibly at the beginning. For example, working under pressure to meet a customer’s deadline could be a good example, but not if you had waited too long to start the project. Answer samples
“Pressure is actually a catalyst to my work. When there is an imperative deadline, I refocus my energy into my work which in fact, has helped me to produce some of my best works. (Give examples) I guess you can say I thrive under pressure.”
FAQ
What communication skills are important for a school resource officer?
What are the duties of a resource officer?
What does SRO stand for in school?
What are the benefits of a school resource officer?
