Have you ever had to deal with an assault on the job; either towards you or another person? If so, what action steps did you take to diffuse the situation?
The interviewer would like to know more about the types of situations that you have had to deal with on the job. The idea here is to give a brief overview. If you have ever had to deal with an assault or violent situation on the job, take some time to walk the interviewer through the steps that you took. Avoid going into too many details, thus, losing the interviewer's attention.
If you are newer to your career or have never had an experience like this, take some time to talk to the interviewer about what steps you would take. Since you may not have training in this, rely on your instincts.
"I have had to deal with one violent incident when working security for a bank. There was a potentially armed robber on-premise. The first thing that I did was follow the banks' RAID procedures, which state that we are to follow the instructions of the armed robbers. Once the event was over, I asked a civilian to call 911 while I checked on the well-being of the small group of people in the building, reminding them they were safe and that it would be okay. When the police arrived, I gave a detailed description of the offenders and completed the necessary paperwork. It was important that I help everyone remain calm and that I was as helpful as possible once the police arrived."
"I have been lucky enough never to have faced an assault or violent situation on the job. If in this type of situation, I would follow my security training while being keenly aware of everything around me so that I could give a helpful police report after the incident. I believe the most important thing to do during a situation like this is to remain as calm and level-headed as possible."
As with any interview question, you want to focus on being completely honest in your response. You do not want to sound like a 'hero' by manufacturing a story that did not happen.
Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.
Anonymous Answer
While working a shift in the prisons housing unit, an inmate attempted to assault me and take my keys. I first depressed my "body alarm" to alert other staff.I was knocked to the ground, on my back I flailed my legs and arms and moved my body in circular motion..it was the longest 2 mins ever!
Stephanie's Feedback
This sounds like a challenging situation! I suggest you follow up the response a bit more with information on how you diffused the situation or how you moved forward afterward.
Unlock all 35 Allied Universal questions
Prepare for behavioral scenarios and security-focused questions that Allied Universal interviewers prioritize.
Get Started