Do you have a role model or mentor?
"Yes, I do. My mentor is in the Marine Corps. They took me under their wing, and I learned a lot. We still have a strong relationship to this day, and I still consider them my hero."
A candidate's role model, or figure of inspiration, will offer a glimpse into their personality, philosophy, and approach to life and work. The interviewer will examine the examples offered and consider how well a candidate will fit into their work environment.
Before answering this question, think of those who inspired you. Explore if they embodied some of the same qualities as one of your potential superiors in a work environment such as this. Inspirational people motivate us to keep going when we feel like giving up. They're passionate and driven, accomplishing goals that seem impossible and changing the way we view the world.
Typically, when asked this question in an interview, a candidate can freely draw their inspiration from a book, a mentor, family, a celebrity, an author, fictional or nonfictional, living or dead - anyone! For a role at the department of corrections, an interviewer will be screening for a more pragmatic and grounded individual. This being as it may, best to reserve your example for someone living who you knew personally, who mentored, influenced, or guided your character. Best to relate what you learned from them in a practical way that could lend to your experience and fitness for the role for which you are applying. Talk to the interviewer about who has inspired your life and why. Be relatable and try to inspire conversation. How well you get along with your interviewer will also offer insights on how well you will get along with the mentor they place you with.
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
I would have to say that my old band teacher was a great role model. He would always preach this saying "If you're early, you're on time. If you're on time, you're late and if you're late, you're fired". That saying is one that I try to live by. My Mom is another great role model. She is a very diligent and hard-working person who has helped me get to where I am today.
Marcie's Feedback
Awesome! It sounds like you have some great role models in your life. How do you implement what you learned from them in your daily life? And how will their lessons benefit you in this role?
Unlock all 30 Department of Corrections questions
Unlock expert responses to challenging corrections officer behavioral and scenario-based questions.
Get Started