Give me an example of when you used your observational skills to resolve or prevent a problem.
"You always have to keep your eyes out. If you saw something, and you're not sure what you saw but have a feeling that prompts you to inspect, always listen to that. I had this detainee I was preparing to transfer to a facility, and it was just the way he was listing about. His eyes were floating everywhere in a way that he seemed like he was trying to look like he wasn't up to anything. That look of when you are overcompensating for not wanting to look suspicious. Well, I walked over and stood next to him for a minute and observed. I looked at his footprints and could see he was shuffling over towards a stack of supplies, so I walked over to those supplies and found a fellow officer's knife hidden there like they forgot it and someone hid it under something. It's always the little things you have to watch out for. You have to be on at all times."
Again, this question seeks to ascertain how your work experience correlates with what is expected of the role for which you're applying. They're also curious about how by-the-book and professional the course of action you took towards resolving or preventing a potential problem was.
Again, performing your research and correlating your example with the expectations of the role for which you are applying is essential. Using the STAR method, describe the Situation you encountered in your example, the Task at hand, the Action you took, and the overall Result.
A position as a correctional officer typically doesn't often require strong analytical skills or outside-of-the-box thinking. However, they advertise high attention to detail and strong organization skills as job requirements. Working in the Department of Corrections requires high-level attention to detail and constant awareness of one's surroundings. This includes the ability to identify suspicious behavior or anything out of the norm of the routine established by adhering to the rules.
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
When I worked at __________, I found an issue with one of the promotional codes we used at the time. I sent a message to my superiors and with the help of the IT department, it was fixed before very many customers reported the issue.
Marcie's Feedback
Nice! Consider building out your answer more by including additional details. How did you discover the issue? How quickly did you bring this to the attention of your superiors? And how do you think this quick action of yours benefited your employer?
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