FBI Mock Interview
Master 40 FBI interview questions covering security clearances, investigative scenarios, and ethical judgment.
Question 24 of 40
Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?
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Community Answers
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
We know that the FBI trains its agents in the psychology of persuasion. Part of being an excellent communicator means harnessing the power of persuasion when necessary. There is a difference between persuasion and debating, or even convincing. Persuasion is used to influence someone rather than tell them that they are wrong and you are right.
The power of persuasion is essential in nearly every law enforcement-related exchange. It is also a valuable skill to gain momentum with your coworkers or make your boss better understand your approach to a case. Remember, it is not a negative thing to be a persuasive person, and the interviewer wants to hear you have this quality they are looking for in an agent.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Briefly focus your answer on how you consider yourself a persuasive person and why it is essential in law enforcement to have this skill. If you have an example of persuading an individual, you can also use that in your response.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
Since the power of persuasion is a crucial skill for Special Agents to possess, you want to avoid saying that you do not consider yourself a persuasive person. The FBI only hires roughly 5% of its applicants, so you want to ensure the interviewer knows you have this essential skill. If you feel that your persuasion skills are lacking, you do not need to tell the interviewer, but you might consider taking steps to enhance those skills.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
When responding to this question, remember that being a persuasive person is a positive quality to have as a Special Agent. Be sure to explain that you are a persuasive person and identify this as a skill that all law enforcement personnel should possess.
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"Persuasion is a key skill of an effective agent, in my opinion. Have you ever read the book 'Pre-Suasion,' by Robert Cialdini? He writes about the science of persuasion and explains that there are significant moves to be made before asking someone to do something on your behalf. This book has greatly influenced how I use persuasion both in work and in my personal life."
Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.
"Persuasion and enforcement officer methods go hand in hand, so, yes, I believe that I am a persuasive person. My approach is not sly or combative in any way, however. I go about persuading others by displaying how my approach, or belief, could benefit the other party."
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Anonymous Answer
We like people who are like us. I think in a situation where you need to be persuasive, it's helpful to listen to the other person and see if a connection can be made to do the persuading. I think I'm capable of being persuasive when the situation arises. I approach these situations by trying to be anticipatory. Anticipating possible questions, so that I can have answers ready, or anticipate potential problems so that I can have possible action plans or ideas. This way, when it's necessary to be persuasive, I feel like I have a bird's eye view of everything and can be more prepared.
Krista's Feedback
Your answer is very insightful and wise. Well said!
Anonymous Answer
Persuasion is a very critical skill for anyone working in law enforcement. FBI Special Agents must possess this trait. I approach this matter in a non-combative way, I first like to make people feel comfortable with me, and I assure them that I have their best interest at heart before I offer to make any recommendations. Most people comply/listen when they're convinced that you are out there to help them.
Krista's Feedback
You make an excellent point, and this is a brilliant approach to being persuasive. Well said!
Anonymous Answer
Yes, I do. In both my professional and my personal life, I have been known to persuade my colleagues or friends into certain scenarios or outcomes. An example in my professional life would be when I was interning at UN CTED, one of my primary roles was to accompany the ED on some of her media outings for UN TV. As we were walking to the UN, I gave her some tips that I thought would work best as she is answering questions versus how she usually handles her media interviews. She was not pleased at first that I was persuading her to conduct her interviews differently, but she winded up using my tips and thanked me after.
Krista's Feedback
This is a fantastic example of taking the initiative and offering valuable advice. Good for you, as an intern, to have the confidence to persuade!
Anonymous Answer
I took a course in negotiating at the University of Michigan. The number one thing I gleaned from the course is that a persuasive person can see the argument from every angle, to know what the other party wants before you come to the table to negotiate. With this training and my business experience under my belt, I would definitely consider myself persuasive.
Krista's Feedback
Super response! You do a great job setting up your answer and qualifying yourself. If you find the topic of persuasion interesting, 'Never Split The Difference' by Chris Voss is a book that I really enjoyed.
Anonymous Answer
When it comes to "persuading" somebody I think it is important to come off as an ally. Try to think like they would think and make them think about the benefits of what you are attempting to persuade them into doing. People are much more likely to listen to people that they perceive as similar to them. I think using that information I would consider myself persuasive, yes.
Krista's Feedback
Great. You're answering the question and explaining your approach to persuasion. Can you also illustrate with an example?
Anonymous Answer
My family and friends believe I am good at persuading people. I am good at telling them the pros and cons of a situation. I used to work retail and I was told the same by my managers and co-workers. They believed I was good at persuading customers because I had the highest numbers of credit cards and accounts opened as me and my co-workers were told to do so by our manager. I was able to persuade people into buying things, given them my genuine opinion.
Krista's Feedback
Good response; the specific example from your experience in retail is helpful in illustrating how the trait of persuasion has shown up in previous work. You may wish to use words like "leader" and "influential" to back up your response.
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