Correctional Officer Mock Interview

Practice 40 Correctional Officer interview questions covering security protocols, conflict de-escalation, and ethical judgment.

Question 16 of 40

Tell me about yourself.

Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
Example Answer
Entry Level
Experienced
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Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

The interviewer will often ask this question at the beginning of an interview to break the ice and get to know a little more about you than what is on your resume. When an interviewer asks an open-ended question like this, it can be challenging to know where to begin or end!

This question haunts many individuals who may accidentally go a little too in-depth into their personal lives. It happens. Keep your reply light and relevant to the job. This is an excellent opportunity to discuss the strengths and qualities you bring. Share how you became interested in this career path and what you enjoy about it.

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I am a motivated and hard-working individual. I have high moral standards and believe all people should be shown respect. I strive to go above and beyond what is expected of me, and I am good at building relationships. I have several years of experience as a correction officer, and I find the job challenging and rewarding. I believe in high expectations and following rules, but I am also personable and approachable. Outside of work, I enjoy playing outside with my two kids and attending all of their sporting events. As a family, we are active in the community and enjoy participating in opportunities to give back. I am excited about taking this next step in my career."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I recently received my bachelor's degree in criminal justice and am ready to start my career as a correction officer. My parents and grandfather were in law enforcement, so it's in my blood. I am a very active individual who loves to work out and go to the mountains on the weekend. I feel that my physical activity level on my off time greatly improves my work during the week. I have a lot of energy to offer and am excited to have this opportunity to interview with you."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I have worked in the prison system for the past ten years and am looking for a change. I am a calm and quiet leader with excellent communication skills. Even though I am quiet, I can motivate my team and keep morale high within the prison. On my days off, I enjoy going for long motorcycle rides with my wife and having barbecues at the beach."

Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

Focus on keeping your answer brief and concise. The interviewer wants an idea of your personality and what you can bring to the team if hired. It is best to have your response created before your interview to stay on track while keeping your answer short and detailed.

Krista Wenz

Krista Wenz has been on thousands of interview panels hiring EMS professionals and firefighters for public and private agencies.

Avoid talking about yourself for five minutes or longer. The interviewer does not need to know your life story; they only want to understand your personality and background.

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Anonymous Answer

I've worked the last six years for a security company, my responsibilities there shifted, I would be assigned to work psych units where I would watch patients that were of harm to themselves or behavioral issues, I would also patrol the hospital campus in a company vehicle and ensure the security of the compound. My most recent job at a state hospital, I am in the position of therapeutic safety officer. My responsibilities would be to actively monitor the environment and well being of all. Bring patients out to hospital trips/ court trips in a secure manner. And supervise patient while they were being visited by family members or friends.

Rachelle's Feedback

The bulk of your answer is very helpful to an interviewer. Try adding in a just a bit about your personal side such as characteristics, or volunteer work. I have provided a sample, below.

"I have worked in security for the past six years in tough assignments such as psych units with patients who want to harm themselves. In my most recent position, I am a therapeutic safety officer. My responsibilities include actively monitoring the environment and well being of the patients. I bring these patients to court and other out of hospital trips which requires a great deal of empathy while also remaining ready to take action in a split second. In my spare time, I keep active through martial arts and boxing which keep me fit both physically and mentally."

Anonymous Answer

I'm a hardworking individual that always aims to overcome any challenge that is put before me. I have experience guarding prisoners. What was just a job to earn extra money got me interested in becoming a correctional officer. I would like to take the experience to the next step and help others.

Tell me about yourself.

40Correctional Officer Interview Questions & Answers

1.Why do you want a position as a correction officer?

2.What would you do if an officer next to you was engaged in a physical fight with an inmate?

3.Tell me about a time it was better to be agreeable in a situation rather than continue the argument.

4.Tell me about a time you showed your superior officer that you are trustworthy and responsible.

5.Have you ever faced a company policy you disagreed with but had to enforce anyway?

6.Have you ever worked in a stressful environment? How did you handle it?

7.Why are you the best suited person for this job?

8.What do you fear will be your potential weaknesses as a correction officer inside our prison?

9.Tell me about an experience where you successfully used de-escalation techniques to prevent a physical altercation.

10.Describe a situation in which you supervised a large group of individuals. What specific steps did you take to ensure that all individuals in your group completed scheduled activities?

11.What role do you believe a correction officer plays in preventing contraband in the prison?

12.Do you have a role model or mentor?

13.Do you have a problem with authority?

14.What makes you angry?

15.Tell me about a time you went above and beyond your job duties.

16.Tell me about yourself.

17.How would you address the issue of a subordinate who is consistently late for their shift?

18.How would you handle an inmate who constantly yelled at you and said extremely derogatory things to you?

19.Are you willing to work long hours, on a variety of different shifts, with limited notice?

20.If you saw another correctional officer doing something inappropriate, how would you handle the situation?

21.What are your salary expectations?

22.Rate your communication skills from 1-10 with proper examples backing your given rating.

23.How do you get along with other correction officers?

24.Tell me about your post-secondary education and how it relates to your career as a corrections officer.

25.Whether you were caught or not, have you ever committed a crime?

26.Competition is stiff for this position. Why should we hire you?

27.We conduct early-stage criminal background checks, credit checks, and drug tests on all of our candidates. Is there anything you would like to disclose at this time?

28.Corrections is ever-changing. We seek to hire individuals with a keen interest in this industry. How do you stay up to date on law enforcement related current events?

29.How would you rate your performance in this interview so far?

30.You must be physically fit to be a corrections officer. What have you done to physically train yourself for this position?

31.What do you like to do in your free time?

32.Have you ever used illegal drugs or misused prescription pills?

33.Where do you see yourself in five years?

34.What three qualities would your previous supervisor use to describe you?

35.What do you like the most about working as a correction officer?

36.Why did you leave your last job?

37.This concludes our interview. Do you have any questions for me?

38.Besides vacation time, how many days did you miss work in the last year?

39.Our facility performs random drug testing on all personnel twice a year. Do you have an issue with random drug testing?

40.What do you like least about working as a correction officer?