Uncategorized | Assessment Services Review

Best Practices in Police Recruitment

On November 14, Ben Haiman, executive director, Professional Development Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., led a webinar, “Best Practices in Police Recruitment: How the Metropolitan Police Department Continues to Thrive in a Challenging Environment,” sponsored by IPMA-HR’s Assessment Services Department. Following are some of the highlights from Haiman’s talk. IPMA-HR members can access the full archived webinar through our Webinar Library.

The MPD needed to move candidates along faster. Haiman said that the number of handoffs of an application caused serious delays. One of their primary principles moving into the new process was how to get candidates from point A to B faster and more efficiently. In an effort to increase the pool of people considering the profession, the modified application process starts with an online application that now asks four questions: first name, last name, phone number and email address. As soon as someone says they’re interested, they target them with emails.
The MPD has taken their hiring process from 18 months to 3-4 months, reducing both time and labor.
Prospect Day serves multiple purposes: what used to take 16 weeks, now takes one day. Everything from the written exam to preliminary screening with investigators is handled in just one day.
Their recruiting and HR divisions are separate – recruiting takes care of quantity, HR takes care of quality. This method reduces the likelihood that the demand for quantity reduces the quality.
You need to first understand who your customers are: Who are you trying to recruit, who are you currently recruiting, and where is the issue between the two. Then you need to figure out where the applicants are and understand the demographics of different social media platforms. For example, in the MPD’s most recent round of hiring, 59% heard of the job openings from an online source, and only 1% heard about it from a job fair.

Want to know more? Listen to the entire webinar online. Not a member? Become one!

By Jenny Donovan|2019-11-20T19:18:55-04:00November 20th, 2019|Uncategorized|Comments Off

Calling All Police Departments: Send in your Police Officer and Police Lieutenant Job Descriptions

IPMA-HR’s Assessment Services Department is developing new entry-level Police Officer and promotional Police Lieutenant exams. The first step in the test development process is the development of a job analysis questionnaire to determine the most important tasks, duties and qualifications to perform as police officers and lieutenants. In order to compile a list of duties and qualifications for use in the job analysis questionnaire, we are requesting that police departments submit any job descriptions for the ranks of police officer and police lieutenant. All submitted materials will remain completely confidential. Please forward job descriptions to yrandall@ipma-hr.org. Thank you!

By Yari Randall|2019-02-04T18:47:33-04:00February 1st, 2019|Job Analysis, Products & Services, Public Safety Testing, Public Safety Tests, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Office of Fire Prevention/Fire Marshal Employees – Your Insights are Requested!

IPMA-HR is currently seeking participants for a nationwide Office of Fire Marshal/Office of Fire Prevention study. This study is the first step in the development of a new series of tests for positions within the Fire Marshal’s Office/Office of Fire Prevention. In this phase, job incumbents are needed to complete a survey to identify the most important tasks and knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal characteristics (KSAPs) required to perform their job successfully. The questionnaire takes approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Examples of applicable positions include:

Fire Marshal
Deputy Fire Marshal
Assistant Fire Marshal
Fire Inspector
Fire/Arson Investigator
Fire Prevention Officer
Code Enforcement Officer.

If you or someone you know holds one of the above positions or a similar position, we would greatly value your input in developing our newest test series.

Please Note: If your position has a different title than the positions listed above, but is similar in nature, we would still like to hear from you!

Participants will be entered into a raffle with a $500 prize! Participating agencies will also receive a 15% discount toward a future IPMA-HR assessment product purchase. Interested parties can learn more about the project and complete an interest form using the following link:

https://www.ipma-hr.org/assessment-services/about-test-development/test-development-opportunities/office-of-fire-marshal-fire-prevention-project

If you would like to participate or have additional questions please email our Research Associate, Julia Hind-Smith, at jsmith@ipma-hr.org.

By Julia Hind-Smith|2018-02-12T15:00:47-04:00February 12th, 2018|Job Analysis, Public Safety Testing, Public Safety Tests, Survey, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Participants Needed for Office of Fire Marshal Study

IPMA-HR is currently seeking participants for a nationwide Office of Fire Marshal/Office of Fire Prevention study. This study is the first step in the development of a new Fire Marshal Test. The first part of the study involves surveying current members of the Office of Fire Prevention to learn about the important duties and demands of their job.

Examples of applicable positions include, but are not limited to: Fire Marshal, Fire/Arson Investigator, Premise Officer, Deputy Fire Marshal, Fire Prevention Officer, Fire Inspector, and Code Enforcement Officer.

If you or someone you know holds one of the above positions or a similar position, we would greatly value your input in developing our newest test series.

Participants will be entered into a raffle with a $500 prize! Participating agencies will also receive a 15% discount toward a future IPMA-HR assessment product purchase. Interested parties can use the following link to participate:

Fire Marshall Study

Questions can be emailed to our Research Associate, Julia Hind-Smith, at jsmith@ipma-hr.org.

By Julia Hind-Smith|2018-01-29T17:05:15-04:00August 24th, 2017|Announcements, Job Analysis, Public Safety Tests, Uncategorized|Comments Off

A Roundup from Across the Web

This article talks about how the Victoria Fire Department in B.C. just got permission to use drones during emergencies as a first response tool. They will be using the drones during earthquakes, fires, and search and rescue missions. By having the drones, they can make sure that any building they are going into will be secure enough to withstand firefighters inside and check to see if there is anyone stuck inside of a burning building without risking firefighter lives. Search and rescue missions have now changed with the advantage of having drones. For example, if a child has gone missing in the water, the drone can hover over and find the exact location of the child without wasting time or funds to get a helicopter up and running. In all, drones seem to provide a strategical advantage to the future of fire and rescue missions. Read more… (more…)

By Megan Eik|2017-03-07T15:44:01-04:00March 7th, 2017|From Across the Web, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Improving the Interview, Part 2b: Managing the Panel Interview

In this blog, I will respond to what I see as practical questions that often arise in planning for a panel interview. I do apologize for the delay in the production of this third, and final, blog on the interview. Unfortunately, at times, real life intervenes.

I started this series by noting that no other selection device is as ubiquitous as the interview, while at the same time as misunderstood. Then, in Part 1, I discussed the individual selection interview. In Part 2, I discussed panel interview, including the availability from IPMA-HR of a product known as the Police Officer Structured Interview System or POSIS.

This month, in the third and final blog, I respond to what I see as some frequently encountered questions regarding the panel interview including:

Should I train raters?
Who should be on the panel?
How should I combine ratings to arrive at a final score?
What type of records should I keep?
How long should it take?

As a warning, a lot of my answers will involve a combination of “it depends” and “on your local rules or procedures.”

The Panel Interview

(more…)

By Dennis Doverspike|2016-12-14T10:22:18-04:00December 14th, 2016|Interviews, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Big Help Deserves Big Rewards

Help IPMA-HR with the criterion-related validation phase of our new public safety telecommunicator (PST) test, and you’ll not only be helping to ensure the continued availability of the most reliable, valid and fair tests in the industry, but you and your department will also receive the following rewards:

30% off your agency’s next test order.
$75 VISA gift card for each participant.
A snack basket for participants to share after the test.
$50 Applebee’s gift card for the test administrator.
Direct evidence supporting the validity of the exam and its use in your agency.

Learn more about the new test, the validation phase and how you can help on our website.

Providing you with tests you can trust is our priority. But we can’t do it without you. Go online today to learn more and fill out a participation form for your agency.

Please Note: Our desired deadline for wrapping up the validation phase of this study is the end of October 2016, so please get in touch soon!

By Toni Kovalski|2016-08-29T15:00:00-04:00August 29th, 2016|Announcements, News, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Improving the Interview Part 2a: The Panel or Board Interview

In the last blog, we investigated possible improvements that could be made in the use of individual interviews in pre-employment or promotional screening. This month we expand our discussion to include the panel or board interview, an approach used by many public sector organizations.

As is often the case, once I start on a topic I have trouble controlling myself and my word count quickly gets out of control (my students have learned that if you ask me a simple question it can easily turn into an hour-long response). So, I have divided this blog into a 2a and 2b. In 2a, which you are reading right now, I:

Delineate the major characteristics of the panel interview;
Offer a version of a panel interview checklist;
Discuss the need for structure and training;
Provide an overview of the IPMA-HR Police Structured Interview System (POSIS).

Then, in a soon-to-follow Part 2b, I will answer frequently asked or encountered questions regarding the panel interview. (more…)

By Dennis Doverspike|2016-07-07T10:39:49-04:00July 7th, 2016|Assessment, Interviews, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Should I Provide Assessment Feedback?

The topic of my blog for this month deals with employers providing developmental feedback to candidates based upon the results of employment test or assessment. Although the feedback of results from employment tests is common in many other countries, it is less frequently the case that such feedback is provided in the United States.

My topic this month deals with using assessment or test results in order to provide developmental feedback and suggestions to employees. Although I will be dealing with feedback from tests in general, I will pay special attention to assessments that allow for a more in-depth, comprehensive view of the individuals, such as offered by the use of assessment centers.

[For more information on assessment centers, see Public Safety Assessment Center System (PSACS) and Assessment Center Educational Materials (ACEM)]

Some Findings from a Quick Literature Search

I had a graduate student perform a quick search of the current literature. Our findings regarding policies toward providing developmental feedback by employers in the United States were that it is rare for organizations to provide scores or give feedback to job applicants for pre-employment tests. It is more common for promotional candidates, but even there the exact type of feedback may skew toward simply providing results or scores. Providing expansive or detailed feedback is most likely to occur where the tests are used specifically for training or developmental purposes.

As for assessments centers, The International Congress on Assessment Center Methods has a document entitled The 2014 Guidelines and Ethical Considerations for Assessment Center Operations (6th Edition). According to their guidelines, feedback should be provided and if the assesses are members of the organization than the employee has the right to “read any formal, summary, written reports concerning their own performance and recommendations that are prepared and made available to management.” (more…)

By Dennis Doverspike|2016-01-20T11:09:10-04:00January 20th, 2016|Assessment, Assessment Centers, Assessment Feedback, Uncategorized|Comments Off

Happy Holidays

May the magic and the wonder of the holiday season stay with you throughout the coming year.

As the year ends, we think about all that we are grateful for. Our relationship with you is one thing we treasure. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you and meet your testing needs.

All of us at IPMA-HR wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season and much success in the new year.

Happy Holidays!

Your Friends at IPMA-HR

By Toni Kovalski|2015-12-18T12:18:07-04:00December 18th, 2015|Uncategorized|Comments Off