Sexual harassment questions are the most dangerous of oral board questions. It’s a can of worms you don’t want to open. If you do, you will never be able to close the can. You need to keep your answers short and simple here. Otherwise, you will tank yourself big time. It has nothing to do with which gender, it’s how it’s interpreted by the person that is offended.
Fantasy land:
The oral interview is like fantasy land. It is not like the real world. Your answers in the oral board might not be what you would do in real life. Don’t fall into the trap. The board understands the rules, you can’t fool them. If you try, the board will crank up the music and let you dance your fool head off. Don’t try to intellectualize and bring heavy logic to this process. If you do, someone, who understands the rules in fantasy land better will get the badge. So, please follow the yellow brick road rules in fantasy land and don’t look behind the curtain.
You don’t think so? Well, my Son’s captain was on an oral board for five days. One candidate got top scores. When they were finished and completing their comments and scores this candidate said, "I’m sure glad that’s over. They said yea, O.K.. He said because their coming. They look up and said who’s coming. He said the Martian are coming. They chuckled. He got mad. Turns out this guy was a genuine kook. But he did so well in the oral because he lived in fantasy land and new the rules. Don’t ever forge this! It’s a true story!
So in this fantasy land environment, sexual harassment is not tolerated. If you try to draw a line at cajoling, where does it stop? At sarcastic comments, physical contact. You will open a can of worms trying to make everyone happy. You could express how an easy going person you are, but sexual harassment is not tolerated. Again that is determined by the person who is offended. Male or female.
Question: Do you see any difference between a man or women supervisor? A simple answer in Fantasy Land is "NO". If you say, "I don't see a problem", you're dead. Because, when you use the word problem, it connotes a problem. Fun isn't it?
One of my candidates was asked this question in his oral. He replied, "No Problem. My current supervisor is a scientist. She is the most intelligent articulate person I've ever met." He had a chance to talk to one of the oral board officers later about his low score. The officer told him when he left the room, the women panel member said, "Did you hear what he said?" The two men went duh? She took it as if all other women weren't as intelligent and articulate as his supervisor. Go figure. This is why you keep it simple here.
Now you know why marriage is the only war where you sleep with the enemy.
With this and any other scenario question you want to confirm what you suspect by talking to the problem person first; always in private. Never jump to a conclusion or assume. If you assume, it will make an ass out of you and me. If you have a valid problem you are protected.
It’s the LAW! There are personnel rules to protect you. It is posted in every firehouse. You will find it listed (you might quote this in your oral) on he job announcement. It could read something like: The City of Cucamonga guarantees its employees to be free from sexual and racial harassment.
If you can locate and quote the personnel section in your oral board, all the better. One of our candidates was asked a harassment question. His reply was, "According to your personnel rules section 2268, sexual harassment will not be tolerated.
Imagine the shocked expression on the oral board panels faces. He had just delivered the "Nugget" answer. They were finished with that question. He must have nailed that question and his oral, because he's wearing that department's badge!
Understand that if the oral board fires up a question that sounds like drinking on the job, it’s going to be about drinking on the job. If it’s a question that sounds like taking drugs on the job, it’s going to be about taking drugs on the job; It’s not going to be aspirin. If the question sounds like it’s about stealing on the job, it’s going to be about stealing on the job. If they fire up a question that sounds like sexual harassment, that’s what it’s going to be about, or they wouldn’t bring it up.
If they fire up these questions, take off the disguise ask questions to verify what you suspect and then take action in fantasy land. Don’t be like so many candidates by starting a soap opera.
Example:
You go in the locker room and see a fellow firefighter drinking something that looks like alcohol. What do you do? The clone, soap opera answer would be: I would try to get him into the day room and try to smell his breath; or I would have him go home sick, or have another firefighter come into relieve him. These are all soap opera answers. Don’t go on this journey. They are insulting to the oral board. You will loose valuable points here. We are intelligent beings on the other side of the table. Give us credit for that.
Ask a question that would verify your suspicions and give a direct answer; not a soap opera.
Nothing counts ‘til you have the badge. Nothing!
"Captain Bob"
Ask "Captain Bob" Any Question
Fire "Captain Bob" Smith has coached countless entry level and promotional candidates to get their badge. He is a retired 28-year Hayward, Ca. Captain, speaker/author of the audio/video program "Conquer the Job Interview," the book "Fire Up Your Communication Skills" ISBN 09657620-6-8 and a member of the prestigious National Speakers Association. You can book him as a speaker or get a copy of his books and tapes by calling toll free at 888-238-3959.
E-mail: captbob@verio.com Web site: http://www.eatstress.com