RCMP Regular Member Suitability Interview – Communication

RCMP Regular Member Suitability Interview – Communication

I recently posted about the changes to the RCMP applicant process and that they modified the interview from the Right Fit Interview, which assessed eight competencies, to the Regular Member Suitability Interview (RMSI), which assesses four competencies, and combines the RMAQ as part of the process.  I am continuing the break down of each of the four competencies in a series of posts, to help you with your preparation during this stage of the process.  During this phase of the RMSI, which is called the Attribute Interview, you will be asked a behavioural question for each of the four competencies.  We are going to focus on Communication today.  As I stated in my previous post, going through the RCMP Application Process and getting ready for the  Interview can be one of the most challenging stages of the process, and one not to be taken lightly.

Taken from the RCMP Preparatory Guide for the RMSI, the definition for this competency is:

Effectively receives and conveys ideas and information in a way that increases the understanding of the target audience. Can communicate effectively and interactively with others.

Communication for Behavioural Based Questions

The behavioural question will target your past experiences that demonstrate that you have a strong ability to communicate effectively with  others.  And as you can see in the definition, communication isn’t just about speaking.  It’s also about listening.  So make sure your stories reflect both aspects of the competency.

For example, the interviewer might ask you to tell about a time when you had a difficult or complex message to convey, and how you ensured your message was received and understood by the audience. Or when you really had to listen to what someone was saying to ensure you understood the message.

When you are preparing for the attribute interview, think about all of the situations when you used strong communication skills, and because of your ability to communicate, the result of the encounter was positive.  Try and think of examples where you used a number of communication tools, i.e. verbal language, body language, visual aids, etc.   Something that demonstrates that you understand there are a variety of ways to communicate with people, and understanding the other persons needs helped you to determine the best way to approach the situation.  You can use volunteer time, sporting events, or periods during your education.   Prepare several stories that you can use during the interview that demonstrate that you are committed to communicating effectively in all situations.   

Remember, when answering these questions, you will articulate your example using the S*T*A*R principle. 

Situation

Task

Action

Result

Carefully describe the situation, ensuring you are providing enough information to the listener so they understand the point of your story, and how it relates to communication. Then, describe your task.  Make sure you focus on the task for the story, not your job, i.e. what is your task as it relates to communication?  Then, articulate the action, specifically around your communication, that you took to solve the issue.  Describe in detail what you did.  Don’t assume that the listener will know what you did.  If you don’t say it, they can’t assess it.  And then, what was the result?  Think in terms of “because of what I did, this was the result”.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when formulating these stories.  The key is providing enough relevant information so the listener can establish that you meet the competency.

Catch up on all parts of this series: RCMP Competencies.

Do you know someone who is faced with this challenge?  Feel free to share this post by using the share links at the top of this page.  Also, if you’d like more interview tips, feel free to check out the interview resource page.