RCMP Right Fit Interview Competency 5 – Meeting Client Needs
As I continue my series breaking down the eight RCMP Right Fit Interview competencies(Formerly Regular Member Selection Interview), we are going to focus on Meeting Client Needs. As I stated in my previous posts, going through the RCMP Application Process and getting ready for this “Right Fit” Interview can be one of the most challenging stages of the process, and one not to be taken lightly.
At this interview, you will be asked behavioural and situational questions that will be used to assess if you meet this competency.
Taken from the RCMP Preparatory Guide for the Regular Member Right Fit Interview, the definition of “Meeting Client Needs” is:
“Shows a desire to identify, meet or exceed internal and external client needs and expectations. Has a genuine desire to help or serve others, or act on behalf of others being served.”
Meeting Client Needs for Behavioural Based Questions
The behavioural question will target those past experiences that demonstrate that you have a genuine desire to help others.
For example, you might be asked a question about a past experience of how you not only provided a service to a client, but anticipated their needs and provided a service that was beyond their expectation. Or you might be asked about a time when you initiated a good relationship with a client and what steps you took to ensure a long lasting client relationship.
When you are preparing for the interview, think about all of the situations when you provided an excellent service to a client. Try and think of examples where you went above and beyond the client’s expectations, or went out of your way to ensure a great service. For example, have you ever:
- done more than the normal for a client?
- taken the time to truly understand their needs?
- taken extra steps to look past the initial request and provide alternative options that might be better suited?
As I have said previously, this doesn’t just have to be work related examples. You can use volunteer time, sporting events, or periods during your education. A client can be anyone for whom you are providing a service or product. Prepare several stories that you can use during the interview that demonstrate that you are committed to providing a good service to your clients.
Remember, when answering these questions, you will articulate your example using the S*T*A*R principle.
Situation
Task
Action
Result
Meeting Client Needs for Situational Based Questions
The situational question will be a hypothetical scenario that will assess how you would handle a certain situation.
The interviewer will provide you with a scenario and ask what you would do. You will respond by stating the action that you would take if faced with that situation, why you would take that action and what factors you considered. This is called the A*R*C principle.
Action
Reasoning
Considerations
The interviewer might ask you what you would do if a client you were dealing with said they were not happy with the service that you had provided. Or if a client asked you to provide a service for which you would not normally be responsible.
Situational questions can be somewhat lengthy. Pay attention to the entire question and focus on the parts that are relevant. Think about the action as a series of steps. Then, state why you would do those steps and what you considered when formulating your action.
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when focusing on this one competency. And as I continue to stress, you must be prepared. Have your examples ready and practice delivering them using S*T*A*R. Come up with sample scenarios on your own and practice answering them using the A*R*C principle.
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.
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