U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Preparing for the Oral Interview: It's More Than Just Talk

NCJ Number
187652
Journal
Police: The Law Enforcement Magazine Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: January 2001 Pages: 22-25
Author(s)
Andrew Borrello
Date Published
January 2001
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article examines the basics of interpersonal and nonverbal communication.
Abstract
There is nothing more important to an officer's success in a promotional oral interview than his or her ability to communicate. Understanding the basics of interpersonal and nonverbal communication while formally speaking is critical. Three valuable areas that are seldom considered by officers or used for a formal interview are pretext justification, physical communication, and rapport. Pretext justifications are verbal excuses for what is about to be said, to prepare the way for an answer and to justify the answer before it is spoken. Such statements tend to create an image of weakness or uncertainty, and can diminish interviewers' opinion of an officer's decision-making abilities, assertiveness, confidence, and leadership potential. On the other hand, physical communication, also called body language or nonverbal communication, is at the foundation of a police officer's command presence and what makes or breaks first impressions. Rapport is mutuality and commonality, and officers should learn as much as they can about it, as this concept parallels influence and persuasion.