More Resources

What Makes A Great Manager?
Supervision tips and free resources.  Answers to supervision and management situations.

Winning cover letters and resumes lead to winning interviews - Try the recommended resources below:

Federal Job Resume writing services with a 100% guarantee.

Parole and Probation

Testing for most civil service jobs happens only periodically and sometimes as little as once every two years.  An exam may consist of one test or a number of different tests.  Note that once you pass the test and you're on a civil service list, you'll be interviewed to determine if you receive a job offer.  Make the most of your opportunity with the resources below.

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

• California Highway Patrol study guide with valuable background info, sample scored essay and written test.

• Customs and Border Patrol Entrance Examination Preparation Manual.  

• New York State Civil Service Study Guides for law enforcement jobs.

• Sample civil service written questions from the State of Louisiana for "LEAPS" -- Law Enforcement & Protective Services test -- entry level jobs and "LEAPS" SUPERVISOR - Law Enforcement and Protective Services Supervisor test - supervisory level jobs.  Click on "Sample Test Questions" on the left and you'll find sample questions by job and by subject.

• State of Delaware - Sample questions for Alcoholic Beverage Control and Enforcement Agent I, Capitol Police positions, Correctional positions, DNREC Enforcement Trainee, and Probation and Parole Officer I. 

PRACTICE INTERVIEWS

• Interview Tips, Strategies and Sample Questions from job-interview.net

TEST GUIDES

1. Verbal Judo: The Gentle Art of Persuasion, George Thompson, 2013

2. What Every Body Is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed Reading People, Joe Navarro, 2008

3. Chief Probation Officer, Jack Rudman, 2009

4. Principal Probation Officer, Jack Rudman, 2009

5. Probation Officer Trainee, Jack Rudman, 2013

6. Probation/Parole Officer Exam, Learning Express, 2007

7. Senior Probation Officer, Jack Rudman, 1997

8. Supervising Probation Officer, Jack Rudman, 2011

9. Survival Guide for New Probation Officers, American Correctional Association, 2000

MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISION POSITIONS 

Testing for a supervisor's position?  Review these resources:

• The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results, George Bradt, 2011
  The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan will help ensure that you achieve all of your goals in your next leadership role by implementing an effective plan, starting even before Day One.

• The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for Getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter, Michael Watkins 2013
  A hands-on guide for moving successfully into a new role.  Walk through the transition as Watkins identifies the most common pitfalls new leaders encounter and provides tools/strategies for how to avoid them. 

• Skills for New Managers, Morey Stettner, 2013
  Specific answers for key responsibilities including delegating work, communicating effectively, mentoring, leadership, and coaching.  Includes bulleted lists, checklists and definition of terms.

• 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees: A Manager's Guide to Addressing Performance, Conduct, and Discipline Challenges, Paul Falcone, 2009
  Covering everything from substandard performance reviews to personal hygiene to termination meetings, this guide helps managers on what to say and how to say it.  Good resource for test questions regarding frequently encountered supervision situations.

• Complete Interview Guide with Supervision Guide
  From job-interview.net, 200+ possible interview questions on supervision including behavioral/situational questions. Plus, answers to the toughest supervision interview questions.