Paul Donaldson, right, Tallahassee Police Department policeman, speaks to Pamela Cherry and Toccora Ferguson, contract 
custodians, during the Veterans career fair Oct. 19, 2017, at Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Over 55 potential employers were 
present to network with attendees, compete for hiring opportunities and schedule interviews 
Oral Board Story 
I have been a panel member on dozens of entry-level police officer oral board interviews. I was always amazed 
at how unprepared the candidates were. Once during one oral board interview one candidate, was asked: “Tell us 
about yourself,” to which the candidate began by rolling his eyes towards the ceiling while he chomped on his gum 
and proceeded to say: “hmm…..well……hmm” and then he put his right hand into his right pant’s pocket and 
began jingling his keys. The room was quiet other than the panel members’ thoughts of how this question could 
have stumped the candidate. The candidate proceeded by swallowing loudly and without making eye contact with 
any of the panel members said: “I am in college and I just broke up with my girlfriend and … hold on…let me 
think…I know there was something else…could you repeat the question?” 
At this time I put him out of his misery and moved onto the next question. He, of course, continued to flail with 
each question and at the end, he failed the oral board interview. I do not know if he would have made a good police 
officer or not, but I do know this…he did not prepare for his oral board interview. I can almost guarantee (because 
I have seen this from many other candidates as well) that he knew we would ask that particular question, but he 
figured, why did he need to study that question? He knew all about himself, heck he grew up with himself, and he 
often spoke to his friends and family about himself regularly so of course, he would not have any troubles rambling 
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