Interview Questions

Question 1

5 Best supervisor / leadership skills

Answer 1

Positive attitude - Makes the difference between a good experience and a bad experience. Things go wrong, and the way you perceive the challenge defines the outcome. Is this a learning opportunity, or just “the worst day in the world.” Did your PP “ruin everything” when they signed the wrong date, or did they create a learning opportunity for reserving a ticket.

Accountable: Being accountable for your team and knowing the buck stops with you. As a supervisor, taking accountability for your actions, shows you staff that it’s okay to make mistakes and to learn. It also allows them to be accountable without fear of reprimand. Leading by example

Empowering: Able to identify learning opportunities and highlight staff. Find and create room for individual and team development. Empowering staff so they become stronger, more confident and overall better employees.

Reliable: Do what you say you’re going to do, when you say you’re going to do it. Be the supervisor that staff can rely on by being true to your word. Part of this is being organized, with good time management and great communication skills.

Loyal: Knowing your supervisor is loyal to you, and will have your back gives staff the freedom to engage in learning opportunities and branch out. Means a lot if loyalty is shown in front of the public.

Question 2

Best example of good leadership/supervision

Answer 2

First year as captain

• Difficult PPO
• In that location for two years
• He guided the first couple weeks
• This was effective in building rapport between us.
• Didn’t know the legislation or enforcement paperwork, –Good at public interactions
• Understand strengths and weaknesses
• Set clear goals and standards that I expected from him
• High expectations because I knew he could reach them
• Discussed his goal of becoming a CO
• Developed a plan to get him to that stage
• practice tickets/scenarios, limit questions, discussing past experiences, reviewing legislation, duck ID, coaching him while he took lead in enforcement scenarios
• Encouraging him to meet his goals and checking in with progress
• I would also participate in these training exercises to lead by example
• significant improvements in legislation knowledge
• Specific and personalized feedback
• Despite several practice tickets and reviewing paperwork with him repeatedly, still not completing it correctly
• I became frustrated
• Discussion on how to help him
• Learning disability
• Brain Walking with Einstein
• Revised my coaching style to ensure

Question 3

It’s a hot, miserable summer and PPO morale is low. What can you do as their supervisor to make the experience better?

Answer 3

Staff feel motivated when they are given meaningful tasks, by clear transparent communication, flexibility in the workplace and good leadership.

Type A personality - never bored.
Use this as an opportunity to develop skills they otherwise wouldn’t of had time to work on. Ie. CO oriented staff can work on fishery compliance data, work at the hatchery, boat maintenance, interview prep, etc.

Give them meaningful tasks that are of interest to them.. Ie backcountry site check and angler compliance checks

Display flexibility - ie. have staff switch around patrol areas and partners

Good leadership - if there’s a dull task, display leadership and also participate

Show appreciation to employees, especially in front of the team.

Creative ways to have fun and learn - Hunting Guide Trivia, fish limits, etc.

Question 4

What are the levels of reprimand ?

Answer 4

Oral reprimand - given promptly, discretely and in the form of constructive criticism. Typically by immediate supervisor. Typically for less serious incidents ie late for work. Discuss with employe, get explanation and create corrective plan. Take note of incident, and put in file.

Written Reprimand - (letter of direction / letter of reprimand). Given by immediate supervisor. Used for more serious incidents such as chronically late for work. Talk with employee, get reasoning and create plan for corrective action Take detailed notes, and copy document into employee file.

Suspension - Used for more serious incidents. ie. breaking the law, policy or procedure. Refer back to other instances and contact supervisor. Detailed notes

Dismissal - decided by HR and upper management. Requires an investigation, that determines the employee is in contravention of a code of conduct or any policy / procedure. ie sexual harassment, fraud, respectful workplace policy etc.

Additional Notes:

• document all occurrences
• have proactive conversations with employees
• keep supervisor informed
• all employees feedback should be given promptly, discreetly, and as constructive critisism

Question 5

It is May long weekend and your new and returning park patrol will be arriving at the park soon. What will you do as a supervisor to get them prepared for the weekend and how will you fit this in with your regular duties as a Conservation Officer?

Answer 5

BEFORE ARRVAL

• Contact all PPO (start date/ bunkhouse location / where to report to first day of work / what items are in the bunkhouse
• Prepare bunkhouse
• Prepare PPO tools
• Prepare PPO truck
• Prepare orientation packages (two checklists)

ADMIN (10)

• chain of command
• radio call signs
• district priorities, goals and problem areas
• scheduling, including days off
• union contract and contact information
• workplace assistance program
• district contact forms (CO’s, RFS’s, RCMP, ect.)
• review payment and benefits
• review operational directives (office grooming directive, use of force, role of a PPO, etc)
• Notify staff of mid season reviews.

SAFETY (12)

• safe workplace policy
• safety bulletin
• common sense, don’t use anything you haven’t been trained on
• safety equipment location (AED’s, eyewash stations, fire extinguishers)
• PPE location - gloves, PFDs, eye protection, ear protection,
• Review emergency procedures (evacuation/ tornado, etc)
• Working alone & in isolation policy
• reporting unsafe work conditions policy
• reporting safety incident procedure
• safety committee representation option
• emergency contact information sheet completed
• voluntary disclosure of medication conditions (ie allergies)

TECHNICAL

• distribute tools
• show staff around district (police, hospital, yard, fishing spots, etc)
• introduce to other staff (maintenance, KA’s, RCMP, COs)
• Problem WL control review
• practice tickets
• boat orientation
• quad orientation
• bunkhouse walk through (inventory, rules & guests)
• review policy for government vehicles
• toolbox talk expectations
• Inquire about additional training requirements (PCOC)

Question 6

One of your employees has been neglecting their regular duties and showed up late for work. This is the first time this had happen, as a supervisor explain what action you would take to prevent this or what actions you will take if it is reoccurring.

Answer 6

Manage promptly, discretely and in the form of constructive critisism
-Discuss with employee -get explanation - is there a reason? Checking bear trap, public relations, personal reasons?
-Remind them of workplace assistance program and how to access
-Take detailed notes of occurrence
-If warranted, give oral reprimand and document in their file
-Create plan to remedy behaviour
If behaviour continues, proceed throughout reprimands if warranted. Oral - written (letter of direction / reprimand) - suspension, etc.
-Get explanation from employees, refer to assistance program and see if you can help in any way.
-Keep your supervisor informed and detailed notes on every occurrence.
-Follow up with the employee on their plan to remedy scenario

Question 7

What are the provincial enforcement priorities?

Answer 7

1. Public Safety
   1a. Provincial Parks - providing a safe environment for all parks users through the parks enforcement program. done by identifying and staffing chronic problem areas
   2b. Dangerous Hunting - Done by investigating all hunting scenarios that result in or have potential to result in damage to people or property. Done through patrols, night patrols, decoy operations, etc
   3c. Human / Wildlife Conflict - Investigate all scenarios involving human wildlife conflict to determine attractants, causes and legislative contraventions.
2. Wildfire Investigations
   Investigating all human causes wild fires (ie. suspected arson, significant loss, industry related, in the wooded district)
3. Ecosystem Protection
   3a. Disease control - Ensure compliance with Wildlife Protection Regulations that are designed to protect against WL diseases such as CWD. Investigate all big game coming into the province. Investigate all reports of captive wildlife to ensure regulatory compliance

3b. Species Protection
- Investigate all endangered species and ecosystem acts offences. Threatened species protection (ie. moose conservation closures, sturgeon, etc.)

3c. Habitat Protection
Inspection of activities authorized by permits for compliance, investigate non-permitted activities, investigate illegal dumping and littering, monitor WMA activities

3d. Resource Protection - Fish & WL
Investigate illegal trade, commercial operations (game farms, fishing, outfitting, etc). Regulated harvest compliance

3e. Resources Protection - Timber
Commercial and domestic harvesting inspections and illegal trade

Question 8

You are checking an angler with an over limit of fish. You receive a radio call that a plane crashed in the campground. RCMP calls and wants to discuss the behaviour of one of your PPO. You receive a radio call regarding a bear passing through the campground. What do you do and why?

Answer 8

Based on the Provincial Enforcement Priorities for the Conservation Officer Service, I would do the following.

• Public Safety
• Wildfires
• Resources
• bear passing through is category 1 bear based on the problem bb OD. This is a non issue. Complete a BBDOR at the end of the day, or request that one of my PPO complete it, depending on other activities
• Tell the RCMP that you’re not able to today and arrange a time to meet in the future. Follow up with RCMP when time permits
• Because public safety is the primary enforcement priority, I would immediately contact RCMP and inform them of the plane crash if they weren’t aware, this is also their jurisdiction. Based on the OD assistance to other agencies, I would see how I could assist them. I would contact my PPO and direct them them to go to the yard and locate traffic control materials. I would contact KA’s in the campground and inform them of the incident.
• If I was near the end of the investigation, would take a photograph of the individuals licence and tell them that I will follow up with them regarding a citation.