Ch. 2: Preparing for Promotion Flashcards

1
Q

What established the civil service system within the federal government and provided a model for the civil service systems that were developed by many states and cities in subsequent years?

A

The Pendleton Act

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2
Q

Where was the process of developing promotional examinations for fire officer positions, based on testing for specific knowledge and skills derived directly from?

A

The Pendleton Act

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3
Q

Which two documents are used by HR to define the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that are required for every classified position within the municipality?

A

a narrative job description and a technical class specification

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4
Q

What summarizes the scope of the job and provides examples of the typical tasks a person holding that position would be expected to perform?

A

A narrative job description

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5
Q

What is used to quantify the KSA components of every classified municipal job?

A

A technical class specification worksheet

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6
Q

What classification system is a core component of the civil service system and is used to determine the compensation level for a position?

A

Class specification

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7
Q

What is the origin of the civil service promotional exam?

A

Prior to the Civil War. most government gobs were awarded according to patronage or spoils system. Congress enacted the Pendleton Civil Service Act in 1883 in response to the corruption at the Tammy Hall in NY City and many other abuses.

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8
Q

These are the promotional processes that can be used by fire dept. to evaluate a candidate:

A
  • Multiple-choice from a reading list
  • Assessment centers
  • Emergency incident simulations
  • Interpersonal Interaction assessments
  • Writing of Speaking presentation type exercises
  • Technical skills demonstration for evaluation for highly specialized positions
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9
Q

Prior to Civil War, most government jobs were awarded according to the patronage or:

A

Spoils system

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10
Q

In response to the extensive corruption at Tammany Hall in New York City and the many other publicized abuses of the patronage system, Congress enacted which Reform Act?

A

The Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act in 1883

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11
Q

What established the civil service within the federal government and provided a model for the civil service systems that were developed by many states and cities?

A

Pendleton Act

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12
Q

The process of developing promotional examinations for fire officer positions, based on testing for specific knowledge and skills, was derived from?

A

Pendleton Act

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13
Q

The Pendleton Act established the civil service system for the ____________.

A

Federal, state, and local governments

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14
Q

Examination and testing procedures are in use, with differences in emphasis and on the weights assigned to a particular dimension. Define Dimensions in this context:

A

Attributes or qualities that can be described and measured during a promotional examination

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15
Q

When the American fire service started with neighbors helping neighbors using buckets brigades and long hooks, how did was the supervisory position filled and what was its name?

A

During that era the community of firefighters voted for their Company Foreman.

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16
Q

Which are the most complex and detailed exams conducted by a municipality?

A

Public safety promotional exams.

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17
Q

How do personnel & human resources chart the required knowledge, skills and abilities?

A

Municipalities use two documents to define the Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSA) that are required for the position: a narrative job description and a technical class specification.

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18
Q

If the exam is developed within the agency what should be established?

A

A test committee to establish the content of the exam.

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19
Q

The classification system is a core component of the civil service system and it is used to determine:

A

The compensation level for a position.

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20
Q

What should promotional examination focus on?

A

Focus should be on the unique, high importance tasks that distinguish one position from another.

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21
Q

Periodically, a classification specialist from the human resources department survey to the individuals within the rank to rank frequency and importance of job tasks. Why is this survey performed?

A

This survey is performed to validate and update the job description and KSA technical worksheet.

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22
Q

The decision of which components to use for promotional exam components is influenced by:

A

It is influenced by time requirements, expense, staff expertise, and past experience. These components can be locally developed or provided by vendor, consultant, or assessment specialist.

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23
Q

Why are multiple-choice written exams widely used in the promotional process because:

A

They can be structured to focus on very specific subjects and factual information.

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24
Q

Which supervisory examination level has the longest and most diverse reading list?

A

The first-level supervisor has the longest and most diverse reading list and as much as 70% of this test focuses on technical aspects of a supervising fire officer.

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25
Q

Which level of officer examination usually includes fewer technical questions and more administration questions because the position involves more management responsibilities?

A

The Captain position involves more management responsibilities

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26
Q

When developing a multiple-choice exam the selection process includes evaluating each question for:

A

Job-content/criterion-referenced validity and reliability.

  • The job requirement is identified through the KSA technical worksheet from the job description and class specification.
  • The criterion comes from the appropriate NFPA standard published reference document.
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27
Q

What tends to happen with poor questions, in multiple-choice written exams to high scores?

A

They tend to answer the items incorrectly more frequently than low scores.

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28
Q

When can a question be challenged and invalidated?

A

If the wording is not clear, if there is no correct answer, or more than one of the answers provided could be correct.

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29
Q

When did public safety agencies start using the assessment centers?

A

In the 1970s, it was developed in the officer corps of the German army in the 1920’s.

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30
Q

What is the most common assessment center activity?

A

The in-basket exercise is the most common. This timed exercise measures the candidates’s ability to organize, prioritize, delegate, and follow up on administrative tasks.

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31
Q

What are the typical in-basket contents:

A

Instructions for the exercise
a calendar
an organizational chart or list of personnel
Ten to 30 exercise items

32
Q

What is the suggested method for handling promotional in-baskets:

A
  • Review, every item to determine importance and urgency
  • Prioritize, handle the important and urgent items first
  • Identify resources/options/alternatives. Determine who can handle the items, options and alternatives.
  • Follow up on all delegated items.
  • Make notifications, Ensure appropriate persons are notified.
33
Q

Why are emergency incident simulations often included in a promotional exam?

A

The are included to test the candidate’s ability to perform in the role of officer at a fire or some other type of situation.

34
Q

In the Emergency Incident Simulations the first format, the candidates is provided with information concerning an emergency, usually in a written format that includes pictures or pre-incident plan information. The candidate would which actions should be taken. What is this kind of exercise known as?

A

Data dump question, because it provides an opportunity to demonstrate their depth of knowledge.

35
Q

In the Emergency Incident Simulations the second format, the candidate is provided with a set of basic info concerning an emergency incident to begin the exercise. How dose the simulation progress?

A

As the simulation progresses, the candidate is provided with additional updates of the situation.

36
Q

In the third format of Emergency Incident Simulations, the candidate participates in an interactive emergency scene simulation in a classroom or incident simulation trainer.What is the candidate is presented?

A

The candidate is presented with a dynamic emergency incident through a multimedia format that typically includes full-color pictures depicting the incident. The graphics often includes simulated smoke and flames.

37
Q

The Fourth simulation format make the conditions as realistic as possible by:

A

Having the candidate actually don his gear, climb into the officer’s seat on an apparatus, and respond to a realistic scenario with a crew of fire fighters.

38
Q

What are Interpersonal Interaction exercises designed to test?

A

The test candidate is tested in ability to perform effectively as a supervisor, in typical interpersonal interaction scenario, dealing with a role player. The role payer has a problem, complaint or dilemma.

39
Q

The following action should be taken in an interpersonal interaction exercise:

A

Clearly explain the consequences if behavior does not change.

40
Q

A successful approach for an interpersonal interaction exercise is for the candidate to demonstrate the qualities of an:

A

Extreme Supervisor

41
Q

List some of the things included in a personal study journal?

A
  • A calendar of important dates
  • Copy of the official announcement
  • Anticipated components of the examination
42
Q

What was the name associated with the Civil Service Reform Act of 1883, which was enacted in response to abuses in the patronage system of political appointments and promotions to public jobs?

A

Pendleton

43
Q

In the context of job description what does the S stand for in KSA?

A

Skills

44
Q

What type of document summarizes the scope of a job and provides examples of the typical tasks that a person holding deposition would be expected to perform?

A

Job description

45
Q

Based on the IAFC classification, a written exam that includes questions related to evaluating a firefighter’s performance or preparing budget proposals, would be for what level of fire officer?

A

Managing

46
Q

What source is recommended for examination candidates to keep up with trends and issues in the fire service?

A

Fire service publications and periodicals

47
Q

Fire level company officers are expected to be working supervisors and to be skilled in two levels of activities. What are they?

A

Tactical and Task

48
Q

A valuable tool for studying for promotional examinations is to create a _________?

A

Personal study Journal

49
Q

In most fire dept., completion of a promotional exam creates an eligibility list that lasts __________. Depending on local practice, this list may be either _____ ______ or _______.

A

2 to 6yrs
rank ordered
banded

50
Q

Each Jurisdiction has a promotional process that evolved as a result the following:

A
  • Community needs
  • Consent decrees
  • Lawsuits settlements
  • Arbitration decisions
  • Grievance settlements
  • Labor contracts
  • Memoranda of understanding
51
Q

The preparation of a promotion examination usually represents the combined efforts of the ______ __________ and the ___________ ________ ___________ ________.

A

fire department

municipality’s human resources section

52
Q

What two documents do municipality’s personnel or human resources dept. use to define the Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities required for every classified position?

A
  • A narrative job description

- Technical class specification

53
Q

The decision of which components to use in a promotional exam is influenced by:

A
  • Time requirements
  • Expense
  • Staff expertise
  • Past experience
54
Q

What do multiple choice exam concentrate on?

A

Facts from the reading list.

55
Q

During an in-basket assessment, you should remember to:

A
  • Review
  • Prioritize
  • Identify resources
  • Options
  • Alternatives
  • Follow up
  • Notify
56
Q

Emergency incident simulations take one of four formats:

A
  • The “data dump” question
  • Mock emergency incident
  • Interactive emergency scene simulation
  • Full scale incident simulation
57
Q

When would technical skills be evaluated during promotional tests?

A

Highly specialized positions

58
Q

A series of simulation exercises to identify a candidate’s competency to perform the job that id offered in the promotional exam.

A

Assessment centers

59
Q

A technical worksheet that quantifies the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) by frequency and importance for every classified job within the local civil agency.

A

Class specification

60
Q

A promotional ques. that asks the candidate to write or describe all of the factors or issues covering a technical issue.

A

“Data Dump” question

61
Q

Attributes or qualities that can be described & measured during a promotional exam. On average, 5 to 15 __________ are measured on an exam.

A

Dimensions

62
Q

What are the six most commonly addressed dimensions?

A
  • oral communication
  • Written communication
  • Problem analysis
  • Judgement
  • Organizational sensitivity
  • Planning/organization
63
Q

A type of validity obtained through the use of a technical committee of job incumbents who certify that the knowledge being measured is required on the job and referenced to known standards.

A

Job-content/criterion-referenced validity.

64
Q

A narrative summary of the scope of a job. It provides examples of the typical tasks.

A

Job Description

65
Q

The traits required for every classified position within the municipality. They are defined by the a narrative job description and a technical class specification.

A

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities (KSAs)

66
Q

The characteristic where a test measures what it in intended to measure on a consistent basis.

A

Reliability

67
Q

The practice of making appointments to public office based on a personal relationship or affiliation rather than because of merit, also known as the patronage system.

A

Spoils system

68
Q

In response to the abuse of the government job promotions, the civil service system in the federal government was establish by the:

A

Pendleton Act

69
Q

A technical class specification for a Lieutenant will most likely list the following:

A
  • Knowledge
  • Skills
  • Training and Experience
  • Licensing/Certification Requirements
  • Physical Requirements/Working Conditions
70
Q

Examples of the typical tasks that a person holding that position would be expected to perform is provided in the:

A

Job description

71
Q

“Book smart, street dumb” was a phrase often used in complaints about promotional processes that relied solely on:

A

Written multiple-choice exams

72
Q

A typical in-basket exercise contains instructions, 10 to 30 exercise items, organizational, organizational chart or list of personnel:

A

A calendar

73
Q

Promotional candidates have to react to unfolding situations in:

A

Emergency incident simulations

74
Q

In general, the first-level supervisory examination has the:

A

Most diverse reading list

75
Q

When developing examinations, larger departments are more likely to do what?

A

Develop the exam internally

76
Q

An interpersonal interaction exercise is designed to test a candidate’s ability to:

A

Perform effectively as a supervisor