Here is why 3/17/2016

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1 3/17/2016 Competencies for Entry Level Full time Employment in Parks & Recreation Chad Clanton, City of Tustin Dr. Keith Fulthorp, Ed.D., CSULB Identify & discuss competencies needed to be a skilled recreation and park professional Relate competencies to employment prospects in CA Explore how well you possess and communicate these competencies At the end of the session each participant will have a better understanding of their own job/employment skills and how to more effectively utilize career development opportunities Here is why I m AWESOME! 1

2 3/17/2016 Overview of Competencies Methods Asked 1500 CPRS Members w/ Job title of supervisor, manager, or director to rate 63 competencies, in 8 domains, as they relate to making hiring decisions for entry level full time employees Almost 30% response rate (based on completed surveys) Top Ten Highest Rated Competencies. Mean S.D. 1. Ability to make ethical decisions Knows how to act professionally Ability to work well with people Ability to clearly communicate with customers Have the ability to deal with the public Have the ability to listen to staff and customers Be enthusiastic and have a positive attitude Ability to clearly communicate with staff Demonstrates openness to serving all member of the community Ability to work in team environments ) I would hire someone with out this skill 2) I would sometimes hire someone without this skill 3) May or may not hire without this skill 4) Would try to avoid hiring someone without this skill 5) Would never hire someone without this skill 2

3 3/17/2016 What can you do with this information? Competency Self Rating Scale On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 = You have no skill in this area at all, and 10 = you have this area mastered, where would your supervisor and/or co workers rate your current level of professional preparation? Conference as a Professional Development opportunity Experience Interview Skills Job Knowledge 1. Experience: A degree without working knowledge of a department doesn t cut it. If they went to school but have not worked part time for a recreation department, they ve blown it. 3

4 3/17/ Job Awareness Don t forget to do research on each community you are applying for. I have literally had graduates expecting $40/hour right outside of graduation as well as unwillingness to commit to a traditional work schedule such as 9/80 workweek, 40 hours/week, nights weekends etc. 3. Interview Skills Candidates are not prepared for the actual interview process. They may have great skills at work, but turn out to be low ranked due to poor interview skills. They have to be able to sell themselves in the interview or it doesn t matter their experience or resume. What is the question trying to get at? Use the competencies to frame the way you think about and articulate your skills and abilities. Practice highlighting these skills in interview questions. Examples of interview questions cprs.org. 4

5 3/17/2016 Pair Up Choose a question for your partner Identify what competency the question is trying to get at Practice answering Switch Questions? Evaluations Final thoughts Keith Fulthorp, Ed.D Assistant Professor keith.fulthorp@csulb.edu Cal. State Long Beach Department of Recreation & Leisure Studies Chad Clanton Deputy Director cclanton@tustinca.org City of Tustin Parks and Recreation

6 A A Practical Approach to Career Development Competencies for Entry Level, Full Time Parks & Recreation Employment Competency Specific Competencies: Domain Use this form as a checklist to identify your competency strengths. In California, employers make hiring decisions largely based on Communication Skills, and Interpersonal Skills. Communication Skills* *This category was rated highest overall Community Relations Skills Interpersonal Skills* *This category was rated second highest overall Leading People Individual skills in bold were the highest rated by employers based on the 2014 CPRS/CSULB Entry Level Competencies Survey. These 10 competencies can be considered as critical competencies for entry level employment in California. Ability to clearly communicate with customers Ability to clearly communicate with staff Possess effective public speaking skills Possess effective written and oral communication skills Have ability to listen to staff and customers Ability to give instructions so a job gets done right the first time Knowledge of the community and its composition Know how to assess the needs of the community Know how to meet the needs of the community Possess an understanding of customer service practices Have the ability to deal with the public Ability to be creative and innovative Be flexible Have patience Be enthusiastic and have a positive attitude Ability to work well with people Be open minded Be able to deal with personality conflicts Have fun in your career Understanding the concept of criticism and being able to accept it Be a self starter Ability to take initiative Ability to deal with office politics Demonstrates they are action oriented Displays perseverance Ability to resolve conflict and solve problems Ability to think quickly Ability to make ethical decisions Ability to develop and stay within a budget Understanding of the hiring process Ability to motivate employees Has leadership skills and abilities Ability to work in team environments

7 A Managing Organizations Professional Practice Skills Technology Skills Inclusion Skills Possess knowledge of management principles Understanding of financial processes (i.e., purchasing, budget) Ability to supervise a diverse staff Be willing to work long, odd hours Ability to utilize effective organizational skill Ability to manage multiple tasks Ability to prioritize tasks Ability to utilize effective time management skills Ability to set priorities Continue to learn about the field through educational opportunities How to position yourself for career growth Ability to use computers and different software Has the ability to program (plan recreation events and services) Ability to conduct program evaluations Ability to schedule programs, leagues, and staff Have a basic knowledge of the field in several areas (i.e., youth development, sports, special events, instructional classes) Has knowledge of the parks and recreation profession Ability to network inside and outside the profession Knows how to act professionally Ability to use technology appropriately Knowledge of social networking Ability to use and monitor social networking sties to market programs and services Ability to use registration and facility reservation software Understanding of current office technology (computers, software, cloud storage, scanners, , internet) Understanding of how to use technology for collaboration Basic knowledge of digital media Can use mobile technology related to parks and recreation (i.e., devices and apps for park inspections, maintenance requests, program evaluation) Demonstrates openness to serving all members of the community Seeks opportunities to utilize open and inclusive language in marketing Knowledge of effective multicultural practices Knowledge of accessibility standards and guidelines Understands inclusive practices and can design programs to meet the diverse needs of community members Advocates for inclusive and multicultural practices throughout the agency Encourages and trains subordinate staff to utilize inclusive practices Understands and respects culturally defined needs of the community Note. Competencies adapted with permission from Hurd, A.R., (2005). Competency Development for Entry Level Public Parks and Recreation Professionals. Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, 23(3), p

8 B CPRS Conference 2016 A Practical Approach to Career Development in Parks and Recreation Top 10 Competency Self Rating Scale On a scale of 0 to 10, where 0 = You have no skill in this area at all, and 10 = you have this area mastered, where would your supervisor and/or co workers rate your current level of professional preparation? 0= I have no 10 = I have skill in this area this mastered 1. Ability to make ethical decisions Knows how to act professionally Ability to work well with people Ability to clearly communicate with customers Have the ability to deal with the public Have ability to listen to staff and customers Be enthusiastic and have a positive attitude Ability to clearly communicate with staff Demonstrates openness to serving all members of the community Ability to work in team environments What are your top three scores/competencies? What were your lowest scores/competencies?

9 C Top Ten Competencies with Applicable Sessions 1. Ability to make ethical decisions 2. Knows how to act professionally 3. Ability to work well with people 4. Ability to clearly communicate with customers 5. Have the ability to deal with the public 6. Have ability to listen to staff and customers 7. Be enthusiastic and have a positive attitude 8. Ability to clearly communicate with staff 9. Demonstrates openness to serving all members of the community 10. Ability to work in team environments

10 D Sample Interview Questions Accountability What have you done to become more effective in your career? How have you handled special responsibilities or assignments that have been given to you that may not be part of your routine? How do you react to short deadlines or pressure situations? Please provide examples. Tell us about a time when your performance did not live up to your expectations. What did you do? Have you had to make and/or implement an unpopular decision/policy? Why did you make the decision or support the decision? Adaptability What role do you play in ensuring a smooth working environment? Give us an example of a crisis situation you were involved in. What did you do to help resolve it? How many projects can you handle at a time? Give an example when this occurred. Tell us about a time you had to go above and beyond the call of duty. Describe a situation when your work was criticized. How did you react? What type of work environment appeals to you most? Communication What communication tools or forms have you developed for your department? How have you effectively communicated concerns/criticisms to co-workers? How can a supervisor establish effective communications with staff? Are there additional considerations in communicating to groups of employees versus individual employees? In what instances, is written communication better than verbal communications? How would your supervisor rate your communications skills? What sorts of things do you feel are important for an employee to share with a manager? And vice versa? Customer Service What are the steps involved in successfully handling an irate customer? Give us an example of a situation you handled with superior customer service. Tell us about a situation in which you dealt with a customer. What you would have done differently? Name two criteria essential to establishing effective service standards. What are some of the ways to measure customer/user satisfaction? What steps can you take to establish a "customer first" attitude in the organization? Inclusiveness Define diversity. What was the most important step that you took to work effectively with diverse people? In what kinds of situations do you find it most difficult to deal with people of varying interests or different backgrounds? To what extent have you worked in an ethnically, socio-economically, and/or culturally diverse community?

11 D Leadership How would you describe your management style? Give us an example of your ability to be a self-starter. What have you done to develop your leadership skills? Tell us about a situation in which you demonstrated your leadership ability. Discuss the styles of leadership you use in accomplishing your management role. What motivational techniques do you use with your work team? Occupational Knowledge What steps have you taken to become more effective in your current position? If we were to offer you this position, how do you imagine that you would spend your first two weeks? What computer software programs are you most comfortable with? What responsibility do you have for budgeting? What budgeting method do you use? How do you typically get cooperation from someone in another department? Have you had to make an oral presentation to other managers? Explain. Distinguish between planning for the short-, mid-, and long-terms. How do you defend the budget in your present position? Did you ever have to restructure your budget in the middle of the fiscal period? How do you handle personnel evaluations? Team Focus What are the important qualities a person should have to become an effective team member? Tell us about a successful team of which you were a member. What was the most outstanding characteristic of that team? What did you contribute? What actions can a supervisor take to establish teamwork in the organization? How, specifically, do you contribute toward an environment of teamwork? What programs have you implemented to build morale among those reporting to you? Experience and Education How have your educational and work experiences prepared you for this position? What training opportunities have you taken advantage of and why? Tell us about a specific area of responsibility that you have enjoyed. What were your three greatest accomplishments on your last job? What steps have you taken to improve your job skills? Tell us about a difficult situation that you encountered and how you resolved it. Supervision and Management Experience Tell us about your most difficult supervisory experience. How did you handle it? When you hire staff, what qualities do you look for? Do you supervise volunteers different from the way you supervise staff? What characteristics are most important in a good manager/supervisor? Explain your approach when evaluating employees? How do you develop trust and loyalty in your employee? What do you consider the three most impressive tangible contributions an employee can make to his/her employer?

12 D Judgment/Problem Solving What are the essential elements of effective problem solving? Recall an incident where you made a major mistake. What did you do after the mistake was made? What did you learn from this mistake? Give us a situation that illustrates your ability to exercise good judgment. In instances where you are required to assert yourself, what do you do to assert yourself effectively? In your last job what kinds of decisions did you have authority over? Describe the degree of authority you had over these decisions. At which point do you find it necessary to bring others into your decision-making process? Why? What methods do you use to make decisions? Please give examples. Strengths and Weaknesses Please tell us three of your personal strengths? Assume that you re one of the top 2 candidates for this position. Tell us what may set you apart from the other candidate. Give us three adjectives that others would use to describe you. What motivates you to improve and progress in your career? To what do you owe your present success? Tell us about a situation that would exemplify your integrity. Name your three greatest weaknesses. Organization and Time Usage How do you feel a meeting should be organized to be most effective? How do you keep track of your own paperwork, schedule, etc.? Explain. How do you monitor tasks that require your attention? What have you done since you were hired on your last job to be a more effective performer? What have you done that has demonstrated a high level of initiative? Career Goals Where do you see yourself five years from today? How does this position fit into your overall career goals? General Describe two or three major trends in your profession today. When we call your references, what s the best thing they will tell us about you? What do you think you can bring to us that someone else couldn t? When you first work with someone, what do you do to help yourself understand him or her better? Describe your ideal supervisor. What kinds of rewards satisfy you most, and how does getting them affect your work? What was your biggest challenge in your current position and how did you handle it? How do you plan your day/week? How do you organize yourself? Tell us about a time when you had several tasks to complete in a limited amount of time and how you completed them.

13 D Did you ever miss a deadline and how did you handle it? Tell us about a time when you went above and beyond the call of duty. What can you tell us about your accomplishments as a team member? How would you deal with an irate caller? What did you like and dislike about your last job? How did you prepare for this interview? At the end of an interview ask, Ask yourself a question and answer it. This will help show how well they think on their feet. Why do you want to work with us? What is our organization s mission statement? Please draw a visual résumé. Name one personal and one professional point or item that we do not know about you. What cartoon character are you most like, and why? How have you improved your ability to deliver exceptional customer service? How do you handle it when your ideas are not implemented, especially when you know they would be worthwhile? Who have you learned the most from? What was it? We all have to relax our standards from time to time to get the job done. What s the most serious compromise you ve had to make? How did it feel? Pick any local park facility you are familiar with and tell us what we might do better to improve the maintenance or quality of that facility. Explain your level of ethics. How do you deal with authority figures that have lower ethical standards than yourself? Have you ever lost your temper on the job? What do you think the job entails? How would your staff describe your management style? What kind of work do you want to do? What's the most significant compliment anyone has ever paid you? Is the customer always right? If you were hired, what would your first 3 to 4 major steps be? What person in the park and recreation profession do you most look up to? Why? How would you handle a work crew with poor work habits or a staff member with a negative attitude? What is your experience in the supervision of capital projects? What is your experience in working with a variety of community-based boards? What types of programs are of greatest interest to you? Explain a project that you worked on that had obstacles, and how you worked around the obstacles, and came to a successful conclusion. How do you balance the work load of a "hard worker" with one that does the bare minimum? Explain how you recently dealt with a difficult personality. How would you deal with being in the middle...between the Director/Commission and staff/patrons? What new programs or services would you start if offered the position? If you were a professional baseball player, would your walk up song be?