Introduction/Forewarning:

Those who want to become Manager I’s; those who wish to SUCCEED as Manager I’s need to do more than read through this study material. Though this guide may help you get your foot in the promotion door, it cannot provide the full range of information one must have to understand the job of supervisor at DMV. To THAT end, however, a series of Informational Workshops are being developed, which are planned for presentation between now and the oral test date. This is an ambitious undertaking, and there’s no guarantee it will succeed as planned….But if the workshops are offered in your area, and you’re serious about promoting, make every effort to attend.

Again, the guide in your hands can help you pass the test, but the proposed Workshops can help you pass probation as a Manager I and beyond. With that, we return you to your regularly scheduled study guide…

-The Usual Gang

The Beginning: A Written Test

The best way to ‘study for the test’ is to study for the job of Manager I. However…This time there may be f...f…FRACTIONS (Scary music gets louder here) and other spooky stuff on the test, and most of us haven’t consciously divided fractions or reduced a number to it’s lowest common denominator in years. So…Attached is our best guess Manager I Test Study Guide…And when we use the word “guide”, we mean we hope it will guide you to the areas YOU specifically need to study….And then guide you to in-depth study material for that area. Going through this booklet is not sufficient to meet all of your study needs….It’s just a pointer….An indicator of what you need to study.

The Examination Scope on the Announcement is different from any recent Manager I test. It seems to indicate that the Written will cover “The Ability to Analyze, interpret and apply written material” and that usually means Reading Comprehension paragraphs and questions. Also, the exam will test your ability to “Do mathematical calculations.” MATH!!! DO MATH!!!!

NOTE: The more you know about HOW Math and English are used by Manager I’s, the more prepared you’ll be for this test…and for your career.

Ultimately, also included in the overall test process (Written & possibly interview) will be “Writing and Organizational Skills”, “Interpersonal Skills” and “Supervisory Skills” These later three may be covered in the interview, but there could be some written test questions on them as well.

September 14^th seems like it’s a long way away, but between now & then we have School year’s end, Summer vacation (as if…), back to school, our jobs, and our lives in general. The time to study is now. And as always, STUDY WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW! The Exam Announcement tells you what the written test will cover Reading, Writing, and Math. Find the proper study material and begin studying.

An old 7^th or 8^th Grade math book should supply you with all of the math study material you will need; working with decimals, multiplying and dividing fractions, adding large groups of numbers, working with percentages, etc.

Any of the Ken, ARCO, or Peterson’s study booklets that have Reading Comprehension sections will be excellent study material. However, DMV tests tend to be very job oriented and job specific. If WE were writing the reading comprehension sections of the test, we’d use real-world materials that a Manager I would use in the real world…..The Vehicle Code, the VR & DL Manuals. To better prepare for this exam and this next step in your DMV Career, READ and critically examine the VC & the manuals. Pick out big paragraphs and practice breaking them down into understandable chunks….

Again, this test looks like it will consist of "simple" math, English, and reading comprehension. Many times when a person "fails" a written test, they can be heard to say, "I'm just not a test taker." Experience has shown that many times, such persons:

1. Tend NOT to study available material in order to prepare for the test; they prefer to "wing-it".

2. Tend to fail the SCORE SHEET by not paying proper attention to it during the test.

3. Tend to get discouraged and "not even care" about passing the test.

The following hints and tips can definitely solve the first two problems and thereby possibly prevent #3:

* Begin studying for the next written test TODAY; even if today is the very day after the

LAST written test.

* Study WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW. If you know math quite well; study English or

reading comprehension.

* Approach the test confidently. Take it calmly.

* Intensify study and review the week prior to the test.

* DON’T CRAM, especially the night before the test.

* Get a good night's sleep before the test.

* Arrive on time. It's best to make a dry-run to the test site.

* Choose a good seat, NOT near a friend, and get comfortable.

* Arrive with all proper tools; Identification, pen, pencil, whatever.

* LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ALL VERBAL INSTRUCTIONS.

* Apportion your time intelligently with an "exam budget" on any timed tests.

* READ INSTRUCTIONS carefully and completely. Pay attention to the scoring ...Is it True-False? Multiple choice? Low-Fidelity Simulation Multiple choice (2 answers for each question)? KNOWING the answers is one thing; putting them in the right place is another altogether...

* Scan complete test, if allowed, prior to answering any questions. See

if you can figure out the test's "pattern". Many times the hardest questions are first.

* Start right in, if possible. Stay with it. Use every second effectively.

* Do the easy questions first; postpone harder questions until later (but don't mix up

your place on the answer sheet)

* READ EACH QUESTION CAREFULLY. Make sure you really understand WHAT is

being asked. Re-read the question if necessary; re-phrase if necessary. Eliminate obviously

wrong answers.

* THINK! Avoid hurried answers. Guess intelligently IF needed.

* Watch for CUE words; always, never, must, absolutely, in all cases, etc. These usually

signal a "false" answer.

* If possible, refresh yourself with a few, well-chosen rests during the test.

* Remember key concepts of various questions as they may answer another question

Later on in the test. This is called controlled association.

* Edit, check, proofread your answers, but DON'T CHANGE AN ANSWER UNLESS YOU

ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE OF THE CHANGE.

* Be a "Bitter ender" and stay until they make you go (Though SOME say when you’ve done

your best, get up & get out….First answers are usually the correct one; if you stay I re-read &

re-read, you might change an answer you probably shouldn’t….)

Remember, there is always ONE answer that is "righter" than the others in Multiple Choice questions. When CUE words occur in a true/false question, the answer is usually false. If you have no way to even intelligently guess, pick "B" or "C", but stick with whichever letter you chose throughout the test; ALWAYS guess "B" OR ALWAYS guess "C"…Don’t jump back & Forth.

READ THE ANSWER SHEET AS CAREFULLY, if not more so, as you do the questions themselves. You can know absolutely everything asked on the test, but if you get off by one mark on the answer sheet, you will fail the test. Many people keep their finger on the question number and their pencil on the corresponding answer sheet number, and then double check the test to the answer sheet EACH TIME they mark down an answer. It is an excellent way to insure against failing the answer sheet.

In general, preparation and close attention to details, along with the hints and tips outlined above, will see you through any Civil Service written test. Attached are some typical test sections…Just to get your mind headed in the right direction. Use this practice test to help FOCUS YOUR STUDY ON WHAT YOU FEEL YOU’RE WORST AT. Take this test. Score it, & that should show you where you could use some brushing up. Then get some books from the library that cover civil service tests with charts, graphs, reading comprehension, etc. Do a little at a time from now until September and the written part of the exam process will literally be EASY.

As Paul Simon (The poet, not the Senator) observed- “Everybody got the runs for glory. Nobody stop and scrutinize the plan”. So. Scrutinize the plan! Your plan. If you start studying NOW, you won't need luck, but we still wish you GOOD LUCK from the entire DMV Management Team.

WITHITNESS

Within DMV getting promoted is a multi-step process:

Consistently doing your best on your current job

Preparing for the next job…or two

Participating in the promotional test process

Then, the Promotional Test Process is a multi-step process of it’s own:

Meet the Minimum Qualifications for the test

FILE for the test in a timely manner

Study for the Written/interview tests

Take and pass the Written test

Complete a PRE, if applicable

Succeed in the Interview portion of the Exam to get on the list

Apply for positions

Take and succeed at the Hiring Interview

Successfully complete probation

Do the best you can on THAT job. (and then the cycle starts again…)

At every step in this process, there is one significant attribute which will help you succeed: WITHITNESS.

WITHITNESS: If you got it, you got it. If you don’t…Then get it. Work at it and GET IT. GET WITH IT!

Withit people are acutely and actively aware of what’s going on around them. They anticipate what could happen next; they act and react so as to harmonize the program currently in vogue with the Unit’s Mission and the underlying imperatives of the job...They make the program work, they make it work for them and they make it work for the Department...’cause they’re Withit. And then they carry on a bit of the former program into the newer program, to help it work and to provide continuity within the DMV and themselves.

Withit people are responsive. They not only appear to be actively listening to their peers, supervisors, subordinates or customers, THEY ACTUALLY ARE LISTENING. They hear and understand what’s being said. They even listen to what’s being said between the lines. And they respond, act and react accordingly. They communicate the feeling that they know what’s going on, and are prepared (or preparing) to deal with it appropriately. You’ve seen ‘em, you know a few...How do their actions and words get that message across to you? Think about it carefully.

Withitness hasn’t been ‘formally‘ defined too often within the Department, but it is the bottom line that every Interview Panel seeks in every candidate it screens; Every Manager seeks it out in the Hiring Interview; Every Supervisor gauges the withitness of every employee. Your actions and words and descriptions and common sense all have to combine to show that you’re with it....You have Withitness. (And yet, if you USE that word during your next interview, they’ll probably look at you like you grew a softball out of your forehead...You have to SHOW, NOT SAY…THAT’S part of being withit). We hope here, to bring out specific examples of Withitness in you, so you can see examples AND the pattern of your best behavior.

Withit employees prevent problems, often before they even become problems.

What examples can you write down now where you’ve been this kind of employee?

Withit employees are complete communicators...they just never miss what’s being said.

Can you jot down some examples when others recognized your abilities in this area?

Withit employees can prioritize seemingly effortlessly.

Describe some difficult or ‘sticky’ situations where YOU sorting things out into what’s first & what can wait REALLY made a difference.

Withit employees are responsive. Responsive employees succeed in building mutual bonds of respect and trust with those around them. And your successes in this area?

Withit employees always act consistently with the principles and goals of their jobs.

Can you jot down a prime example or two where you’ve been proud of your performance in this area?

Withit employees remove obstacles that might prevent success. How did you do this recently?

Now, read back through your written answers. Put yourself back then and there right now. If (Say) an interview panel had seen you in action, there’s probably no doubt that they’d score you at the top of the list...Right? If we could just get scored on what we do every day, and not just on that sweaty slice of time called an interview. Well, that’s exactly what you need to show the panel. You need to show them the job you do now, and can do in the future as you build on the skills you already exhibit.

We recommend that you really go through this exercise. If you see multiple instances that reflect the best in you, that will help you throughout this testing process, through showing your best to the panel, and through the completion of your probation.

Some additional characteristics of Withit employees: Fair, flexible, positive, consistent, concerned, courteous, cooperative, reasonable, discrete, and trustworthy. How do you measure up? Can you write out strong examples of your behavior in these important areas?

“It's the small choices that bear us irresistibly toward our destiny”

Now.... What if you can’t really see a past example where, for instance, your outstanding communication skills really and truly made a significant difference to the job...Sure, you can remember when your ability to communicate under difficult situations really helped a customer when it seemed no one else could. But. But, can you see when it made a real, lasting difference to the work environment itself?

No? Well, maybe we’ve hit upon something that might have been holding you back in you career. Perhaps this could be weakness that you haven’t recognized fully. None of us can fix it if we can’t find it. For ANY of the traits mentioned here or in the duty statement of Manager I or II, if you can’t easily see your own withitness consistently in action, then that’s where you need to concentrate your attention.

William James, a pioneer in philosophy and psychology, said, “All of life is but a mass of small choices-practical, emotional and intellectual-systematically organized for our greatness or grief.” When asked if these choices could be altered, he replied, “Yes, one at a time. But we must never forget that it's not only our big dreams that shape reality. Whether changed or ignored, it's the small choices that bear us irresistibly toward our destiny.”

As you work your way through this testing process, from filling out your application to seating yourself in front of the interview panel, to be a success you must show that you have the skill set DMV is looking for. Show that the small “everyday” choices you’ll make as a Manager I will fit well into the big picture of the Department’s evolving Mission.

It’s the all-around ‘always-on’ ‘always with it’ candidates that must rise to the top of this list and this Department.

Some typical Math and written material analysis, interpretation and application

1. A + 9 is to Z7, as P/63 is to R.73. A. Minus B. Plus C. What? D. Definitely

2. Reduce to the lowest terms 60/108. A. 1/48 B. 1/3 C. 5/9 D. 10/18

3. Add 16 3/8, 4 4/5, 13 3/4, and 23 5/6. A. 58 91/120 B. 57 1/4 C. 58 D. 59

4. Which fraction is largest? A. 9/16 B. 7/10 C. 5/8 D. 4/5

5. The population of Poway was 54,000 in the past census. It has increased 2/3's since then.

Poway's present population is: A. 18,000 B. 36,000 C. 72,000 D. 90,000

6. Add 37.03, 11.5627, 3.4005, 3423 and 1.141. A. 3476.1342 B. 3500 C. 3524.4322 D. 3424.1342

7. Subtract 4.64324 from 7. A. 3.35676 B. 2.35676 C. 2.45676 D. 2.36676

8. Which is largest? A. .1 B. 0.01 C. .11 D. 0.10011

9. 10% written as a decimal is: A. 1.0 B. 0/01 C. 0.001 D. 0.1

10. Multiply the following: 800

x.005 A. .4 B. 4.0 C. 5 D. 40

11. Add five hours and thirteen minutes, three hours and forty-nine minutes and fourteen minutes:

A. 8 hr 16 min C. 9 hr 76 min B. 9 hr 16 min D. 8 hr 6 min

QUESTIONS 12 THRU 15 REFER TO THE FOLLOWING GRAPH:

‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑-----

¦ Vehicles crossing the Hudson Bridge ¦

Sunday ¦ # # # # @ ¦

¦ ¦

Monday ¦ # # # # @ @ @ ¦

¦ ¦

Tuesday ¦ # # # @ @ @ @ ¦

¦ ¦

Wednesday ¦ # # # @ @ ¦

¦ ¦

Thursday ¦ # # # @ @ @ ¦

¦ ¦

Friday ¦ # # # # @ @ ¦

¦ ¦

Saturday ¦ # # # @ ¦

¦ Each symbol = 500 vehicles ¦

¦ # = passenger car @ = truck ¦

‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑-----

12. What percent of the total number of vehicles on Wednesday were cars?

A. 30% B. 60% C. 20% D. 50%

13. What was the total number of vehicles crossing the bridge on Tuesday?

A. 7 B. 700 C. 1100 D. 3500

14. How many more trucks crossed on Monday than on Saturday?

A. 200 B. 1000 C. 1500 D. 2000

15. If trucks paid a toll of $1.00 and cars paid a toll of $.50, how much money was collected in tolls on Friday?

A. $400.00 B. $600.00 C. $2000.00 D. $2500.00

In questions 16 and 17, which sentence is grammatically incorrect?

16. A. Everyone at camp must have his medical certificate on file before participating in competitive sports.

B. A crate of oranges were sent from Florida for all the children in cabin six.

C. John and Danny's room looks as if they were prepared for inspection.

D. Three miles is too far for a young child to walk.

17. A. He was able partially to accomplish his purpose.

B. Let it lie there.

C. You are not so tall as he.

D. The people began to realize how much she had done.

18. "The prevention of accidents makes it necessary not only that safety devices be used to guard exposed machinery, but also that mechanics be instructed in safety rules that they must follow for their own protection and

that the light in the plant be adequate."

This paragraph best supports the statement that industrial accidents:

A. Are always avoidable.

B. May be due to ignorance.

C. Usually result from inadequate machinery

D. Cannot be entirely avoided.

E. Result in damage to machinery.

19. I. It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in or conduct the business of dealing in, trading in, selling, receiving or repairing condemned, rebuilt or used weighing or measuring devices without a permit therefore.

II. Such permit shall expire on the twenty-eighth day of February next succeeding the date of issuance thereof.

III. Every person engaged in the above business, within five days after the making of a repair or the sale and delivery of a repaired, rebuilt or used weighing or measuring device, shall serve notice in writing on the commissioner giving the name and address of the person for whom the repair has been made or to whom a repaired, rebuilt or used weighing or measuring device has been sold or delivered, and shall include a statement that such device has been so altered, repaired or rebuilt as to conform to the regulations of the department.

According to the preceding selection the most accurate of the following statements is:

A. A permit issued to engage in the business mentioned above, first issued April 23, 1963, expired on Feb. 28, 1964.

B. A rebuilt or repaired weighing or measuring device should not operate with less error than the tolerance permitted by the regulations of the department.

C. If a used scale in good condition is sold, it is not necessary for the seller to notify the commissioner of the name and address of the buyer.

D. There is a difference in the time required to notify the commissioner of a repair or of a sale of a repaired device.

In the following groups which would be filed first in an alphabetic filing system?

20. A. Iowa B. Idaho C. Illinois D. Kentucky

21. A. Carey, Paul B. Carey, Max C. Carez, Arthur D. Carey, Anthony

In the following groups, which would be filed last in an alphabetic filing system?

22. A. Red B. Blue C. Orange D. Green

23. A. Buick B. Oldsmobile C. Rolls-Canardly D. Pontiac.

Which of the following words is spelled correctly?

24. A. Perrsonel B. Personnel C. Perssonel D. Personnell

25. A. Comissioner B. Commisioner C. Commissioner D. Comisioner

Which word or group of words in the following means MOST NEARLY, the word in capital letters?

26. The delegates will CONVENE at noon.

A. Dine B. Vote C. Debate D. Assemble

27. Their aim seems to be to THWART our plans.

A. Simplify B. Direct C. Block D. Rely On

28. This letter is far from CONCISE.

A. Accurate B. Full C. Brief D. Official

ANSWER SHEET

1. There is no known answer….Made ya sweat, though…

2. C

3. A

4. D

5. D

6. A

7. B

8. C

9. D

10. B

11. B

12. B

13. D

14. B

15. C

16. B

17. A

18. B

19. A

20. B

21. D

22. A

23. C

24. B

25.C

26. D

27. C

28. C

SENTENCE RECONSTRUCTION

Rephrase or rewrite each sentence according to the directions given into a sentence which follows requirements of standard written English.

1. Returning as a mature person to the town of his birth he was greeted

by those who had shunned him as a boy.

Begin the sentence with When he returned: ______

A. to the town where he was born

B. to his birthplace town

C. to the town where he was given birth

D. to the place of his birth

2. A tap on the door having interrupted her musings, she decided to finish washing her hair:

Begin the sentence with Since a tap of the door: ______

A. had interrupted

B. occurred to interrupt

C broke up

D. interrupted

E. was interrupted

3. The gate opened and the two men emerged.

Change The gate to As soon as the gate: ______

A. , here the two men

B. , we found that the two men emerged

C. , the two men had emerged

D. , the two men emerged

4. Summer was now coming on with hasty steps, and I was aware that

my seventeenth birthday was fast approaching.

Change Summer was to Now that summer was: ______

A. steps, I realized D. steps, at last

B. steps, because E. steps, I found

C. steps, it dawned on me

5. Take those apples even though they are a bit green.

Change even though they to which: ______

A. nevertheless C. we realize

B. let's hope D. consequently E. it seems

Sentence Reconstruction Answers:

1. A 2. A 3. D 4. A 5. C

READING COMPREHENSION

DIRECTION FOR THIS SECTION:

Each question or incomplete statement is followed by several suggested answer or completions. Select the one that BEST answer the question or completes the statement. PRINT THE LETTER OF THE CORRECT ANSWER IN THE SPACE AT THE RIGHT.

In its current application to art, the "primitive" is as vague and unspecific as the term "heathen" is in its application to religion. A heathen sect is simply one, which is not affiliated with one or another of three or four organized systems of theology. Similarly, a primitive art is one, which flourishes outside the small number of cultures, which we have chosen to designate as civilizations. Such arts differ vastly and it is correspondingly difficult to generalize about them. Any statements which will hold true for such diverse aesthetic experiences as the pictographs of the Australians, the woven designs of the Peruvians, and the abstract sculptures of the Africans must be of the broadest and simplest sort. Moreover, the problem is complicated by the meaning attached to the term "primitive" in its other uses. It stands for something simple, undeveloped, and, by implication, ancestral to more evolved forms. Its application to arts and cultures other than our own is an unfortunate heritage from the nineteenth-century scientists who laid the foundations of anthropology. Elated by the newly enunciated doctrines of evolution, these students saw all cultures as stages in a single line of development and assigned them to places in this series on the simple basis of the degree to which they differed from European culture, which was blandly assumed to be the final and perfect flower of the evolutionary process. This idea has long since been abandoned by anthropologists, but before its demise it diffused to other social sciences and became a part of the general body of popular misinformation. It still tinges a great deal of the thought and writing about the arts of non-European peoples and has been responsible for many misunderstandings.

1. The MAIN purpose of the passage is to

A. explain the various definitions of the term "primitive" 1._____

B. show that the term "primitive" can be applied validly to art

C. compare the use of the term "primitive" to the use of the term "heathen"

D. deprecate the use of the "primitive" as applied to art

E. show that "primitive" arts vary greatly among themselves

2. With which of the following would the author agree?

A. the term "primitive" is used only by the misinformed. 2._____

B. "primitive" arts may be as highly developed as "civilized arts.

C. The arts of a culture often indicated how advanced that culture was.

D. Australian, Peruvian, and African arts are much like the ancestral

forms from which European art evolved.

E. A simple culture is likely to have a simple art.

3. According to the author, many misunderstandings

have been caused by the belief that 3._____

A. Most cultures are fundamentally different.

B. Inferior works of art in any culture are "primitive" art.

C. "Primitive arts are diverse.

D. Non-European arts are diverse.

E. European civilizations is the final product of the evolutionary process.

READING COMPREHENSION answers

1. D 2. B 3. E

MATHEMATICS PROBLEM SOLVING

Directions for this section:

Each question or incomplete statement is followed by several suggested answers or completion. Select the one that BEST answers the questions or completes the statements. PRINT THE LETTER OF THE CORRECT ANSWER IN THE SPACE AT THE RIGHT.

1. Mr. Marsh left an estate amounting to

$24,000. By his will, 10% was to be given to ____

the local college, 15% to his church; and the

remainder was to be divided equally among

three nieces. How much money did each niece receive?

A. $6129 B. $2000. C. $6333.33 D. $6000

2. What is the difference in cost to a

purchaser between and article listed at ____

$500 less 10% and 20% and one listed at $490 lees 20%

A. $18 B. $42 C. $58 D.$48 E. None of these answers

3. The afternoon classes in a school begin

at 1 P.M. and end at 3:52 P.M. There are 4 ____

class periods with 4 minutes between classes.

How many minutes are there in each class period?

A. 39 B. 40 C. 59 D. 60 E. None of these answers

4. The gauge on a 10 gallon oil tank

indicates that exactly 3/8 of the oil ____

remains in the tank. How many gallons

will it require to fill the tank?

A. 2¼ B. 3 3/4 C. 6½ D. 7¼ E. None of the answers

5. A dealer bought 3 gross of pencils at

$.38 a dozen. He sold the pencils at $.05 ____

each. How much was his profit per gross?

A. $7.92 B. $2.64 C. $22. D. $.66 E. None of these answers

6. A Village has an assessed valuation of

$2,400,000. The rate for school taxes is ____

$0.80 per $100. valuation. If all but 2% of

the taxes are collected, how many dollars remain uncollected?

A. $18,816 B. $285 C. $315 D. $485 E. None of these answers

7. A salesmen receives a monthly salary of

$80, a 2% commission on all monthly sale ____

over $2,000 and an additional 1% commission on all

seals over $11,000 a month. If his total sales for January

came to $13,500, how much did he earn that month?

A. $335 B. $285 C. $315 D. $485 E. None of these answers

8. At the rate of $0.15 per 6-oz. bar of chocolate, how would a pound of chocolate cost? ____

9. How much longer does it take an automobile to travel one mile at

20 miles per hour than at 30 miles per hour? ____

A. 1 minute B. 10 minutes C. 20 minutes D. 40 minutes

10. Mr. Brown owned a house, which her rented

for $60 a month. the house was assessed at ____

$9000 . In 1975 the rate of taxation was

increased from $25 to $28 per $1000 assessed

valuation. By what amount should the monthly

rent have been raised to absurd the increase in that year's taxes?

A. $7.20 B. $2.25 C. $ D. $21 E. None of these answers

11. 10% written as a decimal is?

A. 1.9 B. 0.01 C. 001 D. .01 ____

12. What percent of 5/6 is 3/4?

A. 75% B. 60% C. 80% D. 90% ____

13. 200% of 800 equals

A. 2500 B. 16 C. 1600 D. 4 ____

WORD MEANING

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS SECTION:

For the following questions, select the word or groups of words lettered A, B, C, D, E that means MOST NEARLY the seam as the word in capital letters. PRINT THE LETTER OF CORRECT IN THE SPACE AT THE RIGHT.

1. The pupil was criticized for his SLIPSHOD work. ____

SLIPSHOD means most nearly.

A. slow B. childish C. uncompleted D. careless E. incorrect

2. In business letter we state our business CONCISELY. ____

CONCISELY means most nearly.

A. Accurately B. fully C. briefly D. politely E. officially

3. He Startled the boy who was trying to unlock the ____

car. STARTLED means most nearly.

A. surprised B. punished C. chased D. arrested E. helped

4. The door was left AJAR. AJAR means nearly ____

A. slightly opened B. unhinged C. unguarded D. unlocked E. completely blocked

5. The delegates will CONVENE at noon. CONVENE ____

means most nearly.

A. dine B. amused C. surprised D. disgusted E. agree

6. The antics of the monkeys DIVERTED the children. ____

DIVERTED means most nearly

A. upset B. amused C. surprised D. disgusted E. frightened

7. Their aim seems to be to THWART our plans. ____

THWART means most nearly.

A. simplify B. direct C. rely on D. block E. keep up with

8. They reached the SUMMIT of the mountain by noon. ____

SUMMIT means most nearly

A. base B. wooded area C. side D. face E. top

9. The hike up Mount Marcy was STRENUOUS. STRENUOUS ____

means most nearly

A. disappointing B. dull C. pleasant D. scenic E. vigorous

10. The odd results of the experiment PERPLEXED ____

the scientists. PERPLEXED means most nearly

A. decided B. disgusted C. helped D. puzzled E. surprised

MATHEMATICS PROBLEM SOLVING ANSWERS

1. D

2. E

3. B

4. E

5. B

6. C

7. A

8. E

9. A

10. B

11. D

12. D

13. C

WORD MEANING

1. D

2. C

3. A

4. A

5. D

6. B

7. D

8. E

9. E

10. D

The Cost of a Drink

If you drink and drive these are the costs you could pay for a DUI:

Vehicle towing and storage $187

Booking, fingerprinting, and photo fee $156

Driver license reinstatement fee $100

Car insurance increase $2,700

DUI fine $480

Assessment for the court system $816

Community service fee $44

DUI victims fund $100

Alcohol abuse education fund $50

DUI classes $550

DUI Victims' Impact sessions $20

Time payment charge $35

Total fees, fines, and assessments $5,238*

* If you use an attorney, add $2,000

The following three questions refer to the Cost of a Drink table.

1. Assume 8 people with DUI’s incur these exact costs. What would be the grand total of all Reinstatement fees, Community Service Fees, and their Booking, Fingerprinting and photo fees?

a. 1200 Dollars b. 300 Dollars c. 2400 Dollars d. 2444 Dollars

2. Assume no one uses an attorney, and 7 people incur these fees. What is the total of all fees, minus all time payment fees.

a. 36,666 Dollars b. 36,421 Dollars c. 41,005 Dollars d. 31, 005 dollars

3. Assuming that no attorney fees are included, what percent of the total does the DUI Fine represent?

a. 9.16% b. 11.01% c. 8% d. None of the above.

1. C

2. B

3. A.

As mentioned, these practice questions are supplied JUST to help you spot possible weaknesses in your test taking arsenal. If you had difficulties with any of these areas, or if you KNOW you need to brush-up on any topic covered by the Manager I exam, THAT’S where you should focus your attention. Study what you don’t know. Study what you have the most trouble with. This test process is weighted 60/40, so the higher you get on EACH exam portion (written & Oral), the higher you are on the list & the better chance you have of getting the job you really want.

Start now. Study a few minutes a day for the next 4-5 months & you’ll be ready for the test.

CALIFORNIA STATE PERSONNEL BOARD SPECIFICATION,

MANAGER SERIES, DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES

SCOPE:

This series specification describes five classes in State service which manage activities in the licensing and registration of motor vehicles and provide information to the general public about Department of Motor Vehicles' programs and goals. Each of the five levels within this series is responsible for managing the staff of a subunit within the overall departmental structure.

Manager I THRU V, Department of Motor Vehicles

DEFINITION OF SERIES:

Managers, Department of Motor Vehicles, personally or through subordinate line managers or supervisors, plan, organize, assign, direct, and review the work of employees performing vehicle registration, driver licensing, and related work; make decisions on problems ranging in difficulty level from average to the most difficult and complex, and requiring interpretation of the law and departmental policy relating to assigned function; may recommend changes in law or policy where appropriate; estimate volume, timing, and nature of future workload; plan and schedule the work of one or several work units; select and train employees and evaluate their performance; contact groups and individuals to promote community understanding, acceptance, and support of Department programs; interpret, apply, and explain to the public, organizations, and other government jurisdictions the provisions of the law and administrative regulations, policies, and procedures concerning registration and ownership of motor vehicles and the licensing of drivers; examine applicants and make recommendations as to the issuance of driver licenses; serve, give, and receive information concerning notices of suspension, revocation, and cancellation of licenses; determine if vehicles are subject to registration in California and indicate documents required for proper registration and transfer of ownership; inspect vehicles for body type, usage, and verification of identification and license numbers; issue license plates, tabs, and operating permits; determine, collect, and account for fees and penalties; make or recommend changes in organization, office building arrangements, work methods, work standards, staffing, equipment requirements, employees' assignments, and use of intermittent and seasonal help; review expenditures for permanent personnel, temporary help, buildings, equipment and operating expenses, and make recommendations concerning budget requirements; maintain records and prepare reports concerning the work of assigned units; in a staff assignment, make studies of programs, policies, and procedures; write letters and memoranda; dictate correspondence and prepare reports; speak before public gatherings; and may be required to drive a motor vehicle in the conduct of State business.

FACTORS AFFECTING POSITION ALLOCATION:

The difficulty and complexity of the work assignment is indicated by the scope and variety of the work performed, the problems encountered and the decisions made, control exercised over the work of others, and inherent responsibility of the position.

The relative size of a field office is determined by the workload capacity based on a variety of factors such as paid staff years, automated work stations, the size of the facility, and the total volume of items processed necessary to accomplish the work of the office in accordance with standards agreed to and documented by Department of Personnel Administration staff and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Headquarters assignments involve either management of staff engaged in such activities as manual preparation, training program development, and policy and procedure development and program evaluation, or technical assignments. Size of staff, program scope, and statewide impact determine allocation levels.

DEFINITION OF MANAGER I LEVEL, Department of Motor Vehicles:

Incumbents either (1) serve as a manager responsible for vehicle registration, driver licensing, and administrative activities of one of the smallest field offices; or (2) serve as operations officer of a larger field office; or (3) manage a large group of employees (as reflected in the approved allocation standards) assigned to a major function of a large field office; or (4) in a staff or specialized headquarter assignment, perform technical or managerial duties comparable in difficulty to the other assignments of this classification level.

MANAGER I (General) DUTY STATEMENT

% of Time Tasks

		Manages a small field office providing drivers license, vehicle registration and other services to the public. Under general direction of the region manager, the FO manager is primarily responsible for effectively managing workloads and resources, and budgeting available dollars and hours to ensure that the field office is fully staffed and functional. The field office manager is directly responsible for development and maintenance of a high quality public service program, for correctly and fairly administering all department programs, implementing new technology and providing employee development. The field office manager is responsible and accountable for daily operational activities.

55%		Performs tasks in the following functions: control cashering, registration, drivers licensing and occupational licensing.

10%		Develops data /projections relative to workload volumes, hours and dollars to be used in annually constructing current and budget year work and spending plans; monitors and reports to the region manager on planned versus actual results and status.

10%		Plans, organizes, directs and controls the work assignments of subordinate employees to ensure that all work is processed in a timely manner and the public is properly served.

5%		Implements new technology; ensures that subordinate staff is fully prepared to use new processes; monitors automated system to evaluate the impact on daily operational efficiency and maintain the integrity of the system; reports results to region matter.

5%		Makes recommendations on facilities maintenance; has primary responsibility for resolving facility-related issues; follows accepted and approved procedures in implementing repairs; provides data to the region manager regarding the need for additional facilities or facility improvements.

5%		Correctly communicates information on policies and procedures downward through the organization. Encourages feedback on significant issues.

5%		Develops cooperative relationship with the media, auto clubs, dealerships and other groups having specific work-related involvement with DMV.

2%		Provides employee development for subordinate staff through training and assignment opportunities to produce high quality, well-trained staff. Ensures that the department’s AA and upward mobility goals are met. Other duties as required.

Duty Statement

Manager I, Section Supervisor

1. Supervise employees to insure courteous, accurate, and efficient service to the public.

2. Schedule and maintain staffing for an acceptable wait-time of less than 30 minutes under normal circumstances; adjust schedule for call-in's; work with and make schedules available to co-supervisors, so as to integrate with their schedules and maximize effectiveness of resource allocation. Assist in scheduling and maintaining staff to keep bundle and mail work within 5 days and control within 20 hours.

3. Maintain morale in the section at a high level; promote harmony and set leadership patterns by example. Encourage employee suggestions for improvement of job duties. Work positively with other supervisors to gather input on section/office needs.

4. Provide necessary training and cross training to ensure employees are well-trained and competent.

5. Establish realistic/measurable goals and maintain records to evaluate production, level of efficiency, quality and customer relations. Evaluations to determine performance reports and merit salary adjustments.

6. Counsel and advise subordinates as needed, encourage employees to take advantage of upward mobility opportunities and assist them in their efforts.

7. Provide ideas to streamline control and bundle operations and increase individuals' efficiency of operation.

8. Promote management/Departmental philosophy and direction, once policy has been set. Obtain the cooperation and support of staff to implement the chosen course of action.

9. Communicate with entire management team by implementing changes of policy and procedure that affect work, customers and procedures in the office.

10. Approve/disapprove leave request. Forward all requests for final approval to the personnel supervisor and Admin Manager , keeping in mind that the needs of the office and level of service are primary objectives.

11. Solve difficult Registration, control and bundle problems as well as public relation incidents. Develop and train other lead persons to handle operation in your absence.

12. Instruct employees to maintain neat, cleared, and well stocked work stations and areas..

13. Post section schedule by Friday A.M. for ensuing week.

14. Shift personnel or work to ensure constant (steady) work for employees and the best possible service to the public.

15. Participate in the hiring process for new and replacement employees.

16. Work counter whenever necessary, after all other options have been exhausted

17. Ensure notification of required persons and proper action taken on all critical discrepancies.

18. Keep aware of overall Registration/DL operation.

19. Establish and maintain good working relationships with other Departmental divisions (e.g., Investigations); Other State entities (State Police, Tax Board, Legislative offices, etc.); and other local agencies (Local police, courts, etc.)

20. Ensure Control Cashier adherence to Control Cashier Duty Statement. Ensure adherence of Back-up Control Cashiers to the Back-up Control Cashier Duty Statement.

21. Ensure that audit clearances are shipped daily.

22. Schedule and maintain staffing for an acceptable wait- time of less than 15 minutes for Drive Tests and DL appointments, under normal circumstances;

23. Ensure timely verifications for waiting vehicles.

24. Check any build-up of Appointment or Drive test lines and where possible, alleviate if wait times require such action.

25 While performing each duty outlined above, be aware of any possible potential/actual security breaches, potential for fraud, dishonesty, etc.

26. Other duties as required.

THE PROMOTION FOLDER

Employees interested in moving up ANY of DMV’s numerous promotional ladders should begin their Promotional Folder TODAY.

Employees who have what it takes to promote tend to be engaged in the job; tend to have that elusive quality called Withitness; and tend to be involved in more activities, opportunities and projects than their peers. UNFORTUNATELY, they don’t often DOCUMENT those activities, opportunities or projects, and when the times comes for promotions, they don’t always remember all the great things they’ve done for the Department, for their community, or for our customers. And that’s where a Promotional Folder comes in. Grab a manila envelope or an expandable file folder, or anything that will hold small scraps of paper…Precious small scraps of paper.

Then, every time you do something ‘different’ you drop a note in the folder.

Ø Represented office @ Government day; drop a note in the folder.

Ø Complementary letters from the public; a copy of the letter goes into the folder.

Ø United Way Representative; drop a note.

Ø Memo from Manager concerning your input; a copy goes into the folder.

Ø Prepared a training class on that last OHV procedure; jot down a note & in it goes.

Ø Caught a stolen vehicle during a verification; send in a note.

Ø Spoke to a group of High Schoolers or Senior Citizens; add another to the folder.

THEN, when a P.R.E. or panel interview or hiring interview comes up, you get all those notes out and use them as memory refreshers or as an actual outline for your presentation.

Promotional Readiness Examinations (P.R.E.), Employee Self Appraisals (ESA) or some such are used in many DMV Exams. These give the applicant a chance to address a series of situations/questions with examples of HOW they responded in the Real-World to that specific situation. NONE of us has a memory good enough to recall every activity, opportunity or project we’ve been involved with. But a note from a Promotional Folder can bring it all back.

For PRE’s, you simply stack your pieces of paper on the question/situation it seems most applicable to. Then a simple sorting and rewriting process is involved, and not some lengthy attempt at accurately remembering everything you’ve done for the past few years.

For Hiring Interviews, a read-through of YOUR Promotional Folder gives you factual, specific responses to virtually any question that’s thrown at you. Responding with things you DID, rather than what you MIGHT DO, makes your answers stronger, more accurate, and less open to mistakes during the dreaded, “Well, what if….” half of many situational questions. You tend to come off more as a withit doer, than someone whose just in it for the promotion.

So…Start the folder today. Then start thinking about all the ‘stuff’ that you COULD/SHOULD HAVE put in there in the past. And then start jotting down notes ABOUT all that stuff you’ve done in the past….drop ‘em in the folder along with the new ones.

Preparedness is ONE hallmark of employees who are ready for the next level of responsibility. A Promotional Folder is one tool to help prepare for that promotion.

A word to the wise is sufficient and a word to the sufficient is wise. Word.

Management and Supervision

Oral Exams and Hiring Interviews

Part I

Part I is a synopsis and discussion of an article* published in the December 1999 “Journal of Applied Psychology.” The study concerned applicant’s Visual and Vocal cues (also called characteristics or behavior), and their affect on job interviewers. In other words, this paper was NOT about what’s SAID during an oral interview, but what’s seen and what’s heard other than the words. A statistically significant sampling of Managers and Supervisors provided real-world experience and input for the study. The two specific areas studied were:

Nonverbal VISUAL cues

and

Nonverbal VOCAL cues.

The nonverbal VISUAL cues were

1. Appropriate attractiveness (clean, neat, well groomed, appropriately dressed, etc.).

2. Eye contact (eyes up, looking towards the Oral Panel interviewers...NOT Staring).

3. Body orientation (‘lean’ towards the panel, not away. No slouching, but not ramrod straight).

4. Smiling (not grinning. And there’s no smiling when discussing ‘grim’ problems).

5. Hand gestures (for emphasis and expression, NOT for making shadow puppets...).

This research found that these five specific visual cues are especially likely to create a favorable impression in the selection interview and on the job. “Interviewees who are appropriately attractive, smile more, gaze more in the interviewer's direction, use expressive hand movements, and lean toward instead of away from the interviewer are most likely to create a favorable impression” (In the interview, and on the job itself).

The nonverbal VOCAL cues were:

1. Pitch: The overall characteristic pitch of a voice; the basic frequency (high-pitched or low); . “Even though higher pitch is associated with favorable impressions for women in some jobs, we found that management orals place a premium on leadership, which is probably stereotypically associated with a deeper (lower pitched) and stronger voice.”

2. Pitch Variability: Another vocal characteristic that affected interviewers' judgments is the range or variability of voice pitch. Speakers who notably vary their voice pitch seem to come across as more dynamic, extraverted, benevolent, and competent. However, too much variation, too many extreme changes in pitch (going high then low too often), sounds ‘sing-song’ and just ever so...crazy....

3. Speech Rate: Several studies found that faster rates of speech are also associated with perceptions of competent and extraverted individuals. Fast, but not TOO fast...The words must be clean and clear, with each word ending before the next word begins. On the other hand, a ‘drawl’ that slows your words to a crawl can be maddening to an oral panel.

4. Pauses: The number of voice breaks or pauses can affect interviewers' judgments. “We have found an inverse relationship between length of pause and favorable ratings.” If an interviewee consistently pauses (stops talking completely) between thoughts, between sentences, between words, it can express a lack of competence, confidence, conviction, or memory.

5. Amplitude variability: This represents short-term instability in the loudness of a voice. “Amplitude variability has been associated with perceptions of hoarseness, an undesirable vocal quality. For this reason, we expect that amplitude variability will be considered negatively by interviewers.” A voice breaking up like a 13 year-old boy on his first date, is not normally recognized as the voice of authority; the voice of management.

The study results showed that the vocal and visual cues work in concert with each other: “People who display engaging visual cues in the interview also tend to display engaging vocal cues.” Further, people who “look trustworthy, likable, and credible in the interview also tend to sound trustworthy, likable, and credible.”

Importantly, however, the study found that interviewers tend to react to the full range of information generated during selection interviews. These INCLUDED the applicants' well-thought-out answers to the actual interview questions, AND their exhibited nonverbal visual and vocal cues. Such positive reactions by panel members tend ultimately to be reflected in the oral interview score.

So; looking at the primary areas which are consciously and unconsciously covered during a DMV QAP or hiring interview, is there anything you can do to improve your odds? We believe so...

OF course first and foremost, you must develop the storehouse of knowledge needed to answer the questions posed during the interview. Truly, you can ‘look and sound marvelous’ but if there’s no one home in back of the clean face, below the nice haircut, or behind the strong voice, the interview score will reflect that sad fact. Conversely, if you are an expert in all areas of the job you want, but you don’t sufficiently ‘look’ or sound the part, this study indicates that your score will suffer....But we can work on that.

Look at the graph below. Mark column 2 with the appropriate S or W from YOUR point of view...but be honest, or none of this will help you on your next interview. IF you feel strongly about promoting, AND you can take constructive criticism, ask a supervisor to score you from THEIR point of view.

We feel that by recognizing these subtle/not-so-subtle cues and how they affect interviewers, you can make the decision to work on them....You can do voice exercises to gain more control of your voice; you can practice, practice, practice LOOKING at the interviewers instead of looking at your hands folded in your lap; You can get those hands out of your lap SOMETIMES, to help make a point; you can ‘pay attention’ by leaning towards the interviewers, rather than looking like you’re ready to break for the door. You can fix any miscues, and turn them into strengths on future interviews and on the job itself....

Strength or

Characteristic or Ability Weakness? Comments

Appropriate Attractiveness		Dressed the part; well-groomed and neat, or shaggy, baggy, dusty and thread-bare?
Eye contact		Do you gaze towards interviewers or stare at the floor most of the time?..(Or STARE wide-eyed and wild at the interviewers?)
Body orientation		Leaning slightly TOWARDS the panel, or falling back in fear....How BAD IS their breath??? Or are you flopping ONTO the table? WAKE UP!
Smiling		Does a pleasant smile play across your face...or do you sit stony & sullen? Are you grinning? Smiling at inappropriate times?
Hand gestures		Graceful gestures of emphasis or do you look like you’re catching butterflies? Sitting on your hands?
Pitch		Are you talking low as possible without sounding like you have a cold, or do your nerves make you sound like you’ve been sucking helium? There are voice exercises to easily lower your voice.
Pitch Variability		Are some words more important than others, or is everything spoken in a sleep-inducing monotone?
Speech Rate		T a l k i n g t o o s l o w ? ortoofast? Like the 3 bears, it needs to be just right...just right in the middle.
Pauses		Do you pause too much? KNOWING the material leads to confidence....confidence can reduce pauses.
Amplitude variability		Sound like a 14 year old pimply-faced boy talking to a beauty queen? Perhaps a lozenge just BEFORE the interview will reduce the dry throat.
Knowledge		The bottom line. Without knowledge of the subject, there is no foundation to the interview.

There are other areas important in the interview: Exhibited attitude (though the visual & vocal cues go a long way to explain this, there are other characteristics like tone of voice or talking down to the panel); vocabulary, general demeanor, etc. But these 11 points set the overall tone of the entire interview...You can try and harmonize with the interviewers, or you can go for discord:

“They can just take me the way I am or leave me alone.” Whispered the whiny, purple haired, nose-ringed, dirty-nailed, slouching avant-garde fashion statement. Yes, that’s true. But who loses with those levels of preparation, respect and attitude? Well, the Department MAY lose an outstanding candidate, but the applicant will almost surely lose. Is that ‘fair’? Well, that’s the other half of the study....

“Our results show that both visual cues and vocal cues can predict job performance.” The full, official title of the study is “Why Visual and Vocal Interview Cues Can Affect Interviewers' Judgments and Predict Job Performance” SIGNIFICANTLY, it seems that those want-to-be managers who TEND to exhibit the best visual and vocal characteristics in interviews actually TEND do the job better in the real world. So, consciously and unconsciously, the interview is doing exactly what it’s supposed to be doing: Putting the candidates who can best do the job in the top ranks of the list. That’s not always the case, but it is the general tendency of interviews.

There’s a mechanism called “self-fulfilling prophecy” and it just might come into play here. This study (and years of observed behavior) indicates that if an individual has problems with these 11 points during an interview, those problems MAY also affect the individual in the performance of the job itself.

BUT, if one overcomes these ‘problems’ sufficiently to have a favorable interview, those problems may be overcome on the job as well. No guarantees, but if one dresses and looks the part of a supervisor during the interview they may continue that trend on the job....then customers and employees may TEND to treat that person like a supervisor. If the individual trains themselves to make eye contact during the stress of an oral interview, they are more likely to use that ‘tool’ on the job, like during the stress of encountering an irate customer. If they train their voice to sound calm and authoritative for the interview, that voice can help them in their daily job as well. And on and on through all of the other vocal and verbal cues.

Naturally, if the individual studies technical and/or managerial source materials so completely that they are very well prepared for the interview questions, that knowledge is not lost....it comes into play during their day to day duties.

So....preparing to succeed in these important areas, making real change where necessary, is preparing to succeed on the job as well as on the oral. Those knowledgeable and prepared people are the ones we want at the top of our lists and in the supervisory positions at DMV.

Though this study only concerned interviews for management positions, many (if not most) of these points appear equally important for virtually all interviews and jobs in DMV. ‘Conquering’ these cues and making them an integral part of your daily routine can make that routine easier for you; smoother, more professional, more effective, more productive, less stressful, etc.

Your next QAP might not be for quite a while, or it might be next week. There may be a hiring interview in your near future. The time to assess your strengths or weaknesses is NOW. The time to work on them is immediately. Be truly ready by the time of your next interview!

“Study what you don’t know” is the advice usually given. In this case, find out where you might be weakest in the areas covered here, and work from that knowledge (Study what you don’t DO well....). Video tape might be your best friend in this endeavor. Speak to the camera like it’s the interview panel. Watch your hands, your eyes, your posture. Listen to your speech patterns, pitch and pauses. Fix what’s ‘broken’. The better prepared you are for your oral interviews, the more likely you are to perform your daily duties more efficiently, professionally and effectively. Hurry! We need you.

*“Why Visual and Vocal Interview Cues Can Affect Interviewers' Judgments and Predict Job Performance”, 1999 by Dr. Timothy DeGroot Department of Business and Economics Catholic University of America and Dr. Stephan J. Motowidlo, Department of Management University of Florida. Http://uhaweb.hartford.edu/lboudreau/visintcu.htm

Part II

SOME PRACTICAL VISUAL AND VOCAL PRACTICE

VISUAL COMMUNICATION

"The face is the mirror of the mind, and eyes without speaking confess the secrets of the heart." -- Saint Jerome (342 AD - 420 AD)

One statistic frequently cited to show the importance of EQ (Emotional intelligence Quotient) is that 93% of communication is nonverbal. More specifically, Albert Mehrabian's research in the 70's at UCLA showed that 7% of communication came from the words we use, 38% by tone and non-word sounds, and 55% through expression and body language.

So while it is not reasonable to say that 93% of ALL communication is based on emotional intelligence, it certainly is interesting to see that the perception and management of emotions strongly affects our thinking about communication. During Oral Exams or Hiring Interviews, these concepts are not just interesting, they are vital to a successful outcome. For most of us, the following points will require thoughtful, concentrated practice (& maybe a video camera......). These should become a natural part of your posture, presentation and demeanor. If you wait until the interview itself to ‘practice,’ you’ll come off as stilted, nervous, and unprepared.

A. Visual Cues you can work on before (WELL BEFORE) your next job interview:

Sitting Posture: Don't slouch - it is disrespectful. Don't cross your legs - it’s too casual for a business setting. Sit up straight, feet flat on the floor, back straight most of the time, except when you lean forward a little while speaking...this makes you physically and communicatively closer to your interviewer (or the customer at the window...).

Hands Position: Don't stick your hands in your pockets; it looks disrespectful. Don't wave your hands like you’re conducting an orchestra. It’s okay to rest your hands(but NOT your elbows) on the desk in front of you.

Eye Contact: Don't look down at the floor; you appear insecure. Don't let your eyes wander around the room too much, it looks like you’re avoiding the interviewer. Make and remake eye contact with the interviewer(s), as it shows respect, confidence, and the ability to focus.

Facial Expressions: Don't show exaggerated surprise, fear or disappointment; it looks too emotional and unbusiness-like. Tend to use a calm "poker face" with a hint of a smile; you want to look relaxed and pleasant, while not revealing any extreme feelings. Do use your facial expressions to appropriately react to issues your interviewer brings up.

B. VISUAL/VOCAL AREAS TO AVOID:

Frequently touching your mouth/face Biting your lip

Tight or forced smiles Swinging/tapping your foot or leg

Folding or crossing your arms Slouching

Picking at invisible bits of lint Repeated rapid blinking

Loud sighs Repeatedly Swallowing

Loud breathing (gasping) Staring at the interviewers (or anything)

Faking a cough or clearing your throat to think about the answer to a question

“I’m starting with the man in the mirror. I’m asking him to change his ways.” -- Michael Jackson

VOCAL COMMUNICATION

A. TONE/PITCH

Research Says...We determine if someone is lying by facial expression and body language, plus an assessment of tone and sounds. (Zuckerman, DePaulo, and Rosenthal "Verbal and Nonverbal Communication of Deception," Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 1981)

What follows are some exercises to enhance voice tone, pitch, speed, etc. A word of warning, however: Always work gently when you do voice exercises. The voice may get tired as other muscles do when you use them, but it should never HURT.

* * * *

Strangely enough, the four ‘sounds’ best left out of all interviews (and conversations, for that matter) are great vocal exercises for strengthening and deepening a voice: Um, Ah, Uh, and Oh.

If you have a couple of months before your next interview, you can use these sounds to lower your voice significantly and permanently by then. To be effective, the exercise routine needs to be done at least 4-5 times a day, every day. Give it a try:

1. Inhale slowly and deeply through the nose, filling your lungs as fully as possible. Exhale completely, VERY SLOWLY through the mouth all-the-while saying “Ooohhhhhhhhhhh” in the deepest voice as you can make. Repeat four times (but don’t hyperventilate...).

2. Do exactly the same thing as #1, using the word “Uuummmmmmmmm” Repeat 4 times.

3. Do exactly the same thing as #1, using the word “Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh” Repeat 4 times.

4. Do exactly the same thing as #1, using the word “Uuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh” Repeat 4 times.

Again, if this exercise is practiced 4 to 5 times a day or more, every day, at the end of 2 or 3 months, the change should be obvious. And again, if your voice gets tired, that’s probably okay, but If the exercises ‘hurt,’ don’t do them.

B. VOCAL VARIETY:

One common problem in interviews is the monotone; every syllable and every word being spoken in the same voice, with the same speed and stress on each word. A monotonous delivery gives listeners the perception that you’re tired, bored, or upset. On the other hand, a rushed style, or one where the pitch gets too high and tense makes people think that you’re nervous, uncomfortable, or “emotional”. One way to improve one’s delivery of ‘normal’ phrases is to practice on some difficult ones. At least once a day, read and repeat out loud the following sentences as if you’re at a poetry reading; pause appropriately, “punch” important words, project to the last row; pronounce each word crisply, correctly and separately.

High roller, low roller, lower roller.

I need a box of biscuits, a box of mixed biscuits, and a biscuit mixer.

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.

Friday's Five Fresh Fish Specials.

Rubber baby buggy bumpers made of red leather, yellow leather.

She sells sea shells by the seashore,

Eleven benevolent elephants ate six sick slick slim sycamore saplings, Susie.

Like all exercise regimens, the time to start is today....And you HAVE to stick with it to get results.

Part III

That Question Makes Me Scream! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Somewhere in the first few questions of each Appraisal Interview (oral), the panel usually asks (or implies) a question similar to this: How has your previous experience prepared you for this position?

It could be “Tell us about yourself” or “Tell us what has prepared you to do this job” or any number of other variations. In theory, the question is asked to

1. Start the interview off with something YOU should know well: YOU

2. Relax you because you’re talking about something familiar: YOU

3. Give the panel some insight into what’s important to you about...YOU

The best way to respond to those 3 YOU’s is with 3 E’s:

Experience

Education

Extras

As mentioned numerous times in the past, you really don’t want to memorize a pat statement word for word because you can get lost and have to start all over again. Think right now about the last 4 numbers of your Social Security Number....Did ya have to start with the first number to work your way the last four? That’s how many people ‘memorize’ things: from first syllable through to the last. And if you do that, and get interrupted at some point, AND THEN HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN, you’ve probably sunk your oral...At least THAT question.

It’s probably okay to memorize ONE LEAD-IN sentence for each of the 3 topics you’ll want to cover. From there, each topic should have some specific points you’ll want to include in your answer. Don’t let the panel see your hands for this, but imagine one finger for each topic (E), and count it off as your finish that topic.

Experience: Cover the experience you’ve had that closely relates to the job you’re going for. If it’s a supervision job, talk about what you’ve done & learned while being a supervisor or sitting in for a supervisor. If it’s a job that demands decision making, talk about the jobs where you’ve had to do that. And always, discuss the RESULTS of your decisions and the RESULTS when you were supervisor/action supervisor, etc.

Education: Talk about any Education you’ve had that specifically addresses topics covered in the Scope or Minimum Qualifications. Almost every DMV job can benefit from someone whose taken courses in writing, supervision, and/or English. But in the bulletin, is there something about Enforcement-related duties, and YOU’VE had enforcement-style classes? Report writing? Math?

Extras: Do you have any special Certificates that might relate to the job? For example, a Computer LAN certificate or Microsoft license. Have you been on a special project or assignment that SHOWS how you can do the job? Have you done research on a subject and prepared a report? Any special skills? Any ‘thank you’ notes discussing participation in special events or projects?

If you remember the 3 E’s, you’ll be able to answer that first question about U, U, U. AND, if you think about it, the 3 E’s approach can be used on just about EVERY Question you get asked during your interview...in a situational question, quickly review each “E” area & locate the best approach...In a specific knowledge question, do the same (e.g. Was I TAUGHT that or did I learn it through Experience or on a special project I was on???????) You can use the 3 E’s as a pointer system for any question asked.

Part IV

Note on the 2002/2003 Manager I Qualifications Appraisal Interview

The Scope of this test indicates that it will cover

o The ability to analyze, interpret and apply written material

o The ability to do mathematical calculations.

Those two are probably covered in some depth during the written test. The Oral portion of the exam may well concentrate more on the remainder of the listed ‘scope’:

o Writing and Organizational Skills

o Interpersonal Skills

o Supervisory Skills.

The latter two are easily addressed in the standard questions-and-answer format. The first one, Writing and Organizational skills COULD involve a practical applications portion…Some form of written exercise that’s critiqued or discussed during the remained of the Qualifications Appraisal (oral)…Or maybe not. There may easily be a way to orally test your Writing and Organizational Skills. But just in case:

In-basket or Practical Problems.

As part of many DMV Exams, certain fundamental skills need to be observed/measured. Often, this is accomplished by providing the applicants with a set of papers to complete IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE QUALIFICATIONS APPRAISAL (AKA: oral exam).

For Managers ‘in-basket’s’, a scenario is usually outlined….”You arrive at work, some one or two or seven employees call in sick; you find the following memos on your desk to correct; a water main breaks; the Union Representative is heading over to your office for a sit down; a big negative story about DMV just hit the headlines that day and a local reporter wants a comment,” etc. You may be asked to correct the memos and/or to list in writing what you would do IN ORDER…and then the oral panel discusses the WHY you did them in THAT order. USUALLY, there’s very few 100% right or 100% wrong answers…It’s your thought process that’s been explored: Do you prioritize and THINK like a DMV Manager???

The explanation of the practical portion of the test usually goes like, “This is the practical problem portion of your examination. You have 15 minutes to complete the attached answer sheet. Your approach and solutions to this problem will be discussed during the Qualifications Appraisal portion of this examination.”

But, again, there might easily be a ‘typical’ question and answer way to explore your Writing and Organizational Skills. If you got ‘em, you got ‘em, and the format of the exam is of little consequence. If you’re weak in this area, find ways to get stronger. Until the exams begin, we won’t KNOW FOR SURE how they’ll be administered….This information is just to ‘warn’ you that varying QAP methods exist.

Looking again at the 5 areas that will be covered within this test process, what part of that scope are you the weakest at? If you were made Manager I tomorrow, what area would you worry the most about when the time came for your first Probation report? THAT’S WHERE YOU NEED TO START A SELF-IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN IN TODAY!

Below is information which COULD be considered a framework within which this QAP occurs.

Characteristics of Good Front Line Leaders

From a brainstorm session with Region Administrators

What characteristics should managers look for when hiring front-line and middle managers? What traits and skills should you develop to move ahead in this organization? How should you develop your staff? The following lists identify characteristics that the Region Administrators identified as critical for front line supervisors.

What would you add to these lists?

Innate or Natural Characteristics:

· has common sense

· shows natural informal leadership

· can be decisive

· has passion for formal leadership

· has and exhibits core values

· willingness and capacity to deal with conflict

· likes people

· is emotionally stable

· displays a sense of humor

Technical Skills With Some Natural Inclinations:

· works well as self-directed or self-starter

· works well with a variety of personalities (interpersonal skills)

· has good team interaction

· has an analytical mind

· cares for the organization

· displays flexibility

· utilizes customer friendly skills

· loyalty to organization/mission

· uses objectivity in decisions

Technical Skills:

· is a good problem solver

· good organizational and multi-tasking abilities

· good with public relations

· training skills/facilitator abilities

· good verbal and written communication skills technical knowledge

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

First line supervisors use a problem solving and decision making process on a daily basis. Effective supervisors tend to be more successful in this endeavor. Few people realize, as they decide on a given course of action, that they are using or attempting to use the seven step process called problem solving. A formal understanding of the process can help with the more complex situations which arise within a Field Office. This process can also be used (albeit rather swiftly, out of necessity) when answering situational questions on Oral Examinations and hiring interviews.

1. IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM: Before any decision can be made,

the problem must accurately be identified.

2. GATHER DATA (INFORMATION): Once the problem has been

correctly identified, gather all available information

concerning the problem, considering the time constraints

of solving the problem.

3. DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES: Mentally (or physically) list all

possible courses of action which might resolve this

problem, based upon the information gathered in step 2.

4. ANALYZE THE ALTERNATIVES: The key to this step is the

word "analyze". Each course of action must be carefully

analyzed, looking for the advantages, disadvantages,

good points and bad. Again, consider time constraints.

5. SELECT THE BEST ALTERNATIVE: From the list of

alternatives, pick the one which seems to have to most

advantages and the fewest disadvantages. The importance

of astute analysis cannot be overstressed.

6. DEVELOP A PLAN: Based upon the best alternative. The

plan should ensure that the selected course of action

will be effectively carried out. The plan must include

Who will do What, When, Where, How, and Why.

7. IMPLEMENT AND EVALUATE THE PLAN: After the decision has

been implemented, it must be reevaluated to see whether

the desired RESULTS were obtained. If the results were

not what was wanted, another alternative course of

action must be selected and implemented. Once that

alternative course of action is implemented, it also

must be reevaluated. This process is followed until

the desired results are accomplished.

TOPICS AND QUESTIONS (NOT ANSWERS)

Honesty/dishonesty: “Your managing a section and you become aware that a

subordinate/fellow supervisor/your immediate supervisor (pick one) may

be involved in an illegal activity. How might you handle this situation?”

Security: “You notice the same two people with no apparent business at DMV ‘hanging’ around

the lobby for three days straight. What might your first few steps be....”

Respect: “An employee you supervise comes to you in a very agitated state. They

indicate that a Coworker is being very disrespectful of them and of the

customers. One example is the use of foul language at the front-line window.

What would you do?”

DMV “Pick any one of the three Core Values, and explain it to us in your own words.”

Ethics: “You overhear a coworker soliciting a bribe. What is your responsibility?”

Customer Service: “Customer relations is of critical importance to DMV. If, as a new manager,

you found that one of your subordinates is consistently rude and

unhelpful, how would you deal with the situation?”

Employee Discipline: “Can you tell us the difference between Adverse and Disciplinary Action?”

What do you consider the most important quality in a supervisor?

What is the most important function of DMV?

Can you tell us about the Equal Employment Opportunity Program within the Department?

Please define Reasonable Accommodation.

How would the duties of a Manager I Office Manager differ from a Manager I Section Supervisor?

A customer wants a detailed, specific explanation as to why their Drivers License was only good for 4 years, while their next door neighbor’s license is good for 5. How would you go about explaining this?

Define the term “Customer.”

How would you determine the training needs of a new section you just over?

An employee comes to you as their immediate supervisor and indicates that another supervisor in the office is sexually harassing her. What might your first few steps be? Where might you find assistance and information to address this problem?

TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE JOB YOU’RE DOING NOW....

CAN YOU TELL US SOME OF THE DUTIES A MANAGER I MIGHT PERFORM?

MANAGEMENT REFERENCE RESOURCES

No one can really memorize the contents of the following, but you should be well aware of each, and generally what they contain. IF NOTHING ELSE, IF YOU GET ABSOLUTELY STUMPED FOR AN ANSWER, BUT YOU KNOW WHERE YOU WOULD LOOK UP THE ANSWER, YOU MIGHT GET PARTIAL CREDIT FOR YOUR ANSWER.

CALIFORNIA VEHICLE CODE

Division 2 (Authority/Duties of DMV)

Divisions 3 - 3.6 (Vehicle/Vessel Titling/Transfer & Registration)
Divisions 4 - 5 (Occupational Licensing)

Divisions 6 - 6.5 (Divers’ License)

Divisions 7 - 10 (Financial Responsibility; Civil Liability; Accidents)

Division 11 (Rules of the Road)

ADMINISTRATIVE POLICY MANUAL (APM)

General DMV operational policies

STATE ADMINISTRATIVE MANUAL (SAM)

General and specific state operational policies/regulations

STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN (SBP)

DMV’s Vision for meeting goals in the new century

Current and future DMV organizational designs/functions

STRATEGIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PLAN (SITP)

DMV’s plan for upgrading automated technologies

LABOR CONTRACTS:

Contract Administration,

CSEA UNIT 4 (MVFR)

CAUSE UNIT 7 (LRE)

SUPERVISOR’S GUIDE TO EMPLOYEE DISCIPLINE

Policies/procedures for legally and contractually appropriate preventative/corrective activities

PERSONNEL MANUAL

Human Resources Branch (HRB)procedures

PROCEDURAL MANUALS:

Vehicle Registration,

Driver License,

Control Cashier,

Accounting

These are all excellent to read, in order to practice your reading comprehension….

Start preparing for the oral exam Today! December/January/February (whenever the QAP’s will occur) will arrive soon….