Promotional Testing and Assessment Services
Your agency’s future is created today.
The hiring and promotion decisions that an executive makes today will have enormous impact on creating the organization of tomorrow. We offer the finest assessment tools available to help you identify the best candidates, and a process that is objective, valid, and defensible. We can accommodate 2 to 24 (and more) candidates in searches for first line supervisors up to the executive level for all public safety agencies.
Valid and Defensible Results
Trained assessors score candidates based on specific written guidelines and locally-developed expectations. All scenarios are designed to reflect the local community and the values of the organization, validated with local subject matter experts, and are consistent with nationally researched performance dimensions. Challenges to our process are rare, but PST will provide defense support for no additional charge.
Written Job Knowledge Examinations to measure the candidate’s grasp of the body of knowledge that is required to be successful in the position. We have a semi-customized written test for Washington State Law Enforcement, Corrections, and Fire Service Supervisors that will include your organization’s critical policies. We can also build a completely customized written exam that is valid and defensible.
Work Performance Ratings, a PST exclusive product that objectively incorporates the candidate’s prior on-the-job work performance into the promotional testing process. Our day-long process uses a facilitated discussion with all the candidate’s supervisors to place objective scores on five performance dimensions appropriate for the position. All the supervisors contribute their insights about each candidate toward a final score. Clients often find that this process has the collateral benefit of creating a unified perspective for the leadership team.
Leadership Assessment & Coaching includes online survey tools to help individuals and managers identify strengths and weaknesses along with executive coaching to help develop and support new leaders.
Assessment Center Exercises
The Assessment Center is the “gold standard” of promotional testing. Candidates experience four or five job simulations custom-built to fit the position and the organization. These are built on the powerful foundation of a local job task analysis, eight leadership dimensions based in national research, and a preparation workshop for candidates.
The organization chooses job simulations from the broad categories of Oral Presentations, Interactive Role-Playing Scenarios, Critical Thinking & Decision Making, Tactical, and Writing Exercises.
On test day, PST delivers a “turn-key operation”; providing all the materials and does the scoring on-site. At the end of the day, your leaders participate in a briefing with the assessors and receive a rank-ordered list of candidates. All the documents created for the project and the assessors’ subjective comments about the candidates are provided shortly after the process so each candidate also receives personal feedback.
Multi-component tests
These events do not fit the rigid criteria of an assessment center but serve well to provide a rank order list and are less expensive. Multi-component tests merge portions of our most popular job simulations into a single event. The multi-component options are:
The Supervisory Skills & Abilities Promotional Test
This test typically includes a structured interview, an in-basket exercise, and a critical thinking exercise. The three components are prepared by the candidate and presented to a single panel of assessors. Additional customization options are available.Command Skills & Abilities Promotional Test
This test includes several practical scenarios a command-level leader would typically be expected to handle, including case studies and a summarized report presented to assessors. This test is suitable for internal and/or external candidates. Additional customization options are available.Our Promotional Assessment Services are priced according to a number of factors, including type of test, number of candidates and exercises, and the responsibilities of the position. Discounts apply when the organization also uses PST for entry-level testing.
Click on the link to discuss program and pricing options.
What agency officials are saying about PST...
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"Since 2015 we partnered with PST to create a number of Assessment Centers for our public safety promotional opportunities. Some of the positions we have tested for include: Fire Lieutenant, Captain and Deputy Chief; Police Sergeant, Lieutenant and Captain (twice each); Corrections Sergeant; and the non-commissioned position of Police Services Supervisor.
Needless to say, we have been extremely pleased with the promotional testing services provided."
"We find the PST staff to be professional and responsive. PST consultants work closely with our agency personnel to ensure the test content is specifically tailored to our agency needs.
Perhaps the highest praise comes from the candidates themselves who participate in the promotional exams. At the conclusion of the test, they are provided with a feedback form about test content, the overall process, and overall relevancy. As the Civil Service Secretary/Examiner, I carefully review their feedback and have noticed throughout the years that the candidates consistently give excellent ratings about PST administered test content and the overall promotional process."
"We find their staff professional and responsive. The testing process has been organized and thorough. PST has been flexible and helpful in adjusting the scope of the test and the exercises when we have new ideas. We have heard from the candidates that they find the testing process to be fair and job relevant.
The City has been very happy with the work PST has done for us and will continue to use their services in the future. "
- Aberdeen Police Lieutenant
- Adams County Sheriff Sergeant
- Anacortes Fire Lieutenant
- Anacortes Police Corporal
- Anacortes Police Sergeant
- Arlington Police Lieutenant
- Arlington Police Sergeant
- Auburn Police Sergeant
- Bainbridge Island Police Corporal
- Bainbridge Island Police Sergeant
- Battle Ground Police Lieutenant
- Battle Ground Police Sergeant
- Bellevue Police Corporal
- Bellingham Police Lieutenant
- Bellingham Police Sergeant
- Bellingham What-Comm Dispatch Supervisor
- Benton County Corr Sgt/Corporal
- Benton County Sheriff Sergeant
- Black Diamond Police Sergeant
- Boise, ID Police Sergeant
- Bonney Lake Police Sergeant
- Bothell Police Captain
- Bothell Police Sergeant
- Bremerton Police Corporal
- Bremerton Police Lieutenant
- Bremerton Police Sergeant
- Butte-Silver Bow Fire MT Batt Chief
- Chelan County Corr Sgt/Corporal
- Chelan County Sheriff Corporal
- Chelan County Sheriff Detective
- Chelan County Sheriff Sergeant
- Chelan RJC Sergeant/Corporal
- Cheney Police Sergeant
- Clallam County Corrections Sgt
- Clallam County Sheriff Sergeant
- Clark County Fire #6 Battalion Chief
- Clark County Fire #6 Captain
- College Place Police Sergeant
- Connell Police Sergeant
- Coupeville Marshal/Chief
- Cowlitz County Sheriff Sergeant
- Des Moines Police Commander
- Des Moines Police Sergeant
- Dupont Police Sergeant
- Duvall Police Sergeant
- East Olympia FD #6 Assistant Chief
- East Olympia FD #6 Battalion Chief
- East Wenatchee Police Sergeant
- Edmonds Police Assistant Chief
- Edmonds Police Corporal
- Edmonds Police Sergeant
- Enumclaw Fire Captain
- Enumclaw Police Commander
- Everett Fire Battalion Chief
- Everett Fire Captain
- Everett Police Captain
- Everett Police Lieutenant
- Everett Police Sergeant
- Federal Way Police Cmdr
- Federal Way Police Lieutenant
- Ferndale Police Sergeant
- Fife Police Lieutenant
- Fife Police Sergeant
- Gig Harbor Police Sergeant
- Graham Fire Battalion Chief
- Graham Fire Rescue Captain
- Graham Fire Rescue Lieutenant
- Grandview Police Sergeant
- Island County Corrections Sgt
- Island County Sheriff Lieutenant
- Island County Sheriff Sergeant
- Issaquah Police Commander
- Issaquah Police Corporal
- Issaquah Police Sergeant
- Jefferson County Corrections Sgt
- Jefferson County Sheriff Sgt
- Kelso Police Captain
- Kelso Police Sergeant
- Kent PD Corrections Cmdr
- Kent PD Corrections Sergeant
- Kent Police Assistant Chief
- Kent Police Commander
- Kent Police Sergeant
- King County Medic One MSO
- King County Sheriff Captain
- Kirkland Fire Battalion Chief
- Kirkland Fire Captain
- Kirkland Fire Lieutenant
- Kirkland PD Corrections Sgt
- Kirkland Police Corporal
- Kirkland Police Lieutenant
- Kirkland Police Sergeant
- Kitsap County Corrections Lt
- Kitsap County Corrections Sgt
- Kitsap County Sheriff Lt
- Kitsap County Sheriff Sergeant
- Kittitas County Sheriff Corporal
- Kittitas County Sheriff Sergeant
- Lacey Fire District #3 Battalion Chief
- Lacey Fire District #3 Captain
- Lacey Fire District #3 Lieutenant
- Lacey Police Commander
- Lacey Police Corporal
- Lacey Police Sergeant
- Lake Forest Park Police Sgt
- Lake Stevens PD Records Supervisor
- Lake Stevens Police Lieutenant
- Lake Stevens Police Sergeant
- Lakewood Police Sergeant
- Lewis County Corrections Sgt
- Lewis County Sheriff Sergeant
- Longview Fire Lieutenant
- Longview Police Captain
- Longview Police Sgt/Corporal
- Lynnwood Fire Battalion Chief
- Lynnwood Police Commander
- Lynnwood Police Custody Sgt
- Lynnwood Police Sergeant
- Maple Valley Fire Battalion Chief
- Maple Valley Fire Captain
- Maple Valley Fire Lieutenant
- Marysville Police Sergeant
- Mason County Corrections Cpl
- Mason County Corrections Sgt
- Mason County Sheriff Corporal
- Mason County Sheriff Lt
- Mason County Sheriff Sgt
- Mattawa Police Chief
- Medina Police Sergeant
- Mercer Island Police Lieutenant
- Mercer Island Police Sgt & Corporal
- Mill Creek Police Sergeant
- Milton Police Sergeant
- Monroe Police Sergeant
- Moses Lake Police Sergeant
- Mountlake Terrace Police Sgt
- Mukilteo Police Sergeant
- Normandy Park Police Sergeant
- Oak Harbor Police Sergeant
- Olympia Fire Battalion Chief
- Olympia Fire Lieutenant
- Olympia Fire Medical Svs Officer
- Olympia Fire Ops Supervisor
- Olympia Fire Paramedic Lieutenant
- Olympia Fire Paramedic Lt
- Olympia Police Corrections Sergeant
- Olympia Police Sergeant
- Pacific Police Lieutenant
- Pasco Fire Battalion Chief
- Pasco Fire Captain or Lieutenant
- Pasco Police Lieutenant
- Pasco Police Sergeant
- Port Angeles Comm Supervisor
- Port Angeles Police Corporal
- Port Angeles Police Sergeant
- Port of Portland OR Fire Captain
- Port of Seattle Fire Battalion Chief
- Port of Seattle Fire Captain
- Port of Seattle Police Cmdr
- Port of Seattle Police Sgt
- Port Orchard Police Sergeant
- Port Townsend Police Sergeant
- Poulsbo Police Sergeant
- Puyallup Police Sergeant
- Puyallup Tribe Corrections Sergeant
- Puyallup Tribe Police LIeutenant
- Puyallup Tribe Police Sergeant
- Renton Police Commander
- Renton Police Sergeant
- San Juan County Sheriff Sgt
- Sedro-Woolley Police Sergeant
- Selah Police Sergeant
- Selah Police Sergeant
- Sequim Police Deputy Chief
- Sequim Police Sergeant
- Skagit County Corrections Lt
- Skagit County Corrections Sgt
- Skagit County Sheriff Asst Chief
- Skagit County Sheriff Lieutenant
- Skagit County Sheriff Sergeant
- Snohomish Co FD #4 Battalion Chief
- Snoqualmie Fire Lieutenant
- Snoqualmie Police Captain
- Snoqualmie Police Sergeant
- South Bay Fire #8 Battalion Chief
- South Bay Fire #8 Lieutenant
- South Snohomish Co Fire/Rescue
- South Sound 911 Comm Supv
- South Sound 911 Records Supv
- Spokane Airport FD Lieutenant
- Spokane County FD #9 Captain
- Spokane County FD #9 Engineer
- Spokane County FD #9 Lieutenant
- Spokane Police Lieutenant
- Spokane Valley FD Battalion Chief
- Spokane Valley FD Captain
- Spokane Valley FD Engineer
- Steilacoom DPS Sergeant
- Sumner Police Sergeant
- Sunnyside Police Sergeant
- Thurston County Corr Lt
- Thurston County Corr Sgt
- Thurston County FD #9 Lieutenant
- Thurston County Sheriff Sgt
- Toppenish Police Sergeant
- Town of Steilacoom Police Sgt
- Tukwila Fire Battalion Chief
- Tukwila Fire Captain
- Tukwila Police Sergeant
- Tumwater Fire Assistant Chief
- Tumwater Fire Captain
- Tumwater Fire Lieutenant
- University of WA Dispatch Supv
- University of WA PD Lt
- University of WA Police Sgt
- Valley RFA Captain
- Vancouver Fire Deputy Chief
- Vancouver Police Lieutenant
- WA Dept Fish & Wildlife Sgt
- Walla Walla Co Corrections Sgt
- Walla Walla County Sheriff Sgt
- Walla Walla Police Sergeant
- Wapato Police Chief
- Washougal Police Sergeant
- Wenatchee Police Captain
- Wenatchee Police Commander
- Wenatchee Police Sgt/Corporal
- Whatcom County SO & Corr Sgt
- Woodland Police Sergeant
- Yakima Co Corrections Sergeant
- Yakima County Sheriff Lieutenant
- Yakima County Sheriff Sergeant
- Yakima Fire Captain
- Yakima Fire Lieutenant
- Yakima Fire Shift Supervisor
- Yakima Police & Corr Sergeant
- Yakima Police Lieutenant
- Yakima Police Svs Supervisor
COVID-19 UPDATES
5/6/2020 Update:
TESTING IN WASHINGTON STATE CANCELED THROUGH MAY 31, 2020
All pre-employment tests in Washington State have been canceled until May 31, 2020 unless government restrictions are eased. With recent updates, facility closures, and government guidelines, this step is necessary and could be modified at any time. The health and safety of our customers, our staff, and their families is of the highest priority.
We will continue to evaluate developments and make changes to this policy as necessary. When we do resume testing, there will be plenty of events for everyone to test. We are in regular communication with our public safety agency partners, assessing alternatives to the traditional testing model and our testing policies. Any future updates will be posted on the PST website and our Facebook page.
4/1/2020 Update:
If you have tested with PST in the past 12 months, there may be additional positions you are now eligible to add. Several departments have temporarily changed their testing policies due to the suspension in testing that COVID-19 has caused. Please login to your PST account and navigate to the ‘New Positions’ page to see what departments you can add! We will regularly update that page in your account as departments send updates.
FUTURE TEST REGISTRATION
We know that there will be testing in the future - we just don’t know when! We want you to be prepared for when testing begins again so we have created test events on our calendar that you can register for that will place you in a queue to be first notified. These tests are not “real” test events, they are essentially a holding area. You will be able to “reschedule” out of that event to any other event date/location at no cost. Registering now will also give you time to work on your Personal History Statement (PHS) so that your data will be ready and up-to-date to send to your departments once testing resumes.
To sign up for this placeholder event, select the June 15, 2020 test date in your category (police, fire, 911 dispatch, corrections, etc.).
You may also click on the test event of interest below to sign up:
Law Enforcement & Corrections Written and Physical Ability Test
Please check back here frequently and ‘Like’ our Facebook page to stay updated.
PST staff are working remotely and are available by email at contact@publicsafetytesting.com. We anticipate a high email volume and will respond as quickly as possible.