There are many programs out there to help prepare me for my oral board, why should I select yours?
You are right, you have choices. My program may or may not be the best one for your needs. The best thing for you to do is investigate each program and determine which is right for you. The Oral Boards Made Easy™ program that I have designed has evolved over 30 years and brought me, as well as many others, success. Some questions that you may wish to consider when doing your comparison are:
-How many times (if any) have these other providers been promoted after competing in an oral board or assessment center? Was it at least four times?
-Were these experts #1 on their promotion list each time? If so, did they ever compete against hundreds?
-Have they been oral board and assessment center assessors?
-Have they been command staff members representing the top 1% of their department with a rank of ‘Assistant Chief’ or higher?
I am confident that my credentials will withstand scrutiny, the decision then rests with you.
Who does the coaching?
Bill Reilly is the only coach with whom you will work.
Where is coaching held?
Primarily via video call or telephone call from anywhere in the continental U.S. Currently, a limited number of in-person sessions are still available at Finest’s Training & Coaching Center in Bolton, Connecticut.
Is a video call or telephone coaching as effective as in-person session?
Yes. You will receive the same content, the same guidance, and the same feedback to your responses that you would have received from an in-person session.
How do I choose the package that is best for me?
It really is a personal decision that you need to make. Some questions to ask yourself are:
-How much do I know about oral boards?
-How well did I do on previous oral boards?
-How critical is it that I get promoted this time?
-Which investment is best for me in both time and cost?
What if I can’t figure this out on my own?
I will gladly answer any questions that you may have. I do not sell my services, I only explain them. Only you can determine which program is right for you.
Will we enter into an agreement?
Yes, I will send you an agreement that holds our mutual expectations for the period of time that you select.
What if I want to cancel the agreement after it has been accepted?
The agreement may be terminated with email notification prior to the first session without penalty. After the first session, an adjusted refund will be calculated based on the number of partial months for which the agreement was in effect or the number of sessions held, based on which reflects greater usage. The package will then be reclassified based on the FINESTS.com published rates at the start date of the agreement and a refund will be issued within 30 days for the difference between fees paid and the revised package’s rate. Single session and one month agreements are not eligible for a refund due to the usage incurred.
How will we communicate between sessions?
You are encouraged to contact me with brief questions between sessions via email, phone, or text messaging. Additionally, every week you will receive a Weekly Achievement Checkpoint email form for you to submit that includes an update of your progress and your planned action steps for the coming week.
How does the competitor lock-out work?
There will only be one active coaching agreement at any given time for an internal promotion process. So when you secure your agreement you will know that no one else will be receive coaching services from Finest’s Professional Development while your agreement remains active. Please note that this exclusivity only applies to coaching; your competitors are not excluded from any of Finest’s other leadership or promotion programs such as promotion workshops, e-Learning programs, and/or corresponding feedback sessions.
What if my oral board gets postponed and I want to extend my agreement?
You have two options, an agreement “Time-Out” or extension.
Should you desire a “Time-Out” of our agreement, that will be allowed on a one-time basis during our agreement without a fee for a period of time not to exceed the package length (a 3 month agreement may have a 3 month “Time-Out” for a total of six months time; a 1 month agreement may have a 1 month “Time-Out”, etc.). No services will be offered during the “Time-Out”.
Should you desire an extension of time and support services but not coaching sessions, (the extension includes the Weekly Achievement Checkpoints, brief email or phone access as needed, video access and an extension of the Competitor Lock Out) such an extension may be purchased in one month intervals of $50 each.
I am a PoliceCareer.com client, does that entitle me to a special benefit?
Yes. Clients of PoliceCareer.com receive a FREE 50% agreement extension. For example, if you choose the Complete Coaching Package, your 90 day agreement receives a complimentary 45 day extension, making it a 135 day agreement. If you choose the Basic package, 30 days becomes 45 days.
My process will be an assessment center, will this coaching program help me?
The Oral Boards Made Easy™ coaching program provides acronyms that can be applied for a variety of question types. Similarly, many of those same acronyms can be applied in assessment centers; the difference being that they need to be applied behaviorally rather than verbally
I am pursuing an executive level position that has an oral board, which coaching package should I choose?
The Police Chief Coach™ service is most likely the better fit for you as it is designed for achieving and succeeding in an executive level position. The Oral Boards Made Easy™ coaching services are strictly oral board or assessment center focused and generally target the ranks of corporal through captain.
I am not sure when my process will be, can I put you on retainer now and activate an agreement later?
Instead of retainers I offer free Coaching Reservations.
Here is how it works:
-Coaching Reservations are free and expire on the last day of March, June, September, and December of each year, but you may initiate a renewal to extend your reservation.
-Multiple reservations may be held for the same process and they will be honored in the order received, making your renewal activation critical to assuring your place in line. Your placement on the list affects your place in line for the one active coaching agreement that will be held for the specific promotion process identified above.
-You may renew your reservation by contacting me via email within 14 days prior to the reservation expiration date. If you do not renew, your reservation will lapse and the person holding the next-in-line reservation will ascend to your place on the list. Please mark your calendar with renewal reminders to assure that you do not forfeit your position in line.
-Your email address will be the primary method of contact. If you wish to include a telephone number as an additional method of contact, you are welcome to do so.
-If another person contacts Finest’s and requests coaching services for the process you identified, you will receive an ‘option to start’ email notifying you of your option to start coaching services within 2 weeks or pass on the opportunity for coaching for the above identified position.
-You will have 48 hours from the time the option-to-start email is sent to decide to begin coaching within two weeks or to choose not to go forward with coaching. If a reply is not received within 48 hours, your reservation will cease and the other inquirer will acquire your position on the list. (If you will be out of email contact for a period of time exceeding 48 hours you are encouraged to supply an alternate contact method).
How do I get on this Coaching Reservation List?
Click this link and complete the form. I will send you a reply email within 24 hours in which I will let you know your position on the reservation list and seek to have you accept the details of the free, no-obligation reservation. Once on the list, please note the expiration date and initiate a renewal by email quarterly to assure your place in line.
How are fees handled?
To receive the discounted fees shown in the Oral Boards Made Easy™ coaching packages, the full fee will be due at the time or coaching agreement acceptance.
What forms of payment are accepted?
A PayPal link will be on your coaching agreement. In addition to PayPal accounts, they also accept credit and debit cards.
My question is not listed here, how can I best get it answered?
The most direct way is to call me at 860-647-7993. If you prefer email, my email address is bill.reilly@finests.com. I check my emails and voicemail frequently, so you can decide which way you prefer to receive your information.
