Ninety-two officers scored "Distinction" in the 2017 Promotion to Sergeant Qualifying Examination, with eight of them getting full marks. OffBeat talked with two of these outstanding officers, Police Constables (PCs) Tsoi Chi-ho and Tsui Tik-hin, about how they prepared for the examination.

Attaching importance to work & studies

While sitting for the examination is the first step to seeking a promotion, both Mr Tsoi and Mr Tsui said that the syllabus of the examination was closely linked with daily policing work. So the preparation for the examination had enriched their policing knowledge and facilitated their work. Mr Tsui, who was a new entrant to the promotion examination, said, "As I did not have rich frontline experience, sometimes I encountered questions in my work. So I spent my spare time to check the Police General Orders (PGO) and the Force Procedures Manual (FPM) to find out the answers. This had not only helped me to cope with the examination, but also enhanced my confidence in law enforcement.

Meanwhile, Mr Tsoi joined the Force earlier and he believed that policing work and the examination were complementary. He gained experience from his daily work and this was a practical way to prepare for the challenge. He explained, "Work experience in different positions is relevant to the examination. For example, certain operations require the authorisation of a particular rank of officers, and we should get prepared to explain the legal basis behind each operation. As I have built up work experience in certain fields, this helps in the examination."

Seniors' support is a driving force

Some officers found it difficult to spare time for revision because of the hectic work schedule but both interviewees mentioned that their supervisors' support was a driving force to them in making preparation. Mr Tsoi said, "I discussed mock questions with colleagues and we reminded each other of the important points to boost our memory. Moreover, our supervisors quizzed us from time to time to stimulate our thinking."

Mr Tsui said that he followed his supervisor's advice to read Debriefing Reports of past examinations and to pay attention to the common mistakes made by some candidates. Sometimes, he consulted his supervisors and colleagues in the course of work. Their support was crucial to candidates.

Be careful in reviewing answers

Good examination skills were essential for obtaining remarkable results in a promotion examination. "When answering questions, I tried to think of the real situation and related experience as much as possible," Mr Tsui said, "Then I used the method of elimination to cross out the incorrect answers. After answering the questions, I reviewed carefully my answers and would not be affected by other candidates who left early." Mr Tsoi concurred that going through the answers was of utmost importance. He added that one should not linger over difficult questions and could leave them to be done after answering other questions.

Mr Tsoi suggested that the potential candidates should spend more time in revision and should not give up easily. On the other hand, Mr Tsui encouraged colleagues to familiarise themselves with the PGO and the FPM to strive for their career aspirations.

The Force Examinations Board has approved the results of the 2017 Promotion to Sergeant Qualifying Examination. Candidates may access the Training Management System for their individual results and the Debriefing Report. The 2018 Promotion to Sergeant Qualifying Examination is scheduled to be held on August 12. Registration will commence in May next year. Those who want to apply should stay tuned to the relevant notice.