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View Full Version : At a crossroad...


Qsek36
04-04-2007, 04:13 PM
I’m 25 years old and have a BS in Finance. I have been working in the corporate financial world since I graduated college (three years ago). Each day I leave work feeling like I am supposed to amount to more than a number-crunching desk jockey. Each day would go by and I would head home feeling a little more depressed, asking myself, “Is this it? Is this the rest of my life?”

It was about this time a year ago, that I decided I was going to stop feeling sorry for myself and pursue the idea that I have been toying with since high school. I began testing for every department that would let me, it didn’t matter where or what department as long as I met the requirements. I went back to school to get my EMT-B and passed the national registry exam. I found motivation and focus to get back in the gym and ready myself for any CPAT that could come my way. I had some success in the testing process, made it to a few oral boards and was placed #2 on a dept list that was looking to hire. I passed the Oral Board, Initial Interview, Polygraph, and at this point things were looking really good. I had my dream within my grasp, but appeared to have dropped the ball somewhere in the psych eval. All of a sudden my phone stopped ringing and I was back to square one. It was quite a shock and have passed psych evals before, no-one could believe it, friends and family alike. I have been eating, drinking, and sleeping this pursuit and have it end on a “You don’t meet the profile” is enough to destroy a person. Well, after a few days got back on the horse and am at it again. Truth is I have never given up on anything and, I’ll be damned if I am going to give up on this. It is the first time since I was a kid that I can remember wanting to “be something”. I believe I have all the right motivations, the intelligence, the drive, and the personality to be a terrific firefighter. I have a squeaky clean background, interview well, and have done just about everything I can think of to give me a one-up on the many candidates like me.

I find myself at a crossroads in life. I decided to start interviewing for private ambulance jobs. I thought that this would give me some more experience and show the different commissions that I was serious about this and not just running through the motions like a lot of guys out there. This is quite a big step. As you can imagine, the money in this endeavor is nowhere near what I make in the finance department. I am turning my back on my degree and am heading into almost dire circumstances. In my heart, I feel that this is the right thing to do to get me some much needed experience and put me ahead, but at the same time could be one of the dumbest moves in my life. I apologize for the length of this post, and I guess I am just looking for some assurance that I am doing the right thing…

Any comments are greatly appreciated.

-Dan

fireslayer1237
04-04-2007, 04:20 PM
sounds to me like your makeing the right decision it takes an average of 3-5 years testing to get hired so if you are making it that far already in one year your doin great. work hard, study, pray and sooner or later you will get it. GOOD LUCK.

OlieCan
04-04-2007, 05:00 PM
Generally, sacrifices have to be made to be on a fire department. lot of commitment to get on one.

I need to leave my full time job soon to finish more schooling for my part time dept. and I eventually plan to get a fire science degree.

Luckily for me, Im dating the daughter of I guy I work with so she is already used to the firefighter style of living, and the pager constantly going off.

If its something you want to do, the struggle will be worth it in the end, rather than always wondering "What if"

rdawdy
04-10-2007, 12:58 AM
Generally, sacrifices have to be made to be on a fire department. lot of commitment to get on one.

I need to leave my full time job soon to finish more schooling for my part time dept. and I eventually plan to get a fire science degree.

Luckily for me, Im dating the daughter of I guy I work with so she is already used to the firefighter style of living, and the pager constantly going off.

If its something you want to do, the struggle will be worth it in the end, rather than always wondering "What if"

OlieCan I very fam with the dept you are on. Not sure what station you are out of though. Why do you need to leave your full time job for your schooling? You work second shift?

fromtheashes
04-10-2007, 02:45 AM
I really hope you stay with it. I am 21 and have seen my life heading in the same direction of being a office-working drew carey proto-type, and it scares the hell out of me. I have only just decided to pursue this career, but I am very motivated. Please let us know when you make it.