FFighterRob
04-08-2007, 07:41 PM
When we hire a person at my department we run them through a series of tests to pick the best. Some departments have a written test, others a video test, an oral interview, a physical agility or C-pat, a chief interview, a background check, a psych, and a medical physical. Then the person goes through the training program, usually a few months and when they come to the stations we still don’t know if the can go into a burning building, see someone bleed or climb a ladder in an emergency situation. But somehow the testing works and we get some really good people.
I think what people don’t see is the other parts of the testing. If you procrastinate you won’t get you application in on time, if you don’t spend the time to prepare for any part of the test you will be eliminated, or do so poorly you are never considered. If you don’t behave properly visiting the stations, or while working there in another capacity you will be black balled.
There is also a common sense component to the testing. As you go through the process of getting you classes and experience, you will hear the opinions of a number of people. Some make since, some tell you things that open you mind to new possibilities, and some will tell you things that will doom any chance you have. Some of these people have jobs as firefighters, some never will, some were hired as laterals and never had an oral interview, some pasted an interview years ago by the grace of god and no one knows how they did. But, they all have one thing in common they are experts. A lot of times they are the first to volunteer advise and seek places to share their wisdom. You see it here all of the time.
This is where the common sense thing comes in. If you read the opinions of some here, you might have the impression that you can get a job strolling into your written test looking like you just came from the beach, with tattoos from your neck to your wrists. But the people with common since will see through that. Your brain is an amazing thing. It will give you the correct answer before you even ask a question. If something doesn’t seem right to you it probably isn’t. But if you ever have a question that you can’t seem to figure out, post a question here, or give someone you trust a call.
The funny thing is that when someone calls one of these “bad advise givers” about what they have said, they begin attacking that person personally because they have no facts to back up what they say, and they are wrong. Capt Bob will call me at times and wonder if he or I should post something to disagree or state the facts when this poor advise is given. I tell him the same thing each time. These people testing aren’t stupid, they can see through the B/S and will be just fine. If not, they failed the common sense portion of the test.
Good Luck, Captain Rob
www.myfireinterview.com
707-869-1330
nrtc@sonic.net
I think what people don’t see is the other parts of the testing. If you procrastinate you won’t get you application in on time, if you don’t spend the time to prepare for any part of the test you will be eliminated, or do so poorly you are never considered. If you don’t behave properly visiting the stations, or while working there in another capacity you will be black balled.
There is also a common sense component to the testing. As you go through the process of getting you classes and experience, you will hear the opinions of a number of people. Some make since, some tell you things that open you mind to new possibilities, and some will tell you things that will doom any chance you have. Some of these people have jobs as firefighters, some never will, some were hired as laterals and never had an oral interview, some pasted an interview years ago by the grace of god and no one knows how they did. But, they all have one thing in common they are experts. A lot of times they are the first to volunteer advise and seek places to share their wisdom. You see it here all of the time.
This is where the common sense thing comes in. If you read the opinions of some here, you might have the impression that you can get a job strolling into your written test looking like you just came from the beach, with tattoos from your neck to your wrists. But the people with common since will see through that. Your brain is an amazing thing. It will give you the correct answer before you even ask a question. If something doesn’t seem right to you it probably isn’t. But if you ever have a question that you can’t seem to figure out, post a question here, or give someone you trust a call.
The funny thing is that when someone calls one of these “bad advise givers” about what they have said, they begin attacking that person personally because they have no facts to back up what they say, and they are wrong. Capt Bob will call me at times and wonder if he or I should post something to disagree or state the facts when this poor advise is given. I tell him the same thing each time. These people testing aren’t stupid, they can see through the B/S and will be just fine. If not, they failed the common sense portion of the test.
Good Luck, Captain Rob
www.myfireinterview.com
707-869-1330
nrtc@sonic.net