what more do they need to hire me

[patearley]

HELLO EVERYONE, THE QUESTION ON MY MIND ANY MANY OTHERS. WHAT MORE DO I NEED TO GET A JOB, I AM A FIREFIGHTER, FIRE INSPECTOR, E.M.T. AND WORKING ON MY DEGREE IN FIRE SCIENCEE AND ALL I HEAR FROM INTREVIEWS ARE YOU NEED EXPREINCE WELL, HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO AS A VOLUNTEER BESIDES MOVE TO A CITY AND HOPE THE LIST DOES NOT GET SCREWWD UO OR THE STATE HOLDSS THE TEST, PLEASE IF ANY ONE CAN OFFER ADVISE I WILL GLADY TAKE IT .


OH YEAH I HAVE EVEN DONE THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR WORK AND THEY SEEM MORE PROMMISING

[CaptBob]

Poor Interview Skills?

The Problem is Poor Oral Board Skills!

Most candidates do poorly on their oral boards. The problem is most of them don't know how poorly they are doing. I've seen it too often after being on over 100 oral boards. It's the most misunderstood and least prepared for portion of the testing.

With all respect to the following comment, this is one of the most important clues why candidates have trouble in their oral boards:
"I recently had an interview, and I know my answers were great especially after hearing how another candidate answered them. He made the list, and I did not. Go figure!" Jed.

This is the problem! Most candidates think their answers are great, when they aren't. If their answers were as great as they thought, they would make the list and get a badge. They listen to other candidates and firefighters who make them into clones. Have you noticed, that once a person becomes a firefighter, they are instantly the experts on how to get hired?

The following is a true story: If we can get the village idiot hired, you can get a badge too! That's right! We had a candidate who was a volunteer taking his third test to be hired as a paid member. When this guy was out of town, the village didn't have an idiot.
He received our program and did not one, but two, coaching sessions. We literally held him together with crazy clue. Guess what? He got hired. The next week, he made this posting on a bulletin board, "I will show you how to get a firefighter job." The village idiot had become the expert overnight on how to get hired. I couldn't believe what I was reading. He received thirty e-mails.

If you're passing the written and agility, which are usually pass/fail, and you're not placing high enough on the oral, that's where the problem exists. What most candidates do if they don't place high enough on the oral is go back and try to pack on more credentials. “Oh, I have to finish my degree or get through that academy” They do little to nothing in gaining the skills for the oral board, which is usually 100% of the score. If you don't do anything to improve your oral board skills nothing is going to change, you will never, ever see that badge. The oral board is for all the marbles. This is where the rubber meets the road.

Stop looking in the magnifying glass at others . . . and start looking in the mirror at your self. That's where the problem is.

Candidates who get this far in the process usually get discouraged and tell me they feel like they have hit a wall. They don't know what to do next. Some of their friends (with fewer credentials) have been hired. They're frustrated and embarrassed. If it can work for the village idiot, it will certainly work for you.

This is an e-mail recently received from a candidate. This is how fast things can change:

I ordered your Entry Level Program. I did this after noticing many of your students successful testimonies on the bulletin boards. I have many certifications including Paramedic. The only hindrance that I found myself with was not passing the oral.

Since ordering your program, I was nailing the interviews. Getting hired over the auxiliaries at their own departments, and with a heck of a lot less experience. Your program and techniques helped me excel past the other candidates. I even had one city Fire Chief personally call me at home to set up a Chief's oral, (had to decline, due to the fact that I was at orientation for another dept.). To make a long story short, nothing counts until you have the badge, nothing. For all of the candidates out there that don't believe this, try passing and ranking #1 on orals with a stuttering problem... I did. Thanks Captain Bob Dave

Remember: "Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!" Ask Dave

Has any what you've read made sense? Would you go on an African safari without a guide? Then why would you go to an oral interview without a guide? Would you cross a river without a guide to show you where the rocks are so you can make it across the river without being washed away? Haven't you been beat up enough yet? We would like to work with you to turn things around. It's been said that when the student is ready to learn, the teacher appears. Are you at this point now? We can help you wherever you are in the process. From the written test, physical agility, resume, oral board, background, psychological, polygraph to the promotional interview.

We can shorten the learning curve to the closest point between you and the badge. Like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz, we’re not going to give you anything you don’t already have. We’re just going to show you where it is. There is a badge out there for you. You just haven’t seen it yet. We will show you how to nail it!

It's a great feeling if you can be a part of the change in someone's life. Multiply that by over 2100 badges throughout the United States and Canada and you will understand that this is our reward. My Fire Captain son Rob and I have a great passion in seeing candidates get a badge. This is serious work.


Do what you have to do be more marketable so you can take more tests and have something more to offer a department, but remember that it all comes down to that 15 to 30 minute oral interview. I've seen some awesome candidates with resumes packed full of accomplishments that couldn't sell them self in an interview to even make the top 50%.
Steve Prziborowski, Fire Captain - Santa Clara County Fire Department

“Getting the job of your dreams is like winning the lottery!" Jerry Price, Firefighter

The above is from my new book: Becoming a Firefighter--The complete Guide to Your Badge! Learn more click here:

http://www.eatstress.com/FirefighterBook.htm

You can find more interview articles on the carrer article section of this firehouse.com web site: http://cms.firehouse.com/content/con.../bio.jsp?id=18

Captain Bob

https://www.eatstress.com

[Mongoose772]

Captain Bob just articulated the best advise at least I've ever heard!


Dan-
IAFF #772

[CaptainPaul]

Captain Bob is entirely correct. It's not about getting a million certifications etc. It's all about scoring well on your interview. I am constantly amazed at how candidates run all over the place to take exam after exam and have the same results each time. Of course there are plenty of excuses: They only hired women, minorities or locals. Then one of their peers gets hired. And yes, the excuses continue.
Bottom line: It's all about the interview. We can hire anyone we want. We're going to train you the way we want. What we are looking for is someone who fits into a certain mold. I'm not saying that we have to look, walk, and think alike. What I am saying is that you have a 20 minute interview to convince us that we want to have you around for the next 30 years.
Advice: research the department you want to work for BEFORE they announce the exam. Volunteer your time at FD/union functions, visit fire houses. Let the guys (and gals) get to know you. You will be amazed at the information that will come your way IF they like you.
It is not unheard of tho have the oral board "briefed" by the guys about a candidate. This may be good or bad, depending on your reception.
Get into the fire houses and let the crews get to know you. If they like you they will find a way to get you hired, or at least help stack the deck in your favor.
It's really quite simple: If I like a candidate there are certain things that I can do to "help" him or her score well in the process. None of it is illegal, it is just putting him or her in front of the right people. Additionally talking to the last person to get hired will help you since agencies tend to repeat their exam processes.
Good luck and seriously reevaluate your testing methods.
Best of luck

[lutan1]

CaptBob has a great email newsletter- I'd suggest anyone aspiring to get hired subscribes to it and takes on board his advice...

Well worth the read.

[kghemtp]

Always, always heed the advice of CaptBob and those who have so many years (sorry Bob!) behind them. You have to be a salesman selling the finest attributes of your character. You have to learn what people want in a firefighter and find that in yourself. Make any of your experience, whether on the job or just life experience, work for you. Talk to people who do oral boards, and speak with people who have been hired recently. Practice question & answer sessions, and polish the interpersonal skills. Good luck!

[Thehangedfrog]

Re: what more do they need to hire me

Originally posted by patearley
HELLO EVERYONE, THE QUESTION ON MY MIND ANY MANY OTHERS. WHAT MORE DO I NEED TO GET A JOB, I AM A FIREFIGHTER, FIRE INSPECTOR, E.M.T. AND WORKING ON MY DEGREE IN FIRE SCIENCEE AND ALL I HEAR FROM INTREVIEWS ARE YOU NEED EXPREINCE WELL, HOW MUCH CAN YOU DO AS A VOLUNTEER BESIDES MOVE TO A CITY AND HOPE THE LIST DOES NOT GET SCREWWD UO OR THE STATE HOLDSS THE TEST, PLEASE IF ANY ONE CAN OFFER ADVISE I WILL GLADY TAKE IT .


OH YEAH I HAVE EVEN DONE THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR WORK AND THEY SEEM MORE PROMMISING

Capt Bob is right, If you get to the oral interview, or chief's board, dazzle them so they forget the lack of experience.

Other than that, keep trying, if you are willing to move, or even go overseas, to get that first year of experience then by all means do it.. If not keep trying with your volunteer experience building up. try to keep your hours up at the vollie Dept. they will sometimes figure 2000 vollie hours = 1 year paid,

Raytheon Polar Services is hiring for Firefighters every year since they are contract.. Again they are not hiring right now but start looking in April..

www.polar.org And they only require FF I, HM 1st Resp and Basic EMT

Hope that helps,
Gerard

See below for FF for McMurdo Station Antarctica


Description for: Firefighter
Job Code: HV
Start Date: 10/1/03
Location: McMurdo Station
Season: Summer: Oct thru Feb
Position Type: Contract, Deploying, Alternate

Responsible for implementing Raytheon Polar Services' (RPSC) Fire Prevention Plan and ensuring that emergency response equipment is operational within the guidelines stipulated by this plan and the Disaster Preparedness Plan for McMurdo Station.

EDUCATION: High school or GED. Associate of Science degree in Fire Engineering is preferable.

CERTIFICATIONS AND/OR LICENSING REQUIREMENTS: Certification to the following levels is required prior commencement of work at McMurdo Station: Firefighter I, Hazardous Materials First Responder, and Certified as a Basic EMT.

TRAINING: None required.

EXPERIENCE: Previous firefighting experience preferred.



If interested, please email your resume to [email protected]