application frustrations!!!!

[arronliptak1]

I have been taking test for about two years now in Cleveland area and shelled out alot of money to do so. The frustration is that I have done well on all components then some Billy Bob who's dad knows someone gets the job over me! I have my fire, medic, and been in the marine corps, was third on the list, and Billy Bob was hired and didn't have fire, EMT, or anything, plus he finished 6 on the list!!! I am tired of getting back stabbed in the back! This Political BS is driving me MAD!
In the cleveland area there are TONS of medics, we're a dime a dozen, so you can't get a good wage. the only way that there is decent money to be mad to survive is to get on a department. With the "hey I know him so I'll hire him" deal I'll never get on a full time dept. I am so frustrated this probably doesn't make sense. The hard part is now I have two kids a wife and now faced with going back to school for somthing else. I was thinking Nuclear Medicine. Any pointers to get on a department with the "fixed" lists?

[CaptBob]

Quick question?

Understand your frustration. Where have you placed on the list on the tests you have taken?

[arronliptak1]

Understand your frustration. Where have you placed on the list on the tests you have taken?

usually in the top 10. I just can't stand it. The big problem with the example I gave before is that at the time I worked in the ED, the guy that got the job over me was doing his clinicals and I was his mentor!!!! I was teaching him how to be a Medic!! Just acn't get over that!

[metsfan06]

I have been taking test for about two years now in Cleveland area and shelled out alot of money to do so. The frustration is that I have done well on all components then some Billy Bob who's dad knows someone gets the job over me! I have my fire, medic, and been in the marine corps, was third on the list, and Billy Bob was hired and didn't have fire, EMT, or anything, plus he finished 6 on the list!!! I am tired of getting back stabbed in the back! This Political BS is driving me MAD!
In the cleveland area there are TONS of medics, we're a dime a dozen, so you can't get a good wage. the only way that there is decent money to be mad to survive is to get on a department. With the "hey I know him so I'll hire him" deal I'll never get on a full time dept. I am so frustrated this probably doesn't make sense. The hard part is now I have two kids a wife and now faced with going back to school for somthing else. I was thinking Nuclear Medicine. Any pointers to get on a department with the "fixed" lists?

That sucks big time bro. Keep your head up and never give up. Once you do you lost not the dept.. Just watch who you get info from on this board. Some of these guys will tell you your oral interview needs work and fill your head with useless bullshi*. They know where the real problem lies. That an oral interview is just a depts. way of getting their political pals a leg up over a qualified candidate. Most depts. know it and so do these guys who will preach to you except for them its their buisness to try to make money off of you. One day maybe depts. around this great country will finally do away with these bullshi* interviews and hire a candidate the right way. The fair way. Good luck at whatever you decide.

I recently had a debate with some guys about situations exactly like yours and why oral interviews are a joke and when you really look into the process see how orals screw candidates.

[FD8434]

so if you were #6 on the list why will you never be hired? Im sure they hire more than 5 people. Im sure they can't just hire everyone who knows someone. Maybe Im wrong. Just wondering.

[CaptBob]

Are you on any other lists?

[arronliptak1]

so if you were #6 on the list why will you never be hired? Im sure they hire more than 5 people. Im sure they can't just hire everyone who knows someone. Maybe Im wrong. Just wondering.

It comes down to there are 200-300 people on the list and they are hiring one or two. around here it's pretty much 1 anymore. So if I'm 6 on the list and they hire one off it I have another year and a half to get on before they throw that list out and start all over again.

They other guy is so right about that they have these to make money off us! It's all set up so that they can hire anyone they want basically. Another way that they use is the Polygraph. I had a buddy who owned his own business, so he never worked for anyone before. And they didnt' hire him because they said he failed the part about stealing from employers. You know what I mean. Give me a break.

And to answer the Capt. This was the last test I took. I think I'm done supporting these cities financial needs. With all the money I've shelled out I could of been have way through radiology schoool. Up here it's also set up so that the cities don't have there own physical agaility test. You have to go to the community college and take that one, which is accepted by most all cities. to take that it's 75 dollars! I mean come on the cities are supporting the college! They say we don't want to spend the money for get one organized so go pay to take the one at the college!

[JayDudley]

Frustrated!!

Now days most cities use the band system. Meaning if the Band has 150 candidates on it they can hire any one of the 150. Not fair in my book. When I hired I was 26 out of about 6,000 who applied. In those days when you were 26 you were 26. Its hard now days to try and test and get hired with the rules they use. Its called diversity and they have to play the game. Its the way it is and we all have to play by the rules. Granted there are still some good ol' boys departments but they are getting very rare these days. I say hang in there and be persistent and you'll be able to reap your reward as a firefighter.
P.S. I never have and never will charge a dime for my services for taking orals.

Respectfully,
Jay Dudley, Retired Fire

[CaptBob]

Persistance

Jay is right in many respects. Many department run bands and rule of the list. It can still come down to how well you do on your oral board scores to get into the top band and being ready for that chiefs interview that will be the deciding factor.

This is not uncommon.

Cleveland has had recent financial problems that was affecting 74 firefighters. With that inviornment consider broadning your horizons and test any where you can. As a medic your odds are better in other parts of the county.

I know there are times in the pursuit of a firefighter position when candidates have doubts if they’re going to make it especially after not being successful after several attempts. I know some get bummed along the way. Sometimes candidates get stuck in the journey trying to gain their badges. 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 and others (with fewer credentials) like the one you have referred to aobve have been hired. They're frustrated and embarrassed. They often can go in too many directions at once, become overwhelmed, discouraged, and pretty soon could lose interest, be considered a part time hobbyist and NOT a serious candidate.

It's got to be frustrating. But 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 even in a band system. This is where the rubber meets the road.

This from a recent posting to my son Rob on how things can change:

I just had to share the good news that after 5+ years, my husband received a conditional offer from SMFD this past Friday. I just want to encourage everyone that is trying, to keep trying. It will happen.

Thanks to Captain Rob's coaching, my husband finally got a job offer with a department that he has tested with a total of 6 times (just for this one department). It really helped him get his interview's going in the right direction and landing an offer with a department that he actually applied with a total of 6 times. My husband and I both feel that what really turned things around for him was getting private coaching with Capt. Rob. Thanks Rob!

Keep trying!

[ACfire1]

I have been taking test for about two years now in Cleveland area and shelled out alot of money to do so. The frustration is that I have done well on all components then some Billy Bob who's dad knows someone gets the job over me! I have my fire, medic, and been in the marine corps, was third on the list, and Billy Bob was hired and didn't have fire, EMT, or anything, plus he finished 6 on the list!!! I am tired of getting back stabbed in the back! This Political BS is driving me MAD!
In the cleveland area there are TONS of medics, we're a dime a dozen, so you can't get a good wage. the only way that there is decent money to be mad to survive is to get on a department. With the "hey I know him so I'll hire him" deal I'll never get on a full time dept. I am so frustrated this probably doesn't make sense. The hard part is now I have two kids a wife and now faced with going back to school for somthing else. I was thinking Nuclear Medicine. Any pointers to get on a department with the "fixed" lists?

Im with you on that one. It's like you have to know someone here in the south too. Its almost impossible to get hired these days

[brianandgail]

Have you looked into DCFD? They need have been giving preferance to MEDICS to become Firefighter medics. They are planning on increasing the number of ALS pumpers that they have. You can give the Captain at recruitment a call at: 202-673-3726. I am also from Cleveland. Good luck. Cleveland fire may give a test, but I wouldn't expect CFD to hire off of it until 2008-2009.

[Kobersteen]

Here in Fairfax County, Virginia, we have several people from CFD lists and even those who were laid off from CFD. NREMT-P will put you on the uber-fast track to get hired.

Drop me an e-mail for more: [email protected]

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fr/recruitment/

[arronliptak1]

I have been on a fire dept before for a couple years but you had to live in the city. I couldn't afford to live in that city by myself (I had lived with roomates at the time). All my roomates left and I just couldn't do it. Had to move. SO here I am on the "lists" again. I was on SHFD without a problem. walked right through. I finished high on the list, like normal, and bada boom bada bing I was on. Maybe that was one of the only suburbs that hire like they should. I don't know I'm almost at the cut off for age too. I miss the fires though. best times of my life beside the Marines.

[arronliptak1]

I also notice that the people who are on the depts keep saying it's all about the oral...ORAL. that's probably just what it is. who knows what happens behind closed doors.

Just for FYI someone had said that the agility/written are pass fail. This in also not true in my area. you get points for everything. times are taken on the agility and score of correct are on the written. Most cities will also give extra points to Military, if you have your medic, 240, or fire degree. So I get my score then they add on my fire military and medic for a higher score.

[brianandgail]

arronliptak1 ,

Did you say that you are ex-CFD? Did you get laid off?
if so,
Send me an email-
[email protected]

(I am also, ex-CFD)