past termination

[holdem2]

I was wondering if any of the background advisors here could offer any advice. What would my chances be to succesfully complete the process of getting hired in another city if I were terminated from a previous fire career. Circumstances were not drug,alcohol or crime related. I cannot delve any further into it as of now.
Thank You,

[KenNFD1219]

I know you don't want to post the reasons here, but the circumstances are very important to the background investigator and the hiring agency. So in brief, it depends on the nature of the termination, how long ago it occured, if disiplinary in nature has this behavior occured in other jobs, and other factors.

Best advice is to be honest and upfront about it. Try to cover it up or minimialize it and you can say goodbye to any job offer.

[BCLepore]

Ken gives good advice. We need more information to give you a qualified answer. Here is the first question I would have for a candidate who was terminated for performance:

What have you done to ensure this will not happen if I hire you on my department.

Here's an example:
I ran into a candidate who was terminated for strength issues on a major fire department. I asked him what would keep history from repeating itself (it usually does) if hired on my department. He informed me that he believed he was in fairly decent physical condition prior to getting hired. In short, he stated that he had underestimated the physical requirements of the job. He did not attempt to blame anyone for his failure.

He told me that he now goes to the gym 5 days a week and is very disciplined about his work outs. I predict he will get another opportunity.

Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief

https://www.aspiringfirefighters.com

[holdem2]

It was an on duty regs issue, not fire felated

[BCLepore]

Still not enough information.

[CaptBob]

You Got Fired from a Department

Let's get real here! One of the most difficult hurdles to get over is being fired by another department. It's easier if you're a medic.

There has been an alarming rate of new firefighters fired in their academy and during probation. The main reasons are new hires are showing up for their academy without being in good enough physical shape. No, just because you passed the physical agility doesn't mean your physically ready for the academy. You see the physical agility standards over the past few years have been lowered so almost anyone can pass. Fire departments have had little control over this circus. But they know once they get the candidates in the academy they will require them to meet a level of service that the job requires.

Other's can't remember the manipulative skills for equipment and evolutions. Some seem to want to shoot their mouth off on how they were trained in another academy or department.

Last, too many paramedic firefighters are carrying their position of they're in charge of patient care no matter what. Understand if you have crew members who have been going on EMS calls for over twenty years, we have had to learn something. If your officer tells you something, you had better get quickly focused and ask him or her what they're seeing that you don't. You could be 100% right and they will show you the door.

The main thing to remember is don't bring up getting fired in the oral board unless they do. Too many candidates want to bring it up on their own trying to justify their position and try to do repair work. Big error. You will only be opening a can of worms than can't be closed.

If it is brought up or covered in your background, take full responsibility for what you think happened (you may never really find out why) what you learned, why it will never ever happen again, and how it has helped you move forward in your career.