If you’re serious about becoming a firefighter... prove it. I want you to prove it to me and to yourself. I recently received an entry through the forum requesting me to review a resume. This was a service that I once offered if you purchased a membership to my site. To make a long story short, I’ve dissolved the resume review feature and I haven't been reviewing resumes through my website for a while, for no reason other than I've been focusing on other things on the site such as Twitter, blogs, answering questions in the forums, digg.com and so on.
When the request came through to review this recruit’s resume, I kind of chuckled to myself and it took just half a second for me to give my reply - that I would be more than happy to review his resume. The reason for my chuckle was that it had been a long time since someone had taken the initiative and cashed in on this resource. Just because I don't spell it out, doesn't mean I'm not willing to help out. The reason why it took only half a second to reply to this recruit is because I am more than willing to help those who are willing to help themselves. It was refreshing to see someone throw themselves out there with the mind set of having nothing to lose - it never hurts to ask. Turns out he took it even one step further and wrote me a lengthy email bringing me up to date on where he was regarding qualifications, his situation, and what his intentions are for the future. This was great to read and I'm sure it was beneficial to for him to write. I'll come back to why that is.
I would still like to focus on his initiative. Too many recruits have a mind set where they think they are doing everything they can to get hired, when in fact, they can always do more. If you ask me, if you haven't been recruited by a fire department and you aren’t sitting on the back of a fire truck then you haven't done enough.
To get back to why it would be beneficial for him to write an email giving me an update on his situation and recruitment experience is because sometimes I think we need to sit back and regain focus. There is so much going on at times and we forget what our objectives and goals really are. As I state in my book The Complete Guide to Becoming a Firefighter you need to set a series of small goals in order to achieve your main goal - getting hired! Do yourself a favor and accept this challenge: write me a "comment" back to this blog stating your name, a little bit about yourself, your current qualifications, qualifications you’re planning to get, and what your short term and long term goals are. You can do this in point or in paragraph form. I don't care how you do it - just do it.
So what if others read it? The funny thing is that you can learn each other. Most recruits have the same problems and are in similar situations. Why not hear a story about another recruit who has just quit their job to attend fire college? Why not share your story?
Let's do this together, you’re not alone anymore!
Anyone else been scammed by "Recruit Firefighter" www.recruitfirefighter.com?
I have heard the same complaints from recruits over the years and I'm sick of it. Who is this lady Wendy?
Why does she not follow through with her membership promises. What a joke! I was a recruit once too and I worked hard for my money, so I don't appreciate them taking other recruits hard earned money and running with it.
Watch out! Don't be scammed.
I want to hear from you!
Becoming a firefighter doesn’t happen overnight. This career takes a great deal of commitment and patience. Sometimes it feels like you don’t get a lot in return for courses you take or things you do along the way, but when you get hired on a fire department and receive that badge, everything comes into perspective. Every single second spent to get there is worth it.
You should be able to accumulate all the prerequisites required in order for you to be eligible for most fire department recruitments in about a year. It may take another year if you decide to obtain your firefighter certification and take some other fire related courses. You may be able to complete all this sooner if you schedule everything properly, or it may take a little longer if the courses you need are only offered on a limited basis. That’s why the sooner you start the better.
I had the privilege of speaking to the recruits at Lambton College yesterday in the Fire Science & Technology Program. These recruits are a month away from graduating form their program and will enter the real world.
This is where the true challenge will be in regards to the firefighter recruitment process. I stressed to each student to keep in touch with their classmates and try to learn from them as much as possible. It's important to network with other recruits so you can stay informed of recruitments, test writing, physical fitness tests, interviews, etc.
Knowledge is the key to success!
Best of luck to all you recruits!
Why is it so hard to get hired by a fire department? There are a number of reasons why it’s a challenge to get hired and because of all these reasons and variables the applicants must overcome tremendous odds. The applicant must remain focused throughout the entire recruitment process and keep an ear to the ground to make sure they’re getting accurate information the first time. I will discuss common reasons why it’s so difficult to get hired, but remember at the end of the day someone has to get hired and it could just as easily be you over someone else. So don’t be discouraged when pursuing this amazing career just make sure you do everything you can and take full advantage of every opportunity to get you one step closer to getting hired.
There are a number of different reasons why it is so hard to get a job on a fire department but the three main reasons are:
1. Interest Level: Firefighting is appealing to a wide variety of individuals because of the low education requirements (usually secondary school diploma or equivalency); you receive a pension upon retirement, as well as great pay with a flexible schedule. Firefighting also attracts individuals who are interested in the thrill of handling hazardous situations under extraordinary circumstances and those you want an active roll helping there community.
2. Limited Job Opportunities: Unfortunately the number of applicants applying far exceeds the number of available jobs.
3. Extensive Qualifications of the Competition: Not every applicant gets hired on their first attempt sometimes it takes years before a job offer is presented. This allows time for applicants to obtain some extensive qualifications while widening the gap between themselves and someone just starting to pursue a firefighting career.
How to visit a fire hall:
Approach: When you visit the fire department make sure you park in the visitor parking lot and not in the Chief’s dedicated parking spot. Your career could be over before it even begins (laugh). Also make sure you use the proper entrance to announce your arrival, most fire halls have a front entrance where the general public can be received.
Be cognitive of your appearance, remember you’re visiting a fire hall not you best friends house – You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Appearance – Casual clothes are appropriate, such as jeans, shorts, T-shirts, etc. However, I would avoid wearing shirts that have suggestive or controversial statements on them. You should be clean shaven, well groomed and limited to little or no make-up. Also avoid heavy or strong scents. If you have piercing(s) or tattoos it’s a good idea to conceal or remove them. This is not absolutely necessary but recommended.
Visit: Try to keep your visit short and effective, use your instincts as to how well your visit is going. If you have the inkling that you are visiting during an awkward time such as interrupting training or a fire department tour for children - end the visit and try again later. You should refrain from visiting a fire hall during lunch or shift change hours. Most fire halls will be extremely receptive to you regardless of when or what time of day you happen to visit. If you are uncertain you could always call ahead and set-up an appointment to visit the fire hall.
Confidence - Be sure to have a firm handshake and make good eye contact. Ideally you should shake hands while entering and leaving the hall.
Manners - Make sure you demonstrate proper manners throughout your entire visit. Be sure not to chew gum or wear sunglasses when engaged in conversation or upon greeting someone. It’s important they see your eyes to be convinced you’re sincere.
Frequency - You should try to visit every four to six months if possible. To eliminate the possibility of being a nuisance you can show your appreciation by bringing in donuts or ice cream for the on-duty staff. This gesture will go a long way and you’ll probably start a frenzy around the fire hall because everyone will be wondering where the treats came from and your name is going to be mentioned all day long. This is exactly what you want to accomplish.
During your visits you must have a positive attitude. The last thing you want to have happen is to allow yourself to vent your personal frustrations out on the nearest firefighter you come in to contact with and tell him/her about how hard it is to get hired or how you should have received an interview in the last recruitment for this fire department. If this conversation does arise say something positive like “It must not have been my turn to get hired, I will get my chance I just have to be patient”.
Departure:
A simple “Thank you for your time” will suffice in closing your visit. On your way out of the fire hall be sure to thank everyone you see who talked to you during your visit.
Creating a relationship with a fire department is crucial. A common mistake candidates make is only visiting a fire hall when that fire department is hiring. This makes it very obvious that you are only interested in the fire department because of the recruitment at the present time. In this case you may be better off not to visit at all and remain anonymous, hoping you will get called for an interview regardless. I suggest that you start visiting fire halls in the areas you want to work in when they’re not hiring. This way it’s obvious you want to work there and that you have some loyalty to that particular fire department.
One of the hardest things about recruiting firefighters is the fire department not only has to hire someone capable of doing the job, they also have to hire someone who is compatible with the other firefighters. Chemistry in the firehouse is extremely important and if you can prove that you’re someone who is responsible, committed, loyal, and has strong well developed interpersonal skills you would be seen by the fire department as someone who is a likely candidate to be recruited. All you have to do now is back yourself up with an impressive résumé. If you do everything you can and keep doing everything you can, you will have your job offer.
Visiting a fire hall can be extremely beneficial to potential firefighter candidates if executed properly. Throughout this article I will give you some vital tips that will increase your chances of making a great first and lasting impression at the fire hall.
Purpose of visiting fire halls: You should have a couple of objectives during your visit; one should be getting your name and face out there so the fire hall knows who you are. The second is to gain a better understanding about the fire department and the firefighters that work there. This will increase your chances of answering questions related to the fire department during an interview. 
Preparation for your visit:
Before you decide to visit a fire hall try to gain some general knowledge about that fire department. The more tools you have in your tool box the better off you will be. Things you may want to know about the fire department before you show up for a visit are:
• Number of fire departments in the city.
• Types of calls they are equipped to handle such as water rescue emergencies, high angle rescue, hazardous materials etc.
• Any new equipment the fire department has received such as a new fire truck. This type of news is exciting to firefighters and makes an excellent conversation topic for you during your visit.
• Find out the Chief, Deputy Chief, and the Training Officer’s names and/or what they look like incase you see them during your visit.
• Geographical area covered by that specific fire hall. This could be another great conversation topic for you. Example if the fire hall covers an escarpment or water-way you may want to ask questions about the equipment they have to handle these emergencies or the training they have received to perform a rescue in such an environment.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Fire departments need to rethink who they’re hiring. There is a saying that I think sums it all up “Don’t let your education get in the way of your schooling”. Just because an applicant has more education than another applicant doesn’t mean they wound make a better firefighter. I believe experience and attitude is everything. Fire departments need to consider all applicants with an open mind, in my humbled opinion not just the ones with the longer resumes. It’s like comparing a puddle to a lake; at first glance they look the same. But when you step in each you quickly discover there are not the same at all. Fire departments need to think this way and test all waters that are presented.
An applicant could be limited in qualifications on their resume but could have invaluable experience and could be the best at what they do. Compare this to an applicant with every course available but don’t have a clue what they’re doing. I would personally hire the first applicant all day long over the later. Self motivated recruits are also an asset to any fire department, finding recruits who don’t have to be micro managed allows attention of those in power to worry about the things that actually matter instead of weather the bathrooms have been cleaned or why a truck report hasn’t been handed in yet.
Resumes can be a valuable tool in determining which applicants possess these traits. By looking at who has been a manager in past or current jobs or if they have been apart of seeing a job through from start to finish for example when I was in the refrigeration trade I was constantly given the task of managing or over seeing the installation of refrigeration equipment. Some jobs were rather simplistic and not that involved where other jobs were quite extensive and involved coordinating other trades, making critical decisions without warning and keeping track of all the inventory and hours worked, of course with the end goal of making a profit without compromising quality. I was by no means the owner of the company nor was I even a manager. However, I was still given management type rolls on specific jobs.
My point is that to this day I am still a self motivated worker, my Captains don’t have to follow me around to make sure jobs are getting done or not. Hiring applicants with this like mind set in my opinion is a step in the right direction.
I would just like to say that I have enjoyed working with the recruits I've met over the last month, I always find it refreshing to talk to those who are pursuing firefighting as a career, it helps me appreciate what I have and keeps me hungry for the job. I would like to challenge all recruits out there to post your thoughts in the Forum on this site. I am still receiving countless emails into my personnel email account and I would like to bounce these emails into the Forum so all can read. Keep in mind I am hear to help you and I'm on your side. I will always give you my honest opinion, Think of me as a friend you can bounce your ideas off of with over 6 years experience helping firefighting recruits get hired.
I look forward to being apart of your recruitment process.
Thanks everyone, All right I just had a young man visit me at the fire hall. Never met him before in my life, and he had just found out about my service and my involvement with firefighter recruits. This guy worked at one of the local car dealerships as a mechanic. His question was “What courses should I be taking to improve my chances of being hired”. My first question is always do you have your NFPA 1001 or your Pre-Service Firefighter Certification? His reply was that he had already obtained his NFPA 1001 as well as all the other general list of qualifications such as D Z Licence, CPR – First Aid etc.
Well I was already doing some calculations in my head – he had all of his minimum qualifications, he has 7 years life experience working in the real world as a mechanic. Which means he is all ready convinced me that he is good working with his hands, employable, reliable, understands a good days work, and able to learn new things because as we all know the car industry changes all the time when it comes to technology, and their way of doing things.
So my second question to him was what are your hobbies, what do you like to do? He answered back and said, “I love cars”. I said “That’s Perfect!
He looked at me like I had two heads. I than suggested that he maybe start to combine his love of cars and his knowledge of cars and focus on vehicle extrication. Why not become the go-to-guy when it comes to cutting edge technology in vehicles such as Hybrid cars, safety systems such as air bags, seat belt pre-tensioners, ROPS (Roll over protection devices), terminology used to indicate these systems and alternate fuel sources, such as electric and hydrogen cars, etc.
His eyes were lighting up, and I could tell this was something he was very interested in. He told me that he had already given the fire department a mini crash course/demonstration regarding the Hybrid cars.
To make a long story short, this recruit has since taken every available course offered by his car dealership regarding all new car technology (Didn’t cost him a cent), as well enrolled in several vehicle extrication courses. To me he just enabled himself in both his current job and as a recruit not too mention gave himself what I like to call the X Factor on his resume.
Fire departments find a lot of value in having someone on the fire department who is educated, and accomplished in one specific aspect of firefighting, rather than having someone who is incompetent and inadequate in several areas. I will have to elaborate on this at another time, in another blog.
I’m sure this has shed some light on how you can start too achieve some depth in your resume, improve your current life and work status as well as how to think out side the box.
1
- 10  |
|
|
|
|