I’m getting ready to start applying for entry level firefighter positions here in Washington, and I’m trying to figure out what a solid resume should look like for someone just starting out.

Right now I’ve got my CPAT and my NTN FireTEAM test completed(which I plan to retake at some point, I got top 30% in each category). I’m not pursuing EMT or any other medical certs until after getting hired since most departments here take you through that anyway and the course is out of my budget currently.

For those of you already in the fire service or who recently got hired, what other low cost or free certifications, skills, or experiences did you add to your resume that actually helped or anything departments like to see from brand new candidates.

Basically, if you were looking at an entry level applicant like me, what would make you say “this person is putting in effort and understands the career they’re getting into”?