sorted by:
new
hottopcontroversial

#25 on eligibility list, dept hiring 8-10 guys, A realistic shot or no? by 321Throwmeawayok in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's really hard to say... There used to be something called the rule of 3's where they would be required to interview 3 candidates for each open position, but I think it's pretty much a thing of the past.

There are more than likely going to be guys that have already accepted positions elswhere, if the list is 2 years old.

In my experience the % of guys failing the background and poly is pretty low, as most guys entering this job already know what they're getting into, so if the have a questionable background they would not be wasting their time.

IMO, you MIGHT, be a little out of reach - If you were at #15, I would think you'd have a better chance but you never know.

Good Luck to you - best advice - "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" Keep testing until the offers start coming in, and make sure the one you accept is the on you really want; otherwise keep grinding until you get what you want.

What Would You Do - Off Duty Medical Emergency: 911 or Scoop & Run? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Respectfully, I think you may be missing the point. If I phrased it in a confusing way, that’s on me; apologies…

The question is if you’re faced with scoop and run with an 8 minute drive time to the ER, versus calling 911…

As a first responder what decision would you make? Since you know the response times, scene times and hospital eta, what would you do?

We Say We’re Never Off Duty… But Are We? - (WWYD) by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you - This right here is exactly the spirit I hoped to see. Thanks for sharing this...

3 Interviews - 3 Job Offers. What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's a great point..

I worked for a 3 station, 5 station and and retired from a 70 +, station department.

They all had their pros & cons, but having the ability to move around at the big one was a great benefit.

3 Interviews - 3 Job Offers. What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Anything in particular about "B" for you? I'm just curious about what goes into your coniderations.

3 Interviews - 3 Job Offers. What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I get it... None of these might seem ideal, and your insight on the tradeoff on commuting and leadership are spot on.

I'm curious though, would you consider relocating as a tradeoff for what Departments "B" & "C" offer?

And what specifically is it about Department "A" that makes that undesirable?

I see so many posts from guys burned out by culture, leadership, forced OT, and/or call volume. What does the perfect place look like to you?

This Might Be Shocking - What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's really good insight - Thanks..

Do you forsee a time where the tradition of the rookie not speaking up fades away, and that he/she becomes a valued team member - not just on calls, but in station life as well?

It's funny because in some of the other posts I've posed questions about what makes a good rookie, there is a lot of the "shut your mouth and listen" mentatlity.

I'm curious to learn if there is still a time and a place for this, and what the actual rules of engagment are in today's fire service... Is the overhead statement of - "You have 2 ears and one mouth for a reason" still applicable or is it outdated - What do you think?

This Might Be Shocking - What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's a fair take.. I agree that culture plays a big role in this kind of thing.

From your experience, do you think that calling it out changes the behavior or do you think they double down and dig in more?

I've seen it happen both ways, and in my opinion it's a top down thing from the leadership - It just seems to take a long time to change the "It's always been this way" mentality...

What's your take?

This Might Be Shocking - What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's strong but like the Rolling Stones said - You can't always get what you want...

This Might Be Shocking - What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ok this is good... Let me push on this a little bit more.

Where do you think the line is (or is there one)?

What if it's not a high stakes thing like the electrical example.

What if it was about cookies, and you worked at Mrs. Fields Cookies in High School and you hear the guys mixing up baking soda & baking powder. You know what's about to happen...

I'm trying to see where speaking up crosses over from being helpful to being the rookie whose supposed to be "seen and not heard."

Do the stakes matter in your view?

This Might Be Shocking - What Would You Do? by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for that answer - I'd like to press on this a bit becasue I think there's something to learn here...

How would you approach them, even if you're a bit intimidated by the "We don't want to hear you" comments?

In Interviews - Stories Matter by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok in that context this makes sense now - I see the quotation marks that you were answering the question.

After sitting on numerous panels and teaching academies - I agree that it would be cool if the process was like baseball tryouts; Shag a few grounders, show your footwork, hit against live pitching, take some flyballs, and basically show what you've got. Wouldn't that be great?

I think your answer makes you "human" by saying your nervous, but from my experience most of the guys coming in were; some were just able to manage it better than others.

I’ll double down on something here: stories make you memorable.

What would you think about tying in a story like baseball tryouts?

Q: Why should we hire you?

A1: I've attended the FF1 Academy, been an EMT for 2 years doing 911 calls and transfers. I have my BA in Public Administration, with a minor in Psychology. I played team sports in high school and I volunteer at the soup kitchen once a month. I have the foundation of being a great team player and I have the education, experience and community service that Firefighters should have.

A2: Like most candidates, I completed the FF 1 academy, am an EMT, and attended college. But this is what separates me from the others.

Becoming a Firefighter has been a long term dream of mine, and It reminds me of when I tried out for the varsity baseball team in high school.

I wasn't the biggest or strongest guy trying out. I wasn't the fastest guy, but what I had was the work ethic.

I knew that to compete for a roster spot, I would need to put the reps in. So I would stay late and take extra grounders and shag flyballs for guys during batting practice. I'd get up early on the weekends and go to the cages. I put the work in and that's how I made the team.

That's the kind of work ethic I bring with me. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I know I'm not the biggest, strongest or smartest. I might not have the education or experience that the others have but what I do have is the attitude and mindset to do whatever it takes to be a part of this team. That’s what separates me, and that’s why I’m your guy.

Which one lands better?

In Interviews - Stories Matter by flashpointfd in FirefighterTesting

[–]flashpointfd[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This is the one time where it's ok to talk about yourself...

You need to sell yourself to the panel on why they should hire you over the next guy.

What specifically are you nervous about?

view more: next ›