Helpful fire job listing websites...
I have been looking around a lot for job listings. The best resource is the
Internet.
There are so many place to look, so where do you start? Here are the websites I am currently using to find jobs both locally and nationally. I hope these help you out some... they have helped me a TON!
911 Hot Jobs - Very cool website that has many job listings... they also sell resources for interviews, tests and all sorts of other great resources. They also have, from time to time, free products when you sign up, like test question books, how to
guides and much more.
Fire Recruit - This is an awesome website. There are so many job listings in here... they also have some awesome resources on oral interviews including common questions, and more.
CPAT Test - CA firefighters only
Fire Hire - Website dedicated to the Fire Hire test and the jobs associated with it.
Firehouse.com - Many many job listings, as well as forums, news,
pictures... basically anything you could want is there.
Yes, you may have noticed that some of these sites require a monthly charge, its minimal but its so worth is... just do it!
Where have I been?!...
That's a great question. Well I have been very busy indeed. Where do I start...?
Well I had an interview with a department about an hour and a half of where I live. I received a 96% on my oral interview (which was awesome by the way), but I only score an 79% on the written exam... which when added together didn't give me high enough standing to get one of the initial positions available but it did put me number 22 on the hiring list for the next 2 years.
What did I get out of this? Well I got the experience of yet another interview process, which showed me that I am getting better at them (98%!!). Plus I got on a hiring list. In my opinion it was a success.
But that was a few months ago, where have you been lately? Well, I also got on as an intern for a department near me as well. I haven't started yet but I will be working my first shift on the 9th or next month. I already have all my gear and am waiting for the patches to get sown on my dress shirt and I will be ready to get started. I am so excited.
Its been 6 months since the academy, that I have done any fire related training, so it will be good to get back into it again finally.
I will hopefully keep posting again, and will keep you all updated on the new happenings.
Interview Questions...
Well the first interview is over and I think it went really well. They asked me simple questions and I gave them some pretty good answers... Here are a few of the questions they asked me (
at least all the ones I can remember):
- Tell us a little about yourself
- What have you done to prepare yourself for this position?
- How do you deal with customer service with you current job and what does that have to do with the FD?
- Define loyalty, and pride, and relate the to the fire service.
- Do you have anything to add or any questions for us?
And that was about it... it
wasn't too difficult nor was it that long. I stayed calm throughout the interview. I
don't feel that I
stuttered at all, so overall IMO its been the best interview I've done to date.
I hope this helps some of you... please let me know if it does or if you have any questions or want to hear my point of view on things.
Until next time...
New Department Interview...
As some of you have read from my last post, I am going to be interviewing with two different departments in the coming weeks.
My old department, and a new department that I have never really worked with... well, tomorrow is the day for the new departments interview.
Wish me luck! I will let you know how things go, and I will write down some of the questions I was asked for those of you who want to start compiling a list.
Possibilities...
Well I have some choices right now. I have the choice to wait until approx. August to get back on with the department I used to be affiliated with or start an internship with another one I have found. Lets take a look at the pros and cons shall we...
Pros of old department:
- Had a ton of fun, loved the people and the community.
- It's where it all started.
- Feel very comfortable and confident there.
Cons:
- Wait till august.
- No real progression, but more experience (only).
Pros of new department:
- Work on getting my firefighter II cert.
- New department, new people, new connections.
- Keep my skills up, and learn some new things along the way.
Cons of new department:
- 1 year commitment in an internship.
- Time commitment.
- VERY SLOW department.
This is the dilemma. Hmmmm I will ponder this a while... please leave comments if you feel compelled... any help helps! ha ha
Back to the future...
Today I am going back to my old volunteer department where this blog began. I am going to apply for an out of district volunteer position. Basically what that means is that I am not in district so I wont be responding to every emergency. I will respond to major emergencies and when I am at the department working a shift I will respond as well.
This works out really well because with being done with the academy, and wanting to look or a real job I need a flexible schedule to accommodate that so this will work out great.
I will let you know when I hear back from them about the position.
Now that it's over...
I
haven't been posting as much lately. I know, I'm sorry. But the academy is over and now I have been thrown back into the real world with "real" college classes (bad news). I had a great time in the academy, met a ton of people who I will be working closely with in the up coming months and years to find a job. I have memories I will never forget... but I have to move
forward to bigger things.
Here is a few of the best pics from my academy, and please keep checking back for updates about the job hunt!
Civilian vs. FD Friends
A buddy of mine sent me this... I thought it was pretty funny. Enjoy.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Get upset if you're too busy to talk to them for a
week.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Are glad to see you after years, and will
happily carry on the same conversation you were having last time you
met.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Never ask for food.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Are the reason you have no food.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Call your parents Mr. And Mrs.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Call your parents mom and dad.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Bail you out of jail and tell you what you did was wrong.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Would be sitting next to you saying, "Damn...we screwed up...but man that was fun!"
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have never seen you cry.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Cry with you
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Borrow your stuff for a few days then give it back.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Keep your stuff so long they forget it's yours.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Know a few things about you.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Will kick the whole crowds' ass that left you behind.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Would knock on your door.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Walk right in and say, "I'm home!"
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Are for a while.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Are for life.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Have shared a few experiences...
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Have shared a lifetime of experiences no Civilian could ever dream of...
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will take your drink away when they think you've had enough.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Will look at you stumbling all over the place and say, "You better drink the rest of that, you know we don't waste...that's alcohol abuse!!" Then carry you home safely and put you to bed.
CIVILIAN FRIENDS: Will talk crap to the person who talks crap about you.
FIRE DEPARTMENT FRIENDS: Will knock them the hell out of them for using your name in vain.
Here is the latest update on the recent happenings. Some good news other bad news. I was dropped late last year from my new department. Mainly because the time I have been spending at in the academy has taken to much time away from my training with them. This is both good and bad.
Bad, because I don't am now not with a department and not getting any experience at the moment, but good in a sense that I can concentrate on my finals of the academy (which are this week by the way!), and I will hopefully be going back to the department I was with before, which is VERY good.
I will be finishing up the academy this week after a few tests which I plan to do well on.
So keep your finger crossed that I everything goes smoothly this week, and look
forward to another update soon... this time not as long in between!
