Since 100% of your
score in obtaining a firefighter job is in the oral board, what are you missing
that's keeping you from gaining that badge?
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It happened! The 2100 badge in our program. Check out the story in the New Badge Section.
FireZine
Cutting edge interview skills to get that badge from Fire
Captain Bob.
More than 2,105 candidates have received their badge from
this program!
July 1, 2003. Copyright Code 3 Publishing 2003
captbob@eatstress.com web site: www.eatstress.com 888-238-3959
For Subscribe/Unsubscribe procedures, scroll to end.
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No one ever lost credibility by
being interesting.
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Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Absolutely Nothing!
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Please forward or recommend
this FireZine to anyone you
know that wants to shorten the learning curve to get
that badge!
If you are receiving this issue as a forward, and would
like to get your own free subscription, click here to visit
http://www.eatstress.com/firezine_signup.htm
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In This
Issue
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip
2. Entry Level Skills Tip
3. Robs Corner
4. Promotional Level Skills Tip
(Entry level should read this too)
5. New Badges
6. Humor
7. Resource Websites for Candidates
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip
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Don’t Move yet!
This is not the first time. A candidate is invited to the chief’s oral. He just knows they want him. He gives notice at his job, his apartment and finds a new apartment for the city he is being considered for. He starts packing. After the chief’s interview he is notified to complete the medical, given the date for the academy, uniform fitting and then the psych. He flies down to complete these items in two days. He goes by with his wife to check on the new apartment, flies home and waits for the mover to show up the next day.
Don’t touch that dial. There is something wrong with the psych interview. It comes back inconclusive. They want him to retake the psych. But the movers are on their way. I can taste that badge. I know they want me.
Do yourself and your family a big favor.
Don’t even think about moving until you get the invitation in writing
that you have the job. Never move away from family, friends, support and established
connections thinking that will improve your chances of getting a badge.
A medic candidate moved his family from southern California to Seattle, so he could be in position for the next test. Although he made the list, he was going to have to wait until they got down to him. In the mean time the pressures built up at home, he lost his house in California to foreclosure, and got in a heated argument with his wife. The police arrived and arrested him for domestic violence. This at a time when he was in background for the next academy. Everything came to a full halt. Fortunately, in the state of Washington, if you complete the counseling and probation program and it’s your first offense, you can appeal the court to remove the charge. Now a year later, this has been done. The Seattle list he was on expired. Now it’s back to square one.
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Captain Bob’s new book “Becoming a Firefighter------The Complete Guide to Your
Badge! Click here for more:
http://www.eatstress.com/FirefighterBook.htm
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Learn how entry level and promotional candidates are improving their interview
scores up to 15 points and nailing that badge!
Click here:
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage2.htm
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2. Entry
Level Skills Tip ===========================================
Hey Capt.
Bob-
I am getting extremely excited and a little nervous (or anxious) for my
first ever-oral board this Wednesday afternoon. I have prepared by
watching
your video and listening to the CD. I have a script ready for my answers.
I have studied the department and I had a great station visit last week. I
am practicing my oral answers. I feel like I am on information
overload.
I really believe in keeping it simple. Is it possible to have too much
info
in my brain? Do you have any pre-oral board techniques for relaxing?
Thanks! Trevor
Reply: This is a feeling of not being prepared. The more you practice with the tape recorder you will feel prepared.
Here's another tip: Your mind will tell you when you have completed your answer. That's when you need to stop. Most candidates don't. They feel they need to give the panel a blue print when we just need a sketch. A dump truck when we just need a trailer. They end up doing what I call trailing off. Going pass the end of their answer and it dies way out there somewhere, usually saying something like, "And that's about it."
If your interview is on Wednesday, stop practicing Tuesday evening. If you don't have it by then, you never will. It will be counter productive and you will be turning your self inside out. Go exercise, drink a glass of wine or beer, go see a movie and share your thoughts with a loved one.
On game day, go briefly over some of the items to refresh your mind and then stop. NO CAFINE!
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Bottom line getting a badge is all presentation skills!
Click here for the FREE 101 Inside Secrets How to Get
a Badge!
http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm
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To ask Captain Bob any question just click here:
E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com
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3. Robs Corner
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Don’t Let The Rumor Mill Grind
You Up
In the hiring process you hear
a lot of rumors. Most of them are based in truth. Sometimes you’ll even get some
choice information well in advance of everyone else. There in lies the problem.
Because some much of what you hear through the grapevine is accurate, or close
to it. We start to believe everything.
I remember hearing that the
chief would skip the first four people on a list to get to the women. So what
this means is that the chief told someone, who told someone, who told me that he
was illegally going to skip people. I don’t think so. That kind of information
wouldn’t be shared with anyone who would tell me, or you. I know a person that
didn’t take a certain test because he heard the department wasn’t going to hire
anyone off of that list. Along came the 3 % @ 50 retirement, and almost 1/3 of
the department left in the two year life of the list.
A few other rumors I’ve heard
recently: they know what questions are going to be on the test, because someone
told them. Someone told them the dept would only give out 100 applications so
they spent the night on the sidewalk with all the other people who heard. While
it was billed as a test for E.M.T.’s, the department only wanted paramedics.
They look at what number your application has on it and you’ll do better because
you waited in line. While the written is pass/fail they still see your score,
and it really does count.
Think how silly the 100 people
who spent the night on the sidewalk felt when the applications were handed out
all day, or half the people hired off the list were E.M.T.’s, not all
paramedics.
You can’t believe everything
you can hear, in fact it would be best to just ignore it. If you do those things
you know you should, and stick to it. You may be one of those people who show up
for the test that everyone else thought was cancelled. Study for an oral
interview that turns out to be something completely different that what everyone
said it would be.
FIREFIGHTER ROB
NRTC@SONIC.NET
http://www.eatstress.com
You can read more of Rob’s
wisdom by clicking here:
http://www.eatstress.com/robs_corner.htm
Rob is Captain Bob's Son. He works for Contra Costa Fire Department. He does all the entry level coaching by phone nationwide. You can contact him direct with your questions or set up a coaching appointment @ 707-869-1330. or e-mail me @ nrtc@sonic.net
For more on entry level coaching click here:
http://www.eatstress.com/private%20coaching.htm
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4. Promotional Level Skills Tip ==========================================
Without fail one of the biggest problems candidates have in the fire simulator is they don’t order enough equipment. They don’t think big enough. If you are given an assignment, ask dispatch how many calls are being received. If you are informed there are multiple calls, immediately order a second or greater alarm. You can always send them home if they’re not needed.
A big “Nugget” clue here once fire attack and the RIC Team have been established, is to ask for a report on conditions from fire attack. If the fire is getting bigger (as most simulations will be), call for a third or greater alarm assignment before assigning your second in alarm units. This is usually where the wheels start coming off the wagon. Candidates start assigning their second alarm units without first gaining a report on conditions from fire attack. When they finally ask for a report on conditions the fire has spread to other apartments, etc. requiring more units. They are suddenly buried because they weren’t staying ahead of the curve with equipment.
For more on our
promotional program click here:
http://www.eatstress.com/promo.htm
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5.
New Badges
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It happened! The 2100 badge in our program. It just happened to be a
candidate we helped get a firefighter job and now his captains badge. Here's
how:
“Getting the job is like winning the lottery” We’ve all seen the California Lottery commercial telling us “You have to play to win”. Capt. Bob will teach you to play.
As a student firefighter I use to avoid Capt. Bob when he was on duty. As I would pass he would always ask me one of the dreaded interview questions, which I didn’t have any clue how to answer. He would then ask me how I was preparing for the “process”. I would tell him anything to save myself the humiliation of not having a clue.
Capt. Bob knew that I had the training, education, and experience to get the job. He also knew that I had the answer to all those questions I avoided. I just needed a script to present my package. Capt. Bob offered personnel coaching repeatedly. I finally broke down and accepted the fact that someone could help me.
Two weeks after the coaching session, I had two interviews on the same day. Both cities offered me a badge…Capt. Bob was at the ceremony were my wife pinned my badge; It was a very proud moment.
I have been with my department for almost eight years. I gave Capt. Bob a call to let him know that I would be taking the Captains Test and again he offered coaching. I did not hesitate taking him up on this most recent offer.
I have been to the other promotional workshops out there. They will teach you what an Assessment Center is, but not how to master it.
I reviewed my Assessment Center scores with the Personnel Director; She could not believe this was my first time to take the test. I missed being number 1 on the Captains list by 1/8 of a point. Had I handled my role-play exercise as Capt. Bob advised me, I could have been number 1 by a several points. Most importantly, I have recently been appointed to Captain.
The Promotional Program, coaching and
inside secrets for the chief’s interview placed me in #2 position. Everything
happened the way he said it would. Everything. Even nailing my badge the first
time out.
Capt. Bob tells me this is badge #2100. This number would be much higher if he counted all the badges his students have been offered, not just the badges they are wearing.
You don’t know what you don’t know. Capt. Bob will teach you to play.
Thank you Captain Bob.
David Nelson, CAPTAIN!!!!
A quick
story that JUST happened. A very good friend that worked for a fire department
here in North Carolina, had dreamed of getting hired in California. He
subscribed to PFC only 6 months ago and apply to 2 So. Cal departments in the
last 3 months. One was a lateral to a dream department. I loaned him your book
and tape, told him of your web page and tried to give him a little help where I
could. He felt he was reaching for the moon especially at 38 years old. Two
weeks ago he got the call of a life time. Capt. Bob, "TODAY", 6/23/03 is his
first day as a Southern California with this dream department, most in part
because he read, watched your tape and reviewed your web page. Dream Big & Dare
to Fail!
Allan
Click here to see how candidates have improved their
position in gaining a badge:
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage152.htm
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Check out the current "Bonus Nugget" oral board tip on our
web site by clicking here:
http://www.eatstress.com/bonusnugget.htm
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Captain Bobs new book, Eat Stress For
Breakfast. Click here to check it out:
www.eatstress.com/stressfire.htm
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The Formula
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Here's what we know after 30-years of experience.
Candidates
who get our Audio/Video Entry Level or Promotional Program,
use the work booklet, practice with the all-important TAPE RECORDER, and come
back for a private coaching session, catapult themselves into the Olympic
camp. That's where you get a shot at that badge you have
been
looking for.
One on one coaching sessions
are where you get dialed into making your best presentation. It can make the
difference between being down on a list and being in the top 10 going for the
chief's oral. Candidates armed with this information are the one's who are
smoking past you in the oral, grab the badge and leave you as the bride's maid
again. We know because we get the calls when they get their badge! You can
contact my Son Rob direct to set up a coaching session @ 707-869-1330.
Robs e-mail is nrct@sonic.net
Click here to learn more
about private coaching
http://www.eatstress.com/private%20coaching.htm
You start by ordering our
Entry Level Audio/Video or Promotional Program from the products section of our
web site below or by calling our distributor Rayve @ 800-852-4890. This program
will keep you motivated! Consider also getting our new book "Eat Stress For Breakfast"
to help you along your journey.
"Nothing counts 'til you have
the badge . . . Nothing! And, there is no feeling like proudly
wearing the badge."
Check out the specials on our products for entry level and promotional testing:
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm
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6. Humor
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Ten Addendums To
Murphy's Law
1. Everyone has a
photographic memory. Some don't have film.
2. Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
4. Honk if you love peace and quiet.
5. Just remember...if the world didn't suck, we'd all fall
off.
6. The 50-50-90 rule: Anytime you have a 50-50 chance of
getting
something right, there's a 90% probability you'll get it
wrong.
7. It is said that if you line up all the cars in the world
end to
end, someone would be stupid enough to try and pass them..
8. I wished the buck stopped here, as I could use a few.
9. When you go into court, you are putting yourself in the
hands of 12
people that weren't smart enough to get out of jury duty.
10. Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people
appear
bright until you hear them speak.
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7. Resource Websites for Candidates
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Perfect Firefighter
Candidate. Job listing and a
complete resource web site with a community bulletin board.
Don McNea Fire School, Inc. is the #1 Firefighter
Preparatory Entrance School in the Country.
They have the inside information how to tackle those psychological and
personality questions on the written.
Learn how entry level and promotional candidates are
improving their interview scores up to 15 points and nailing that badge!
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage2.htm
FREE 101 Inside Secrets How to Get a Badge!
http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm
Check out the specials on
our products for entry level and promotional testing:
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm
FIREHIRE, Entry-level
firefighter examination process:
Firenuggets.com "The
Internet magazine dedicated to keeping firefighters safe"
http://www.firenuggets.com
Firemanjobs:
firefighter employment job
listings http://www.firemanjobs.com
You can learn more about
physical agility training from
www.firefightersworkout.com
B-Pad Assessment Devices.
If you're an agency looking for a new dimension to evaluate candidates,
or a candidate wanting information on how you can orientate your skills for this
evaluation check out their web site:
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FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS
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I have many articles available for reprint in your
publication, newsletter, etc. You may use
articles written by me that you see in Fire-Zine or
go to our web site @ http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm
All you have to do is print the article in its entirety along
with the by line, the credits, and complete contact
information found at the bottom of the web site page. I would
appreciate a tear sheet or electronic copy too. Thanks
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For Back Issues of Fire-Zine
http://www.eatstress.com/firezinearchive.htm
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THE SMALL PRINT
PLEASE RECOMMEND THIS NEWSLETTER to anyone you
know that is interested in shortening the learning curve to get a badge.
Just click on "Forward" in
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TIME TO SHARE. Please send your
ideas, questions, your success stories and when you
nail that badge to captbob@eatstress.com
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Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Absolutely Nothing!
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Code 3 Publishing. Fire Captain Bob Smith, Speaker, Author, Publisher
Information Products on How to Get a Badge.
Web site: http://www.eatstress.com Over 300 pages of helpful information.