Firefighters
Since 100% of your score in obtaining a firefighter badge is in the oral
board, what are you missing that's keeping you from gaining that badge?
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FireZine
Cutting edge interview skills to get that badge from Fire Captain Bob.
More than 2,149 candidates have received their badges from this program!
March 3, 2004. Copyright Code 3 Publishing 2003
captbob@eatstress.com web site:
www.eatstress.com 888-238-3959
(see bottom to leave "FireZine")
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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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know that wants to shorten the learning curve to get
that badge!
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To leave this list see below
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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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Attire
A candidate from out of state called from southern California the night before his oral board. He asked if it was all right if he wore his military uniform to his oral? I asked him if he had brought anything else to wear. He said no. He said his dad and other members of his family that are in law enforcement told him it would make him stand out. I told him to go ahead and wear his uniform and we would talk later.
Understand you are applying for a snot nose rookie position. You have no time or rank with the department you are testing for. So don’t wear your military, volunteer, another department, dogcatcher or other uniform to your interview.
Learn more on what to wear
to your oral board from the Attire Section in the FREE “101 Inside Secrets How
to Get a Badge here:
http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm
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Check out
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage2.htm and learn how entry
level and promotional candidates are improving their interview scores up
to 15 points and nailing that badge!
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Want Captain Bob to come speak to your group? See
http://www.eatstress.com/seminar.htm
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2. Entry Level Skills Tip
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A tale of two
candidates
Candidate One:
I got a call from one of our candidates, Trevor at 3:30 pm a couple of weeks
ago. He just received a call to take the voice stress analyzer for a department
the NEXT DAY at 10:00 am. Could he make it? You bet! OK what do I do now? We
go over a few things and have him go back and re-read the VSA section of our
book Becoming a Firefighter.
Next day 2:45 pm, Trevor calls from his cell phone. After a few questions and
answers I told him he probably passed. An hour later Trevor calls back telling
me HR called him on his cell phone and asked him if he could report back
TOMMORROW for his psych. Yes, I can. Many more questions and a referral to the
psych report in the book
Next day, 3:15 pm, I get another call from Trevor’s cell phone. Well, how did
it go? He said he felt uncomfortable. After a few questions I asked him how
long the interview was with the psychologist? He answered fifteen
minutes. Knowing that, I assured him he had passed and to expect that things
were going to pick up speed real fast. They did. Background was accelerated,
medical, and an invite to the orientation.
Candidate two:
Another one of our candidates called asking if he had failed the voice stress
analyzer would another department be able to find out about it? Why do you
ask? Well, I got this call last week (a day before candidate one above) asking
if I could come in the next day for the VSA. Sure I could. Then things didn’t
go so well. Like what? Well, I copped to some things I shouldn’t have.
I asked him why he didn’t call me when he found out he was going in the next
day? Well, things happened so fast, I didn’t have time. I told him, you have
enough time to call me now.
The point here is when you get down the short strokes in the hiring process
there are a whole lot of things you may not be prepared for that could take you
out. It’s like walking along and suddenly you realize you have stepped on a
land mine and you hear it click. You don’t want to move because you know it will
blow you to pieces. Our job is to be there to slip the knife under the switch
of the land mine allowing you to get to safety to complete the journey to your
badge.
Today Trevor, candidate one, left an ecstatic message that he had received the
final letter of acceptance to begin the academy next week. He is one of several
EMT’s this department is sending to medic school. We have three more candidates
who made it into this academy.
Oh, by the way, Trevor’s credentials are EMT and Introduction to Fire
Science. That’s it. This was his third test. Trevor started testing 8 months
ago. See his testimony in the New Badges section below.
"Nothing counts
'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"
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I’m Going to Disneyland!
We received this e-mail
we received on December 1, 2003
CAN YOU HELP ME!!!!!
I have been testing for 10 years and have taken approximately 73 tests. I want
to figure out what the heck I'm doing wrong, so I can get the badge!
Firefighting is my passion and my dream career. I've come to far to let this go.
I've read your web sight and I believe this system can work for me.
I have exactly two weeks till my next oral board....
Reply: This was certainly a challenge. Eric had credentials and was not a dummy.
Like many candidates, he was just stuck in the process. Since money was tight
for Eric, Rob and I discussed this situation and felt if we offered our Gold
Package Program and a private coaching session at no cost to Eric it would put
our program to the full test. We had two weeks until his next oral.
The Gold Package was sent next day FEDEX. Rob did the coaching session the
following week. Eric had his oral board the following week. After several
weeks this department hired 8 candidates. Eric was one of the 8! After taking
73 tests for ten years, he was able to turn it around in two weeks to gain a
badge.
This from Eric:
Captain Bob and Captain Rob,
First off I would like to say THANK YOU!!!!!!
The two of you have really helped me find the tools that I needed to ACE the
Oral board and get the best career in the world and TO GET THAT BADGE!!!!!
I have been testing sense 1993 and in that time I took a total of 73 tests.
While I was testing I got really close a couple times however, I would fall
short from receiving the badge.
Something was holding me back from getting the badge and I had no idea what I
was doing wrong. I was striking out in the oral boards, and I felt demoralized
hearing about someone who just got their badge after taking only two or three
tests. “What on earth were they doing to get the badge“??????? As you would say
Captain Bob and Captain Rob, “Presentation, preparation, patients and practice“.
After reading the material, listening to the CD’s and watching the DVD, I
started to understand I needed to change my ways of thinking. I grew extremely
excited to learn your material and I could see where I messed up on past oral
boards. I studied your material, practiced and tapped into the coaching session.
NOW I CAN SEE HOW TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY! The coaching was extremely helpful and
gave me the confidences for my up coming oral boards. I thought I was seeing the
process in 180 degrees. The program and coaching enabled me to view the oral in
all 360 degrees. What an advantage.
The next oral board I had went incredibly well and, a few weeks after the board
I received the best phone call. “We would like to hire you on to our Fire
Department”, (MY ANSWER- YES, YES, YES, AND YES)(STATED WITH THE UP MOST
EXICITMENT). I get emotional every time I think about that phone call. I won‘t
ever forget that moment! This is the moment in my life that I have been waiting
for. It’s finally here (THANK YOU GOD)!!! My recruit class starts in early March
and I’m looking forward to starting what I love doing, FIRE FIGHTING!
Captain Bob and Captain Rob Thank you for helping me make my dreams come
true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely, Eric S.
Reply: After taking 73 tests over ten years, Eric was able to turn it around in
two weeks to gain a badge. Eric said his dad is more excited than he is (if
that’s possible) and wants to drive him to his first day at the academy like
taking him to his first day at kindergarten. Ha.
"Nothing counts
'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"
Ask Eric
Check out the Gold Package here!:
http://www.eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm
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Bottom line getting a badge is all presentation skills!
Check out
http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm for the FREE 101 Inside
Secrets How to Get a Badge!
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Ask Captain Bob any questions
E-mail
Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com
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3. Robs Corner
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Who are you sending into the Oral Board?
I can’t think of any greater disappointment, than to spend lots of time, money, and effort to get your oral board presentation memorized, only to find out you sound just like the person that came out of the interview ahead of you.
For an interviewer there is nothing worse than sitting in a room and listening to person after person come in, sit down, and say the same thing the person before them said.
I think the worst would have to be in areas where all of the hopeful firefighter candidates went to the same academy, volunteered in the same department, and prepare together.
The person who has gotten the most publicity from this latest round of “The American Idol” show isn’t the best singer, heck, I don’t know if you could even call it singing. But what this funny looking, no-talent person did was he got up in front of the whole world and was himself. He could have spent his whole life trying to sound like someone else, and no one would have cared. It was him being himself that made him popular, made him stand out.
In an oral exam there are some questions that have only one correct answer. Two plus two is always four. “How many stations do we have?” can only be answered right or wrong. We have check off boxes right there on our ratings sheet.
But questions like: Why do you want to be a firefighter? What is customer service? What is ethnic diversity? What is a weakness for you? There are probably 10,000 correct answers that would get you maximum points. This is where you can separate yourself from the others, be your own man, so to speak.
Be leery of someone that says they have all the right answers, and they’ll give them to you. Because, they may have given all the other candidates the same right answers and are going to get the same exact score they got. 200 people tied for 20th place.
Bring yourself to your next interview. Not someone else’s answers, you’ll be glad you did.
CAPTAIN ROB (Thank you)
NRTC@SONIC.NET
http://www.eatstress.com
You can read more of Rob's wisdom by visiting
http://www.eatstress.com/robs_corner.htm
Captain Rob is Captain Bob's Son. He does all the entry level coaching
by phone nationwide. You can contact him direct with your questions or
set up a coaching appointment at 707-869-1330. or e-mail Rob at
nrtc@sonic.net
For more on entry level coaching visit
http://www.eatstress.com/private%20coaching.htm
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4. Promotional Level Skills Tip
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A critical error many candidates make in the tactical problem of our assessment center coaching session is try to put too much into play out of sequence early on in the exercise and make the problem bigger than the raters have given them. Is this how they have been taught in classes? Often, candidates will give assignments to units to place positive pressure ventilation, a crew to pull ceilings, assign more than one unit to carry out search rescue and other tasks, call the canteen truck, and add a rescue problem that wasn’t given to them. This is before they have the first line on the fire, a RIT team assigned, utilities pulled and sending a crew to the roof for ventilation. The fire gets away from them (they will probably make the fire bigger then you can fight eventually---they just want to see how long you can tread water) and they are out of equipment and resources before they realize what happened.
Yes, you want to cover all the bases to make sure the box is check off on the rating sheet, but the best offensive for extinguishment and rescue is an aggressive fire attack!
Learn more about Promotional Coaching here:
http://www.eatstress.com/promocoa.htm
For more on our Promotional Program visit
http://www.eatstress.com/promo.htm
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5. New Badges
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Hi Capt Bob-
I wanted to say thanks for the support in the hiring process. I was hired as a Paramedic Intern with a department I love. I only have been only testing for 8 months with an EMT and one firefighter class. This will lead to my dream of being a Firefighter/Paramedic. I am very lucky to have achieved this result. I am so happy. More than the insight you provide on the oral boards, I want to thank you for just being a great person to talk to throughout the process. I can't believe how you were always available to talk and would return my calls so quickly whether it was at night or on a weekend. You even called to congratulate out of the blue. I am grateful that someone like you is out there to help people navigate the process. I still can't believe how emotionally taxing the whole experience was. It is so nice to be done with that.
Thanks for everything! Trevor
Captain Bob is absolutely
right when he says that you don't always have to have the credentials. I know
this from experience. Once you get past the written test it's all about the
interview. There are other things that a person can do that are completely
unrelated to fighting fire that will help tremendously during an interview as
long as you can present it well. I turned 21 in early February and got a job
offer one week later and I start the academy in about a week. It took me about
15 months from my first test until I got a job offer. I am still amazed. I
credit a lot of people for that but especially this bulletin board and Captain
Bob's program. My advice to everyone is to not get caught up too much with fire
stuff and try to fill your bag with other things too. Community service can be
very beneficial.
Anyway, I don't mean to toot my horn but I am very amazed at the short time it
took me so it's definitely possible to be hired young. You just need to know
what you're doing and then have a little luck to go with it but of course I
don't know anything. I'm just a rookie. -John
Well Captain Bob I never thought that I would be writing you and saying thank you for the great advice in your program. I started school about 3 years ago, Paramedic, FF 1 and 2, hazmat, A. AP.S Fire Science degree but I was never able to keep a cool head and show who I was during an interview after 2 years of testing I had never tested high enough to even have a chance of that call....... In the last few months after using my recorder I was offered a position with the Detroit Metro Airport Port Authority Fire Department, and I am on 3 different lists and could be offered another opportunity soon.
All this changed due to your Gold Package, me being humble enough to realize and to work hard with your advice, given to us all who have received your program. Tomorrow is my first day and I will use your advice in the back of your book about rookie’s thank you! Matt Brach Firefighter/Paramedic
To see how candidates have improved their position in gaining a badge
visit
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage152.htm
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Check out the current "Bonus Nugget" oral board tip
http://www.eatstress.com/bonusnugget.htm
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Check it out Captain Bobs book, Eat Stress For
Breakfast.
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 CD/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
To learn more about private coaching visit
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 for entry level and promotional testing
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm
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6. Humor
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LAW COURT TRANSCRIPTS
These are from a book called Disorder in the American Courts, and are
things people actually said in court, word for word, taken down and now
published by court reporters who had the torment of staying calm while
these
exchanges were actually taking place.
Q: Are you sexually active?
A: No, I just lie there.
__________________________________
Q: What is your date of birth?
A: July 15th.
Q: What year?
A: Every year.
______________________________________
Q: What gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
A: Gucci sweats and Reeboks.
______________________________________
Q: This myasthenia gravis, does it affect your memory at all?
A: Yes.
Q: And in what ways does it affect your memory?
A: I forget.
Q: You forget? Can you give us an example of something that you've
forgotten?
_____________________________________
Q: How old is your son, the one living with you?
A: Thirty-eight or thirty-five, I can't remember which.
Q: How long has he lived with you?
A: Forty-five years.
_____________________________________
Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke up
that morning?
A: He said, "Where am I, Cathy?"
Q: And why did that upset you?
A: My name is Susan.
______________________________________
Q: Do you know if your daughter has ever been involved in voodoo or the
occult?
A: We both do.
Q: Voodoo?
A: We do.
Q: You do?
A: Yes, voodoo.
______________________________________
Q: Now doctor, isn't it true that when a person dies in his sleep, he
doesn't know about it until the next morning?
A: Did you actually pass the bar exam?
___________________________________
Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year-old, how old is he?
_____________________________________
Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
______________________________________
Q: So the date of conception (of the baby) was August 8th?
A: Yes.
Q: And what were you doing at that time?
______________________________________
Q: She had three children, right?
A: Yes.
Q: How many were boys?
A: None.
Q: Were there any girls?
______________________________________
Q: How was your first marriage terminated?
A: By death.
Q: And by whose death was it terminated?
______________________________________
Q: Can you describe the individual?
A: He was about medium height and had a beard.
Q: Was this a male, or a female?
______________________________________
Q: Is your appearance here this morning pursuant to a deposition notice
which I sent to your attorney?
A: No, this is how I dress when I go to work.
______________________________________
Q: Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people?
A: All my autopsies are performed on dead people.
______________________________________
Q: ALL your responses MUST be oral, OK? What school did you go to?
A: Oral.
______________________________________
Q: Do you recall the time that you examined the body?
A: The autopsy started around 8:30 p.m.
Q: And Mr. Dennington was dead at the time?
A: No, he was sitting on the table wondering why I was doing an autopsy.
______________________________________
Q: Are you qualified to give a urine sample?
______________________________________
Q: Doctor, before you performed the autopsy, did you check for a pulse?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for blood pressure?
A: No.
Q: Did you check for breathing?
A: No.
Q: So, then it is possible that the patient was alive when you began
the autopsy?
A: No.
Q: How can you be so sure, Doctor?
A: Because his brain was sitting on my desk in a jar.
Q: But could the patient have still been alive, nevertheless?
A: Yes, it is possible that he could have been alive and practicing law
somewhere.
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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.
http://www.firecareers.com
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.
http://www.fireprep.com
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 for entry level and promotional testing:
http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm
FIREHIRE, Entry-level firefighter examination process:
http://www.firehire.com
Firenuggets.com "The 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:
http://www.bpad.com
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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 FireZine or
visit 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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THE SMALL PRINT
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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.