FireZineNov04

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 2,209 candidates have received their badges from this program!
November 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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Please forward or recommend this FireZine to anyone you
know that wants to shorten the learning curve to get
that badge!

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your own subscription, 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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Drum roll please: Announcing badge 2,200!!!!!!!You’re not going to
believe this. Don’t miss the last sentence!!!!!!!

Is Age a Factor in Getting Hired?

Indiscribable Thanks Captian Bob:

I have arrived at the moment, that before September 15th 2004 was only
realized in my dreams, that was the day I received “the call” informing
me that I had been chosen as one of the fourteen candidates to start the
academy for Las Vegas Fire and Rescue!

I am very fit. I work out 5 days a week and have for years. I have my
EMT-Intermediate Certification and a burning desire to become a
firefighter since I was 10 years old. Some times life seems to get in
the way of our dreams and plans, but I have learned only if you let it!
Three years ago I decided to go for my dream career, I had done
everything I knew I could do to physically be ready for this demanding
job, but I was oblivious to the testing and hiring process. That is when
I came across your web site, Captain Bob your materials were invaluable
in helping me obtain my badge. I followed your advise to the letter
throughout the process from testing to oral interviews and the psych.
Your insight is right on the mark!

Rob helped me with private coaching, and low and behold I am poised to
start my dream career! Thank you is not enough to express my heart felt
gratitude for your help in getting me to this place in life. I look
forward to meeting you in person some day to say “thanks”. Ted R. Las
Vegas Nevada

Ted was number 3 on the list, an EMT and FORTY-SEVEN YEARS OLD! He also
scored higher than his Son on the same list and got the job. Bravo!

What’s Being Scored?

We have discussed before the possible opening question, Tell Us a Little
About Yourself And Closing Statements.

Too many candidates open with dumping the whole load on why they want to
be a firefighter, what have they done to prepare for the position, why
they want to work for this agency, etc. What they don’t realize is the
Tell us About Yourself question is just an icebreaker to get you
comfortable in the chair. More on that here:
http://eatstress.com/opening.htm What’s real important to understand
here is that answer is not scored! That’s right. So after you dump the
whole load on a question that is not scored, then, they ask you
questions where your answers are scored and you start reintegrating what
you already have said, losing the edge and valuable points.

For the most part Closing Statements aren’t scored either. But if you
said something important that was not already covered on the previous
questions it could cause the raters to go back and adjust your scores.
The raters will also adjust your scores if you say something stupid.

So the “Nugget” here is if you are given a chance to give a closing
statement first scan you mind looking for anything important that was
part of your script that was not already asked like why you want to work
for this agency, what have you done to prepare, etc.. Then deliver a
condensed segment as part of your closing. You can obtain a sample for
a script here: http://eatstress.com/workboolette.htm

More Oral Board tools here: http://eatstress.com/newpage6.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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KEEP GETTING THIS NEWSLETTER. Don't let future editions of FireZine
Newsletter go missing. Take a moment to add this newsletter's
address to your anti-spam whitelist.

Fire Captain Bob [captbob@reply.ms00.net]

If you're not sure how to do that, ask your administrator or Internet
Service Provider. Or check your anti-spam utility's documentation. With
AOL 9.0, Please add the address to your "people I know" list. Thanks.

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2. Entry Level Skills Tip
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Stories get badges!

The corner stone of our program is convincing candidates to use their
personal life experiences in the form of a story as part of their
answers for oral board questions. Here’s a candidates who realized he
had material he could use in putting together his signature stories:

Hello Capt. Bob, I just finished your book, Becoming a Fire Fighter,
DVD and both CD's.

What an eye opener!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I realized I have great stories but never used them in
an interview. Example, on Christmas morning 2000 I
went outside to get the newspaper and I
noticed my neighbors roof was on fire. They were still
asleep when I began ringing their doorbell. I was on
TV and my neighbor called me the Christmas Angel.
I have never used that story when asked why I want to
be a FF, and how it felt.

I trained special Olympians to ski while I was in
college, I have never used that.

I read to my wife’s 1st grade class. I have never used
that story.

I was part of a group that developed the worlds first
analog router for internet access , working hard,
working with people from different countries,
accomplishing a team goal.

This is all great stuff I never used......

I am in the process of writing my NEW script with
this new found information and using my tape recorder....

I’m seeing the light!

Thanks Again, Louis

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If someone asks you what you need to help you get a firefighter badge,
send them to the ultimate source for your holiday shopping 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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More Oral Board tools here: http://eatstress.com/newpage6.htm

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Ask Captain Bob any questions
E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com

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The secret Formula to get a badge here:
http://www.eatstress.com/formula.htm

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3. Robs Corner
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Bad Call

I got a call yesterday that I wanted to share with all of you looking to
be a firefighter. It was one of those calls that are not fun, but I get
them from time to time. Someone got let go during probation. Usually
it isn’t a person I talked to in the past, but they call Capt Bob and
myself out of desperation.

This call was typical of the calls I get. They most always start off
with “I don’t know what happened, everything was going great, and then
they fired me”. As I ask questions and dig into it, I find that these
guys do know what happened, and in almost all cases it comes down to
attitude.

When I get the call from people I have coached, saying they got the job,
I could not be happier for them. But after I congratulate them, I make
a point of telling them, “you do not have that job yet until you are
done with the academy and off of probation, you could be let go for
anything.” We will usually work with a person that is a little slow
with the academics and mechanical things. But if we see any kind of
attitude problem, you will find yourself out the door before you know
it.

The problem is that we are a para-military organization. Most people in
our society are not familiar with how things work in that kind of
setting. Let me spell it out for those of you who do not know. We are
the “para”; you are in the “military”. While we do not yell at you like
a Marine Corps drill instructor, we expect you to behave like you are a
Marine Corps boot.

Some of the things I have heard that have gotten people in trouble in an
academy where: Asking to make a phone call to check on car repairs,
having a cell phone ring during a class, falling asleep in class,
suggesting they change the plan for the day because it is nicer to run
in the morning and so hot in the afternoon, having a friend show up to
see what is happening, the recruits going as a group for beer after
class in department shirts, and not helping struggling class mates when
the opportunity arises.

If you are in an academy, or on probation, and somebody comes to you
with criticism here is how you are to handle it. You stand at parade
rest, legs slightly apart and hands behind your back. You keep you ears
open and your mouth closed. If they do not ask you for an explanation,
do not give them an excuse, you will sound defensive and you will make
that person upset. It is sufficient to say, “I am sorry, it will never
happen again. Thank you for taking the time to point that out to me.”
Think of all criticism as being constructive. It may not always be
delivered to you in a nice manner, but that is life.

In every one of the cases I have heard of, they all have one thing in
common. At some point, during training or probation, that person was
identified as a problem, sometimes of no fault of his or her own. But
once you are on the radar, the microscope comes out, and they are
watching you. It is a huge up hill battle to even stay in the game at
this point. The term I have heard from almost all of them is, “… and
after that happened, it seemed like I could not do anything right”.

The training academy and probation are a stressful time. It is also a
time that most of us look back upon with fond memories. Make the most
of the chance, if you get it, because you probably will not get a second
one. Keep your attitude a positive one, and solicit constructive
criticism when you can. Keep ahead of the game. Be the first to start
cleaning up, and then ask if there is anything else you can do. Call
people sir and mam, kiss every ass you see, and know you are not in,
until you are in. But once you are in, you are in for life, and that is
pretty special.

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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Firefighter Products here http://eatstress.com/newpage6.htm

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4. Promotional Level Skills Tip
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It’s Showtime!

One big error candidate’s make is being interviewed by panel members
they know. They say, I’ve know these guys for fourteen years. They
know all about me. Hey, I bowl with Dennis. I’m married to Keith’s
cousin. Everything is on my application and resume. Know one very
important thing here. If it doesn’t come out of your mouth, it never
happened and you won’t get credit. You might have great credentials.
But if you can’t present the package, someone else will get your badge.
Present your package as if the panel were complete strangers. Don’t
leave anything out. It’s showtime!

When I said the above at one of my seminars, Dan shared the following “.
. . I went through exactly what he’s talking about, at a promotion
process in my department for the position of lieutenant. I knew all
the people on the board, including a division chief. I was thinking,
‘geez, I’ve know these guys for 16 years. And, I don’t have to say
anything; they know me.’ During my critique afterwards, the division
chief said, ‘You know, Dan, you’ve got so much going for you, but you
didn’t blow your own horn. If you would have blown your own horn, you
would have said all the things that you have going for you. You’d have
had it. Since you didn’t say a word, I can’t give you the badge.’ ”
Dan, like a lot of other candidates I talk to who have gone through this
same situation, was embarrassed and devastated.

If you don’t say it, you don’t get credit for it, period. The defense
rests.

Another milestone:

Captain Bob, thanks for your help. You gave me an oral coaching session
over the summer. I doubled my competitions score and topped the oral
board/assessment center. I got the Captain’s badge last week. So far
you helped 3 guys from our department and your system worked for all 3
of us. 1 top score, 1 captains badge, and 1 chiefs badge. Thanks again.

For more on our promotional program visit
http://www.eatstress.com/promo.htm

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5. New Badges
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My name is Dan. I have been testing for 8 years, for the position of
firefighter, with many large municipal Fire Depts. I thought I was
acing the interview process when in fact I was bombing it. When I heard

about Captain Bob I, was not a firm believer. I decided to get his book
& DVD on how to do better on oral interviews, one week before my first
oral. It was the best investment I had ever made. It made me more
confident in my self. With Captain Bob's helpful advice it made a
world of a difference in how I could present & express my self in ways
I've never thought possible. I finally realized I was wrong all these
years. Boy was I WRONG!!! , SO WRONG!!! What I learn was this. What
to say, what not say, how to say it, when to say it, basically the
BIG W's who, what, where, when, why.

Get the help we all need. Find the real you. I know I did. Now I can
proudly say I've made it, I got the badge. Go get the badge, nothing
else matters till you do. You have nothing to lose, but everything to
gain, believe me. I've been very busy having the time of my life, as a
probationary Firefighter. It's truly a blessing. Thank you Captain Bob,
I can't thank you enough. DAN THE MAN

Hello Capt.
My name is Casey Johnson. I recently became a PROUD employee of The
Anchorage Fire Department. Tomorrow night, my recruit class of 24 will
graduate. In the class is a group of guys with widely varying
backgrounds, many of which have nothing to do with Fire Departments at
all. This goes to prove that fire departments aren't always looking for
people with experience, but are more likely looking for individuals with
great Firefighter characteristics. I have spent the last 6 years
preparing for this career. That included volunteering at a small town
FD, working for the Univ. Fire Department in Fairbanks, going to school
for an AAS in Municipal Fire Control and Paramedic School.

While I was going to school, many of my friends with similar resumes
were testing for Fire Departments, but not passing the oral board or the
psych test. After seeing many Awesome Firefighters have troubles with
interviewing, it became blatantly apparent that the best resume in the
world would not get me a job, but the best interview skills most
definitely would. I soon came to learn of the "Captain Bob" program,
and when it was time to finally apply for my dream job, I took your
program, and it's advise to heart. Now here I am, living the dream.
Thank You Very Much.
Casey Johnson
Anchorage Fire Department Firefighter/EMT

Captain Bob,
You've never heard from me before but through your web site, you've
helped me quite a bit.

I've been in the business world for several years and I've never gone
through a firefighter interview before. It never occurred to me that it
would be any different than a business interview. I mentioned to a
buddy of mine the other day that I had an interview with Loudoun County
Fire and Rescue Department in Virginia and he asked me if I had used
your program to prepare.

"program?"

"prepare?"

"what are you talking about?"

He explained to me how it's a little different and pointed me to your
web site. Well, with less than 12 hours to go before the interview, I
couldn't exactly order your program, but I did spend 4 hours reading
every word on your web site. What a valuable collection you have there!

I went into the interview yesterday confident that I would know my stuff
and thanks to your site, I did! The panel looked tired and bored when I
walked into the room, but by the time I left, they were just as awake
and excited about the job as I was! Nugget after nugget…I brought life
to the room.

There are still interviews to take place all next week, but I already
received a phone call from Loudoun County first thing this morning.
They've offered me a badge conditional on a clear background check.
I can't thank you enough! I'll be sure to recommend your web site and
your program to anyone I run into that is following their dream.
Sincerely,
Tony

Cpt. Bob, Cpt. Rob,

Thank you so much for your incredible help that you have offered me and
the
thousands others out there like me. With out great coaches I could have
been
rotating from interview seat to interview seat for many more years but
with
your specialized advice and I learned to make myself a great candidate
and
show the oral board that I was exactly what they were looking for. Now
that
I will be starting soon and will have an 18 month probation I will see
just
how badly I wanted this job and really realize what it means to keep the

badge after earning it. Thank you once again for your personal approach
to
coaching that you have shown me.

Sincerely,

Darren

I now have some great news. I came in second after the Chiefs interview
for the position of Fire Captain and I must admit that all the
information received was of great help. I want to thank Capt. Bob for
his information and I must let you know that I purchased your program
and it helped so much in getting prepared, from the dvd to the audio
tape it was all money well spent.

I purchased Capt. Bob's interview material last year. After the seminar
and going over the materials I went thru the process at my dream
department and was hired last week. I thought for years I could do the
oral on my own but after I went thru the info I found out different. It
is worth the time, money, and effort to get the material and attend some
seminars. Thanks again I really appreciate it. Wynnifer

Captain Bob: I had been trying for some time to be a firefighter.
Everything changed the day I took the advice from your program and heard
myself on a tape recorder. I developed my own new script and got my
badge for a local great department. Nick

Captain: I improved my score at least 80% better with program and got
that badge! Kasey from Texas

More badges here: http://www.eatstress.com/badgesnew.htm

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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6. Humor

YOU KNOW YOU ARE ADDICTED TO THE INTERNET WHEN

1. You kiss your girlfriend's home page.
2. Your bookmark list takes 15 minutes to scroll from top to bottom.
3. Your eyeglasses have a web site burned in on them.
4. You find yourself brainstorming for new subjects to search.
5. You refuse to go to a vacation spot with no electricity and no phone
lines.
6. You finally do take that vacation, but only after buying a cellular
modem and a laptop.
7. You spend half of the plane trip with your laptop on your lap...and
your child in the overhead compartment.
8. All your daydreaming is preoccupied with getting a faster connection
to the net: 28.8...ISDN...cable modem...T1...T3.
9. And even your night dreams are in HTML.
10. You find yourself typing "com" after every period when using a word
processor.com.
11. You refer to going to the bathroom as downloading.
12. Your heart races faster and beats irregularly each time you see a
new WWW site address in print or on TV, even though you've never had heart problems before.
13. You step out of your room and realize that your parents have moved
and you don't have a clue when they left.
14. You turn on your intercom when leaving the room so you can hear if
new e-mail arrives.
15. Your wife drapes a blond wig over your monitor to remind you of what
she looks like.
16. All of your friends have an @ in their names.
17. When looking at a pageful of someone else's links, you notice all of
them are already highlighted in purple.
18. Your dog has his/her own home page.
19. You've already visited all the links at Yahoo and you're halfway
through Lycos.
20. You can't contact your mother...she doesn't have a modem.
21. You realize there is not a sound in the house and you have no idea
where your children are.
22. You check your mail. It says "no new messages." So you check it
again.
23. You refer to your age as 3.x.
24. You have commandeered your teenager's phone line for the net;
his/her friends know not to call on his/her line anymore.
25. Your phone bill comes to your doorstep in a box.
26. Even though you died last week, you've managed to retain OPS on your
favorite IRC channel.
27. You code your homework in HTML and give your instructor the URL.
28. You don't know the sex of three of your closest friends, because
they have neutral nicknames and you never bothered to ask.
29. Your husband tells you he's had the beard for 2 months.
30. You miss more than five meals a week downloading the latest games
from Apogee.
31. You start looking for hot HTML addresses in public rest rooms.
32. You move into a new house and decide to Netscape before you
landscape.
33. You tell the cab driver you live at
http://123.elm.street/house/bluetrim.html
34. You actually just now tried that 123.elm.street address.
35. You tell the kids they can't use the computer because "Daddy's got
work to do" and you don't even have a job.
36. Your friends no longer send you e-mail... they just log on to your
IRC channel.
37. You buy a Captain Kirk chair with a built-in keyboard and mouse.
38. Your wife makes a new rule: "The computer cannot come to bed."
39. You are so familiar with the WWW that you find the search engines
useless.
40. You get a tattoo that says "This body best viewed with Netscape 1.1
or higher."
41. You never have to deal with busy signals when calling your ISP...
because you never log off.
42. You ask a plumber how much it would cost to replace the chair in
front of your computer with a toilet.
43. You forget what day/year it is.
44. You start tilting your head sideways to smile.
45. You ask your doctor to implant a gig in your brain.
46. You leave the modem speaker on after connecting because you think it
sounds like the ocean wind... the perfect soundtrack for "surfing the
net".
47. You begin to wonder how on earth your service provider is allowed to
call 200 hours per month "unlimited."
48. You turn on your computer and turn off your wife.
49. Your wife says communication is important in marriage...so you buy
another computer and install a second phone line so the two of you can
chat.
50. As your car crashes through the guardrail on a mountain road, your
first instinct is to search for the "back" button.

(Generic Smiley)

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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

Polygraph---Don’t even think about going to polygraph without first
checking out www.polygraph.com

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
=============================================

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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For Back Issues of Fire-Zine
http://www.eatstress.com/firezinearchive.htm
=============================================

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THE SMALL PRINT

Please Recommend fireZine to anyone you
know that is interested in shortening the learning
curve to get a badge. Just press "Forward" on
your email program.

To subscribe or leave
http://www.eatstress.com/firezine_signup.htm

TIME TO SHARE. Please send your
ideas, questions, your success stories and when you
nail that badge to captbob@eatstress.com

==========================================
Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Absolutely Nothing!
==========================================
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.
5565 Black Ave. Pleasanton, CA 94566 (near San Francisco)
Phone: 888-238-3959 local 925-846-3959 Fax: 925-846-9650
E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com

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