Eight months ago Joyce contacted me for private coaching. This thirty four year-old candidate was having trouble getting through the oral board. It was getting worst instead of better. During coaching we restructured some areas. Like many candidates her answers were way too long and ended up rambling. My advice to all of you is don’t give the oral board a blue print when a sketch will do on many of your answers.
You want to dump the whole load on the questions like "Why do you want to be a firefighter, what have you done to prepare for the position and why do you want to work for this city or agency." Most of the other questions can be answered with fewer words. Practice with a recorder will help condense your answers down.
I felt that because of the family life Joyce shared with me during coaching might cause problems in the psychological test. I did not want to concern her with that at this point. Getting this job is a process you take one step at a time. We deal with the next step once we arrive.
Joyce passed the next three oral boards. Then the call came for a chief’s interview for the big city for which she really wanted to work. Everything was going great. The next step in the process was the psychological test. After the psyc the phone stopped ringing. No one would tell this candidate what was going on. As with 40% of candidates, I suspected that the psyc had eliminated Joyce; I didn’t tell her then.
I suggested she be gracious (no one likes to be hammered) and go in to discuss her situation with the personnel manager. Ask them what you can do to improve your chances for this and other tests. She was told that she was a great candidate, but one of the oral board members had some reservations. I think this was a cover because she would not have gone onto the psyc had she not passed the chiefs oral.
Still being gracious and persistent she asked more questions I told her to ask. Next thing Joyce receives a letter that she is in band B. Joyce called the personnel manager and he revealed that band A consisted of those in the current hiring for the next academy. Band B was the back up. She was told she was number 2 in band B.
What Joyce didn’t know and we did was this large city had been challenged by Attorney Claudia Baldwin (510-536-3500) that represents us for our candidates when they are turned down in the psyc.
California law states: Pre-employment medical examinations must comply with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and, in California, with the California Fair Employment Act. Section 7294.0(d) of title 2 of the California Code of Regulations states:
"(2) Where the results of such medical examination would result in disqualification, an applicant or employee may submit independent medical opinions for consideration before a final determination on disqualification is made."
What this says is that if you did not pass a psychological test that was given as part of a medical examination (which is how it’s done now when they conditionally offer you a job) should be given the chance to obtain a second opinion. The questions we told Joyce to ask alerted the personnel manager that she knew the law.
Many cities are not aware they are violating the law by not allowing candidates to submit a second opinion on the psychological test. We have had several candidates reinstated after being eliminated after their first psyc test. Not only were they reinstated they were given the badge they were offered because they were conditionally offered a job if they passed. Were they happy? You bet!
Back to Joyce. Hold on now and keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times because things start picking up speed for this E ticket ride. One of the candidates in the hiring process in band A declined the job. That put Joyce in number one spot of band B. Last Tuesday another candidate dropped out of band A. Joyce was called to go in Thursday for "Another" psychological test. Folks this was the second opinion we were shooting for. Joyce was ready. The same day Joyce completed her medical.
Joyce called me Monday. She had just been offered and accepted a position for this large city fire department. Joyce had her badge! She was ecstatic. So was I. You see, this is my reward. Joyce was on her way to get fitted for uniforms. She starts the academy in two weeks. She told me this was going to be a real Thanksgiving.
Getting this job is a process. We show candidates where the rocks are so they can cross the river to get the badge without the current washing them away. Joyce used the rocks and got her badge.
Many candidates quit when the phone stops ringing. They think if they ask why or persist in going after the job it will hurt any chances that they will be considered again on the next round of hiring. Understand if the phone stops ringing, you are out of the process. You will never be considered again! Never! It’s up to you to carry the ball in a gracious way. Had Joyce not pursued the job she would still be waiting for an opportunity that would never come.
Joyce is the 1746 candidate to get a badge from our program.
We spent over a year finding out why 40% of candidates fail the psychological test. This information is available in our "Special Report on Psychological Tests."
"Captain Bob"
Ask "Captain Bob" Any Question
Fire "Captain Bob" Smith has coached countless entry level and promotional candidates to get their badge. He is a retired 28-year Hayward, Ca. Captain, speaker/author of the audio/video program "Conquer the Job Interview," the book "Fire Up Your Communication Skills" ISBN 09657620-6-8 and a member of the prestigious National Speakers Association. You can book him as a speaker or get a copy of his books and tapes by calling toll free at 888-238-3959.
E-mail: captbob@verio.com Web site: http://www.eatstress.com