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I suck…. I’ve said this to myself after the first mock interview, every time
I prepare for an interview. I’m so glad it wasn’t the real thing.
How many of you are ready for you interview?
I coached a lot of people for San Francisco’s test, and every one that got back
to me afterward said the same thing. They felt over prepared. They kept
waiting for the other shoe to drop. It never did.
One guy said “ I felt like I was ready to dig a post hole with a back hoe".
With L.A.’s test coming up how many of you have prepared. Figured out that you suck, and started working to get to the point where you are over prepared. Don’t fall into the trap of figuring it will take you a week to prepare, and then count back from the date you THINK your oral will be.
Most of the calls I get for coaching are from people who are so surprised
that their interview is suddenly upon them, and they thought they had at least
another week or so. Understand I don’t work with people less than a week before
their interviews, because it take that
long to memorize a script to the point it sounds good.
Do yourself a favor, sometime this week go to a mock interview, talk into a tape
player, give me a call, and find out that you also suck, and get to work.
Don’t be the guy who finds out he sucks in his interview, and makes the whole
oral board watch you die the slow death. Good Luck and be
prepared.
FIREFIGHTER ROB
NRTC@SONIC.NET
WWW.EATSTRESS.COM
707 869 1330
Prepared?
One of the guys I work out at the gym with has a son who has been trying to get
a fire job. His dad got Dave my audio/video program. He has all the usual
credentials. Firefighter 1, almost a BA, 3 seasons with CDF yada, yada, yada.
He has been testing for 5 years. His dad asked me to give him a
coaching session just prior to his oral for his dream department. Dave told me
he had been practicing with a tape recorder. During the coaching
session, Dave expressed his burning desire, passion, my life won't be complete
until I get a badge compassionate longing, agonizing story.
One problem. Daved SUCKED BIG TIME! Even after testing for 5 years, he
wasn't reading for any oral board. His answers were garbage. This should be no
surprise, because most of the candidates who contact us are not ready
either. Coaching usually takes about an hour. We ended at 2 hours. His
closing was a dog and pony (I wish this candidate would just end and get out of
the room) pathetic mess.
I asked Dave how he expected to get a badge when he hadn't spent the time to be
ready for an oral. He said, like most candidates, (a big clue here), he thought
he was. This is what most candidates think. Does this sound like you? This is
also true for promotional candidates. SFFD Captain Bill Long was a rater on a
recent promotional board. He said you knew which candidates were really
prepared. Those prepared candidates caused you to straighten up in you chair.
The important point to realize is it doesn't take much to improve your situation
and separate yourself from the clone candidates. Dave had a couple of days to
review his coaching tape and redial his approach.
He called me the day after his interview. He sounded like he didn't step on any
land mines, wasn't stumped and was able to put it together to make a real good
presentation. We shall see what happens.
Update: There was a message on my recorder. A guy was yelling, Captain Bob,
you are the man. It was Dave. He had just received the call that he
was going to the chiefs oral. His first in the five years he had been testing.
Not only was he going to the chiefs oral. He was number . . . 2! They were
interviewing 30 candidates for 10 jobs. How do you like those odds?
When your going for all the marbles, don't you want an insurance policy to
insure your chances for getting that badge?
Wouldn't you want someone to tell you that you SUCKED BIG TIME before you head
into your next oral? As Rob said above, there's an oral board in your
future. Do you want to be telling yourself "I Suck" coming out of your next
oral and you will do better next time. Or, have that feeling that you knew you"I
Smoked It" and it was going to get you that badge? When you're ready to come in
from the wilderness, drop your ego and really get to work, we will be waiting to
turn things around for you.
The testimonies from candidates just like you are trying to send you the message
that this program works and it can happen quicker than you think.
The above candidate said it best:
I didn't realize how incredibly dead in the water I was until I ordered your
package and realized that what I thought was unique in the interview was truly
another fine example of a clone candidate.
Sadly, I know that there are thousands of other candidates shooting
themselves in the feet, being difficult on themselves, telling themselves that
they aren't cut out for the job because they've tested so many places and keep
getting low on the list...or not getting on the list at all.
Your program laid out an amazingly simple approach of making candidates unique
and attractive to the board interviewers. As a result I FINALLY got the job in
a busy, full-time mid western town. All of my dreams have instantly come
true. I owe it to your program.
Because, "Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"
Absolutely nothing counts 'til you have the badge.
Nothing!
"Captain Bob"
Ask "Captain Bob" Any Question
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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 books "Eat Stress For Breakfast" ISBN 09657620-3-3, "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@eatstress.com Web site: www.eatstress.com