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Why Don't More Candidates  Do Coaching?????

I’m constantly baffled why more candidates don’t get in a coaching session to improve their interview scores so they can nail a badge.  But as someone said earlier about candidates not showing up at even FREE seminars where they can improve their chances, "They just aren’t hungry enough."

I think what is more interesting is since the written and agility are pass/fail and the oral board is 100% of your score to get hired that more candidates don’t place a high enough priority on what is needed to make this happen.

They have somehow convinced themselves with college, academy, medic programs, current firefighters and others that they have what it takes to be selected over the other candidates.  

They do little or nothing to prepare for the oral, which in most instances is 100% of the score to get hired. I really believe before you pack on tons of classes, certs, degrees, experience and every other merit badge you can think of you should see if you’re capable of passing a 20 minute oral board (no not a mock interview where they probably won’t tell you how bad you are), but the real in the "hot Seat" deal of a live interview to see what you’re made of.  

This is what causes me to shake my head. Because, if you can’t put it together and can’t or won’t do what is necessary to obtain the necessary oral board skills, you are wasting your and everyone else in your life’s time and money because you will never, ever see a badge.  The rubber meets the road in the oral board!

It’s the wise, savvy candidate that books a coaching session long before they need it.  Then they will have time to practice what they have gained from the session.  You would think with the high success rate of candidates getting hired after a coaching session more would be using this approach.

As Rob wrote:

I do get quite a few calls each month, sometimes over 100.  But the problem is that I only do so many sessions and book up quickly.

Yea, it got to the point where Rob was turning himself inside out trying to accommodate those who waited until the last minute when they got the letter like: Help!  My oral board is next Monday.  They sprung it on me.  Rob says, no they didn’t.  When you turned in the application you knew there was an oral board in your future.  You just didn’t know when.  Many are shocked that we are not waiting by the phone ready to do the next coaching session when you get your letter.

So working a firefighter job, driving 2 hours to work, the demands of a family and adding to the mix the pressure of trying to handle those calling in a panic. Rob realized that how does your not planning ahead all of a sudden become and emergency for me?  That’s when he started doing only a set number of coaching sessions a month.  He often books a month in advance.

Rob tries to get back to those who try and contact him.  But with the large number of last minute calls and e-mails he gets especially when several agencies are testing around the same time it’s not always possible. Could you field 30 or more requests coming in at once?  When they can’t get in they contact me thinking I have some kind or pull.  I don’t schedule Rob’s appointments.  I primarily do promotional coaching now.

You should hear the long drawn out sad stories why it isn’t their fault they waited to the last minute and they will do anything to get in.  Or, they say it is their fault and fall on the mercy of the court. My heart goes out to them, but they knew at some point this was coming and they needed to be ready if they're going to get a shot at that badge.

When Rob was getting ready for his last captains probation test he did not schedule any coaching sessions.  I stepped in to cover the bases during that period of time.  It was refreshing to do these sessions.  An amazing thing can take place in coaching sessions. Candidates realize where they have been stuck, valuable information they are leaving out, answers that will not get them their highest score on the questions that are being asked, and how to personalize their answers instead of sounding like a clone.  

Two of these candidates where stuck in process. During their sessions I saw a transformation I have witnessed before.  It was like they came out of a cocoon to morph into the firefighter candidate they could be.  As Paul has said they were now in a position to crack the code.  

Both candidates had interviews the following week.  Both were called back to their first ever chief’s interview followed immediately by job offers.  I was at a badge ceremony last week where one of the candidates received his badge.  His bride to be (the wedding date has been set for Oct) gave me a big hug.  She told me after his coaching session he was an entirely different person.

So, if you’re beating your head against the wall trying to figure out what you need to do next, make an appointment in advance with Rob to find out where you are stuck.  More on Coaching here
The ball is in your court.

The proof is in the badge!

"Nothing counts 'til you have the badge . . . Nothing!"

Ask "Captain Bob" Any Question

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