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FIREZINE  April 2002

Cutting edge interview skills to get that badge from Fire Captain Bob.

More than 2025 candidates have received their badge from this program!

April 12, 2002.  Copyright Code 3 Publishing 2002

captbob@eatstress.com  web site:  www.eatstress.com   888-238-3959

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Nothing counts til you have the badge . . . Absolutely Nothing!

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             IN THIS ISSUE
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip

2.  Entry Level Skills Tip  

3.  Promotional Level Skills Tip

     (Entry level should read this too)

4.   Robs Corner

5.   New Badges

6. Humor

7. Resource Websites for Candidates

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1.      Quick Presentation Skills Tip
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Lessons Learned

Two things stick in my mind at the last Stockton Written. One candidate drove all night from southern California with his buddies. When they went in, he realized he had forgotten his pictured drivers license. Did they let him take the test? No! He had to go wait outside for these friends to finish the test.

The second thing was a guy I saw running from two blocks away. He was really booting it. High stepping. He was trying to make it before they shut the doors. He wasn't a little bit late. But 20 minutes late. Did they let him in? Absolutely not! No matter what the reason.

I saw this happen at the Phoenix written. No less than 15 people were turned away at the door because they were too late. These folks were more than disappointed. Probably more so now with how many are still in the process. Yes, parking was a problem. But, that was the candidate's problem for not allowing enough time to anticipate the unexpected. I saw some candidates arriving in taxicabs. This was a creative resource. This is something they can use in the oral. As the training officer was turning the late arrivals away at the door he said, "If this is how you're going to be as a firefighter, we do not want you." Brutal? A tough lesson. But, he was right.

The point here is to check everything head to toe and allow more than enough time to get to the written site and relax before you go in. The doors at Phoenix opened at 7:00 A.M.. I was with the first to arrive at 6:00 A.M.. Here again there were hoards of candidates at a dead run trying to make it when the doors were being closed. It is a wonder someone did not have a heart attack. The 02 was definitely needed. Wonder how many of these folks did not make it through the PT.

Here is a Nugget. When you get to a written, do not talk to anyone; even your friends. Psych yourself up on the way. Separate yourself for game day. What would happen if someone gave you some news that could throw your written score off. Some news they had received results from a test you both took. That they were going forward in the process. And, you did not get a letter. Troubling? Would this or any other information like this mess up your mind before a test? You bet.

This even applies at the oral. Orals can often run behind. Several candidates could be in the waiting area at the same time. Do not, I repeat, do not start a conversation. One of our candidates felt the nervous need to start talking to another candidate. He found out this guy was a scientist. He felt less and did not know how he could compete with such overwhelming credentials. He blew his own game plan.

He regrouped on his next test and got a badge. He was probably more qualified than he gave himself credit for. Who knows what happened to the scientist?

This goes to prove . . .

Nothing counts until you have the badge . . . Nothing!

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Learn how entry level and promotional candidates are improving their interview scores up to 15 points and nailing that badge!  Click here:

www.eatstress.com/newpage2.htm

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2.      Entry Level Skills Tip   ===========================================

Coaching Plus

The oral board is the most misunderstood and least prepared portion of testing.

Dennis is an engineer going for Captain. He's sitting in number 4 position after the written and the first oral. All he had to do was hold his position in the Chiefs oral where there were seven badges waiting. No big deal right? He's stationed with my son Rob, an oral board coach and his Captain. His Captain is a seasoned veteran rater and trainer for oral boards. They offer to help Dennis. He refuses, saying he is just going to do a lot of reading.

They are also promoting dispatchers. Mary is offered and quickly accepts the offer for coaching. Mary gets the job. On the day of the Chiefs oral for Captain, Mary brings in lobster tails and prime rib to celebrate her promotion to senior dispatcher. Dennis thinks he held his position in the oral. The next day people are calling Dennis up to congratulate him on his promotion. Embarrassed, he has to tell them that he did not get the job. They dropped down to number eight, a firefighter.

Here Dennis had the golden opportunity to gain an edge by taking advantage of coaching from his Captain and Rob who were stationed with him. They have been there, done that, got the ball cap, T-shirt and played the game.

After many years of coaching, I finally figured out it is a guy thing that keeps many guys from being hired. They get great credentials, but do little preparing for the oral. They write things down, think about them and think they will come out of their mouths the same way with magic. They do not! When they start having problems in the oral, they start adding more credentials, using flash cards and relying on friends and unproven college programs for mock orals that often make them into clone candidates.

Coaching must be one of those guys things they can not say. Here is the guys list:

I can not fix it.

I am not lost.

I am sorry.

I Love you.

And, I do not need coaching.

I could tell which college program or coach a candidate came from during an oral board by the second question. What is sad is most of the candidates did not know they sounded like everyone else. The oral board would roll their eyes, Oh, boy, another Clone.

Unfortunately by the time they might call me, they have already lost some great opportunities. They have tried everything they could think of. Many tell me they felt like they hit a wall. It must be like giving up control, as if they had it, or their ego to make the call.

Few if any had ever used a tape recorder before calling, unless they read it on one of our web postings. A tape recorder will let your hear what the oral board will hear. When candidates finally hear their message on a tape recorder they are shocked! That is not me, they say. Yes, it is. One practice session on a tape recorder is worth 10 speaking out louds. A tape recorder will let you know where to cut out material, your timing, inflection and if you really sound like Donald Duck. If I asked you if you are using a tape recorder, what would your answer be? Once a week? Every day like you need to be to have your message become second nature to you? Practice makes permanent.

Dennis was told that his answers in his Captains oral did not have heart. The guys have started calling him the Tin Man because he has not heart. Brutal? Naw, just firehouse humor. He had never used a tape recorded. Had he heard himself, he would have recognized the problem and made corrections. This proves the Stanford University study that showed that 85% of getting a job has to do with your enthusiasm (heart). If you will light yourself on fire with enthusiasm, the oral board will stand up, applaud and watch you burn. This one Nugget would have placed a Captains badge on Dennis. Then he would have been buying lobster tails and prime rib to celebrate.

I get frequent calls from wives and significant others who are looking for a ring and a date. Most of their guys will not listen to them. Folks, understand that women usually have this down. If you would follow their advice you would have probably advanced further by now.

If you think this is some kind of commercial, think again. The only purpose here is to gain your attention to changing what you are doing to get hired. Here is the secret. It is in the oral board. Because nothing else counts if you can not pass the oral. If you do not change what you are doing, nothing else will change in getting the badge.

I know you think the next test will be the one. I have got it now. This adds more stress on you, your family, your relationships, your finances and your credit cards just a tad more to get that badge. Dream on.

I can not take you kicking and screaming to provide you with information. And, I can not take the test for you. The main point I want to make here is, TAKE THE POISON EARLY AND GET COACHING.

Oral board scores are often measured by hundreds of points. You have seen them? 79.22, 89.27, etc. Is your score improving. Are you making it to the Chiefs oral? Our candidates are improving their scores up to 15 points and nailing badges. Imagine what could happen to your scores!

Glen has been testing about a year. He is 32 years old. Not a medic. He got our program and did the coaching. He had passed two orals and was going back for the Chiefs oral for both departments within days of each other. He wanted to come back for the Super Coaching Session. My Son Rob did that session. Rob asked Glen what he was going to do if both departments offered him the job. Glen Laughed. The next call from Glen was exactly that, both departments offered him the job. A nice dilemma eh?

Oh, by the way, Dennis took advantage of the coaching offer and the next time in for Captains oral, he got his badge!

Nothing counts til you have the badge. Nothing!

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Bottom line getting a badge is all presentation skills!

Click here for the FREE 101 Inside Secrets How to Get a Badge!

http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm
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To ask Captain Bob any question just click here:

E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com

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The cities of Salt Lake City, Utah and Sacramento, Calf. are using the test consultant, Fire Selection Inc(FSI) to conduct their fire examination. Don McNea Fire School has the only in-depth exam preparation for this test. We have available a 500 multiple choice question exam specifically from the study guide for this test. Click on our website below or go to www. fireprep.com  to review this product. Good Luck!!!

Don McNea Fire School
                                                www.fireprep.com
                                                  1-800-989-FIRE

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 3.      Promotional Level Skills Tip  ==========================================

I’m often asked by someone who is going for a promotional if anyone else has contacted me from Seattle, Denver, Boston or whatever their department might be.  They feel that if someone else has our program it will some how affect how they will do. 

The key to our program is personalizing your presentation in all areas of the assessment center with stories of your life experiences, fire related or not.  No one can tell your story.  No one.

Getting a promotion is convincing the panel you can do the job before you get it.  Stories demonstrate you have been there.  Done that.  Got the ball cap, T-shirt, and played the game.

Half of those in a recent hiring academy in Colorado were our candidates.  How did they do that without sounding like a clone of everyone else? 

Two candidates were going for battalion chief obtained our promotional program and did the private coaching.  Neither one knew the other had our program.  They came out number one and two on the list.  Both received gold badges.

How do over 2,025 badges in our program blow by the competition and nail badges?  Easy.  They used their own stuff.  No body can tell your story.  Signature stories about you.  Stories no one else knows or can use.

Candidates tell me when they answer an interview question, they give a technical answer if needed, then tell the story how they have already lived it.  As they begin the story, the panel members will look up, stop writing and go on the journey.  Does this make a difference?  Please say yes.

Jim was going for a captains promotional.  He asked me if I thought the following personalized signature story would be a good opening fit in answering the question what have you done to prepare for the position, or why do you want to be a captain?  Here is the story.  I have been around the fire service all my life because my father is a captain for the Boston Fire Department (in an entry level oral, you would say a family member, not your dad.  If they want to know who, they will ask).  When I was nine years old, my dad would take me to work with him on weekends.  One day we rolled out to an apartment house fire. On arrival, I remember my dad picking up the microphone and giving a size up of flames coming out of a third floor window and calling for greater alarms.  I knew then that I would not be satisfied until I achieved the goal of becoming a captain like my dad.

As Jim tells this signature story, he takes you and the panel on the journey with the excitement, emotions, the color of the actual event. The hairs on my neck started to stand up.   I was there with him at nine years old. Firefighter love firefighter stories!  This signature story worked! 

Once this signature story was in place, he could continue by listing his education and experience that has prepared him for the position.

A candidate for captain came in for private coaching.  He was supposed to be the shinning star in his department when he went for his first captains promotional.  He failed big time.   He was devastated.

At one point during the coaching session, he expressed he was not sure about all this personalized story stuff.  I told him he could do anything he wanted, but this time tested, proven formula has work for so many others.

Three weeks later he called with, I’m a believer now.  I’m number one!  Not only number one, but three full points ahead of number two. 

Defense rests!

If you are going for a promotional, start thinking about your signature stories that could separate you from the other candidates.

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

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 4.      Robs Corner  ==========================================

It’s important to answer all the questions the board has of you, both spoken and unspoken. In a fully structured oral board they have to ask the same questions of every person they interview. They aren’t allowed to ask a one-legged man if he can drive a stick shift. So if there is something that the board is really wondering about after you’ve finished your interview, it could hurt you, because you haven’t convinced them you can do the job, without question. So if you look a little overweight, or are a small person, it may be in your best interest to find a way to work your physical fitness into your responses. If your muscles are fighting to get out of your suit, you probably don’t need to talk about how in shape you are. Likewise if you don’t come across as sounding reasonably intelligent, if there are a few to many “duh‘s” in your responses, find a way to let them know you have what you need between your ears.

Understand that you don’t want to do anything to hurt yourself by doing this. You need to be sure you are going to present it in an unassuming manner. Be sure not to bring up things that they may not be worried about or may not even know about; you may open a can of worms if your not careful. Good Luck.

FIREFIGHTER ROB NRTC@SONIC.NET
WWW.EATSTRESS.COM

Rob is Captain Bob's Son.  He works for Contra Costa fire department. He does all the entry level coaching by phone nationwide.  You can contact him direct with your questions or set up a coaching appointment @ 707-869-1330.  or e-mail me @ nrtc@sonic.net

You can read more of Rob’s wisdom by clicking here:

http://www.eatstress.com/robs_corner.htm

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 5.  New Badges

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Dear Cap,
Thank You for everything. You may not remember me but I will
forever remember you. I have been a ff 3 years. Although it is a great dept. I really wanted to come work for my home dept in Santa Clara co. You and your program have made this happen. Thank you so very much from the bottom of my heart. You have made my childhood dream of being a ff where I grew up a reality
God bless you, Wayne

Dear Captain Bob-

Just dropping you a line to say thank you for your program and the
relentless passion you've got for getting candidates like myself a job as a
firefighter.  I've been serving a very busy, paid-on-call department for two
years now and have been testing for a year and a half at numerous cities all
across the counties.  I have been incredibly frustrated time and time again
and nearly quit trying.  

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.  

What you are doing Captain Bob is not only helping men and women achieve their dreams as firefighters, but it is also providing cities with better candidates, which, in my eyes, produces better firefighters in the long run.  So, to wrap it
up, Captain Bob isn't paying me to say this...so please listen...You may be
able to get the job without the program.  But it'll be difficult.  You'll be
tossed to the back of the line many times because others who know the real
truth about the board interview are going to catapult themselves far ahead
of you.  Even if it is by .10 points (that's point ten one hundreds of a point).  Trust me.  

Captain Bob, thank you.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Keep it up and don't lose that passion because it's helping thousands.  Badge number 2,024!!!!   -Dan, Minneapolis, MN

Click here to see how candidates have improved their position in gaining a badge:

http://www.eatstress.com/newpage152.htm

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Check out the current "Bonus Nugget" oral board tip on our

web site by clicking here: 

http://www.eatstress.com/bonusnugget.htm
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Hot off the Press!  Captain Bobs new book, Eat Stress For

Breakfast.  Click here to check it out:

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 Audio/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

Click here to learn more about private coaching  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! The program comes with a no questions asked full refund if you're not satisfied. You're at no risk except you might get a badge.  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 our products for entry level and promotional testing:

http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm

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 6.      Humor

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Chaos, Panic, Disorder, my job here is done.

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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.  

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.

www.fireprep.com 

Learn how entry level and promotional candidates are improving their interview scores up to 15 points and nailing that badge!

www.eatstress.com/newpage2.htm

FREE 101 Inside Secrets How to Get a Badge!

http://www.eatstress.com/faq.htm

Check out the specials on our products for entry level and promotional testing:

http://www.eatstress.com/newpage6.htm

Firenuggets.com "The Internet magazine dedicated to keeping firefighters safe"  www.firenuggets.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:

www.bpad.com 

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publication, newsletter, etc. You may use
articles written by me that you see in Fire-Zine or

go to 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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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.

5565 Black Ave. Pleasanton   94566 (near San Francisco)
Phone: 888-238-3959  local 925-846-3959 Fax: 925-846-9650
 E-mail Mailto:captbob@eatstress.com