Fire-Zine Newsletter
FIREZINE
Cutting edge interview skills to get that badge from Fire Captain Bob.
More than 1,973 candidates have received their badge from this program!
August 2, 2001. Copyright Code 3 Publishing 2001
captbob@verio.com web site:
www.eatstress.com 888-238-3959
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No one ever lost credibility by
being interesting.
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Nothing counts until 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. New Badges
5.. Humor
6. Resource Websites for Candidates
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1. Quick Presentation Skills Tip
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Don't Ever Say Pay or Benefits!
Question:
Author: Pete
Subject: Getting hired for the money
Most of us, if not all of us want to become firefighters for the same
reasons: good money, good benefits, good work schedule, job security,
etc.....
To those of you that have scored a 95+ on an oral: Have you ever
answered the above to the famous oral question: "Why do you want to
become a Firefighter" and actually receive a good oral score using an
answer of pay or benefits?
For a lot of us this is the number one reason, however we might not feel
comfortable saying this.
Captain Bob's Reply:
Anyone who has the nerve to give any answer of pay, benefits or work
schedule is committing instant suicide!
It's an unwritten law. We know it on the oral board, but don't tell us.
Sitting on an board, I can't believe candidates would still say those
things. You're stepping on a land mine here. If anyone has received a
good score from that answer, it was a fluke.
It's better to use your own signature story of what sparked interest to
be a firefighter. That is an answer they have never heard.
One of our candidates gave that answer about pay and benefits during
coaching. He had great credentials; had taken over thirty tests. We
suggested he not use that answer and some others. Three days later, he
took his oral on the last Stockton test. He got his best score and
position ever. Guess where he works?
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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
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Oral Boards 101
I marvel at how many candidates put so much into acquiring great
credentials and yet can't present them at the oral board. Then they
wonder why they down get high enough on the list to get hired.
Here is a simple oral board question that stumps most candidates: Why do
you want to be a firefighter?
If you answered this question with: It's public service, I like to help
others, it's different every day, not behind a desk, giving back to the
community, I'm a people person, or team player, etc., those are "Clone"
answers. "Clone" answers will dome your oral board.
How long do you think you have to present yourself to the oral board
before you put them to sleep? 32 seconds. That's right! If you open with
a clone answer you will see the glaze come over the boards eyes like a
deer caught in the headlights or a child in front of a TV. They will go
away and not come back. You have just scored yourself. Believe me. I've
been on over 100 oral boards.
If you opened with a personalized story (your signature story) about you
that the board has never heard, you grab their attention in that first
32 seconds and it's Show Time!
I was coaching a candidate one day and he was giving me those clone
answers why he wanted to be a firefighter. I stopped him and had him
rewind the video tape of his life to where he first got the spark to be
a firefighter. He said, "Oh, I'm from South America. When I was growing
up, we lived with my Grand Father who was the fire Chief of the city. I
got to go with him and be exposed to the who department."
I asked if he had ever told that story in any of his oral board
interviews? He said, "No". Why not? I will bet you big money you are a
clone candidate right now. But, I bet you also have some personal
signature stories that could instantly change your interview scores.
Practice those stories, condense them down. Don't go on a journey. The
oral board is not packed for the trip. Once you answer an oral board
with a signature story, you can marry the rest of your answer with those
clone answers you have been using. Try it and see the amazing
difference.
You won't have time and it's not appropriate to use a signature story
for every answer. Tell the story, make the point.
Here's a testimony of another one of the over 1900 candidates who have
received a badge from Entry Level program:
Cap.,
I thought I would drop you a note and let you know that I was hired by a
department up here in the Seattle Washington area. I may be going to
work in Seattle. I finished their process up earlier this week.
Since receiving your Entry Level Program and some coaching from you I
went from 31,9,2,6,3 . I can now say I too have the best job in the
world. I have been working for about a month now.
Thanks again Cap and If there's anything you may ever need from me don't
hesitate to call or write. Thanks again. Fraternally, Jimmy
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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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3. Promotional Level Skills Tip
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Your Strengths:
A common problem I see with promotional candidates preparing their
presentation for an interview is they don not focus on their real
strengths. They attempt to represent themselves as what they think the
board would want instead of their real strengths of leadership,
training, haz mat, confined space rescue, etc. Paul was going for a
captain’s position in a large city. He faxed me his proposed
script for
his presentation. Buried in the third page was his true strength . . .
Training! Paul had a long history training in his department,
sheriff’s
department, and county swift water rescue. Once training was moved to
his opening and main theme, he was operating from his strength.
This was Paul's first Captain's test. He tested with 500 other
candidates. He was fighting seniority credits and experience. All he
was hoping to do was get on the list and get some acting time.
In his second interview, a panel member from training asked him what
part training would play as an officer. Paul asked to use the white
board to demonstrate. It was show time! It was Pauls true love and
strength. He was in his element up at the board asking more questions
and demonstrating he was an experienced trainer. The training chief
beamed. Pauls confidence exploded. How could they not consider him for
the position? He blew the doors off his oral board panel.
He didn't just make the list. He ended up number six out of five
hundred his first time out. Thanks Paul for the announcement on your
promotion.
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4. New Badges
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Entry Level:
Capt. Bob,
This letter is long over due. I contacted you recently (1 year ago),
and ordered your audio/video package. I did this after noticing that
many of your students testimony on the bulletin board (PFC
www.firecareers.com ). I have
many certs. to speak of including
Paramedic. The only hinder thatI found myself with was not passing the
oral.
Since ordering the video and audio tapes, I was nailing the interviews.
Getting hired over the auxiliaries at there own dept., and with a heck
of a lot less experience. Your tapes and techniques helped me excel
pass the other candidates, I even had one cities Fire Chief personally
call me at home to set up a Chief's oral, ( had to decline, due to the
fact that I was at orientation for another dept.). To make a long story
short, nothing counts until you have the badge, nothing. For all of the
candidates out there that don't believe this, try passing and ranking #1
on orals with a stuttering problem... I did. Sincerely Ted
It sure is nice not having to test for a badge anymore as well! Capt.
Bob's tapes/video's certainly helped me get the few extra "nuggets" that
I was missing. Now instead of planning my Saturday's taking a written,
I spend them with my family!! Almost nothing counted until I got the
badge! Brent
Captain Bob:
I bought your Conquer the Job Interview package in preparation for a
couple of fire dept. tests recently. When I got to the interview with
the first department, I was very nervous and ill-prepared. Consequently,
I did very poorly. That really motivated me to study your materials and
spend time considering the mistakes I made in that
first interview.
In June I tested with the Anchorage Fire Dept.
Because of my poor score earlier, I was very concerned about the oral
interview portion. However, with good preparation, this time the
questions seemed almost easy. I was able to see the root of the
questions and give them the answers they needed.
I received a conditional job offer from the city, and two days later was
taking the psych test. Luckily, I had also already bought your Psych
Interview report. I practically memorized it prior to taking the psych
eval. The best thing about it was that it took a lot of the fear of the
unknown out of that process. When I had my interview with the
psychologist I felt prepared. I was able to have a relaxed dialogue
with him while keeping my answers focused. Even better, he said I
scored very well on my profile anyway, so he wasn't really digging.
I just got the phone call that I passed the psych eval and the other
checks, and I have a start date in September! I can't wait.
I have been working as a paramedic for a private ambulance, and now I
get to start my career as a firefighter/paramedic with a great
department. Thank you for helping me to get my badge. Paul
Captain Bob, I started with your book "Fire up your
Communications Skills" and moved on to your Audio/video
tapes. I've been testing for 3 1/2 years in the west
(Phoenix/vicinity) and haven't made it past an oral
interview. I tested for one department in the east and
now I start their academy on July 19th. I can say this
now, but this process just felt right. I GOT THE JOB!!!!!!
Thanks for all of your help. Tom
A closed mouth gathers no feet.
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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! Click here to
check out 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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5. Humor
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Here are the latest nominees for the Darwin Award. These are people
who contribute to the survival of the fittest by eliminating themselves
from the gene pool before they have a chance to breed.
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A young Canadian man, searching for a way for getting drunk cheaply,
mixed gasoline with milk. Not surprisingly, this made him ill, and he
vomited into the fireplace in his house. The resulting explosion and
fire
burned down his house, killing both him and his sister.
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Three Brazilian men were flying in a light aircraft at low altitude
when another plane approached. It appears they decided to moon the
occupants of the other plane, but lost control of their own aircraft and
crashed. They were all found dead in the wreckage with their pants
around their
ankles.
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A 27-year-old French woman lost control of her car on a highway near
Marseilles and crashed into a tree, seriously injuring her passenger
and killing herself. As a commonplace road accident, this would not
have
qualified for a Darwin Award nomination, were it not for the fact
that the driver's attention had been distracted by her Tamagotchi key
ring,which had started urgently beeping for food as she drove along. In
attempting to press the correct buttons to save the Tamagotchi's life,
the woman lost her own.
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A 22-year-old Reston man was found dead after he tried to use octopus
straps to bungee jump off a 70-foot railroad trestle. Eric Barcia, a
fast-food-worker, taped a bunch of these straps together, wrapped an
end around one foot, and anchored the other end to the trestle at Lake
Accotink Park, jumped and hit the pavement. Warren Carmichael, a
police spokesman, said investigators think Barcia was alone because his
car was found nearby.
"The length of the cord that he had assembled was greater than the
distance between the trestle and the ground," Carmichael said. Police
say the apparent cause of death was "major trauma."
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A man in Alabama died from rattlesnake bites. It seems that he and a
friend were playing a game of catch, using the rattlesnake as a ball.
The friend, no doubt a future Darwin Awards candidate, was hospitalized.
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Employees in a medium-sized warehouse in West Texas noticed the smell
of a gas leak. Sensibly, management evacuated the building,
extinguishing all potential sources of ignition lights, power, etc.
After the building had been evacuated, two technicians from the gas
company were dispatched.
Upon entering the building they found they had difficulty navigating
in the dark. To their frustration, none of the lights worked (you can
see what's coming, can't you?) Witnesses later described the sight of
one of the technicians reaching into his pocket and retrieving an object
that resembled a cigarette lighter. Upon operation of the object, the
gas in the warehouse exploded, sending pieces of it up to three miles
away.
Nothing was found of the technicians but the lighter was virtually
untouched by the explosion. The technician suspected of causing the
blast had never been thought of as "bright" by his peers.
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5. 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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FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATIONS
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I have many articles available for reprint in your
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@verio.com