LATip#2

What tools can you use to practice and rehearse your oral board answers? Right, a
video camera. You need to see how you look in action. But you are trapped with a
video camera. Mirror? Sure standing in front of a mirror is good. But you are
missing the most valuable tool of all. A hand-held tape recorder. The closest
distance between you and the LA City badge is picking up a tape recorder and
hearing what’s coming out of your mouth!

I received a call from one of our candidates. He has made it to a few oral boards
and one Chief’s Oral without success. He has been invited to the LA City oral
board and wanted to set up a private coaching session. In just a few moments I
was aware of something critical. Then I asked him if he was using a tape recorder
to practice? Like most people (99.7%), he hemmed and hawed and finally said,
“Well, no. But, I’m thinking about it.”

Even though he had our Gold Package Program http://eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm
that hammers and hammers the point home that you have to use a tape recorder and
hear how you sound, he still didn’t get the message. His answers were garbage.
Many applicants want this job so bad they will do almost anything ethically and
morally to get it. I guess that doesn’t include using a tape recorder to get your
timing, inflection, volume, where to cut out material, get rid of the uh’s and
other pause fillers, or to find out if you really sound like Donald Duck. You
need to get married to your hand-held tape recorder. You need to hear what the
oral board is going to hear out of your mouth. It’s narrows the distance between
you and the badge you’re looking for!

What is the first thing a candidate says when he hears his voice on a tape
recorder? Yep. That’s not me. Yes, it is McFly. You need to get married to a hand
held tape recorder and practice everywhere you go.

This is usually a guy thing. Guys think about their answers in their head and
write them down. Then they think their answers are going to come out of their
mouths like magic in the oral. Trust me, they don’t! The brain and mouth don’t
work that way.

Try this. Take 3X5 cards and write down your oral board questions. You can find
our 30 Sample Oral Board Questions here http://eatstress.com/thirty.htm Practice
your answers with the tape recorder. If you hear something you do not like when
you play it back, turn over the 3X5 card and write it down. The next time you go
after that question, turn over the card first and see what you don’t want to say.

Let me tell you how critical this really is. If you’re not using a tape recorder
to practice, practice, practice, rehearse, rehearse, rehearse and over learn your
material until it becomes second nature to you, you might as well not show up for
the interview. You are wasting the oral boards time and your time! Seek out
another career. Understand you still have to interview there too. The above
candidate has already lost some great opportunities. Had he been faithfully using
a tape recorder to prepare for his oral boards, he probably could have had a
badge already.

Some will say, “Well, if I practice it too much it will sound canned.” NO it
won’t! It sure will be planned though. Practice makes permanent. “Luck is
preparation meeting opportunity.” One practice session with a tape recorder is
worth 10 speaking out louds. After practicing, you will get to a point where your
answers will get into your subconscious. That’s where the magic begins. You can’t
be fooled.

We think practicing with a tape recorder is so important; we will not do private
coaching with a candidate if they aren’t using one. It is a waste of our time and
their money. Be advised that your competition knows the value of using a tape
recorder. They are catapulting past you if you’re not using one too.

Here’s what we know after 30-years of experience. Those candidates who get our
Gold Package Program http://eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm , use the work booklet
that will become their script (you can get a copy of the script here
http://eatstress.com/workboolette.htm ) to audition for the job of a firefighter,
use a tape recorder to practice and come back and do private coaching end up
catapulting themselves into the Olympic Camp to get a shot at the badge. A proven
inexpensive way to gain a 25+-year career. To be one of the last of America’s
heroes.

Instead of posting messages on bulletin boards asking others where they’re at in
the testing process for this city and I’m in the top 40 on this list or whatever,
start asking your self this question: What am I doing that can best prepare me
for the most important part of the hiring process? . . . The oral board. Because
if you can’t pass the oral board, or score high enough on the list, you don’t get
the job. Never! Ever! Ever! Now, where’s your tape recorder?

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

Fire "Captain Bob" Author, Becoming A Firefighter
http://eatstress.com/goldpackage.htm

www.eatstress.com

888-238-3959

Ask "Captain Bob" Any Question

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