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Getting the job

Grab Hold of the ORAL INTERVIEW!

2023-05-08T23:49:39+00:00

Grab Hold of the ORAL INTERVIEW! Many years back, our friend and Battalion Chief Dennis O'Sullivan (retired) said, "The Oral Interview gets you the job!” I agree. The Oral Interview is where a firefighter candidate needs to put their efforts. Here is what I mean – Imagine that I am a rater on the receiving end of your Oral Interview. Let’s say I get a positive feel from you and how you answer our questions. DING! DING! DING! You have engaged a rater. Typically, this will work to your benefit. But – how do you build this connection? Stories are [...]

Grab Hold of the ORAL INTERVIEW!2023-05-08T23:49:39+00:00

Tell Your Unique Story

2023-05-08T23:49:25+00:00

Tell Your Unique Story Earning a firefighter’s badge is a goal! And, your success in a firefighter’s Oral interview is all about your presentation skills. Our many decades of experience tell us that a candidate will do well to weave personal experiences or stories into his or her answers. A candidate’s life experiences are unique. Personal stories can present a clear picture of who the candidate is and how they will or will not be a good fit in the department. Sound simple? It can be. We get it! It is not easy for firefighter candidates to relax and be [...]

Tell Your Unique Story2023-05-08T23:49:25+00:00

Stories Get Badges

2023-05-08T23:51:21+00:00

Stories Get Badges During the interview process, raters are often doing a lot of writing. Time after time, candidates tell me when they start telling one of their signature stories, the raters will stop writing, look up, put down their pens, and are taken on a journey with the story. This adds energy and builds candidate confidence.  Stories work effectively because they go directly to the brain and entertain. They do not require the mental processing of more formal nonfiction writing. Stories have heart and ring true. They are relatable. Stories are more than facts. If you can recreate the [...]

Stories Get Badges2023-05-08T23:51:21+00:00

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (Part 2)

2023-03-07T02:07:26+00:00

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (Part 2) The Q & A continues: Captain Bob” Smith is a retired firefighter and fire captain. A member of the MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKER HALL OF FAME, Captain Bob speaks on the topics of overcoming stress and developing superior communication skills. He has written 2 books:  Eat Stress For Breakfast and  Fire Up Your Communication Skills.  With three successful start-up businesses, education, and over 40 years of research, Captain Bob thoroughly enjoys helping others. Enjoy this Q & A, part 2,  with Captain Bob. Q. Captain Bob, who has been the most influential [...]

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (Part 2)2023-03-07T02:07:26+00:00

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (part 1)

2023-05-08T23:19:12+00:00

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (part 1) Captain Bob” Smith is a retired firefighter and fire captain. As a motivational and public speaker on the topics of overcoming stress and developing superior communication skills, Captain Bob has written 2 books:  Eat Stress For Breakfast and  Fire Up Your Communication Skills.  With three successful start-up businesses, education, and over 40 years of research, Captain Bob thoroughly enjoys helping others. Enjoy this Q & A, part 1,  with Captain Bob. Q. What has been the best thing about becoming a motivational and inspirational personality? A. This is a great [...]

Captain Bob – A Simple Q & A (part 1)2023-05-08T23:19:12+00:00

New Year’s Resolutions

2023-03-07T02:06:27+00:00

New Year’s Resolutions New Year’s Resolutions. You make them. I make them. We all make them. You see – a new year brings hope and optimism for what might come. It brings a fresh start to correct the wrongs of years past. For many, the new year means that the possibilities are endless. A 2023 Forbes Health “OnePoll” Survey found some resolutions more popular than others. The top 3 are improved mental health, improved fitness, and to lose weight. Here is the question – what percentage of New Year’s resolutions fail? Real and lasting change takes time. Setting goals too [...]

New Year’s Resolutions2023-03-07T02:06:27+00:00

You Must Come Out Swinging!

2023-05-08T23:17:58+00:00

You Must Come Out Swinging! If I have witnessed it once, I have witnessed it 100 times. Too many candidates get sucked into concentrating too much on the check-off list for their tactical without realizing it. In the process, they lose control of the fire and their score gets hammered. Q: What's your best tactic for rescuing or knocking down the fire? A: An aggressive attack on the fire! Yes, you want to cover all the bases to make sure boxes are checked off on the rating sheet. That said, isn’t the best tactic for putting out an aggressive fire [...]

You Must Come Out Swinging!2023-05-08T23:17:58+00:00

Fantasy Land – For Real!

2022-11-22T21:35:11+00:00

Fantasy Land – For Real! If you want to become a firefighter, an Oral Board Interview is in your future. There is no way to get around it. So – know this: The Oral Board interview is like Fantasy Land. It is not like the real world. Your answers in the oral board might not be what you would do in real life. The board understands the rules and you can't fool them. Don't try to intellectualize and bring heavy logic to this process. If you do, someone who understands the rules in fantasy land better will get the badge. [...]

Fantasy Land – For Real!2022-11-22T21:35:11+00:00

Man In the Mirror

2022-09-27T22:48:22+00:00

Man in the Mirror We get it. You want to be a firefighter so badly, that you can taste it. It is all you have ever dreamed of. Right? Right! Here is the key. The best way to get hired and earn that badge is to put yourself in a position where the department can't go around you. Here is what I mean. If you have the attitude that the system is against you, you will give off that vibe. If you have the attitude that you are being passed over because of minority hiring, you will send that message. [...]

Man In the Mirror2022-09-27T22:48:22+00:00

A Little Bit About Coaching

2022-09-27T22:50:06+00:00

A Little Bit About Coaching Being a person of faith helps tremendously in this job. Personally, my faith seems to give me a moral compass, a code of honor that keeps us out of trouble and helps with decision-making. I think that it helps many with this. In my experience faith has helped people dig a little deeper when they have needed it the most. You see, as firefighters, we see a lot of things nobody wants to see. Daily, we go into very sad and difficult situations. Over the years, my fire department has lost more on duty than [...]

A Little Bit About Coaching2022-09-27T22:50:06+00:00

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Using Capt Bob’s program I was called back for the chiefs oral. I ended up #2 on the list and...
Becoming a Firefighter
5
2018-04-22T16:44:54+00:00
Using Capt Bob’s program I was called back for the chiefs oral. I ended up #2 on the list and now proudly wear the badge for Denver. I would not have been in this position if it wasn’t for “Captain Bob’s” program.  
“I tested for 10 years taking 73 tests. My next oral was in two weeks. I wanted to figure out...
Becoming a Firefighter
5
2018-04-22T16:47:33+00:00
“I tested for 10 years taking 73 tests. My next oral was in two weeks. I wanted to figure out what the heck I was doing wrong… with Captain Bob’s program and coaching, I was shocked to see I had ranked number one and got my badge.”  
“The only hinder that I found myself with was not passing the oral… For all of the candidates out there...
Becoming a Firefighter
5
2018-04-22T16:51:46+00:00
“The only hinder that I found myself with was not passing the oral… 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.” – Dave, FF/PM  
Using Capt Bob’s program I was called back for the chiefs oral. I ended up #2 on the list and...
Becoming a Firefighter
5
2018-04-22T17:01:21+00:00
Using Capt Bob’s program I was called back for the chiefs oral. I ended up #2 on the list and now proudly wear the badge for Denver. I would not have been in this position if it wasn’t for “Captain Bob’s” program.
“Well, I never thought I would be writing this to you, Captain Bob, but it happened to me also… Out...
Becoming a Firefighter
5
2018-04-22T17:02:45+00:00
“Well, I never thought I would be writing this to you, Captain Bob, but it happened to me also… Out of a possible 120 pts, I scored 119.87 pts! I couldn’t believe it! … Just wanted to say THANK YOU!” – Armando  
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Becoming a Firefighter

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