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 the answer. Answering the Oral Interview questions with a story laced with personal experience makes the question and answer relatable. During the interview, the raters are notorious for taking notes. Often, candidates have told me when they start telling one of their signature stories, the raters often stop writing and look up. The raters are taken on a journey with the story. This adds energy and builds candidate confidence.
If you can describe the excitement, emotion, and pizzazz as you retell an actual event, you will capture the interest and a top score on that question. In addition, telling your story creates a natural bridge between you and the raters. You will have them wanting more!
If I am rather engaging with the candidate, I will fill in some of the blanks to make up for any shortcomings. If you do not put forth your best and do not develop a natural rapport, I will never ever fill in any of your shortcomings. Let me say that again – NEVER, EVER!
Here is the gist: A large part of getting this job is convincing the Oral Board that you can do the job and will be a great fit in the department. Stories allow you to demonstrate your experience and answer a question effectively while showing them your best.
Fire Captain Rob, retired
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