# Essay test for hiring.  Why do you want to be a firefighter paramedic?



## abckidsmom (Mar 23, 2011)

I'm about to go back to work at the small department I've worked at part time before.  I currently am a volunteer in the system, and know everyone and function in the exact same role as I would if I was hired, only without a paycheck.

I talked to the Chief tonight and he said there is an essay test on the day of pre-employment testing.  He said the questions would be scenario questions, plus one or two "Why do you want to be a firefighter paramedic for our County?"

I feel pretty comfortable with these people, and have been in the system longer than all of their current personnel.  I am, however, new as a firefighter.

What would you say in this essay?  I want to be completely honest and say, "I want to earn money doing the work instead of working for free," but I think that would be a little too snotty.  

Somethign funny, not too serious, not too arrogant.


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## Veneficus (Mar 23, 2011)

abckidsmom said:


> I'm about to go back to work at the small department I've worked at part time before.  I currently am a volunteer in the system, and know everyone and function in the exact same role as I would if I was hired, only without a paycheck.
> 
> I talked to the Chief tonight and he said there is an essay test on the day of pre-employment testing.  He said the questions would be scenario questions, plus one or two "Why do you want to be a firefighter paramedic for our County?"
> 
> ...



Stick with serious. You never know who reads that stuff or how it would be taken.


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## abckidsmom (Mar 23, 2011)

Veneficus said:


> Stick with serious. You never know who reads that stuff or how it would be taken.



Right.  But the serious answer is "for the money" unless I go with the standard "to help other people and save lives."


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## Seaglass (Mar 24, 2011)

abckidsmom said:


> Right.  But the serious answer is "for the money" unless I go with the standard "to help other people and save lives."



"Because my true calling lies in helping other people and saving lives, and I want to focus on my professional development in this field," or something like that. A bit about how you know the county well and would be proud to be employed by the system probably wouldn't hurt, either. 

Sounding way too eager and earnest is much better than humor being taken the wrong way.


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## beandip4all (Mar 25, 2011)

abckidsmom said:


> Somethign funny, not too serious









don't try to do funny on an essay question for a potential job!! 

stay serious.  you could segue into "light" ... but still serious. 

sense of humor doesn't always translate, and it is FAR from universal.


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## medicRob (Mar 25, 2011)

beandip4all said:


>



I'm sensing a theme. Do you want to be my friend (I could always use someone who has animated gifs of drag queens for random occassions).


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## steveshurtleff (Mar 25, 2011)

I freely admit to still being an EMT-B student, but a relatively older one, and I've had some time to see how the world works.  Having said that, one of many lessons I've learned is that honesty is most decidedly NOT the best policy.  In this case, it's probably wise to tell them what they want to hear.


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## Sasha (Mar 25, 2011)

beandip4all said:


> don't try to do funny on an essay question for a potential job!!
> 
> stay serious.  you could segue into "light" ... but still serious.
> 
> sense of humor doesn't always translate, and it is FAR from universal.



I love drag queens. 

Make up some feely BS about saving lives and working for the greater good. That's what people want to hear. NEVER answer that honestly unless your honest answer is the touchy feely BS.


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## medicRob (Mar 25, 2011)

I'm gonna have to disagree with every one else. Be honest, tell them that you wish to get paid for your services. It shows that you value yourself as a professional and that you feel that you deserve compensation for your time spent. Moreover, they see the "I want to help people", "I want to save lives" answer in at least 3 out of every 5 individuals. What's wrong with wanting to get paid to do what you do? Is what you do not worth money? 

Now, if they asked something along the lines of, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years", lie like hell. Say, "still here as an FTO potentially!".


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## Sasha (Mar 25, 2011)

medicRob said:


> I'm gonna have to disagree with every one else. Be honest, tell them that you wish to get paid for your services. It shows that you value yourself as a professional and that you feel that you deserve compensation for your time spent. Moreover, they see the "I want to help people", "I want to save lives" answer in at least 3 out of every 5 individuals. What's wrong with wanting to get paid to do what you do? Is what you do not worth money?
> 
> Now, if they asked something along the lines of, "Where do you see yourself in 10 years", lie like hell. Say, "still here as an FTO potentially!".



They may also see her as someone who doesn't care about the patient and is only in it for the money. Not very hireable in my opinion!


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## medicRob (Mar 25, 2011)

Sasha said:


> They may also see her as someone who doesn't care about the patient and is only in it for the money. Not very hireable in my opinion!



Her previous work experience and references will reflect whether or not she was a good provider or one just in it for the money more so than an essay question.


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## steveshurtleff (Mar 25, 2011)

Sasha said:


> I love drag queens.
> 
> Make up some feely BS about saving lives and working for the greater good.



The greater good.


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## Sasha (Mar 25, 2011)

medicRob said:


> Her previous work experience and references will reflect whether or not she was a good provider or one just in it for the money more so than an essay question.



Not necessarily. People work in EMS for a long time who are in it for other reasons than the patient care. I know abdicksmom isn't in it for that, but just because someone has previous work experience doesn't mean they're not a good provider.


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## medicRob (Mar 25, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Not necessarily. People work in EMS for a long time who are in it for other reasons than the patient care. I know abdicksmom isn't in it for that, but just because someone has previous work experience doesn't mean they're not a good provider.



Yes, but if you are a bad provider and a lazy one, chances are, it will probably come up when they call to check for references in one way or another.


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## Sasha (Mar 25, 2011)

medicRob said:


> Yes, but if you are a bad provider and a lazy one, chances are, it will probably come up when they call to check for references in one way or another.



Not here, at least. Legally if you call a previous employer they are only legally allowed to be asked if they would rehire you and if you worked there for such and such dates, and they're only allowed to answer "Yes" or "No".

You can pad personal refrences with people you know got your back.


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## medicRob (Mar 25, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Not here, at least. Legally if you call a previous employer they are only legally allowed to be asked if they would rehire you and if you worked there for such and such dates, and they're only allowed to answer "Yes" or "No".
> 
> You can pad personal refrences with people you know got your back.



If you are a bad provider, word gets out sooner or later. You will start noticing that no service wants anything to do with you. Word does travel, regardless of whether it is by way of formal on the record references or innocent conversation between two good ole boys offering a tip to help out a friend.


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## steveshurtleff (Mar 25, 2011)

Unfortunately, businesses in general today seem more interested in form than function.  I've been criticized more than once for having a resume that gets to the point without being all "fancied up".

So really the best answer to that question will depend on the collective mindset of those who review the application.


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## firetender (Mar 25, 2011)

*It's all in the delivery!*



abckidsmom said:


> What would you say in this essay?  I want to be completely honest and say, "" but I think that would be a little too snotty.



It IS the real truth, so just make it the meat in the sandwich:

I've spent (X%) of my life helping people get through the worst parts of their lives. I'm into it and also into expanding my abilities. My record shows it. People in the community have been getting my very best for a long time. 

Quite frankly, I want to earn money doing the work instead of working for free. (Just a little while ago -- OFF DUTY! --I saved some guy's head from getting crushed by a car and the SOB didn't even tip me!) 

You are presenting me the opportunity to provide for my family's future, help me to grow professionally and also offer more to the people here. I'd like to take advantage of that.


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## MrBrown (Mar 25, 2011)

Sasha said:


> You can pad personal refrences with people you know got your back.



How do you think Brown got to where Brown is today?


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## Hockey (Mar 25, 2011)

I'll write it for $400 

Offer is there


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## 46Young (Mar 25, 2011)

To clarify, you've been volunteering with the county as a single role medic and now wish to be employed as a FF/medic? That's what I got from your first post. If so, that's a little different spin than just going from volunteer to paid doing the same exact thing; you're also aspiring to do suppression as well, having never done it before. Is that the case?


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## Pneumothorax (Mar 26, 2011)

abckidsmom said:


> Right.  But the serious answer is "for the money" unless I go with the standard "to help other people and save lives."



I hate having to answer questions like that bc-- duh why does anyone work-- to make money for life's necessitites.  
 You've been
Doing it for free already lol. 

Just say ( much nicer) you need to get paid and want to continually advance in the field by obtaining new
Skills & abilities blah blah bla. 

I think on the
Positive side of all of this is since u were /are a volunteer, it shows a commitment to the job and that (hopefully) you won't flake out on them..bc employers are worried about their bottom line as well.


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## abckidsmom (Mar 26, 2011)

46Young said:


> To clarify, you've been volunteering with the county as a single role medic and now wish to be employed as a FF/medic? That's what I got from your first post. If so, that's a little different spin than just going from volunteer to paid doing the same exact thing; you're also aspiring to do suppression as well, having never done it before. Is that the case?




I've been volunteering most recently.  They added supression to the job while I was out on maternity leave and didn't let me come back without being crosstrained.  The fact is, I'll be a FF/medic on the medic unit.  I'm not expecting to get any time on the engine, while that possibility does exist.


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## abckidsmom (Mar 26, 2011)

firetender said:


> It IS the real truth, so just make it the meat in the sandwich:
> 
> I've spent (X%) of my life helping people get through the worst parts of their lives. I'm into it and also into expanding my abilities. My record shows it. People in the community have been getting my very best for a long time.
> 
> ...



I've been a volunteer for the past 17 years, but my time without a paid job has only been in the past 3 years or so.  I have been consistently employed in several different kinds of systems, in different roles since 1998.


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## beandip4all (Apr 1, 2011)

medicRob said:


> I'm sensing a theme. Do you want to be my friend (I could always use someone who has animated gifs of drag queens for random occassions).









!!


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## EMS49393 (Apr 2, 2011)

I got a similar question on my last interview.  Worded something to the effect of "why do you want to work for ______."  I answered it honestly, but my honest answer was a good answer.  I knew the people running the show.  I've known them for more then a decade and I know how they run a show.  I know they have the same values toward a job that I do and that is a huge reason I wanted to be there.  I also have a personal interest in the system.  My aging parents live in the county.  

I also told them that I had been pretty picky since my lay-off and I wasn't going to work for just any old organization.  They were my first choice (and I told them such) because of the above reasons and I hoped they would chose me because I would work hard for them if they gave me the chance.

They're giving me my chance Monday.  

Sometimes honesty is the best policy, especially if it's the right thing to say.  Why DO you want to work there?  Only you can really answer that question.


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## SeanR (Apr 8, 2011)

What is the pay difference in paramedic and firefighter paramedic if u dont mind me asking


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## mc400 (Apr 8, 2011)

Because you know the job requires both fire and ems and you want to be able to serve the community with the highest level of training and care in all aspects of thejob. You are equally dedicated to your medical care as you are you firefighting and rescue duties.


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## abckidsmom (Apr 8, 2011)

SeanR said:


> What is the pay difference in paramedic and firefighter paramedic if u dont mind me asking



Honestly, I don't expect much pay difference.  It's been a couple of years since I worked there, so a little bit more money for inflation.  We'll see.


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## Anjel (Apr 8, 2011)

Sasha said:


> Not necessarily. People work in EMS for a long time  who are in it for other reasons than the patient care. I know *abdicksmom* isn't in it for that, but just because someone has previous work experience doesn't mean they're not a good provider.



HAHAHAHHAHA

Sorry...the 12 year old came out in me


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## abckidsmom (Apr 8, 2011)

Anjel1030 said:


> HAHAHAHHAHA
> 
> Sorry...the 12 year old came out in me



Right?  She always spells my username wrong that way.  It's in her brain, there's no correcting her.  

The kids are in alphabetical order, thus a b c KIDS mom.


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## DesertMedic66 (Apr 8, 2011)

SeanR said:


> What is the pay difference in paramedic and firefighter paramedic if u dont mind me asking



The pay difference between medic and fire/medic is huge in this area. Medics usually make around $16-20 an hour. Fire/medic can start off at $32 an hour.


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## Pneumothorax (Jul 4, 2011)

firefite said:


> The pay difference between medic and fire/medic is huge in this area. Medics usually make around $16-20 an hour. Fire/medic can start off at $32 an hour.



Where is this you live? Damn! $32/hr is more than I'll be making as an RN.   Now is that regular or OT pay?


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