# Bombed my first interview.  How do you prepare?



## derrdic3 (Oct 29, 2009)

Hello all,

Had my first interview for a local ambulance company today, and to be frank, I think I bombed it.  Granted, all I went in to do was a written exam before the "suprise" interview.  I say suprise because my interviewer explained that she thought she got a more genuine view of people rather than the "polished" answers she would get when they told people there would be an interview.

I stumbled on half the questions asked to me, not even really able to comprehend the questions asked to me and I am pretty sure I used the same general answer for about 3 questions.  I tried to make eye contact as much as possible but I found my eyes wandering around the room while I tried to pull an answer out of my butt for a question I really didn't even understand.  I was so nervous I couldn't think straight or even come up with  basic answers to basic questions.

I am sure I did well on the 50 question exam about EMS protocol and basic knowledge questions.  But as with a few pre-interview screenings I was given a 200 question personality exam that I have failed before.  I tried answering with what I thought would be the answer they were looking for and failed, so the next time I tried answering as truthfully as possible and failed.  What are they looking for with this exam?

My question is how did you practice interviews?  What is the interviewer looking for?  Is there a website or book I can get that gives me mock interview questions so I can be prepared next time?  

I was nervous out of my mind and I think that was mostly the cause of me stumbling on the questions, but I think I was mostly nervous because I was not prepared.  If by some miracle I make it through to the next round of the hiring process I go in front of an oral board.  

If anyone has any personal advice/websites/books about how to be prepared for interviews and oral boards please let me know! I know this will not be my last interview or oral board but I would like to be prepared for my next one!

Thanks


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## VentMedic (Oct 29, 2009)

derrdic3 said:


> My question is how did you practice interviews? What is the interviewer looking for? Is there a website or book I can get that gives me mock interview questions so I can be prepared next time?


 
1. Know you EMS material well. That is the book and computer part.

2. Do you spend a lot of time listening to your iPOD and talking on a cellphone? If so, stop for awhile. 

3. Practice face to face communication with everyone you run into in your daily life. Actually go to places you haven't been to see different people such as go to a different coffee house. Make eye contact and ask a question that is not personal in nature but casual and friendly or make a comment like you genuinely mean it. This could be while holding a door open for someone or with the waitress at the diner. Don't just go through the motions of saying "Burger and Fries". Make eye contact and do a little customer service with the person serving you. Feel comfortable talking to anyone about anything.


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## TxRookie (Oct 29, 2009)

VentMedic said:


> 1.  Know you EMS material well.  That is the book and computer part.
> 
> 2.  Do you spend a lot of time listening to your iPOD and talking on a cellphone?  If so, stop for awhile.
> 
> 3.  Practice face to face communication with everyone you run into in your daily life.  Actually go to places you haven't been to see different people like a different coffee house.   Make eye contact and ask a question that in not personal in nature but casual and friendly or make a comment like you genuinely mean it.  This could be while holding a door open for someone or with the waitress at the diner.  Don't just go through the motions of saying "Burger and Fries".  Make eye contact and do a little customer service with the person serving you.  Feel comfort talking to anyone about anything.



+1 So true.


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## johnrsemt (Oct 29, 2009)

good ideas; 

   also   Sit down with a friend or family member and have them interview you.  you can get sample questions online:  google "Job Interview Questions";  doing this with someone who is getting ready to look for a job will help them too;   high school student for example.


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## wyoskibum (Oct 29, 2009)

Echoing what others have posted but...

1) Know your stuff!   You don't have to be a know-it-all, but if your an EMT-B, then know what an EMT-B is suppose to know.

2) Be yourself.  Don't worry about trying to tell the interviewer what you think they want to hear.  They want to know who *you* are and how *you* would handle a situation.

3) Be honest.  If you don't know the answer to a question, then say that you don't know.

4) Take the time you need to answer a question.  It's okay to stop and think a minute about.  Better to say _"Hmmm....let me think about that a moment." _ than to say _"well, uhh, lets see, uummh, you know its like, eerr"_.

4) Be confident without being cocky.  If your a new EMT, then recognize that while pushing your strong points. _"I realize that I just finished EMT school, but I'm a quick learner and I'm excited to become the best that I can be.  All I need is a good opportunity which your company can provide"._

5) If your nervous, then stop and take a moment to collect yourself.  Take a deep breath.  Tell your interviewer, _"You'll have to excuse me. I'm really nervous"._  It's understandable, most people are nervous in those situations.

So to summarize, just be yourself and be comfortable with who you are.


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## DrParasite (Oct 29, 2009)

Remember one thing about EVERY interview (well, the ones where employers are selective about who they hired): THEY WANT YOU!!!!

Your resume passed their initial test, they liked your background, and they saw your app and want to hire you.  otherwise, they wouldn't have invited you for an interview.  It's like the police and fire academy, and the military.  the instructors may in fact be jerk offs and mean and treat you like crap, but in the end they want you to succeed and pass.

Don't stress them.  be honest, be truthful.  If you don't understand the question, ask for clarification.  take your time, breathing, and relax.  

and if at first you don't succeed, try try again


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## VentMedic (Oct 29, 2009)

DrParasite said:


> Your resume passed their initial test, they liked your background, and they saw your app and want to hire you. otherwise, they wouldn't have invited you for an interview. It's like the police and fire academy, and the military. the instructors may in fact be jerk offs and mean and treat you like crap, but in the end they want you to succeed and pass.


 
No it is not like FDs or PDs where there are several exams to go through to get people are weeded out. By the time the candidates reach the academy, they are more than likely what the department wants. With EMTs, there are no or few screening processes before becoming an EMT or even with the interview process. 

If you look at many EMT-B applications, they are young high school graduates or GED with very little work experience or educational background. They have taken a 120 hour votech cert class while maybe working at at some minimum wage job. Many are not old enough to even have time to establish an adult criminal record. 

The applications that do get weeded out immediately are those with poor handwriting, misspelled words and are incomplete. The other applicants are often weeded out by appearance, tardiness to the interview and mannerisms. A little awkwardness is not a career ender. In fact being a little awkward is better than coming in like Johnny Rescue immitating some idiot TV character. If they didn't care for the above mentioned characteristics about you, the interview would have been very short.


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## downunderwunda (Oct 29, 2009)

Having been a recruitment manager in a previous incarnation of my life, there the polished, well rounded answers come from those who are never gonna get the job. 

I want to see you nervous & deliberatly commence with questions that you would never expect to throw you off.

Vents advice is the best. Be used to talking to people face to face. Dont think you can prepare for an interview. The ones who have slick interwiew skills have been to too many interviews & have proably lied on their CV. 

Be yourself. Be honest.

Nothing more. Nothing less.


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## Medic744 (Oct 29, 2009)

I refuse to prepare for any interview above and beyond what it takes to get dressed and be presentable.  If it was meant to be, it was meant to be.  I have had inerviews I thought I bombed and got the job and ones I aced and didnt get even a nice format rejection letter.  If you know what you are doing it will show even through being nervous.


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## MSDeltaFlt (Oct 30, 2009)

Here's my take on it.  These people can smell b*llsh*t a mile away.  They interview all kinds of people all the time.  Don't try to b*llsh*t a b*llsh*t artist.  Be truthful.  Be honest.  If you know the answer, tell them.  If you don't know the answer, tell them that too.  Even if 99 times out of 100 you know it, but all of a sudden you just locked up, had a brain fart, and for the life of you you can't think of the answer, tell them that too.  They know it happens.  It happens to them every now and then as well.

The trick to having a good interview is there's no trick.  You be you and let the rest take care of themselves.


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## derrdic3 (Oct 31, 2009)

Thanks for all your advice.  I think its really just my nerves got to me the most, but I guess just like everything, that will come with experience  I just have to learn how to not lock up!  I think that was my biggest problem, the questions may have seemed simple in a non-stressful situation to me, but put in the 1v1 situation and it seemed like my brain just went blank.  I think this worries me the most, especially with the career I am trying to get into! Again, I think that comes with confidence and experience.. I hope..


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## Tonester (Nov 3, 2009)

Set up a mock interview with a friend who will act as the interviewer. Video record yourself and look over the results. Do you fidget, say "um" a lot, blurt out answers immediately after the question is posed, are you slouching? Those are some things to look out for and correct.

If I didn't know an answer to question during an employment interview I'd say somthing along these lines, "I don't know the answer, but I'd be more than happy to research the question and get back to you with the information you need."

There are 3 phases to every employment interivew: 

1) 1-2 minute brief autobiography about yourself
2) The actual interview
3) Your closing remarks, 1-2 minutes, summarizing why you should be hired and why you would be an asset to the company.

Make sure you thank and shake everyone's hand at the end of interview too.


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## atropine (Nov 3, 2009)

Why don't you ask people who already work for the company, specificly the new hires what was asked in their interview sesion.


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## fbsemssocial (Nov 4, 2009)

*interview*

If you don't get the job then try a different service like everyone has said make sure you know the stuff, not only for the interview but for when you get in the field. Even with schooling over you are not done studying I would contiune to study the rest of your working time.

But be yourself know your material, don't be cocky and don't try to bull s*it the interviewer. Good luck. Hope you get the job.


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