# EMS employment in MA



## emt_abby_a (Jan 10, 2014)

So I have had my EMT cert for about 3yrs and haven't been able to find a job working on an ambulance. I have helped in large scale events. My question is what am I do wrong?


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## Medic Tim (Jan 10, 2014)

emt_abby_a said:


> So I have had my EMT cert for about 3yrs and haven't been able to find a job working on an ambulance. I have helped in large scale events. My question is what am I do wrong?




Can't really answer that if we don't know what you are doing . 
Where have you applied? Interviews? Job history, criminal record, life experience, college university. Are you willing to relocate, etc.


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## emt_abby_a (Jan 10, 2014)

All places in eastern ma. 0 interviews no criminal history. Still in college and willing to relocate.


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## emt_abby_a (Jan 10, 2014)

No EMS job history. Life experience include a lot of large scale events. ( ie I was a volunteer for the Marathon; and yes I was assigned to help in an ED during the events that happened this past year.)


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## Medic Tim (Jan 10, 2014)

Apply apply apply. Maybe get some help from a career Center with your resume. Drop off you resume and app on person unless it outright says not to. Make sure you are dressed in a professional way. Take ceu and com ed classes. Customer survive is usually look upon favourably so play that up where you can. But yeah check job postings as often a you can and apply. 

A friend of mine got his foot in the door by doing ride alongs with a few companies. Got his name and face out there.


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## rlcpr (Jan 10, 2014)

To add on to MedicTim, I would try to add some volunteer experience if you have the time. It's definitely a way to get your foot in the door. I faced the same problem for awhile, and the thing that changed it was my volunteer history. There are definitely a lot of places that you can do some volunteer time on either an ambulance or a fire/rescue truck.

Here's a list of all ambulance services in  Mass in case you want to search by town, etc: http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/emergency-services/ambulance-service-list.pdf


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## rwik123 (Jan 10, 2014)

What specific spaces in eastern MA? I know a few hiring.


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## emt_abby_a (Jan 11, 2014)

rwik123 said:


> What specific spaces in eastern MA? I know a few hiring.




Fallon
Eascare
Armstrong
Cataldo/Atlantic
American
Professional
MedStar
H&H (got an interview with them the last testing period)

I think that's it.


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## DeepFreeze (Jan 11, 2014)

emt_abby_a said:


> All places in eastern ma. 0 interviews no criminal history. Still in college and willing to relocate.



There is your issue possible. Under 21? Some places won't hire you because of insurance issues. 

Also what is H&H? Never heard of them and I'd like to think I know most ambulance companies in the greater Boston area.

edit: How about driving record? I know a buddy of mine wasn't hired at Action because he had a couple of speeding tickets (but another better company picked him up so no big deal)


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## Tigger (Jan 11, 2014)

DeepFreeze said:


> There is your issue possible. Under 21? Some places won't hire you because of insurance issues.
> 
> Also what is H&H? Never heard of them and I'd like to think I know most ambulance companies in the greater Boston area.
> 
> edit: How about driving record? I know a buddy of mine wasn't hired at Action because he had a couple of speeding tickets (but another better company picked him up so no big deal)



H&H is Boston EMS.


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## medicdan (Jan 11, 2014)

DeepFreeze said:


> There is your issue possible. Under 21? Some places won't hire you because of insurance issues.
> 
> Also what is H&H? Never heard of them and I'd like to think I know most ambulance companies in the greater Boston area.
> 
> edit: How about driving record? I know a buddy of mine wasn't hired at Action because he had a couple of speeding tickets (but another better company picked him up so no big deal)



H&H was formerly Boston Health and Hospitals, which became BPHC; its BostonEMS. 

All of the privates go in waves of hiring. Right now it appears to be Fallon, American (Falck) and EasCare. The real question is where you want to work and what kinds of calls. 
As others have said here and elsewhere, your best bet is to show up at these company's headquarters in a suit (or female equivalent) with a resume, current unattested driving record and copies of certifications in hand. Be prepared for an interview or to schedule a different time.


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## DeepFreeze (Jan 11, 2014)

Tigger said:


> H&H is Boston EMS.



I thought so, but for some reason I wasn't 100% on that. Thanks buddy.

Also Cataldo is on a hiring freeze (unless you are a senior medic) looking for full time people. I heard American is hiring for big bucks apparently making some big moves again.


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## rwik123 (Jan 11, 2014)

I imagine another problem is your seasonality with being in college.


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## medicdan (Jan 11, 2014)

rwik123 said:


> I imagine another problem is your seasonality with being in college.



Ding, ding, ding. Each of these companies has been burned many times by the migrant nature of college students. You don't work shifts promised (often quantity), leave before they can make back their investment in you (orientation), and don't particularly contribute to their "community" efforts.... 
If you can prove the company otherwise in your interview, they'll give you a job.

For what its worth, I worked for a private in  Boston all through college (before, during and after), and saw many friends whom I vouched for jobs, let down my supervisors by quitting after just a few months. It is possible to work during school, you just need to examine your priorities, and often that is your education, not vocational employment.


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## Tigger (Jan 12, 2014)

medicdan said:


> Ding, ding, ding. Each of these companies has been burned many times by the migrant nature of college students. You don't work shifts promised (often quantity), leave before they can make back their investment in you (orientation), and don't particularly contribute to their "community" efforts....
> If you can prove the company otherwise in your interview, they'll give you a job.
> 
> For what its worth, I worked for a private in  Boston all through college (before, during and after), and saw many friends whom I vouched for jobs, let down my supervisors by quitting after just a few months. It is possible to work during school, you just need to examine your priorities, and often that is your education, not vocational employment.



I had a similar experience. I was hired because the company was desperate for flexible schedule people. I gave them that whenever I was home, but lots of the other college kids they later hired (I was the first ever) did not provide the same service.


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## medichopeful (Jan 12, 2014)

Try Brewster EMS out of Boston. They told me when I interviewed that they like hiring college students (I'm in the same boat as you in that regard). They seemed like nice people and a nice company, and I would have accepted their offer but I went with another place that was a better fit for me.


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## Tigger (Jan 12, 2014)

medichopeful said:


> Try Brewster EMS out of Boston. They told me when I interviewed that they like hiring college students (I'm in the same boat as you in that regard). They seemed like nice people and a nice company, and I would have accepted their offer but I went with another place that was a better fit for me.



My above post is in reference to Brewster. They treated me very well for someone that they knew would be spending eight months a ear in Colorado and I did my best to reciprocate.


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