# EMS Tips for young people.



## SDrossos (Nov 15, 2011)

I would like to say first that if a question like this has posed. I am sorry, but I did use the search bar and didn't find any.

My question is to the veterans in EMS is in this rough economy the chances for younger people to get a job seems like slim to none. I have had my EMT for over 6 months and have been job searching for a while. I have all my certs ADL, TB tests, Driving records, etc. I have been putting in apps. in a lot of places, but no luck. I am also 19 years old, and I live in CA.

My question is: What do you think is the best way someone like me can beef up my resume? I have a lot of the ICS certs which I noticed ambulance companies are looking for, but should I maybe be taking like ACLS?or PALS?

Please let me know what you guys/girls think if you were an EMS employer. What would you like to see on a young persons resume?

Thank you!


----------



## EMTSic (Nov 15, 2011)

Where in CA are you?


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 15, 2011)

Northern bay area


----------



## fast65 (Nov 15, 2011)

Move out of California and go to medic school...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## TopGun77 (Nov 15, 2011)

The Bay Area is so competitive that landing a EMS job at 19 is realistically going to be difficult, but not impossible.  I live in the South Bay and can share some input.  I would recommend that you apply to every single ambulance company that you are willing to commute to. Concentrate on IFT companies even though I'd imagine you want to go 911.  A job on an IFT ambulance will help you out with gaining experience in terms of learning different disease processes and how they affect the body, lifting and moving patients, positioning patients, operating the gurney, driving, etc.  911 companies like to hire people that have some prior experience on a box. In terms of getting those certs you were talking about (ACLS/PALS) those are geared towards paramedics... I suppose it wouldn't hurt you to get them, but the classes are expensive.

PM me if you have any specific questions.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 15, 2011)

Topgun77- Thank you for your input. That was kind of the question I had. Its not probably the best thing to spend the money on those certs. I would love to work on a ALS unit, but realistically I understand that working for IFT companies would probably be my best route. Although, I have found that even IFT companies want you to be 21 as well now too. :wacko:


----------



## mycrofft (Nov 16, 2011)

*Get your schooling and do EMS volunteer style for a while.*

Work towards paramedic or other medical field degree (not certificate), and be an instructor for ARC or AHA and maybe take summer jobs doing stuff for summer camps or as a lifeguard/first aider. Keep active and certified, but aim higher, you are in the middle of the pack for that job race.

I think people need to acknowledge that making a living, and especially a decent living (you are in an expensive place to live, too), for any length of time, as an EMT or even a paramedic has many attributes in common with the dream of being a professional basketball player for a ghetto kid at the park. It is becoming more of a skill set for a firefighter career than a career in and of itself.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Nov 16, 2011)

The 21 yo age requirement is generally for insurance to drive. Some companies hire non-drivers at 18+. 

I'm recently 22 so I feel your pain being young. Follow up on all your apps, don't just submit them and wait for a call. The more interested and dedicated you seem the more a company is going to be interested in taking a second look and not filing your app in the round filing cabinet. 

The 4 letter classes won't make a whole lot of sense until you have a little more education but there are plenty of Basics out there that have taken and passed them.


----------



## mycrofft (Nov 16, 2011)

*Beg to differ.*

The age thing is also because younger hires tend to be flakey. They also often do not live on the pay so they call in sick and etc. Finally, their life experience to date does not prepare them for some of the judgement calls that may have to be made.
Hand them a SAW or M-4, sure. Alcohol or keys to a wheelchair van, nope.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Nov 16, 2011)

mycrofft said:


> The age thing is also because younger hires tend to be flakey. They also often do not live on the pay so they call in sick and etc. Finally, their life experience to date does not prepare them for some of the judgement calls that may have to be made.
> Hand them a SAW or M-4, sure. Alcohol or keys to a wheelchair van, nope.



I agree especially when it comes to life experience but I'm sure you will agree that flakiness/necessity of income isn't always the case either.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 16, 2011)

mycrofft said:


> The age thing is also because younger hires tend to be flakey. They also often do not live on the pay so they call in sick and etc. Finally, their life experience to date does not prepare them for some of the judgement calls that may have to be made.
> Hand them a SAW or M-4, sure. Alcohol or keys to a wheelchair van, nope.



I understand that, but what about the young individuals like my self who want to be in this profession for the sole reason to help people. It just doesn't seem fair to generalize that all young people can't make rational judgement, but then again life isn't fair. However, I guess the majority is known for that. With your alcohol example though, isnt that why they have drug tests?

 I appreciate everyones input.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Nov 16, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> I understand that, but what about the young individuals like my self who want to be in this profession for the sole reason to help people. It just doesn't seem fair to generalize that all young people can't make rational judgement, but then again life isn't fair. However, I guess the majority is known for that. With your alcohol example though, isnt that why they have drug tests?
> 
> I appreciate everyones input.



I will say at 19 and my maturity level I had no business working on an ambulance. Not saying you don't that was just me personally. Even now at 22 about to start my paramedic internship I'm scared :censored::censored::censored::censored:less, even after working a bit as an Intermediate on an ALS 911 truck.

Another thing, most drug tests don't test for alcohol.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 16, 2011)

Good point, I see what your saying. Would you deem that true for IFT or Park Medics?


----------



## Handsome Robb (Nov 16, 2011)

I've never worked IFT only 911 so I couldn't tell you.

Not sure what you mean by park medics but I worked as a ski patroller and a beach lifeguard on the busiest beach in my area (3500-4500 patrons/day) before I started working on an ambulance and didn't feel uncomfortable. A very different environment compared to 911 though.


----------



## Aprz (Nov 16, 2011)

From what I've observed in the bay area, it's very unlikely you'll get a job age <21 years, and it is because of the insurance. 9-1-1 wants experience, and by doing IFT, you'll learn how to lift a gurney, drive an ambulance, stock the rig, use a radio, where all the hospitals are at, learn your way around the hospital, what they are for, the things they don't teach you in school because "the real learning starts when you are in the field". Personally I find it a joke because you are expected to learn all that stuff (and do) within a day to up to two weeks. Oh well, I believe the bay area is extremely beyond pro-experience; an EMT without IFT experience shouldn't work 9-1-1, a paramedic without 9-1-1 EMT experience is worthless to them, 9-1-1 > IFT even though both have the same training. To a lot of the EMTs here, even if you do the BLS IFT portion of the company with 9-1-1 contract, you're still better than the IFT-only companies; they often cannot tell the difference. Even what company you work for changes what they think of you. It's a little funny cause all the EMTs and Paramedics I've spoken will say stuff like "Oh, the EMTs at AMR really know their stuff", and "ProTransport-1 EMTs don't know anything", "NorCal ambulance EMT's are jerks", "their paramedics don't know anything", "don't work for WestMed!", and really they are all the same, but we're too dumb to know it, haha! It's like high school. I am very pro-education, but realistically, I know it would be a waste for me to go to Paramedic without >6 mo-1 yr 9-1-1 EMT experience if I want to work as a Paramedic in the bay area. Unfortunately, that's how we roll in the Bay Area.


----------



## Tigger (Nov 16, 2011)

I'm not sure if the insurance thing regarding being 21+ is a national trend or not, but regardless it sounds like that's what might be holding you back. I wouldn't bother taking ACLS type courses, most companies are not going to even be looking for that in a basic. Concentrate on having a sterling criminal/driving record, positive past employer recommendations, and if you can, letting a company know up front that you can work any shift with little notice. They'll love you if you can do the last part. 

Glad I didn't have to deal with that in MA, I got hired last summer at 19 and could drive.


----------



## 46Young (Nov 16, 2011)

The demand for EMS employees varies widely from locale to locale. I would strongly consider relocating. In one area you're type may be a dime a dozen, but in other areas, you can practically write your own ticket. It's crazy.

Bar none, what matters most on a resume after the driving record and criminal history is your related work experience. Think about it, many places start you at different pay rates based on experience. If they didn't care about experience, they would just pay everyone the same coming in. A fair number of places will only hire with experience.

It would be beneficial to get an EMS job, any job. If the place is horrible, just be per diem and do one shift every week or two. Your resume will still say "per diem" for "X" amount of months or years.


----------



## AeonStrike (Nov 16, 2011)

I got my EMT Cert at 18 in LA County. I found a job on an IFT truck with dedicated attendants/drivers before I was 19. 
And about 6 months ago I just moved to a better IFT company that lets me drive since I have a clean record. Also we do lots of SNF ER calls which are good experience. 

But my tips would be to look/sound professional. 
Wear a suit every time you meet your potential supervisor before being hired. 
Know your medical knowledge. 
Be confident you can do the job, many younger people working on rigs are not confident, and they end up doing something stupid and getting fired. 
Work harder than those around, prove you can do the job just as well.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 16, 2011)

Yeah it sounds like that's the verdict try to relocate and find a IFT company that will employ me.


----------



## firetender (Nov 17, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> I understand that, but what about the young individuals like my self who want to be in this profession for the sole reason to help people.


 
To be blunt, that is often the biggest stumbling block to sticking with the work. 

It doesn't take too long, in a lot of areas (typically high-volume) to realize you don't help a whole lot of people but you sure do manage a bunch! You have to quickly become content to do what you can.

For a lot of young people, that's a pretty big bubble to burst and they don't have what it takes to stick it through until they figure out what the work is REALLY about and the role they play within it.

Of course, this plays out with most everyone, regardless of age, who takes a stab at EMS.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 17, 2011)

firetender said:


> To be blunt, that is often the biggest stumbling block to sticking with the work.
> 
> It doesn't take too long, in a lot of areas (typically high-volume) to realize you don't help a whole lot of people but you sure do manage a bunch! You have to quickly become content to do what you can.
> 
> ...



That's interesting. Never really thought of that concept. I undetstand in EMS not every call is a life saving emergency, but I respect what role the job plays in a community. I guess I shoulder have worder that a little better


----------



## systemet (Nov 17, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> My question is to the veterans in EMS is in this rough economy the chances for younger people to get a job seems like slim to none. I have had my EMT for over 6 months and have been job searching for a while. I have all my certs ADL, TB tests, Driving records, etc. I have been putting in apps. in a lot of places, but no luck. I am also 19 years old, and I live in CA.



Have you considered moving somewhere else for a year and getting some experience?

How are job opportunities in neighbouring states?  Going and living / working somewhere else for a year might be a good way to get both some life experience, and improve the resume.

You can't do much about your age.  It's like a non-modifiable cardiac risk factor (or would that be a survival factor, never mind).  People are going to point it out, and all you can really do is say, "Yes, I'm young, but I care about what I'm doing, I'm working hard to improve myself, and I'm happy to be in this field".  You can't demand that anyone respect you, you can just hope that as they get to know you this happens.

Getting more education is never a bad thing for anyone.  If you can afford university, there's a good option for something to do while you're getting older.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 17, 2011)

Good point I have done much research on relocating. Although, it sounds like I should. I am currently enrolled in my local junior college and I'm pursuing a degree in communications.


----------



## systemet (Nov 17, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> Good point I have done much research on relocating. Although, it sounds like I should. I am currently enrolled in my local junior college and I'm pursuing a degree in communications.



I would strongly encourage you to finish your degree, even if you relocate.  It's much easier to do before you have a mortgage / wife or husband / kids, etc.  I did my undergrad between 26-30, while working a full-time urban ALS slot.  It was hard, and I sacrificed a lot.  It was worth it, but it would have been easier to do it the other way around.


----------



## medicnick83 (Nov 17, 2011)

My advice for BLS guys (new guys) I posted on my blog a while back...

LINK 

Obviously, like I have said before, it's for ZA people.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 17, 2011)

systemet said:


> I would strongly encourage you to finish your degree, even if you relocate.  It's much easier to do before you have a mortgage / wife or husband / kids, etc.  I did my undergrad between 26-30, while working a full-time urban ALS slot.  It was hard, and I sacrificed a lot.  It was worth it, but it would have been easier to do it the other way around.



Well put, finish the degree and try to relocate. I have family that lives in Arizona. Would you think that would be a good place to relocate to? Also has anyone ever relocated and how did it work out. Sounds like a lot of work just trying to get your certs transfered over to another state and to not even be promised a job or anything.


----------



## systemet (Nov 17, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> I have family that lives in Arizona. Would you think that would be a good place to relocate to? Also has anyone ever relocated and how did it work out.



I've never worked in the states, and I've never been to California.  But I can say that Arizona is spectacularly beautiful.  I visited for a few weeks in 2005, and loved it.

I moved about 3 hours from my home town for my first EMS job, just before my 19th birthday because it was the only place I could find doing 911 work at the time.  I've also lived in 3 different countries.  I'm not going to pretend relocating is easy, but if this is your passion, sometimes you have to make sacrifices.  I'd just be careful with the degree.  It might seem now like you could drop it for a couple of years and pick it back up, but things might not be that easy.  I've met quite a few medics who've regretted dropping out of university to pursue EMS.



> Sounds like a lot of work just trying to get your certs transfered over to another state and to not even be promised a job or anything.



It might be.  You might have to write national registry, or state exams.  These probably cost money, and you may be shelling out to another registry body for licensing fees.  You may have to keep paying money to CA while you're gone.

But if you know there's a lot of EMT-B jobs where you're thinking about heading, and you're having a lot of trouble in CA (and it sounds like a lot of people are), then it might just be worth it.

I tell you, if I was 19, and lived in the US, I'd be happy to give southern Utah, Arizona, Texas, a shot.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 17, 2011)

Wow, Thank you for all that information. A lot of good stuff in there. I will look into it, seems like there is a lot of good oppourtunity out there.


----------



## Steam Engine (Nov 21, 2011)

NVRob said:


> I've never worked IFT only 911 so I couldn't tell you.
> 
> Not sure what you mean by park medics but I worked as a ski patroller and a beach lifeguard on the busiest beach in my area (3500-4500 patrons/day) before I started working on an ambulance and didn't feel uncomfortable. A very different environment compared to 911 though.



From my understanding Park Medic is a level unique to the National Park Service, and is somewhere between an NREMT-I/99 and Paramedic.


----------



## SDrossos (Nov 21, 2011)

I meant an Amusement Park Medic. Sorry for the mix up.


----------



## Handsome Robb (Nov 21, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> I meant an Amusement Park Medic. Sorry for the mix up.



I'd guess working as an amusement park medic would be similar to my beach job minus watching people fail at swimming and playing on our beach patrol jet skis and boat hah. We had lots of cuts, scrapes, ground level falls with the random chest pain, stroke like symptoms and syncopal episode mixed in.

Usually not serious but things do go bad from time to time.


----------



## Tigger (Nov 21, 2011)

SDrossos said:


> My question is: What do you think is the best way someone like me can beef up my resume? I have a lot of the ICS certs which I noticed ambulance companies are looking for, but should I maybe be taking like ACLS?or PALS?



Being young makes it tough to have a strong resume. Being that I am 20, there just has not been a tremendous amount of time to gain "life experience," and I think I've made a stronger effort than most.

However, in much of EMS, it is not going to be your resume that gets you hired, it's going to be your ability to provide what the company wants. At lowest level, an ambulance company is hiring because they need bodies to fill shifts. You could have the greatest resume in the world, but if your availability does not correspond to what the company needs, you aren't getting hired. So, if possible, be upfront with the company and tell them you will work *any shift, at any time, with little notice*. I know for a fact that this why I got hired out of a pool of 170 people for 20 positions when there were certainly people more qualified than me. 

Working without a schedule is not great. You never have a good partner for a significant amount of time and the opposite seems to be true for bad partners. The 530am phone calls asking if your available suck a lot(and if you're available and the new guy you pretty much have to jump on that shift to gain credibility). But it gets better pretty fast. If you show that you are dedicated to the company, they will start to work with you on scheduling once you have some time on. 

I realize that this is not option for some people, given family and whatnot. When you're young though you are less likely to have these problems, so now is the time to make a few sacrifices and get a job so you can get experience. Down the line you might not be flexible enough to make these sacrifices, but you at least you can say that you worked on a truck for x years, giving you a significant leg up over future competition. An experienced EMT or medic is going to find that getting a job is lot easier, generally speaking.


----------



## Tigger (Nov 21, 2011)

NVRob said:


> I've never worked IFT only 911 so I couldn't tell you.
> 
> Not sure what you mean by park medics but I worked as a ski patroller and a beach lifeguard on the busiest beach in my area (3500-4500 patrons/day) before I started working on an ambulance and didn't feel uncomfortable. A very different environment compared to 911 though.



I had a similar experience too. Working as student-athletic trainer by nature means I don't see a ton of serious illness or injury. 20 year old college athletes are not real likely to have an MI or CVA or anything like that. But I do see literally thousands of "patients" a year, which definitely allowed me to get over my inherent shyness and learn to interact with the people I was caring for and be comfortable in a healthcare environment. I think many in the 18-21 crowd are not comfortable in the healthcare environment, so such experience could be very beneficial. I know it definitely helped me once I got a job on an ambulance since I didn't have to learn to talk to strangers about their health problems.


----------

