# Bank of Interview Questions



## SanDiegoEmt7 (Nov 7, 2010)

This forum is scattered with questions regarding the interview process and I though it would be nice to create a thread where possible questions could be listed for future applicants to study.

This thread will assume that you understand the basics of appropriate dress and manners for an interview, as well as all the medical/operational knowledge you would be expected to know from EMT/medic school and your local protocols.

Let's try to keep all responses strictly to adding questions to the bank.

Keep in mind the best way to answer any situational or behavior based question ("Tell me about a time when...") is the STAR method: 1)situation (task, or problem) at hand 2)action taken by you (no one else but you) and 3)results or outcome

Here's a list to start the thread
(perhaps we can make this a sticky in the employment thread?)


1.	Tell me about yourself
2.	Why do you want to be an EMT?
3.	Tell me about your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
4.	What are your plans for the next 5 years? 10 years?
5.	What is one of your greatest failures, and what did you learn from it?
6.	Tell me about a problem you have had with an employee and how you resolved it?
7.	Describe a time when you did not get along with a coworker?
8.	What motivates you?
9.	How would your friends describe you?
10.	Give me a time when you had to act professionally despite your personal feelings.
11.	Tell me about a situation where you had to utilize the chain of command and how you felt about it. 
12.	Tell me about a time when you did the right thing even if it was detrimental to you.
13.	Give me a time when you made someone better by your actions, and what was the result.
14.	Tell us about a time you made an unsafe scene safe
15.	Tell us about your most rewarding EMS experience
16.	Why do you want to work here?
17.	Tell me about a time when you made a decision and later regretted it
18.	Tell me about a time you dealt with upset parties
19.	Tell me about a time when you came up with a creative solution to a problem
20.	Tell me about a stressful situation you encountered and how you resolved it
21.	Describe to me a leadership role you have been involved in
22.	Why did you choose this career?
23.	Describe a situation in which you were able to use persuasion to successfully convince someone to see things your way.
24.	Give me an example of a time when you used good judgment and logic in solving a problem
25.	Give me an example of a goal you set and how you achieved it
26.	Tell me about a time when you had to use your presentation skills to influence someone’s opinion
27.	Give me an example of a time you had to conform to a policy with which you didn’t agree
28.	Tell me about a time when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to get a job done
29.	Tell me about a time when you had too many things to do and were required to prioritize
30.	Give me an example of a time when you had to make a split second decision
31.	Tell me about a time when you had to deal with a person that did not like you? (or vice versa)
32.	Tell me about a difficult decision you made in the last year
33.	Give me an example of something you tried to accomplish and failed
34.	Give me an example of when you showed initiative and took the lead
35.	Tell me about a time when you delegated a project successfully
36.	Give me an example of a time when you used your fact finding skills to solve a problem
37.	Tell me about a time when you missed an obvious solution to a problem
38.	Describe a time when you anticipated potential problems and developed preventative measures
39.	Tell me about a time when you were force to make an unpopular decision
40.	Tell me about a time you surmounted a major obstacle


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## rural911 (Nov 12, 2010)

Some, great questions here. Could you post some great ways to answer these said questions?


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## akflightmedic (Nov 12, 2010)

rural911 said:


> Some, great questions here. Could you post some great ways to answer these said questions?



HA HA HA HA HA ! !!!!

Seriously???

How about if you want the job bad enough, you take the list and under no duress (such as an actual interview) and formulate your own answers.

You then practice and refine your answers.

You then are prepared for said interview when it arrives.

But to give you the answers??? Please tell me you were joking....


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## SanDiegoEmt7 (Nov 12, 2010)

Just tell me when your interview is and I'll go for you h34r:


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## rural911 (Nov 12, 2010)

Listen, this quote is long (below) but hey this is the kind of answer that I was looking for for myself, and others that read the thread. Ways people that have had experience and success answering a question a certain way could enlighten others to help them formulate better answers to interview questions. That's it, but hey you see the answers I got. Many people can benefit from the guidance of someone that has been there before. If you hadn't forgotten where you came from for the "reply" moment you might of remembered I'm sure the many times in this field that someone has enlightened you on something. 

"Why Do You Want to be a Firefighter?

This is one of the toughest questions to answer without sounding like a Clone.

I have thought long and hard about the answer to “why do you want to be a firefighter”. I'm having a tough time putting it into words. My biggest desire to be a firefighter is because I love the way the department functions first as a family, then as a job.

I've had way too many jobs that were just corporate ladder climbers and backstabbers. Do you think if I push the “family” aspect will I get max points for that question?

Reply: This is a “Clone” answer. It will doom your oral board. Try to think of what really sparked your interest to be a firefighter. Come up with those signature stories. Once you have the board hooked into listening to you, you can use those other “Clone” answers to caboose your answer.

By the way, I would never use, “I've had way too many jobs that were just corporate ladder climbers and backstabbers”, as part of your answer. It might give a bad impression of you to the oral board.

I asked a candidate, who was testing for Oakland, during coaching one day why he wanted to be a firefighter. He gave me the typical “Clone” answer, “It's giving back to the community, public service, helping other's, blah, blah, zzzzzzzzzzzz.”

I stopped him and asked, “What really got you interested in being a firefighter?” He said, “Oh, well I grew up in Oakland, but moved to Shasta during high school. After graduation I went to hotel management school in Reno. That didn't work out, so I moved back to Oakland and started going to Chabot College. I met an old friend who was in the fire science program. We ended up over at his house. His father was a Captain for Oakland. They got me all fired up, I signed up in fire science, got my firefighter 1, became a medic and I'm currently a federal firefighter.”

I just sat there amazed. I asked him if he had ever used this (his signature) story before? He said no. You gave me the “Clone” answer and you had this beauty sitting here? He polished up the story and practiced it with a tape recorder. He works proudly for the City of Alameda.

Another candidate remembered he had the Gage and Desoto dish and cup set from the TV series Emergency. His mom had a picture of him in front of the TV as a kid eating off it when the show came on. He took that picture to his orals. Did it work? He works for San Jose Fire.


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## JPINFV (Nov 12, 2010)

SanDiegoEmt7 said:


> 1.	Tell me about yourself
> 2.	Why do you want to be an EMT?
> 3.	Tell me about your greatest strength? Greatest weakness?
> 4.	What are your plans for the next 5 years? 10 years?
> ...



1. I'm a 25 y/o male who's a hawker of fine ladies and powdered recreational substances.

2. My understanding is that EMS deals with a lot of drug abusers and criminals. It's not that I'm interested in EMS, I'm just doing business background research and this gives me the access I need to examine the market. 

3. Greatest strength: Hookers and blow. Greatest weakness: Hookers and blow.

4. Realistically? 5 years: Hookers and blow, followed by prison  10 years: Hopefully out of prison, and better at hiding the hookers and blow.

5. Greatest failure: Paying for hookers. I learned that if I run them over I get my money back. 

6. I used to have a delivery boy who would skim off the top. His kneecaps are no longer in one piece. 

7. See number 6. 

8. The Benjamens. 

9. Cunning businessman. 

10. So this one time, these two dudes were trying to knock over my delivery boy. I caught them and decided to only put two through the chest of each of them. At least their families got to have an open casket funeral. 

11. I normally keep my chain of command in my trunk. I think of it as links of motivation, and using it makes me feel happy.


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## abckidsmom (Nov 12, 2010)

These are answers that come from personal experience, though.  And regardless how cute a kid looks in a picture eating off a Johnny and Roy plate, I would never hire him if he came to the interview with a single hint of the short fuse you demonstrated, though.  This last post was way more coherent, but there are enough strong personalities in our department, we don't need a new guy like that too.

I want to hear personal stories in an interview, that illustrate your ability to admit to mistakes, learn from them and accept criticism well.  That, combined with at least a mediocre education can take you far. 

Having polished answers is not the point.  It's being honest, communicating your true personality and skill set, and having a personality that they'd want to invite into the department.

But I'm a small town girl from Virginia, where we put a really high value on manners.


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## rural911 (Nov 12, 2010)

Now see that's a simple guidance answer. Thanks Virginia. Thank you... That's all people need/want in this field is some simple soft handed guidance at times. Not some brash comments made by those that feel they are better than you. These were the points I was making.


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## JPINFV (Nov 12, 2010)

rural911 said:


> Listen, this quote is long (below)


I'll make this tip free. If you're going to quote, provide a reference. 

http://www.eatstress.com/captain_bob_why_firefighter.htm


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## rural911 (Nov 12, 2010)

JPINFV    LOL HA HA HA HA  That's awesome! great answers LOL Thanks


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## medic084 (Nov 12, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> 1. I'm a 25 y/o male who's a hawker of fine ladies and powdered recreational substances.
> 
> 2. My understanding is that EMS deals with a lot of drug abusers and criminals. It's not that I'm interested in EMS, I'm just doing business background research and this gives me the access I need to examine the market.
> 
> ...


Oh now that was funny


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## ffemt8978 (Nov 12, 2010)

Okay, this thread has been cleaned up but if I have to do it again it will be closed.

KEEP IT POLITE!


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## rural911 (Nov 13, 2010)

I came across a website that had some interview questions and some guidance of answering maybe it will be helpful for some. Here is an example of one of the questions:

"Have you told your friends and family you applied for this position and the responsibilities/comittment it requires? What are their thoughts? The answer gives some insight into how others close to you view the job, and may indicate your ability to be a long-term employee."
more... http://www.911dispatch.com/jobs/job_interview.html


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## rural911 (Nov 13, 2010)

Here is another good one. I'm sure most of you have seen it, but for those that haven't maybe it gets ya thinking about this type of question.


"Possible test question/interview question: You are in a fully involved fire and your partner and an infant are both down, they are both right next to you and you can only grab one which one do you grab and why? Remember to ask the oral board additional questions to draw a better picture, stop and think about it.

An example reply from a testing candidate was:
I first asked if I knew where both of them were located, then I asked if there was anyway possible in all my power to save both of them, then I said I would take the firefighter because if anything goes wrong in a fire with you and your partner you are suppose to get out immediately.

Then after that they told me when you get out of the building you see the infants family and what do you say to them. So I said that I would say I was sorry for what happened and explain the situation the best way I was able under the circumstances. Then they told me that next the media approaches me and what do you say to them. So I said that I would given the circumstances of what I had just been through I would have another officer speak to them because now just wasn't a good time.

Like most candidates he took the bait on saving your partner. So the correct answer is to save the infant? The key here is one word from your EMT training that is "Triage". Which of the two is in worse condition or can not be saved. As for the media, remember the chain of command. Discuss the situation with your supervisor and allow him to address the media. What you say in a stressful moment could cause a lot of trouble for your department."

-Capt. Bob Smith


http://www.firecareerassist.com/html/firefighter_ems_interview.htm


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## SanDiegoEmt7 (Nov 13, 2010)

JPINFV said:


> 1. I'm a 25 y/o male who's a hawker of fine ladies and powdered recreational substances.
> 
> 2. My understanding is that EMS deals with a lot of drug abusers and criminals. It's not that I'm interested in EMS, I'm just doing business background research and this gives me the access I need to examine the market.
> 
> ...



It's funny I said almost the same things at my interview.  Worked for me.


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