How did you search for your job?

[Chimpie]

Job searching has changed over the last decade. Back in 2004 when EMTLife was launched, searching for an EMS job was limited to the newspaper, job search sites (CareerBuilder, Monster, etc) and knowing someone at the agency/dept you were interested in. Now there a many more choices to choose from.

So I ask: How did you search for you most recent job? Or if you're in the search process now, where are you searching?

Please list as many sites and/or methods as possible.

Thanks!

 

[titmouse]

My first employer I have found on the internet. The current one was actually in person with a paper application which I actually prefer.

 

[Chimpie]

My first employer I have found on the internet. The current one was actually in person with a paper application which I actually prefer.

Did you visit their website or did you use a job search engine?

 

[DesertMedic66]

I have found all the EMS jobs I have when I was going through the EMT program at my college. It was just a matter of passing the class and then turning in applications. I'm not a huge fan of online job searching.

 

[UnkiEMT]

My current job I found through craigslist, every other one I found by walking up and dropping an application...they were the only game in town, so...

In my experience., most markets are small enough that you can pretty easily find out what companies exist, then just hitting up their websites to find out who's hiring.

 

[rails]

I knew who I wanted to work for after I had completed my clinical rotations. Once I had my NREMT and state card, I applied for a job with that company (an application over the Internet). They then called me for an interview, and I got hired after that.

 

[Medic Tim]

My first job was with the service I did my internship at. When I moved back to Canada I applied to the 1 and only ambulance service in the province( government 3rd service) the only way to apply was through their website.

My current job I saw an advertisement in a newspaper. I looked at them and other similar companies ( industrial/ remote clinic) I applied through their website and was flown out a few weeks later.

 

[titmouse]

Did you visit their website or did you use a job search engine?

I have visited all of the ones you mentioned. Pretty much all do the same.

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

I found my first job thru a craigslist search, and my current job from my partner at the time who was doing his internship up here and mentioned they were hiring. They have no website and no real recruiting to speak of, if it hadn't have been for him suggesting I apply here I'd still be running Granny to and from dialysis...

 

[BASICallyEMT]

World wide web!

 

[PotatoMedic]

I had trimed come to class and do a presentation. And I knew of the local companies so a simple google-fu to find their website and filled out the application.

 

[DrParasite]

honest answer: for my new job (starting in 2 weeks), I did the research, found an agency that met what I was looking, and waiting for the job to be posted. then i flew down there, took the two day testing, passed, and was offered the job. I had to turn it down for personal reasons, and did the same thing two months ago, again got the offer, and will be starting on the 21st.

for my current job, I was working at my previous employer on an ambulance with a guy who worked FT here. he suggested I apply, i filled out the application, and got hired.

for the job prior, I ran into the ops director in the hallway of the hospital, asked him how i could get a job, he said apply and they would interview me. i got hired.

for the job prior, i think it was a posting on indeed.com (or some other non-ems job site), because i was bored one night. I got hired.

to be honest, I'd use any and all avenues I could find to get that first job. IFT, transports, 911, doesn't matter, as long as it's a paycheck and full time, that's what employers want to see. If you can't get FT, try part time or per diem. once you have some experience, you can be more selective on where you go, and actually apply where you want to go, not just go to whomever will offer you the job.

 

[Drax]

Current Job:

Google searched
"Emt b jobs pierce county"
"Emt b jobs king county"
Found this website "indeed.com"
Applied for every job I met the requirements.

 

[Rin]

I searched Google Maps: "ambulance companies near X City" and "fire departments near X City." That way, I could see who was near, who covered what area, who was convenient by highway, etc. Handy little map tags with links to company websites

 

[Emergency Metaphysics]

I searched Google Maps: "ambulance companies near X City" and "fire departments near X City." That way, I could see who was near, who covered what area, who was convenient by highway, etc. Handy little map tags with links to company websites

Creative and genius. I plan to employ this method alongside the others.

M.

 

[NomadicMedic]

At my first EMT job, I just walked in and applied. They took anyone with a pulse and a patch. I was a volunteer firefighter in town, so they knew me.

In later days, it was simply an application, followed by a simple test. TriMed did one day of orientation with me and then I was running calls, while the rest of my hire group was sitting in the "Thomas Map Book" class.

Paramedic jobs in Washington state were a bit more involved, but no more difficult than just applying and interviewing. I did my paramedic rides at ALS in Yakima, so that was a no brainer. I was hired immediately. Olympic in Bremerton was CCT, and was just an application and a 10 minute Q&A with the ops director. The fire job was a bit more involved, typical CPAT, interview, written test… All that good stuff

When I moved to DE, it was after a long search, using a very detailed list of specific criteria that I wanted in a job. My system in DE fit to a T, so I flew in, interviewed, was hired and flew home to pack. I started a month later, after a fantastic cross country drive with my dog, camping and seeing the sights.

I'm a little different, as I had a career before EMS that necessitated interviewing and moving about every 18 months, so the idea of walking in and nailing a job interview then moving across the country was not at all foreign to me. It's never easy, but I never get the "interview jitters" and I know how to systematically plan and execute a job search.