I Think I'm Giving Up On My EMS Goals ( Kern County )

[TransportJockey]

Honestly OP, if you've been shot down at your 'dream job' it might be time to relocate, go to medic school, or find another field. Or 1&2 at the same time. I have moved cross country for a better opportunity, as have many of us. This last move, though, was mainly because I was bored where I was and wanted a change.

 

[mgr22]

To the OP, if you're just looking to vent, no problem. If you're looking for advice, don't be so quick to rule out DEmedic's remarks. Okay, so maybe he doesn't get any points for community relations but I was thinking "entitlement" just before I read that from him. I urge you to consider the possibility that others see you differently than you see yourself, and that if your tone during an interview is similar to the one we're reading here, you might be at least partly responsible for the lack of job offers so far. To be more specific, if I were hiring, and you were a candidate, and I read your posts here, I'd be thinking you'd probably be too high-maintenance and inflexible to merit further consideration. I might be wrong about all of that, but those would be my impressions.

 

[akflightmedic]

I love the "its my dream job, I live and breathe it...blah blah blah" but the moment you suggest moving to achieve that goal, everything goes out window! LOL

Lets see...I started in SC and didnt see a future, hated the protocols and the wages so what did I do...I moved to FL.
I love FL, the wages and protocols were way better but then I wanted to fly. I lived and breathed it. What did I do?
I moved to Alaska so I could fly!! LOL

Then I wanted adventure, even more opportunity and more money...what did I do? I went overseas!!
Of course then I crossed into business ownership, but the point is...how bad do you really want it?

Its all bullshyte until you take action, talk is talk.

 

[SandpitMedic]

Guys, don't you get it!? He's the best. At life. Jeeze. Cut the dude some slack, he deserves to be working wherever he wants. He's the man! He's even shown a sliver or humility, which demonstrates his all around cognitive and emotional superiority... That was tough, he deserves more for that too! He's clearly above average intelligence, given his screen name... Come on! You bunch of dumb ****s... He's so smart. He knows what he deserves.

 

[Ewok Jerky]

Aren't you the guy that failed NREMT on the first go around? Maybe you aren't the ideal candidate you think you are.

Also, if you get to the interview, especially a second interview, it means you are qualified. The whole point of the interview is to answer the question "do I want to work with this person". I agree that you come across as arrogant and entitled by your posts here. I would not be looking forward to spending 12 hours in a small van with you.

And, if you want to be an EMT/medic that bad, then move. Most of us have. I moved from one coast to the other and back again to get where I am at today.

 

[CentralCalEMT]

This post will seem "rude" to the OP, but it has to be said. I have worked for multiple companies in Central California. Besides Hall, there is only 1 company up here who works 12 hour shifts as a rule and they do want people who live in the general area. However, for all the other companies, location is of secondary importance. I personally know people from Bakersfield who work for or have worked for Lifestar in Tulare, American in Visalia, AMR in Visalia, Exeter District Ambulance, and Imperial in Porterville. All of these are in the next county north of Kern County. All those companies will hire you on 24 hour shifts even if you live in Bakersfield because the vast majority of their shifts are 24 hour shifts. If you have applied to multiple companies and they have not hired you, it is possible the reason lies within you. The standards up here are not so lofty and high that the job is unattainable. Many 18 year olds fresh out of high school get hired right after they get their EMT card. In my experience, there are two reasons that people do not get hired. This applies to MOST people who can not get hired in EMS. Keep in mind I am a paramedic supervisor and paramedic preceptor who regularly does interviews, so I do have experience in this area.

1. The HR people may possibly see you as the person who is not going to be totally committed to the job. They may see you as someone who considers their job secondary to other commitments in their life. If EMS can not be your first commitment, that is OK. It is your life and you prioritize things as you see fit. However, nobody is entitled to an EMS job and HR will hire the person most committed to their organization. It is a pure business decision and not meant personally against you or anyone else. Business decisions hurt people's feelings at times, but they need to be made. However, when you look at it, can you blame them? If you were in their shoes would you want someone who has multiple other commitments, or someone who is completely open to any and every shift. School and other commitments take away from your availability. The fact you are studying chemistry or anything else does not enhance the company in the minds of HR. You can argue that people who have degrees are more well rounded, but that is not the way the EMS industry sees things in general, especially in your specific region. Given the choice of you, who will be limited in when you are available, or some other person with less education but more availability, who do you think they will hire? They are going to hire the person who is available 24/7/365 even if he has less education because he is available to him. They are going to hire the person they can call at 0700 on their day off who will come in because they need them too and not the person who has class so they can not come in. The fact you are being a good student means nothing to them because it does not fill shifts. To them an EMT card is an EMT card.

2. The other option is that the HR people do not like your personality. This may sting, but it is a real possibility. Again, this is not meant as a personal attack on you but to provide possible clarity about your situation. If you speak to people the same way you write posts here, and take criticism the same way you take criticism here, then that may be the reason you have not been hired. I do not know your intent when you write, but you universally came across as entitled and arrogant to the people here. It was not just one or two people, but everyone who replied. I fully realize that none of us know you. However, it is very important to realize how you come across to others. The person interviewing you needs to see if your personality will fit in with not only their organizational culture, but also the population they serve. People who call EMS do not need some intellectual talking down to them. They do not need someone arrogant who believes they are better than those they serve. If you come across as someone like that, then of course you will not be hired. You need to be seen as someone who genuinely wants to serve the community and get along with their co workers You have to come across as a committed team player. Again, I do not know you in real life, but you need to look at yourself and ask if you come across as that. Only you know the true answer, but you do need to be honest with yourself either way.

In conclusion, just because you describe yourself as the ideal candidate, does not mean you are. You obviously have the knowledge and intellect to do this job. You also have not been hired despite interviews. Therefore, it is only logical to conclude there is some other reason you have not been hired. Remember, you need to come across as humble but confident in an interview. People who come across as arrogant, entitled, or over confident do not get hired. I have a BA degree from a nationally ranked university (ranked by US News and World Report). That does not make me any more qualified than a paramedic who went to community college only. We both have the same level of certification. What it comes down to is how we interview and our attitude and performance after we get hired. Again, I do not know you, but there has to be a reason you are not being hired. I wish you the best as you pursue your dream, and home you will consider what I said if any of this applies to you.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Aren't you the guy that failed NREMT on the first go around? Maybe you aren't the ideal candidate you think you are.

Also, if you get to the interview, especially a second interview, it means you are qualified. The whole point of the interview is to answer the question "do I want to work with this person". I agree that you come across as arrogant and entitled by your posts here. I would not be looking forward to spending 12 hours in a small van with you.

And, if you want to be an EMT/medic that bad, then move. Most of us have. I moved from one coast to the other and back again to get where I am at today.

I just reread this OP's post whining about failing the NREMT on his first go 'round and how he couldn't understand that happening to a student of his caliber.

http://emtlife.com/threads/nremt-failed-advice.40385/#post-558824

Yeah. D-bag level: expert.

Next.

 

[squirrel15]

So you go into interviews and spew out what you read on the recruitment poster? Maybe they are looking for someone who is a person and can think for themselves. Going in and spouting out everything they want and saying you're perfect and do no wrong and your personality is exactly what's on that poster, they are gonna call BS real quick. If your driving record was that bad, it shows poor judgment whether you want to admit it or not, you're still seen as a liability. Stop blaming others for your own wrong doing. Realize that you aren't showing who you really are in those interviews and they know you aren't showing the real you. But here on this board you are showing the real you and its not pretty and not someone people want stuck with for long shifts in small spaces.

 

[SandpitMedic]

Dude... ****...

When I need to decompress after a bad day I always step into the ready room and proceed to tell all of the others like me how great I am, how much more fit I am, and how smarter I am than all of them.

**** them.

I'm the ****.

You know when I'm really feeling like life boned me (cuz I'm soooo cool) I like to do the same thing to strangers, only I do it with a title that expresses self pity.


I'll show them f.......

 

[SandpitMedic]

I await the day when this forum and the leaders allow me to tear into some of these snowflakes... And I mean tear the blank into them to the point they never want to get on a computer again.

I'm not taking about the smart guys here who have legit debates (I love you, man, Remi) ... I mean the guys who are wearing clown shoes two sizes too big.

 

[Gurby]

The first thing that popped into my head while reading the OP's posts was, "you aren't hiding your autism well." But then I thought, that's being unfair to people with autism...

I think OP has some clear personality issues that need to be worked out, and it seems like the OP is unaware of them. I hope OP will read this thread and do some introspection, and not just storm off angrily because a bunch of internet strangers are being rude and impolite. I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring these issues to a psychiatrist or a psychologist because they are having a major impact on your life, probably in more ways than you realize (not just preventing you from getting an EMS job).

 

[Ethan]

I would try leaving your ego at the door and presenting yourself with some humility.

 

[MackTheKnife]

Just reading your reply makes me understand why you probably weren't hired.

But, good luck in the future. I'm sure they'll eventually make that "ideal hire".

Smh. Entitlement has become a disease.

Didn't catch a hint of entitlement in his post. What I did see was confidence and enthusiasm and a belief in self. He never said he was owed anything.

 

[MackTheKnife]

As you understood it, you were wrong. Perhaps your problem is not taking valid and helpful advice when it is presented to you.


He probably doesn't have access to google... Or advice from current employees.

Such snarky comments and undeserved.

 

[MackTheKnife]

That statement is completely ill reasoned and impolite. I'm clearly decompressing, and the fact of that matter is you don't know anything about me personally, my general demeanor, level of self awareness etc... Do you honestly think I went into any of those interviews with an attitude, without humility, lacking decorum ? If you had any sense, you would accept that a relocation is unreasonable. I would thank you for your sarcastic regards... I was hoping someone could relate, or at least provide some encouragement, reassurance. In light of my options, I want to be a Paramedic. I think about it, dream about, I get excited seeing rigs running code even after all this let down. Anyway. Edit- you wouldn't happen to be German would you? The DE I mean

You will find people in this forum that are condescending, rude, impolite, snarky, etc. Ignore them. You might think about nursing school while you maintain your EMT quals. Unless Paramedic school is an option and is truly what you want to be. You sound pretty smart and confident.

 

[LACoGurneyjockey]

@MackTheKnife last time I heard from you weren't you trying to defend EMT's being able to intubate? Snarky comments often deserve snarky responses.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Didn't catch a hint of entitlement in his post. What I did see was confidence and enthusiasm and a belief in self. He never said he was owed anything.

Read it again. He's brilliant, he could breeze through nursing school and can't understand why an agency won't hire him to work as an EMT.

 

[MackTheKnife]

@MackTheKnife last time I heard from you weren't you trying to defend EMT's being able to intubate? Snarky comments often deserve snarky responses.

Not defending, advocating!

 

[MackTheKnife]

Read it again. He's brilliant, he could breeze through nursing school and can't understand why an agency won't hire him to work as an EMT.

So he's perhaps over eager, over confident. No where did he say he was owed a job.
I will say he is a bit naive about not being told why not from HR. HR can't talk about the why not, even if they know.

 

[gonefishing]

@MackTheKnife last time I heard from you weren't you trying to defend EMT's being able to intubate? Snarky comments often deserve snarky responses.

Honestly how I feel right now.lol