No luck with job...Move on to medic school?

[adwr070621]

So as the title states. Not having any luck landing a position somewhere. Just moved, got the reciprocity done, (EMT-I), but can't get anything. Looking at just taking some BS job in the meantime.

Anyone else been in a situation like this?

 

[Angel]

how long have you been looking? does this include ER jobs?
How is the market for EMTs? Medics?

Theres a bit to consider before dumping the $$ into medic school, especially if the job outlook is just as low as it is for EMTs

Are you applying for jobs but not getting hired? Id give those places a call and see why. maybe theres something you can improve upon.

all things being equal what about nursing?

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

Kind of the in the same boat up in Minnesota, I have got my EMT-B certification. Applied with Mayo Medical Transport AKA Gold Cross Ambulance. I got a call and they are looking for EMTs that are enrolled in Paramedic school. So a lot of the big guys are just hiring paramedics and only taking paramedic students with EMT-B certification. In contrast, small agencies like volunteer, and summer camps are always looking for EMT-Bs and staffing agencies are staffing temp EMTs for conventions, concerts, sporting events and so forth. Hospitals are also hiring ER techs and PCE patient care extenders or PCTs, that requires EMT-B experience but 1 year experience preferred. But how is a person supposed to get a job fresh out of training. I am having the same problem here. I would apply and application status would show being reviewed by hiring manager. 24 hour later it would say not selected please consider other positions. I am starting surgical technology training in the fall, I hope I have better luck with finding a job in that field. Good luck:sad:

 

[xrsm002]

Yup been in that situation. I applied at a every ems service in my former community and got two interviews one with ems and one with ER didn't get either job. This was after paramedic school. Ended up moving to a different city for wife's job. Working PRN at a 911 service.

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

" I thought I was doing something wrong!" Now I am not alone.:rofl:

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

" I thought I was doing something wrong!" Now I am not alone.:rofl:

"Big city turn me loose and set me free." Merle Haggard.

 

[OnceAnEMT]

I can't give personal experience because I haven't been in that situation, fortunately, but that is only because EMS is not my career. What partners of mine have done/are doing is working as an EMT-B for a private transport company with flexible schedules while in medic school. If you can land a better job while still being able to safely succeed in school, then by all means go for it. But private transport is an easy way to get paid and maintain your game, to a point (you don't see many traumas, sure, but you still run as many assessments as you'd like).

 

[adwr070621]

Honestly, it's only been 1 month. I know the hiring process is slow. Getting a lot of turn downs from hospitals. Perhaps I will try to call them to see what I need to do to get past the initial resume screening.

I have been thinking about redoing my resume, also have been trying to remain patient.

I attempted to attach my resume. Maybe you guys can take a look at it and see if there is something I should do differently. I have no "real" EMS experience, but do have experience that I think would be beneficial to any organization.

Thanks to all you guys.

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

Did you try applying for OCFD I know they have a great fire academy. But I think the EMTs there have to be Firefighters. I saw the OCFD on a TV reality show called "The Academy" it was on FOX. Sorry I just realized that you are from NC not CA. But I know HR recruiters they actually input the resumes in a computer system if there are key words missing or it does not meet the experience or qualifications it will throw it out and then an automated letter gets sent with the BS stating that our decision was to look for other candidates at this time. :angry: I don't know what these people want out of new EMTs, a 4 year college degree. I think that is what they want. But they need to let us try and get our feet wet. :rofl:

 

[adwr070621]

I'm waiting for OC to have openings. A guy told me they were going to hire in June. In the meantime I've been waiting to hear back from my local Fire Dept. and Orange County Rescue Squad for some volunteer time.

 

[CALEMT]

Luckily I've never been in a situation like this but my advice would be keep your head up. By looking at your resumé it looks like you just got your EMT cert. and you have to remember that you don't get these jobs overnight. After I passed my EMT class and got all the stuff I needed to get I think it was about 4 months after I passed when I was working at my first EMS job.

Looking at your resumé it looks good man. Employers see any military experience and its automatic brownie points (even a few extra depending on your job). Its simple and easy to read, you listed every cert and every medal which always helps. To me everything looks alright, you just need to keep your head up and keep applying.

My first EMS job was BLS IFT doing dialysis calls and hospital discharges, was it a sketchy company and a crappy job... yeah but it was a start for me. Now I have been hired with the 911 company for the music festivals (took me over a year) in the local are and just been picked up by CAL FIRE for seasonal firefighter (took me two years). I started literally at the bottom and now I'm near the top in all about a years time. So my best advice would be to keep your head up and keep applying. Personally if it were me I would hold off on medic school till you get some experience. Best of luck to ya!

 

[teedubbyaw]

You've got a great background, man. I'd probably not want to post that info. online, though.

 

[GoldcrossEMTbasic]

Well, I have to take one step at a time, I have tried too, At EMS agencies, But I landed a job working at a Girl Scout Camp for the summer and at a convention for 3 days. Its a start. Good Luck.

 

[adwr070621]

Hey you guys. Thanks for checking out my resume, and you're right, I shouldn't have posted that sensitive info about myself. Guess I was being a little too trustworthy.

Either way, ironically a few days after I started this thread I was called in to do a written test. Did that this morning. Went very well. Studied a little before hand, don't think it helped. I found the questions pretty simple and most of them required just a little bit of common sense.

There was one questions that shook me.
It involved a laceration to the right side of the neck and asked why an occlusive dressing should be used. The 2 answers I narrowed it down to were to A)protect the wound from a cervical collar or B) to control bleeding from the major blood vessels. The other 2 made no sense.

I chose to control bleeding. Afterwards, I tried to get some clarification from the director about that question, but there were other people there taking the test and didn't want to discuss why the right answer was right, or even tell me if I got it right.

Can someone super smart give me a hand here? I looked thru my books and couldn't come up with anything relevant.

Thanks

 

[MonkeyArrow]

Well, if you have a lac on the neck, why in the world would that person need a c-collar? Unless there is some more to this pt./scenario, then I would choose the other one. Also, if I had to guess, I would be putting an occlusive dressing on the neck to ensure the thoracic cavity is sealed preventing a tension pneumo, if the lac was deep enough and appropriately placed.

 

[EMTbasicGirl]

I am in the same boat. But I suggest getting a few years experience then medic school. Follow up on all applications you've completed.