Overseas employment

[Dtmriley]

Hello

My name is Dan, I'm a United States paramedic and I am interested in overseas paramedic work. I would like to know more about any openings in Paramedic contracts. I have an Associate degree in Paramedicine, 2 years of ALS work experience. 1 year as a Basic And I'm a nationaly certified Emt-P.

I know there is a thousand posts already but I see a lot of out dated stuff and a lot of people saying Pm so I can't see responses, I don't need anyone telling stuff I don't need to hear so please ignore if.you don't have anything to say, I'm looking for places in middle east mostly cause they pay most? I spent a week searching Google and all leads run dry so if there is anyone who knows if I can get picked up with my credentials or not and who and where I can go please respond.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

 

[SandpitMedic]

1. Use the search feature and look through these threads. The information here is a gold mine. Literally tons of companies referred to on here.

2. You are new in this house... Don't forget that and don't step on your ****... Don't tell people what not to say, and more importantly, listen to everyone so you can hear what to learn. Welcome to the forum.

3. Switch number 2 with number 1.

4. Check out nationalambulance.ae .... email your resume and cover letter to Paramedics@nationalambulance.ae
That is a good place to start your overseas employment search and they are always accepting applications and taking on valuable teammates.

5. Don't forget to stay humble... contracting overseas is not for everyone. Read up on the international threads.

 

[Dtmriley]

Like I said, I went through a lot of the posts already and many are not recent 2010 2012 and most answers I want people say"Pm" Me so I can not see the responses. Or they speak vague saying I know a friend or I did it once but they do not mention how or where they found job. Nothing about being humble I just don't want people wasting mine or there time like I am now. I want real information on recruiters or the best websites for 2015/2016 jobs.

And really I'm new so I have to what? Pay my dues? Watch my mouth? This is exactly what I meant by if you don't have **** to say ignore my post and move on. And I seen your name all over other posts so I know your a troll spitting info on that site. The site clearly says bachelor's degree medics with 3 year ALS experience... So again wasting your time and mine. And sandpit please don't comment back

For others if you have real info on contacts for recruiters or info on beat websites or how you landed an over seas gig please that's what I want. I don't wanna go back a forth with dead info.

 

[SandpitMedic]

Wow!... Welcome to the website... You're going to be great working overseas!

24 years old and you know it all, right?... Not too many 24 year old **** steppers out there with an AAS, 2 years as a medic, and 1 year as a Basic.... Shouldn't be too hard to sort you out and help your resume find the circular folder....

Weaksauce.

Also, you clearly did not look through the posts, or you would see the details I was talking about. You'd also have learned that contracting is a very, very small world. That, and you seem to have uber weak google fu skills if you can't find any names of companies at all. Such a stereotypical model of kids these days... Want everything handed to you on a silver platter.

 

[Dtmriley]

I ask for simple answers and you just feed ******** and now you think you know me? What is wrong with you. I'm asking people based on my experience and certs where I could look into finding overseas jobs. I don't need you acting like your God on this forum, passing judgment on me. Really judging someone on forum when you tell them to be humble please man. Go get a life. As much energy you spent responding to this, if you really knew about it you could of easy listed info and this would be a different convoy. Go troll somewhere else, I don't need your bs.

Again if anyone just has real info I would really appreciate your time. I don't need lectures and I'm not fighting on a forum.

Thank you

 

[SandpitMedic]

The site clearly says bachelor's degree medics with 3 year ALS experience... So again wasting your time and mine.

You didn't read the entire thread OR the website, or you would know that is for people who are from the commonwealth countries and UK where Bachelor Degrees are commonplace requirements. US Medics only need NR-P(NREMT-P) and 2 years experience.

Not that it will help you much now. I don't know you. But I will if I see your resume... and so will the many recruiters who frequent this site since you put is all out there. You've got a lot to learn young buck. I'm not arguing with you.. I'm trying to educate you, but the old adage applies apparently.

And yes, I am "judging you" I would hope to never work with a person like you overseas... And that's after only a few posts because you've let your poor attitude and poor situational awareness shine on through. When you work, or apply to work, others will judge you too. That's just reality. You should really also grow some thicker skin.

 

[Chimpie]

Hello @Dtmriley . My name is Chimpie and I'm one of the Community Leaders here. I wanted to jump in and help guide the conversation for a moment.

I don't need anyone telling stuff I don't need to hear so please ignore if.you don't have anything to say, I'm looking for places in middle east mostly cause they pay most?

This is not the best way to start out your first post here. We've been here since 2004, you're brand new. Coming here and dictating how our long term members respond to your posts won't get you may friends.

Good mentors will not only reply with information you ask about, but will also share information that you need to know but don't know what to ask for.

And really I'm new so I have to what? Pay my dues?

Yes, exactly. I'm glad that you've read through many of the older posts, but as @SandpitMedic said, they are a goldmine of information. Just because it was written in 2010 doesn't mean it's not true today. The sky was blue then, it's still blue today.

This is exactly what I meant by if you don't have **** to say ignore my post and move on.

And I seen your name all over other posts so I know your a troll spitting info on that site.

HAHA. @SandpitMedic is one of the leading authorities in this area. He has the knowledge and experience that you need to listen to.

I don't need you acting like your God on this forum

That's my job, and the rest of the Community Leaders here. You need to stop, read through the forum, be open to what is being said to you, and soak it up like a sponge. Ask questions, don't demand information.

Be sure to also read over our rules and expectations of our members: http://emtlife.com/rules If you have any questions about them, feel free to send me a PC (personal conversation/private message).

Finally, to quote Will Smith as Detective Del Spooner in iRobot, "Stop cussing, cause you're not good at it."

 

[CALEMT]

While I don't know much on overseas employment, I would take SandpitMedics advice as gold. Plus if you look back as Chimpie suggests a lot of threads on here have a plethora of information, yes they may be back from 08 or later but they're still handy for the info you're looking for. Also you might want to check out emsworld.com sometimes they have articles on overseas contracting.

My advice man, eat a big slice of humble pie and really listen to what people have to say on here. Chances are they know something about the topic.

 

[TransportJockey]

So, OP, once you remove the leg you have managed to fit into your mouth, stop and take a breath. In all likelihood you need at least one more year as a paramedic running 911 before you are able to meet any requirements. And maybe a CC cert. Your EMT-B experience is worth just about nothing in the eyes of most overseas employers.

 

[SandpitMedic]

Thank you folks for the kind words. While I do not consider myself an expert or my words "like gold," I do appreciate that my experiences have value here.
I am more than willing to continue sharing what I have learned through the contracting gigs I have done and my experiences in the industry, and am glad to be a member of EMTlife.

There are numerous others on this forum, who hopefully will be around shortly, who have many more years contracting than I do whom I consider to be subject matter experts. From them I have learned as much as I have with my actual boots on the ground. As I said, this place is a gold mine.

I'm just a cog in the wheel...

 

[akflightmedic]

Ummm yeh, I typically stay away from posters like this.

I am an EMPLOYER.

But when I see reactions like this in response to people trying to help him....they go on my list of "Do Not Touch" for quite a while...and here is a VERY friendly piece of advice. The Do Not Touch list is far reaching, spans dozens of employers and is largely word of mouth.

I cannot help but perceive trouble and lack of team work when I read this.

And another nugget I have said many times to many posters, never use your name or a variation of your name in public forum.

FYI original poster, there are MANY people on here who have valuable information and experience and would have been glad to share. Sometimes, it is up to YOU as the "adult" to just take it all....sort thru it on your own, but take it all (good and bad) and then make the best, informed decision which works for you...

Good luck.

 

[Dtmriley]

Well I want to start off by saying sorry to all you guys/gals I offended. Let me say 100 percent thatmy original post was not being all douche and know it all. I think things def got misinterpreted through my text. And then I didn't act right to sandpit response. I was not demanding certain info and turning down people's been there done that advice.
I was only trying to avoid info that would take me in a circle.

Secondly I did and still am tearing up previous stories on here digging info up and tracking down leads. I don't want people to assume I am someone I am not and I think I got off wrong foot with all of you.

So again I am sorry and let me say I make a good humble pie lol

Thank you for your guys responses

 

[akflightmedic]

Roger that. Best advice is to listen a lot and speak little.

Dig through those old posts and make specific questions. Lay them all out in one shot. See what happens. The replies will create new questions. People are willing to help. You will get malcontents, you will get true legitimate horror stories and you will get awesome job stories. No two people's experience or perception is the same.

You take the info, decide what is best for you. Only you know what makes you tick...only you know what your goals and dreams are. At the end of the day, there are some people who have taken absolutely crap jobs (according to everyone else) and they end up loving it and excelling at it. We are all too different.

 

[jaysonsd]

Best advice is to listen a lot and speak little.

I can relate to a certain amount of frustration in the search. But nothing worthwhile is ever easy. Good luck and keep updating, I know I will.

(Wow, 50 posts, getting old... )

 

[SandpitMedic]

... Sorry formatting error.

 

[SandpitMedic]

Start here:

Okay, I have some time, so this will be a long one!
I am going to try to answer a lot of questions and go over this once again. Hopefully this will become a sticky for future interested parties to read.

To preface, I do not have all the answers, I may not be 100% right about everything, and my experiences may not be the same as yours. That is, your mileage may vary. I am sure that AK, dutemplar,and others experienced with contracting alike will be by to correct or tack on to my perception of this thing, and I welcome such. I'll be focusing mainly on what people refer to as a PMC - private military contractor. I will go into other types like remote duty, etc.
I'm going to try to sum up the large and small.

1.) What is a Contractor? --- A contractor is a person who works for a company or government that has placed a contract out for services. There are military contractors (the last boom and most common,) and there are others such remote duty, oil fields, shipboard, occupational/primary health, air evacuation and rescue services, etc. etc. as well as combinations of those. The latter are the hardest to get into, and require years upon years of experience, not the "minimum requirements" everyone is so hung up on. You may find opportunities with the US gov't, US companies, foreign gov'ts, or foreign companies - there are domestic contractors and international contractors... The wider your range, the more opportunities you have, but the more complications that arise. It is important to note that there are differences between jobs. There are shooter jobs, computer jobs, HVAC jobs, medic jobs, etc. each with their own subsets. As in, “medic” contractor does not mean a mercenary shoot 'em up, T triple C, high speed action, superhero. More often than not it means the opposite - exactly the opposite. I say that so you know what I mean... Those high speed type gigs go out to former SF and SEAL type cats, not some dude who spent his 2-3 years doing 911 shuffling the elderly around (broad generalization, but you see what I mean). Guys like Irishboxer and such can touch more on that aspect. So for contractors in our sense of the word - we're going to stick with unarmed EMS and primary care and or transport duties in remote and/or austere and/or hazardous areas. There are inherent dangers associated with just being overseas; I am not downplaying that aspect. I'll go into safety later. I just want readers to understand what a contractor is.


2.) What is contracting? --- Well, let’s start with what it is not: contracting is not a career. Furthermore, military contracting is dying (other types are not). Perhaps not permanently, but the upswing of contractors is over for now; like everything in life - it has ups and downs... We are in a definite "down". In essence, better luck next war. What I mean by that is that there used to be a real point in time that if you had a pulse and an EMT card you could be on the next flight to some 3rd world **** hole and get a pretty decent check - those days, however, are long gone. It is a very, very fluid and dynamic job opportunity. Here today, gone tomorrow. Atop that, those positions that are now or do come available are highly competitive with a now fairly large sized pool of highly qualified unemployed or underemployed applicants, and most require previous experience (I'll get into that later too). People should not leave a career that they have to take a contracting job, ever. One should also take into account their life situation. Contracting requires maturity, well... that is an oxymoron if I've ever heard one. To be a successful contractor it takes maturity. Likely, if you're reading this you have heard "EMS is a small world." Well, contracting is a much smaller world. People do things that follow them or haunt them indefinitely. People also do things that make them more valuable. We all make mistakes trust me, I have and continue to also, but it is how you learn from such mistakes that show true character - they are our greatest learning tool. Your character will follow you around for better or worse. Most of the recruiters and project managers talk - your resume may say what you want it to, but the guys who hire will talk to people who worked with you - or at least people who were around when you were. A simple bad rumor could mess up your game, or a good one could really help you out. Contracting is a tough game... it is physical and it is mental. It's a small world; it could take a long time to fix a bad rep. That is the most important piece of information I think I've ever wrote on the subject.

 

[SandpitMedic]

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3.) Is it safe? What should I expect? --- Well, it all depends. The rule of thumb is that the more dangerous place you work, the more money you will make. That is not always the case in my experience. I knew a guy that was on a paramedic on a FOB in the middle of nowhere, who took indirect and sniper fire on more than one occasion, and made less than I did, sitting my butt in another much safer and much farther base away from the action. The point is... It all depends on the contract, and the company you work for. I can't speak about the safety of each. For me, I have never been in fear for my life. I feel safe. I am literally sitting right now, in the desert, in a shipping container turned into a "clinic" - with a little luxury known as the internet (thank God!) and air conditioning (which occasionally breaks down for hours or days at a time). It is in excess of 100 degrees, humid and dusty. It sucks... I am unarmed, and less than 400 or 500 miles in any direction from active fighting among those who would love to cut my head off on YouTube. Sure, that's not very close, but much closer than being 6000 miles away in my home with my family. Is that likely to happen? No it is not. Is that possible? Yes. Is that a little dramatic? Sure. But the fact is some wanna-be or something could easily get to me if they really wanted. But as I said earlier, there are inherent dangers to simply just being a westerner in this part of the world. Let alone working for an entity that is in active opposition of terrorism (or any cause). I do my best to blend in, I stay alert, and as stated, I have never felt in fear for my life. I have been in some less than great situations, but never to where I would leave. I recall first signing the papers for my first gig. There were pages and pages; one was an acknowledgement form. It was to clarify that I was not a member of the military, and I could be caught or captured by the enemy indefinitely, that the Geneva Conventions may or may not apply to me, and that the company I worked for had no obligation to find me/rescue me/negotiate for me. LOL. My mom read that and about **** a brick. Have I worried about that since then? Not at all. Somewhere in the mountains of Afghanistan, someone is getting shot at, blown up, and thinking the exact opposite. Personally, I would still work there if I got the right opportunity. It is all relative to where you choose to work. Even on ships, piracy is a threat to your life. Remote duty in Alaska or Congo, the wilderness is a threat trying to kill you. Oil field, H2S and other HAZMAT exposure or explosions are a threat to your well-being. Driving lights-and-siren in the states is also a threat to your life. Nothing in this job is without danger. It is all perspective. Will your family understand that? Never.


4.) Will I be a good fit? What can I expect? --- You are the only person who knows how you tick is what AK said, and that is 100% factual. This type of job is not for everyone. This is not a kiddie game. This is the real-deal, a real-life experience. There are no moderators or mommies here to save you from the big bad wolves out, protect you from yourself, or from getting your feels hurt. Forgive me for getting political for a second...Americans, particularly young Americans these days have a tendency to desire instant gratification and seem to have a very narrow minded view of how the world ought to work. The "I deserve it" mentality as I like to call it, or the "I can say what I want and do what I want" type of mentality is seemingly ubiquitous. This is not a suitable job option for those types of people. There are places the world, regardless of your nationality, where failing to go with the flow and failing to have situational awareness will land you in a 3rd world prison or worse if you go too far off the reservation. You need to be open minded and go with the flow at all times with your head on a swivel. Following local laws and customs is paramount. One big issue is guys come over here and try to change things around to fit how they "did it back home." That does not mean there is no room for improvement or doing things better. It means your job function is to come here and do your job functions, not to fix all of what you think are the problems of the way things are done here. Those guys tend to be the first casualties of contracting. You have to be open minded and up for new things. It will be either a very short road back home or the freakin’ adventure of a lifetime. You need to be prepared for sucky, sucky conditions as well. I have eaten the worst crap chicken and rice for 14 days solid now. Some may lose it just based on that, lol. It's free though

... I knew dudes that didn't last a week. One guy on my last deployment was on a plane 3 days after arrival because he missed his cats. So when I say sucky conditions and bring up food - it's a joke. What sucks is that you will be away from literally everything you know, everything you are comfortable with, and everything you love for extended periods of time. I cannot tell you how much that sucks. I can write all day about the little things I miss back home, from my woman's lips to making a reliable phone call without static to simply stopping at a stop sign and enjoying the sights and sounds to walking my dog... You will be in an unfamiliar world, alone, with a lot of time to think about being back home. Adaptability is paramount. Dedication is paramount. Focusing on why you are here is essential. There are many pro’s such as decent money, traveling the world, and endless opportunities to do things you never could. I was raised in a single parent family with little money, and I have worked hard for everything I have. I have never has anything handed to me. This world has opened up so many doors for me and I have done my best to seize every opportunity for success. I have stories for days! However, Newton’s third law applies. There are a lot of cons. I have seen many failed relationships and dudes take a spiraling downfall. I have seen dudes making 6 figures only to be sending the majority back home to wives that were soaking it up and banging their best friends. Working overseas or at any long distance does not kill relationships - it only accelerates the ending of weak ones. Additionally, I have seen dudes who couldn’t adapt and turned to blowing through their money with haste and then lose their job and be left with nothing – like the lottery winners’ curse. All had well intended plans to do good for their families, only to get caught up in the lifestyle; more money, more problems. You’ve got to be mature enough to realize what you’re getting into, and have a solid plan. Your family, if you have one, needs to be 110% on board. I would say ultimately, that this is a young, single person’s game in my honest opinion. However, there are contracts out there that allow for your family to accompany you, and even international schools for kids… Again, your family has to be 110% on board – that is no easy feat. I’m not trying to be a pessimist, and people with families do survive and do well, but they are the minority. Most contracts do not allow for family accompaniment, once again, it all depends on where you work and who you work for.
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[SandpitMedic]

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5.) How do I get hired? --- From the time I first learned about contracting from a partner ... (which is a short story of me hearing about it from a friend of a friend of a friend and replying, "Ambulances in Iraq? They have those?!")... to having my boots on the ground took me about 2 1/2 years...2 just to get an interview, and then there was 6 months of processing and red tape. There are medical and dental evaluations and standards, repeatedly sending in documents and tracking down old documents to send, repeated and extensive background checks, etc. It is not an easy job to get. I was turned down for not qualifying or flat out did not even receive a reply for gigs more times than I can even remember. You could probably equate it to getting an urban fire job in a large department, except more confusing and more frustrating. It takes a lot of time, and a lot of it is not who you know, but who knows you. I was able to break into contracting not knowing anyone in the business and I did not know any names of any companies. I did not have this website to refer too; I did it all with Google. I will say this again to beat a dead horse - it is very fluid and things change daily. I once was all set to go, got the call on Friday that I was leaving on Sunday… Saturday night- cancelled. Another time, I was through all of the interviews and blah blah processing, and told I was next in line for a spot, signed all the conditional offers, and boom… nothing, cancelled. NO job in contracting is guaranteed. Especially, until you are on the plane – furthermore, until you are on the ground, and even furthermore – IT STILL ISN’T EVER GUARANTEED… You could be there one day and the next the contract is over for some political BS reason or something else out of your control. This is the hardest part to explain to your family if you have one. My girl still doesn’t get that… It sucks. You get ready, she is ready, you think you’re leaving, and last minute it is cancelled. Lol… It is not fun. Not to mention you look like an idiot when you say “oh, yeah I got the job offer,” at your family functions and then never actually go. LOL. Then you look like even more of an idiot as you try to explain this process to them as to why you didn’t go this time…It is an emotionally taxing roller coaster for everyone involved. So, you learn to just shut up until you have a plane ticket ,then it is sort of a shock and awe effect on people who know you because then all of the sudden you’re gone. If you think it’s all about you, well you’re going to learn the hard way, quickly.


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[SandpitMedic]

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How do I get hired continued:

Here is the kicker for all of you active job seekers. A lot of the jobs you see advertised are either already spoken for, or they are just advertised as a formality with a candidate already selected. OR (the best part) they are not even actual positions that are open...

. That’s the simplified version. That means those jobs do not actually exist yet.

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Here is the best part. Most jobs you see aren't even actual positions. Other's are just formalities.
I'll explain: You will see applications being accepted from Companies A, B, C, and D for "remote paramedic" that you qualify for based on the minimum standard like I do... You will think... “Geeze I've got a good shot, that is a lot of vacancies”... Wrong! Those companies are most likely just collecting resumes simply to put forth a proposal to the government or entity that is putting out a "contract" or request for services. That’s the simplified version. That means those jobs do not actually exist yet. Then 6 months later company B lands the contract and puts out another vacancy or picks from the already hundreds of applicants in their system. You then you may get an offer of “can you be on the plane in 5 days?” So now you’ve thought this was never going to happen and then all the sudden it is a take-it-or-leave-it scenario. If you don’t someone else will…It is rough and tough to get a job, and there is still a large pool of applicants since the draw down. On top of that it is still the vicious cycle of “how do I get experience for a job I need experience to get.” There is the “who knows you factor,” and there is the luck and being in the right place at the right time factor.

Lastly, there is the issue many companies now seeking other folks not from the US, which further complicates matters for new job seekers. TCN or OCN laborers are now favored over US personnel. Frankly, anyone now who is not a US citizen tends to be much cheaper to have around and can do the same job. This is why EMT Basic jobs are no longer available overseas. If the contractor can get away with having non-US personnel then they will 99% of the time. Most of this business is all about money, period. US folks, at large, are whiny… and they cost more.

That isn’t even all of it. To sum it up, it will take extreme patience, a lot of rejection, and persistent dedication to get through. And then you may find it just isn’t for you. Those are some of my personal perspectives on the industry, and that’s all I feel like typing now. Any questions or additions, feel free.

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[akflightmedic]

Excellent posts!

If I find the time....you opened a lot of side topics which could definitely be expanded tremendously.

Well done overall!!