Preparing for an Interview

[Dan216]

I'm pretty new too, as of April lol! Are you volunteering so you can gain experience first before working as an Emt ? Or you're hoping that your volunteer work will get you into the station you're with as a paid employee?

Just curious

As for paramedic, I'm not sure. I've read a lot here that to be a good paramedic you need to be a good Emt first! What I do know is that my heart is in the medical field it always has been
How about yourself?

Yay for new EMT's!!!!!!!! Lol I'm hoping my volunteer work will lead to a full time job eventually which would be nice. I'm just taking it day to day right now to get as much medical experience as I can.

As for me I would really like to get my medic. My station is putting me through an AEMT course coming up in the fall which should be pretty fun! I'm a bit nervous though since I'm only 19. I do want to get it out of the way though so I can practice it for a few years before paramedic school.

 

[Easternemt]

Yay for new EMT's!!!!!!!! Lol I'm hoping my volunteer work will lead to a full time job eventually which would be nice. I'm just taking it day to day right now to get as much medical experience as I can.

As for me I would really like to get my medic. My station is putting me through an AEMT course coming up in the fall which should be pretty fun! I'm a bit nervous though since I'm only 19. I do want to get it out of the way though so I can practice it for a few years before paramedic school.

Don't be nervous be confident! You're way ahead of a lot of people your age!

Good luck with everything you're persuing!

 

[Mariemt]

Don't you think it is a little bit different to be asked to join a squad as opposed to interviewing at a for profit company though?

I am not sure how to answer the question. People ask if I'm on a volly squad. Yes and no.

Volunteer call.
We get paid the minute the pager sounds but not for the hours on call.

No I don't think I would have been dressed differently based on the circumstanses of not knowing the interview was going to take place that very moment. I was just dropping some things off..

Had it been in a more formal setting, maybe

 

[Tigger]

I'm just pointing out that this is an apples to oranges comparison, that's all.

 

[Mariemt]

I'm just pointing out that this is an apples to oranges comparison, that's all.

I'm in an area low in EMTs.

I'm extremely qualified. I have experience in teaching CPR, evaluating skills during NREMT skills, passed my EMT b with a 96% and headed to medic.

No, meeting them outside, being taken inside on an informal interview, 6 references on a squad of 23. Nah it wouldn't have been different. I was just caught dropping off paper work. Had I been called for an interview whether volly or not, I would have dressed better. A paid squad couldn't hold it against me that they caught me off guard either.

 

[NomadicMedic]

I don't think anybody's holding it against you that you were caught unaware for an impromptu, off-the-cuff interview. Congratulations on getting the position.

However, making a comment like, "I wore shorts and a T-shirt" on a thread where the original poster provides excellent information for new EMTs interviewing for their first position is not exactly apropos to the discussion.

It's the general opinion of most of us who've been doing this for a while that it is recommended for interviewees to in dress business casual, at the very least.

 

[Mariemt]

I don't think anybody's holding it against you that you were caught unaware for an impromptu, off-the-cuff interview. Congratulations on getting the position.

However, making a comment like, "I wore shorts and a T-shirt" on a thread where the original poster provides excellent information for new EMTs interviewing for their first position is not exactly apropos to the discussion.

It's the general opinion of most of us who've been doing this for a while that it is recommended for interviewees to in dress business casual, at the very least.

I think at any interview you should dress appropriately. But, truth was, I was wearing shorts.

I really wish people would look at the character , qualifications and references of a person instead of who is the best dressed. People can be clean, kept and neat in a pair of slacks and a polo and be the best EMT, or could have rolled out of bed, showered the first time that week, be an iffy EMT at best and show up in a suit.
Now I realize this thread is being made with great intentions and will help a lot of people, but I wish the competency of the EMT wasn't based on the clothing

 

[abckidsmom]

I think at any interview you should dress appropriately. But, truth was, I was wearing shorts.

I really wish people would look at the character , qualifications and references of a person instead of who is the best dressed. People can be clean, kept and neat in a pair of slacks and a polo and be the best EMT, or could have rolled out of bed, showered the first time that week, be an iffy EMT at best and show up in a suit.
Now I realize this thread is being made with great intentions and will help a lot of people, but I wish the competency of the EMT wasn't based on the clothing

Image isn't everything, but it sure is almost everything.

 

[Mariemt]

Image isn't everything, but it sure is almost everything.

Unfortunately , it can be temporary.

 

[NomadicMedic]

But, it's also a simple fact of life, we feel better about people we find attractive. And, people who are well dressed often exude a certain amount of confidence that interviewers find appealing. None of this is new information. It's been researched to death.

The candidate who interviews while wearing a suit, has a firm handshake, and good eye contact during the questions will always be the one chosen over the guy who dresses sloppily, shakes hands like a dead fish and looks at his shoes while answering questions.

Even if they have the same qualifications or guy number two is marginally more qualified.

If the subtleties in interviewing weren't important, nobody would mention them! We'd say go in, put your feet up on the desk, make yourself comfortable and tell war stories with the guys. Unfortunately, because that would be a pretty cool interview, those tactics don't work well.

You've got to dress like a professional. You've got to act like a professional. You got to have copies of your resume for all of the people on the interview panel. You've got to maintain eye contact. You've got to have a professional, firm handshake. You've got to play the game, to get the job

 

[WolfTails]

Yeah that makes a lot of sense with poor quality interviewers. I might try it once to get the nerves gone. Most interviews I assume are not as high of quality as fire departments.

Like EasternEMT said, how'd your interview go man? What for and where at?

Yeah it definitely helps me to practice answering interview questions with my mom or a friend. It makes me to relax more since I've already thought of the answers to all the hard questions I could think of. Plus I practice not fidgeting and making eye contact.

It went really well! I seemed to click with the interviewer a little so I'm getting excited to hear back from him on whether I got the job or not. Here's hoping haha!

 

[Easternemt]

Yeah it definitely helps me to practice answering interview questions with my mom or a friend. It makes me to relax more since I've already thought of the answers to all the hard questions I could think of. Plus I practice not fidgeting and making eye contact.

It went really well! I seemed to click with the interviewer a little so I'm getting excited to hear back from him on whether I got the job or not. Here's hoping haha!

You know I've heard and read over and over practice the questions that you think they'll be asking you; and I thought to myself "Nah I'll just let it come to me as they ask" (stupid of me I know lol). But I did try that the night before the interview and it totally helped! Especially the "tell me about yourself " question! I don't know about everyone else but that question is tough for me to answer, but the next morning they asked me that exact question and I knew exactly how to answer it because I practiced it!

I feel like I clicked with the interviewers as well! And they even kept making comments as if I was already working there. Good luck to you!

I'm just so glad I can share this experience with others that are in the same position as I am. This forum is great!

 

[WolfTails]

You know I've heard and read over and over practice the questions that you think they'll be asking you; and I thought to myself "Nah I'll just let it come to me as they ask" (stupid of me I know lol). But I did try that the night before the interview and it totally helped! Especially the "tell me about yourself " question! I don't know about everyone else but that question is tough for me to answer, but the next morning they asked me that exact question and I knew exactly how to answer it because I practiced it!

I feel like I clicked with the interviewers as well! And they even kept making comments as if I was already working there. Good luck to you!

I'm just so glad I can share this experience with others that are in the same position as I am. This forum is great!

I know what you ,man! It's hard for me to answer the questions like "what are some skills that set you apart from others" or "what is your biggest flaw". I always have to take a second to think about a good answer. The hardest interview I ever had was my very first one at a hotel. The guy hands me a stapler and says "sell this to me like you really want me to buy it." I freaked out haha! I just pulled a lot of random junk out of my butt and smiled like an idiot lol. But now I know to expect the unexpected haha

I know when interviewers start to talk like your already apart of the team it gets me really excited. It makes me think that they are imagining you apart of the team and trying to see if you will fit in well. Crazy how someone can either like you or not after talking to you for just an hour

 

[Easternemt]

I know what you ,man! It's hard for me to answer the questions like "what are some skills that set you apart from others" or "what is your biggest flaw". I always have to take a second to think about a good answer. The hardest interview I ever had was my very first one at a hotel. The guy hands me a stapler and says "sell this to me like you really want me to buy it." I freaked out haha! I just pulled a lot of random junk out of my butt and smiled like an idiot lol. But now I know to expect the unexpected haha

I know when interviewers start to talk like your already apart of the team it gets me really excited. It makes me think that they are imagining you apart of the team and trying to see if you will fit in well. Crazy how someone can either like you or not after talking to you for just an hour

Lol a stapler ? That really would have caught me off guard!
The best thing you can do is smile through the entire interview...but with a genuine smile. It's ok to be nervous and I'm sure these employers understand that! What surprised me most about my interview was that they didn't give me a scenario and ask what would I do! I kept thinking in my head "ok this next question will be the tough scenario question we've all been waiting for" and before I knew it the interview was over.

Did you get a scenario question ?

 

[WolfTails]

Lol a stapler ? That really would have caught me off guard!
The best thing you can do is smile through the entire interview...but with a genuine smile. It's ok to be nervous and I'm sure these employers understand that! What surprised me most about my interview was that they didn't give me a scenario and ask what would I do! I kept thinking in my head "ok this next question will be the tough scenario question we've all been waiting for" and before I knew it the interview was over.

Did you get a scenario question ?

No I didn't get a scenario question which I actually usually don't get those that often. I have for jobs that involved having very good quality customer service, but my interview for the EMT job I applied to didn't involve anything like that. We mainly just talked a out what I would be doing and he asked me a few questions about myself and then I asked him more about the job and that was it.

 

[JobInnerView]

Preparing For Job Interview

Hi WolfTails,

And to add it, Here’s a statistic that always blows me away 7% of how we communicate happens with our words? The other 93% is NON-VERBAL. That’s how important body language is. When you are in an interview, pay close attention to the non-verbal message you are sending. Think positively and confidently and your body will communicate those thoughts.

A good way to get your resume more time on the recruiter’s desk is to make it easy to read. This means use bullets. Please don’t be afraid of these. They really are easy on the eyes. Since you only have 2 pages to list all of your experience, make sure that you only include five key responsibilities (in bullets) for each position.

 

[WakeXVII]

Great tips!

 

[WolfTails]

Hi WolfTails,

And to add it, Here’s a statistic that always blows me away 7% of how we communicate happens with our words? The other 93% is NON-VERBAL. That’s how important body language is. When you are in an interview, pay close attention to the non-verbal message you are sending. Think positively and confidently and your body will communicate those thoughts.

A good way to get your resume more time on the recruiter’s desk is to make it easy to read. This means use bullets. Please don’t be afraid of these. They really are easy on the eyes. Since you only have 2 pages to list all of your experience, make sure that you only include five key responsibilities (in bullets) for each position.

Thank you for your post! That's exactly what I was trying to say. People don't realize that the way you look, talk, and act plays a huge part in interviews. That's why I was stressing how you should dress the part. Keeping eye contact is also a huge factor during interviews. Supposedly it only takes 7 seconds for someone to subconsciously decide whether they are going to like you or not. Better make those 7 seconds count!

I wanted to post my résumé as an example on this thread, but I couldn't figure out how to post it. It's written out as the company I worked for, the position and the time I worked there, and my duties are listed in bullet points. It's simple and really easy to read.

 

[WolfTails]

Great tips!

Thank you!