911interviews.com launches to offer unprecedented training to aspiring firefighters
Northern California - Battalion Chief Mike Keefe had proctored one too many mediocre oral interviews. With 25 years in the fire service, 20 of those years involved in the hiring process, he had seen more than his fair share of nervous fire candidates, entering the interview unprepared and hoping to “ace it” with stock answers. Colleague Joe Novelli, also a battalion chief, was investigating a business model to streamline his hiring advice solicited by friends and coworkers. As a training tool, Joe had begun recording prospective candidates in mock interviews and playing back the footage to highlight opportunities for improvement. Together, they recently launched 911interviews.com, a website for prospective firefighters seeking to improve their interview skills with advice from fire and private sector HR professionals, furthering their chances of getting hired.
The oral interview is arguably the most important facet of the hiring process and, in today’s job market, the competition is fierce. In fact, for one recent entry-level job opening at a Northern California fire department, more than 2,000 candidates took the qualifying written test. Over 1,500 of them passed. The next step is the oral interview where the top-scoring applicants are given the chance to convey education history, previous experience, community service, and personality. As most experts will tell you, it is during the interview that many hiring decisions are made. “One of the ironies surrounding the hiring process is that a candidate will spend months in the gym and studying for a physical or entry exam, but won’t spend 5 minutes preparing for the oral interview, which is the most critical aspect of the hiring process,” says Training Chief Steve Cavallero, a contracted evaluator on 911interviews.com.
With 911interviews.com, subscribers can not only view sample interviews and gain access to helpful tips from those in the know, but also hear valuable feedback from fire officers, hiring managers, and Fortune 500 executives. “Ever wonder what went wrong during an interview? Have you ever felt that you had a good interview and yet never received a call? The interview process does not provide feedback. But we do,” says Keefe.
This opportunity is unrivaled on the internet. Some services offer phone consultations or by-appointment instruction, but 911interviews.com is the first to provide in-home training with hundreds of examples, suggestions from professionals, and feedback from those responsible for hiring today’s firefighters. “I’ve seen qualified candidates fail during the interview and lose their shot at a great career. We want to help great candidates succeed. This site is for them,” adds Novelli.
911interviews.com is a subscription-based site helmed by Battalion Chiefs Joe Novelli and Mike Keefe. With over 45 years of combined service, they have helped hundreds get hired.