It’s getting more and more difficult out there to find a job, the fire service included. We decided to ask our more experienced fans out there on Facebook to give their nuggets of wisdom on how to build a resume and land a job.
Here are your top 10 responses!
1.Advance your knowlege in all aspects and keep well-rounded and pick a field to specialize in at the same time. - Marshall Flick
2.Don’t take classes that are beyond your experience. Don’t take an advanced firefighter survival course if you haven’t been in a non-training fire. I see too many guys taking courses way beyond their experience level. Aggression is good, but in moderation. - Brian Farris
3.First go to a fire department and talk to them and ask to go along and find out what it’s really all about. It’s a pain to find you’re not really into the job after training. - John Polk
4.Write a cover letter that covers lessons learned from major fires you have worked and list follow-up courses and seminars you have taken to better your knowledge after encountering something out of the ordinary; this shows your willingness to learn. - Gary Schlotterbeck
5.Take the 100 percent free classes FEMA puts on multiple times a year. It blows my mind that I see the same people every time. It’s free! - Chris Rodriguez
6.Organize your resume based on job experience — even volunteer time counts — college classes and then skills. Don’t list every class you have ever taken. - Bryan W. Waagner
7.Do things that show leadership. Be a medic or advanced EMT to be able to take charge and responsibility. - David Boykin
8.List your experience chronologically, mentioning the most important things first to catch the recruiters’ interests. I always advise people to not give a list of references unless specifically requested. Instead say “Recent References on Request”, that way you will know when they call and ask that you are being shortlisted. - Nuri Josephus
9.Keep it one to two pages. After 600 resumes, trust me on this, nobody has time to read how you effectively redirected traffic at 22 incidents. List your formal training, relevant certifications, touch on your experience, then pass the exam and get the interview! Then you can amaze them with the details of your experience and public servant personality! - Ken Burnthorn
10.I have found that resumes get you in the door, but the testing and interviews are the only ways to get the job. Remember that you are trying to beat 100 other people for the job. Good luck! - Sid Darvill
