Posted: 7/17/2008 2:24:55 PM EDT
| I will be going in front of the in house promotional board for interview next Tuesday. Not really sure what to expect, weather it will be more technical questions or more personnel type questions. A little background no my dept: 1 Chief, 1 Training Captain, 3 shift Captains, 6 Lieutenants, 6 assistant Drivers, and 6 firefighters with 2 stations. We are a smaller dept but we are growing and becoming more progressive all of the time. My questions are What to expect? What to avoid? and Any advice or experiences that you guys/gals have experienced in an officer promo board! I wasn't that nervous but I am getting more and more as it gets closer. |
| Well the assistant drivers aren't really anything more than Sr Firefighters/Firefighters. I really don't know why we are set up like we are but hey like they say, why not! We are a small bunch that services a growing town of about 6,000, and like everyone else we are pleading for manpower but budget restraints won't allow it. |
I'm on a volunteeer department but do a lot of interviews at my job. Since you are already on the department they obviously have a good idea of who you are already. Now it's time to sell what you want... advancement, responsibility, leadership. Be honest and stick to your guns! |
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With it being in house rather than an outside or civilian review board, they'll probably be expecting more "real world" answers than "textbook". Keep your cool, think before you speak and be able to justify your answers. Remember - Mission, Men, Self. Works for the NCOLS (Non Commissioned Officer Leadership School) and work for the FD/PD as well) |
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You can google for broad questions that might be asked at an oral board. I would strongly, strongly, strongly suggest that you not rehearse answers to them. Nobody wants to listen to a tape recorder who's afraid to speak his mind. However, you can use those questions to help focus your mental preparation. Think about each question, and whether you feel comfortable answering it. Have a peer or supervisor (or at least a mirror) try some out on you, and see if you're both happy with your response. If not, think through it some more, and keep at it until you feel comfortable answering it out loud to an audience. |
| Thank you very much BTown, Tango, JB, that is the type of advice that I am looking for. I am confident that I will do well on most of the questions. I do have to make myself stop and think before I think, I believe that to be one oif my weaknesses, sometimes I won't hold back on opinion, good bad or otherwise. The type of questions I generally have difficulty with are the ones like what are your weaknesses/strengths, etc....? I know them but have a hard time coming up with them on the spot at times. |
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As an officer, besides being able to handle whatever emergency you are dispatched to, they are going to want you to handle personnel issues. You need to concentrate so time in this area. My departments promotion process goes as follows: Written Test Oral Interview (were you have to give a 7 minute presentation on yourself "resume type things" and then you answer about 10 scenerio based questions). Tactical Board Remember, get both sides of the story, gather facts, don't react out of anger, be upset with the situation not the individual. I too suck at spelling  . thats why I'm a firefighter and not an English teacher.Good Luck. |
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wait three seconds before speaking try not to stammer and in my limited experience cover the city's ass the rest should be book stuff and relax....best of luck. I'm bad at spelling also but that's because I'm a truck man...  its easier to tear things up then spell them.
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Jeez....I thought we were all pals here. Doesn't that allow me to fip you crap every so often. Don't worry.....I dish it out and I can take it too. haha |
| Well its been three weeks today since the interviews and no decision yet, however we did receive a letter last night that indicated that we would now be subject to another "secondary" interview board and a one on one interview with the Chief. Not sure what to make of the latest developments but I do know that I outscored all the others by 10 points on the in basket exercise and good indications that I score well on the oral board interview and had a good recommendations from them. It has been a long and stressful 3 weeks and now I face another week before the next interview. On the bright side the letter said that a decision would be reached and presented the day after the next round. |
| Well here I am again, interviews were last night and announcement was today. Was on of the hardest interviews that I have been through. that being said i didn't get the promotion, a guy that has 4 less years of experience, less educations, and so on ended up with the job. I feel like I have been kicked in the balls right now. No explanation of how or why pretty much it is what it is and there you go. Fuck this sucks............... |
Sorry to hear about your setback. You never know what life holds, this may end up being for the best. I know it sounds stupid, but the best thing that ever happened to me was having my old job fail to reward my years of service with that promotion I wanted. Now I'm actually happy at this job instead of stuck at the old job working for imbeciles. Good luck figuring out what comes next. |