Firefighting jobs are well respected and in general do not require any specific degree of specialized education. Usual job responsibilities involve promoting safety awareness, conducting damage control and rescue operations in case of fire incidents etc. Firefighters are also called in cases of civil emergencies such as accidents, search rescue operations etc. Following are the top 5 career advice for firefighting job that can help you prepare yourself for a firefighting career.
- Target and Focus
Most of the firefighting jobs are associated with various municipal and county fire department and their eligibility criteria vary some how in terms of educational qualification, age limit, physical fitness and medical status. Although a high school education is usually enough for most cases some fire departments may require specific subjects or a minimum overall score. You should find out about the various criteria associated with the firefighting job that you are applying for and make sure that you fulfill them.
In case you do not fulfill some of the associated criterion you can consider applying for jobs in other fire departments or some different position in the same department. These may require getting some additional training such as that of paramedic etc.
- Tests
Most firefighting jobs involve educational, psychological, physical and medical testing. You should find out as much as you can about the tests associated with the job you are applying for and prepare for them accordingly. These are generally easy but you should remember that you are likely to face stiff competition and the tests are equally hard or easy for your competitors as well.
- Preparing Yourself
Having additional knowledge, experience or certifications that is relevant to the position that you are applying for can be a deciding factor in your job application. Try to get some experience as a volunteer if you have the time or get the opportunity. If you have any certification related to paramedics, CPR specialist, emergency medical technicians etc, it can be useful as well. All in all, try to prepare yourself from start so that you may stay ahead of your competitors.
- Technical Aptitude and Knowledge
Nowadays firefighters often use sophisticated equipments for firefighting and rescue. Having good technical aptitude and a good general knowledge of such equipments can be an advantage. You can use the internet to gather knowledge about these or if possible take advantage of any firefighting training or voluntary work then you have an added advantage for applying. You will receive the training in relevant matters after joining, but having some existing knowledge can be advantageous and also improve your chances of getting the job.
- Soft Skills
The job responsibilities of firefighters often involve working with police and ambulance workers, making quick decisions, handling critical emergency situations, and working with panicked people. To deal with such situations a firefighter should have good communication and interpersonal skills, he should also be able to make decisions and work well under pressure. In order to test these and other related soft skills the selection process for firefighters include various psychological tests. You should try to develop these skills and remember what the recruiters are looking for when answering questions during the tests and later in the interview.
Based on the fire department and the specific position that you are applying for the requirements of the job may vary but these top 5 career advices for fire fighting job will prove useful to you in most cases.
