What should I wear to a Firefighter oral interview?

Question

A man named Fire Captain Bob, who's made a mission out of helping guys with the oral board, says to wear a wool suit. My mother, who says this Arkanas is different from California, says my sports coat and a nice pair of pants will do, but Captain Bob says these are a no-no...so what should I wear?

Answer 1

The following are accepted standards in the job market. Follow them if you want to make a positive first impression. These guidelines will of course vary from country to country and the type of job you are applying for. The best way to find out how you should dress up for an interview is to dress a little bit higher than the employees you would be working with.

Men
· Don't wear an earring.
· Keep your nails clean and trimmed and remember to shave.
· Wear knee length socks that match your pants to avoid "the sock gap."
· A dark suit, white shirt, tie and dark oxford shoes. (This will vary from country to country and the type of job being applied for).

Everyone
· If you think you need a haircut, get one.
· Don't splash on too much perfume or aftershave. Many people are allergic to scents.
· Don't wear a nose ring.
· Take a shower that morning and wear a deodorant.
· Polish your shoes and press your clothes the night before.
· Absolutely don't chew gum or smoke.
· If you suffer from sweaty palms, keep a handkerchief with a little baby powder or cornstarch in it. Before your interview, go into the restroom and dry your hands with it.
· Go to the interview alone. Don't bring a friend or relative.
· Get a good night's sleep the night before.


Peace and every blessing!

Answer 2

Firefighter Oral Board Questions

Answer 3

As a rule of thumb, dressing in a suit for an interview wouldn't do you any harm. You must be able to capture the tailored look, but in a feminine manner. Double breasted in navy or black, perhaps softened with a scarf rolled under the collar, its a classic which will never be out of style...

Read all: http://formal-wear.org/casual/articles/what-to-wear-to-interview-20.html

Answer 4

If you are referring to the Chief's interview, then Capt. Bob is right, tell your Mom you love her, but this is a whole different animal....

Answer 5

WEAR A SUIT--JACKET AND PANTS ARE TOO CASUAL

Answer 6

Fire Captain Bob, is a very very good source for many subjects, and if you follow his advice, you will not go wrong.. however, that being said, there are other RIGHT answers also.

At the BARE minimum for males, dark slacks not jeans, dress shoes, black socks, collared button up shirt. without a very obnoxious pattern to it (read camp shirt or hawaiian shirts). minimal items in the pockets.

Again that is minimal.. I would wear a suit coat (if it fit well) if it does not, go coatless.

a couple of suggestions..

Cell Phones - Not only turn them off, but take them out of pocket and hide in your car)

Keys - minimal to get into car, not big **** ring of every key in existance

pens - 1 or at most 2 shirt pocket (make sure capped and not leaking), nice pens if you have them, not cheap ones

Watch, clean and turn off all alarms and beeping

Pagers- See cell phones

Tattoos - Cover them up if you can without being too obvious about it

Hair Cut - guys up off collar, clean well groomed look, like you just got a haircut a few days ago. No goop and gunk in hair. Ladies, the waist level poneytail should be out, it needs in most cases to be as guys, up off collar, or short enough to pin up wihtout interfering with hood or helmets.

Ball Caps (even with fire department logos on it) Leave em in car.

makeup (for most ladies), natural earth tones, light, dont look like a hooker or a secretary unless that is the job you are interviewing for) Minimal is best..

Cologne and perfume - very very minimal, and not right before the meeting. too strong can turn people off or cause allrgic reactions;.

Rings - wedding ring ok, a personal subltle ring such as class ring, or fathers ring, ok.. spiked skull and vampire fingernail rings wont make a good impression.

earrings - guys leave em out, ladies, SINGLE POST in each ear. no stones, just a silver or gold ball.

Piercings - seen other than ear, take em out

Piercings - unseen take em out. less accidental problems, or having to "adjust the change in the pocket"

Change in pocket, take it out, leave it out.

Billfold - minimal, dont make it look like it could hold the lost sea scrolls. a couple of credit cards, a couple of bucks, some ID, CPR and EMT cards if you have them. (might ask for them, usually not though), nice clean slim wallet in rear pocket is usally the best. front of pants is hard to get away with for most people

Sitting, Dont sit on very edge of seat, however dont relax and recline in chair, feet flat on floor, dont cross legs, hands in laps, talk with words, try to avoid much "hand movement" type of conversation unless you are showing sign language.

Remember they are interviewing you, not you them. Worst one I saw, was that candidate was told, each member would be asking a few questions, then at the end, they would give time to the candidate to ask a couple of them. well as soon as the first person asks a question, he (the candidate) immediatly started countering with questions of his own.
If you do get to ask questions, shift schedule, pay rates, training and upward mobility opportunites, etc would be good questions If it is something that you dont care about the answer, or has nothing to do with you being hired, then don't worry about it, you can ask later. Dont ask about unions. in alot of cases, managment will look negatively on someone that wants to immediitatly join the union, that smells like a trouble maker up front. either they bring it up, or you ask on after you accept the job..

One of the "tricks" that they pull in interviews are situational questions. alot of times, there is no right or wrong answer per se.. such as...

you are on a truck responding to a house fire, and see an auto accident, do you stop for injured people or do you continue on to the fire. There are right answers and wrong answers for each yes or no.. the big thing is you are confident in your answer, AND you have a reason for you answer and you stick to it, dont let them fluster you into well yeah I might have could have done it like that but maybe not so well etc etc so forth.

I would call my supervisor to let him know of the accident and continue on to my original call because that is where I was assigned to go..

I would call my supervisor to let him know of the accident and we would be stopping as there are obvious injuries. I can do this because other rigs would already be on the way to a fire and additional units can be paged out as needed by the officer in charge.

No Puns, no offhanded humor or wit, be professional, call each person Sir or Ma'am unless you know their rank and or last name.. Yes, Chief Barnes, I would be willing to put my life into harms way.. Shows you can remember their names and can initiate conversation with respect. goes a long way..

When you get asked questions by each person, mainly look at the person asking that particular question, HOWEVER dont forget, for each question, also look at each one of them for a little bit, so they know they are not forgotten. unless it is a real brief answer or it will take alot of head swinging to look at everybody.

There are alot more items..but remmber if you dont pass this oral and dont get the job, use the experience and practice for other oral interviews.

Also when you get done with the interview, thank them for their time, ALSO as soon as you get back to car, write down the questions they asked, then later, think about them, research them, maybe even in conversation ask another firefighter what his answer might be. (another departments firefighter). alot of questions are similar, and if you can familiarize yourself with the questions, you might gain an advantage in the future.

Good luck, hope it all works out for you.