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DOING YOUR BEST ON THE FIREFIGHTER INTERVIEW |
ABOUT THE INTERVIEW
There are three aspects to every job
interview. Each part is important.
THE JOB is the duties and responsibilities
that are to be performed.
THE INTERVIEW BOARD makes a judgment on how well
your qualifications match the requirements of the job.
YOUR QUALIFICATIONS are your aptitudes,
abilities and other personal characteristics. You must show the interview board
how well your qualifications fit the job of Firefighter.
The interview board compares you with the job.
The interview board which conducts your
Firefighter interview will be composed of three members. They will include a
Fire Captain, a Personnel Department staff member, and a member of the
Community.
Before the interview, the raters will be
trained by the Personnel Department Examination Analyst. That person will
describe the guidelines used in interviewing and evaluating candidates'
qualifications. The duties of a Firefighter and the qualifications which are
desirable for the position will also be discussed. The Analyst will provide the
interviewers with rating sheets and will discuss with them the evaluating
criteria to be used. In evaluating candidates, the emphasis is on how well they
are likely to perform, after appropriate training, in Firefighter functions.
The Examination Analyst will also instruct the board members regarding the
areas they should not consider in the interview; areas that are not related to
job performance, such as race, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sex,
sexual preference, age, political affiliations, marital status, or number of
children.
To avoid any bias, favorable or otherwise
toward any candidate, it is the practice of the Personnel Department to avoid
using raters who are likely to know some candidates. Interviewers are
instructed to disqualify themselves from interviewing any candidate whom they
believe they cannot rate objectively because of prior knowledge about the
candidate.
If an interviewer does not disqualify himself
or herself from examining a candidate who the interviewer knows, it is the
candidate's right, if he or she wishes, to have the interview with another
board.
The names, titles and affiliations of the
interviewers on all interview boards will be posted in the waiting area. Check
the list to see who your interviewers are. If you recognize one of the
interviewers and believe that you could not receive a fair evaluation from the
person, tell the receptionist. These requests occur occasionally and do not
reflect adversely on the candidates involved.
All interviews are conducted at the Personnel
Department Building and are tape recorded.
BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
The job interview is one of the most important
events in the average person's experience, since the relatively short time
spent in the interview may determine his or her future career. Yet, it is
amazing how many applicants come to job interviews without any preparation.
Since the interview will determine your final grade, you should spend some time
preparing for the interview.
Some applicants assume they will qualify for a
job because they meet "The Requirements" described in the examination
announcement. This is not true. By meeting these requirements, you are
qualified only to compete in the written examination, which measures other
important qualifications for the job. If you are successful in passing all
parts of the examination, including the interview, you may then be considered
for a job.
Be aware of the exact date, time and place of
your interview. Enter this information on your personal calendar so that you
stay aware of your exact interview schedule. This may sound almost too basic to
mention, but it's an unfortunate candidate who assumes that the interview is to
be held in a certain place, and then discovers shortly before the interview
that the appointment is somewhere else. Equally unfortunate is the candidate
who arrives at the right place and time, only to find that the appointment is
tomorrow or worse, yesterday. Keep the interview notice with your other
important business documents and bring it with you to your interview. Do not
rely on your memory.
Plan to arrive for your interview at least 15
minutes early. A few extra minutes will help to take care of unexpected
emergencies. It is frequently difficult to find a parking place quickly in the
Personnel Department Building area. Late arrival for an interview is seldom
excusable.
If you are not able to keep your interview
appointment you should notify the Public Safety Bureau immediately at (213)
847-9060. Sometimes it may be possible to reschedule your interview.
You should present a neat, businesslike
appearance for your job interview. It is appropriate for you to dress as you
would for an office job. Look your best.
DURING THE INTERVIEW
Just as you are about to enter the interview
room, the receptionist will tell you the name of the chairperson. The
chairperson will introduce you to the other board members and ask you to sit
down.
YOUR CONDUCT
Your courtesy, alertness, and self-confidence
are important; so, you should try to speak in a self-assured tone of voice;
smile occasionally; look the interviewers in the eye as you listen and talk.
Sit erect, but be relaxed.
The board members realize that it is normal
for people to feel nervous in this situation; interviewers will discount a
certain amount of nervousness. If you are prepared to answer the questions, you
will probably find that you will not be as nervous as when you are unprepared.
THE QUESTIONS
The interview board will be trying to measure
your potential for doing effective work as a Firefighter. Remember that the
interview board will be trying to measure your qualifications based on the
information about the job and the evaluation criteria provided by the Personnel
Department examiner. They are instructed not to measure just your ability to
handle an interview.
You should not bring letters of
recommendation, work samples, or similar material to the interview. Due to the
limited interview time, the board will not have time to review such material.
The interview board will be exploring and
evaluating those qualities which have not been fully measured by prior parts of
the examination (such as any written test or performance tests you may take).
The interview is a behavior-based review of your personal history, providing
evaluation of your practical problem-solving ability, initiative in learning,
service orientation, job motivation, teamwork and respect for diversity, role
adaptability, and communication skills.
The interview board will review your
application just prior to the time that you enter the room. Remember, the
appearance, completeness and accuracy of your application is reflective of you.
You should be able to draw on your experience
to answer questions such as:
Will you tell us how your previous work or
volunteer experience has prepared you for this job?
What training or educational experience has
best prepared you for this, and why?
In answering the questions, you may refer to
your current or prior job experience (including in the military), experiences
in educational or training situations, volunteer work experiences, or just
experiences in everyday life.
You are not expected to have had previous
training or experience in firefighting. The interviewers will be concerned mainly
with how you have responded to previous jobs, educational opportunities, and
other life experiences you have had. The Fire Department provides full training
in firefighting, so the interviewers will not be looking for any direct
connection between the kinds of work you have done and firefighting.
By discussing the areas listed above, your
interview board will be able to measure your suitability for firefighting work.
Keep in mind that you will be evaluated competitively with all other candidates
on these factors.
A review of a copy of your application and the
examination announcement should help you to answer these and other questions as
they relate to the job of Firefighter. You should review them immediately before
the interview to make sure they are fresh in your mind.
YOUR ANSWERS
Most interviews follow a simple
question-and-answer formula. Your ability to answer promptly and accurately is
very important, but don't rush yourself if it will hurt your ability to answer
questions well. If your answers are confused or contradictory, you will not do
well.
The best prevention against giving
contradictory answers is the plan truth. A frank answer, even if it seems
unfavorable to you, is better than an exaggeration or misrepresentation which
may confuse you in the next question. Being friendly, honest, and sincere is
always the best policy.
Don't answer just "yes" or
"no" to any question. Expand on your answer at least a little.
Volunteering information is often helpful in showing how you qualify for the
position, but be completely honest, because you will almost always be asked
more about your answer. It is also important to know when to stop answering a
question. You should avoid repeating yourself or talking too much on any one
point. And be sure that all information you provide is responsive to the
questions asked of you.
Ask the interviewers to repeat or explain any
questions you do not understand. Even if you feel uncomfortable doing this,
remember, it is better than answering the wrong question.
Be certain your employment application is
complete and accurate in all respects before presentation to the interview
board. False or incomplete statements made during the selection process may be
cause for disqualification or dismissal at a later date.
If something went wrong on a previous job,
explain the circumstances and accept the blame if it was your own. Negative
experiences can be turned into an asset for you, if you can show how you have
changed or improved yourself after recognizing your mistakes.
Make sure that your good points get across to
the interviewers, but try to be factual and sincere, not conceited. If you are
describing your best qualities, be concrete. Give examples of how these
qualities have helped you and others. This is where your preparation will pay
off.
Remember that you have known yourself all of
your life. The interviewers, however, have only a short period of time to get
to know you and to recognize your capabilities. Be sure to help them all you
can by giving them the information they need to properly evaluate you.
Toward the end of the interview, you will be
asked if you would like to add anything. If you believe that there is something
in your background the interviewers should know that hasn't been mentioned,
this is your chance. This is also a good time to briefly sum up what you
believe makes you a good candidate for the job of Firefighter.
Sometimes candidates protest their interviews
after receiving their scores, with the claim that the interview board did not
ask them about experience, training or other background which the candidate
believes is important. Interviewers don't have time to ask enough questions to
bring out all the qualifications a candidate may possess. That is the reason we
instruct boards to ask all candidates if they have anything they would like to
add; and such protests as the one mentioned above are not valid since
candidates who take advantage of this opportunity by answering the last
question fully will avoid this complaint.
Try, however, to make your final statements or
your answer to the closing question concise because the interview board has a
schedule to keep and there are other candidates waiting.
The chairperson will indicate the end of the
interview by thanking you for coming in. Thank the interviewers for their time
and consideration.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
The results of your examination will be mailed
to you.
The Personnel Department makes every effort to
assure that all candidates receive a fair interview and that the persons who
serve on interview boards are competent and well briefed on the job of
Firefighter.
Candidates who receive low scores frequently
disagree with the judgment of the interview board. The Civil Service
Commission, however, does not consider a difference of opinion between the
candidate and the interviewers regarding the candidate's qualifications as
valid grounds for protest.
During the two working days following your
interview, you may file a protest on the conduct of your interview and/or the
competency of the interviewers. This review period is the only time protests
will be accepted about the conduct of the interview, the questions asked by the
interviewers, and the interviewers' qualifications.
Protests must be in writing and must state the
reasons for the protest, including what happened and what remedy you believe
would be appropriate. Clear evidence of an impropriety is required. If you do
not support your concerns or if you submit your concerns after the two-day time
limit, they will not be reviewed.
All too frequently when we do poorly, we blame
someone else. The wise thing is to reflect upon the interview and determine how
to better prepare and thus improve in future interviews. It is hoped that the
information contained in this pamphlet provides you with insight on the City of
Los Angeles interview testing process and how to do your best on your job
interview.
CHECKLIST FOR PREPARING FOR THE INTERVIEW
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*Read this pamphlet carefully. |
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*Make a list of your good points and think of concrete examples that demonstrate them. |
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*Review your completed application and the examination announcement. |
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*Make sure you know the exact date, time, and place of your interview. |
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*Bring the interview notice with you. You may bring a resume (no certificates or letters of recognition) to update any information that has changed since your application was filed. |
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*Have enough money for parking. |
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*Leave home in time to arrive at least 15 minutes before the appointed time. |
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*Present a neat businesslike appearance for your job interview. |
The LAFD Recruitment
Unit encourages applicants to schedule a mock interview session. Please contact the LAFD Recruitment
Unit for details at (213) 485-8032.
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