TOP FIFTY QUESTIONS YOU COULD BE ASKED IN AN INTERVIEW

1. Why do you want to be a firefighter?
This I'm sure you knew would be an obvious one so don’t forget about originality.
What ever you do, do not just say, “I want to help people”- talk about an over used and vague answer.
A possible reply might be “ well (sir or mamm) my reasons for choosing fire fighting as a career are quite simple; I enjoy being involved in the community and have always wanted to obtain a career that will give me a sense of accomplishment. But I must say that pride is the biggest reason. It is no secret that firefighters have a long history of respect and community involvement, I feel quite strongly that this career has all of the interesting areas that will keep me motivated and focused. 

2. Why should we hire you?
I hope you don’t think you should say how much weight you can lift or that you would be a great candidate for their up-coming poster competition. Alright, I’m sure you knew that but believe me; this way of thinking has crossed many minds. What the panel is looking for here is a wide variety of attributes. For example, there are 3 “must haves” (grade 12 diploma, be a Canadian citizen and at least 18 years of age). Yet, another soon to be “must have” is a pre-services fire program diploma. Anyway, at this stage, it is wise for you to have your portfolio in front of you and if there were any other credentials added to it after it was sent in to human resources, make sure to have copies for everyone. This is where you can expand on all that hard labour from courses, volunteer work, community services, education, hobbies and personality traits which are equally important. This is not a time however to be shy and hold back from letting the panel know who you really are. I once asked a gentleman who was on a hiring committee if a videotape of a fire course that an applicant had taken, would be wise to include with an application; he answered with a definite YES! (As long as it was a condensed version about 3 minutes in length) Questions will be asked about all areas of your resume so again be ready to have full but condensed explanations. It can be a bit of a tricky question so be ready. Quite often, panel members will refer to your resume and question you on some of your qualifications. You must be ready to answer these in full with no adlibbing. What you don't want to do is come across like you are the obvious choice for the job, and this will happen if you’re not prepared to answer it before hand. Of course having post secondary programs help to put you ahead of others, but group conformity ranks right up there as well. You have to remember that this job requires that you can “fit in” with your co-workers during long shifts which can vary from 10-14-24 hour periods. The interview panel will be able to get a good idea if you can just from this stage of the recruitment. The question was “why should we hire you” well, tell them, but do not over do it.

3. What is your most memorable medical call?
This happens to be a category where past medical work experience will come in handy, but if you have none but you happen to have been involved in a situation that required your help, then by all means talk about it. That was the case with me and when asked this question I found myself really searching for a reply. So without stretching the truth, all I could do was tell the truth about a very minor incident where I played a small role .The fire service is changing. There are a large percentage of calls that are medically related so any past work experience in this area is going to assist with this question. One point that l find worth mentioning is if you do happen to have several examples to chose from, do not make it a gory one. You will get a much more positive response with a story of compassion.

4. The stress question..
Well you don’t have to spend a lot of time here, so make your reply reasonable. Of course everyone is different but stress relievers can be similar. You could probably include running, working out, general exercise, walks, read, or what ever does it for you. During your interviews, do not babble. Get to the point and move on.

5. How would you deal with a fellow worker who was giving you trouble?
If you have had any work experience at all you will appreciate the fact that no one is perfect and you can’t please all the people all the time. There are going to be times when personality’s conflict and the only solutions are to ignore the problem or handle it tastefully. Answer this question by explaining the above and adding that you would speak to the individual one-on-one and if that did not fix it then the next step is to go to an officer and explain the problem to them.

6. What does the chain of command mean to you?
Here is a question sure to be asked and you really have to know what it means. There are two ways to look at it. First from a first class firefighter’s view it means to always do what is asked of you by the most senior officer. Him\her with the most stripes wins so to speak. Also, if you have a problem with a fellow worker as previously mentioned then it is not right for you to go straight to the Chief. Instead, your first full or acting officer is the one to see. On the fire ground, the senior officer will delegate duties to the next ranking officer and they will pass those orders down the line. Full understanding and compliance with the chain of command is critical for scene safety and control

7. Have you ever had to take a stand against something?
The interview panel is still trying to find out what kind of person you are and here they are looking to obtain some of your work ethics. If there was a problem on your part, how did you handle it. This could be you taking a stand against working over-time, or being asked to do a function that was not particularly your job. Maybe you were part of a protest against abortion. What ever it is, tell the panel but remember to have a good explanation for the stand you took.

8. What qualities do you not tolerate?
A person who leaves the seat up or cracks their knuckles is not the way to go here. Instead, you answer by mentioning those who don’t take there job serious enough, who is always complaining about something and never doing anything about it even people who talk about others behind their backs. These are just a few suggestions so mention the qualities that rub you the wrong way yet have some significance.

9. Who has motivated you and why?
When you have an answer, be sure to provide good reasons why. In your case it may be a family friend, co-worker, an instructor or teacher from the past or even someone closer to home like an Aunt, Uncle, Mom or Dad. I think you get my point. Who ever it is, just explain why this person has such an impact on your life-simple as that.

10. Reward: do you prefer quick reward or reward later on?
You are probably thinking to yourself, where are they going with this. Well, if you look more closely at it you might figure out that the panel wants to know if you are concerned with making sure you are given immediate praise for your actions or if it can wait until later on. That is what this whole process of an interview is for; to see what kind of person they have in front of them. The time you prefer acknowledgment will determine how important it is for you to receive it.

11. Have you ever disagreed with a policy?
In the fire service, as in many careers, there are usually an abundance of policies and procedures that are set up to be followed. Think carefully now because the fire department takes pride in this area and your answer could make or break you. Do not feel compelled to have a response for every question. If it does not apply to you, don’t make something up, just say, “No I’m sorry, I can’t say that has ever happened to me”.

12. How should performance be graded?
I have six points that should be mentioned:
- Punctuality
- Presentation (grooming)
- Attitude
- Conformity
- Honesty
- Respect for others

13. Do you have any volunteer experience?
I want you to realize that to most employers, volunteer experience is like gravy on fries. Now, you might think that it has to be in the vicinity of fire fighting-well not so because believe it or not, any volunteer work is great for the resume. For example, when I was interviewed, I had four years of my own time invested as a probation officer and had worked part time in a young offender’s facility. So try to do some community involvement like Big Brothers, but make sure you enjoy it. There are many fields out there so get into it. Be sure that the volunteer work does not consume your time. There are many avenues to choose that will help your portfolio but will still enable you to do other things.

14. What do you think about the statement that firefighters are over paid?
By now you should be aware of public criticism and also what is entailed in this career you have chosen. Therefore tell the panel that you are aware of the annual pay and feel that it is justifiable and for every one who has a negative attitude towards the pay scale, there are many who would not do this job no matter what the compensation.

15. What goals do you have?
Obviously, becoming a member of a fire department is way up there but you should touch on things that are important to you such as a family, possibly furthering your education, become involved with department comities (they love to here that, but only say it if you mean it) or maybe a home. Talk about your goals but please make them realistic and honest.

16. What is the difference between a rookie and a veteran?
I have taken the definitions straight from the dictionary
Rookie: an untrained or inexperienced recruit, a novice
Veteran: a person of long experience in an activity or capacity.
You can reword them as you see fit.

17. Would you volunteer for our department and where?
Come on now, you should know that you have entered a career that will demand a long-term commitment to you donating your time. You must first say yes and then possibly mention annual 911 events, demonstrations and promotions at local malls, various departmental charity events and so on.

18. If you where offered this job today, what would be the first three things you would do?
Can you believe that some interviewees have made it right to the final stage and blown it with this question!! By this I am referring to replies such as “go out and party, get loaded, freak out, give my present employer a piece of my mind, run naked in the streets” and so on. Show some maturity here and reply with something like “call my wife(parents, family member,) send out thank- you letters to those who helped in your journey, move to the area, thank your present employer and give at least 2 weeks notice, ya-da,ya-da,ya-da.

19. Do you think you are self motivated and if so give an example?
You know that they are looking for self-motivated people; this is the fire department for crying out loud! Answers can revolve around you talking about the various difficult stages and sacrifices you have made to get where you are now. You do not have to spend much time here, so give examples and carry on.

20. Have you ever had success in something?
Another short answer but use just one example and make it big. There is no problem with mentioning something personal, maybe you have got yourself onto a rigorous exercise program and lost a lot of weight, or completed a college or university course while working apart-time and supporting a family. What ever does it for you but remember,……………………don’t lie!

21. What will your references say if they are called about you?
Take my word for it--- when they say they will call them, they will, so have roughly 5-7 good reliable contacts. Be sure to let whoever knows what job you are going for. You will usually find a very positive response and encouragement. Here is a little tip- during the interview or when asked this question, have all of your reference letters with you along with the 1 or 2 from your original application done up nicely onto a separate sheet for each interviewer.
One more point – there are those of you who may not be comfortable informing your current employer of your future plans to enter the fire service. This can pose a problem. Just how will they take the news? Well, this is my advice- You must take a good look and be honest with yourself. Assess just what kind of employee have you been. If you truly feel that you have been the best that you could be at your current position, then feel confident to talk to your employer. They may offer you some part time work. However, if you have a poor work record, have made it obvious to others of your dislike towards your job, and are unsure of your employer’s reaction well Mr., I think you better keeps things quiet.

22. Have you seen the movie back draft and what did you think of it?
In case you haven’t seen it, this is a Hollywood movie from the 90`s not to mention a major element in fire behaviour. If asked what you think, reply with “well, I’ve seen it (if you have) and I thought it was pretty good.” It is way too early for you to play Mr. Movie Critic.

23. You see someone doing something that strays from policy--what do you do?
This is being asked assuming you have been on the department for a while, but ask the panel because it makes a big difference being that they would probably accept you saying that you may choose not to say anything because you are new and trying to fit in. Questioning their acts would really hurt you in the popularity department. Now, back to the first scenario. Maybe handle this by saying something like “you have to be very tactful on your delivery, there are quite a few people who do not take criticism the way we would hope, therefore depending on the severity I would make casual mention of it but if it was more serious then there would be a more intense but private conversation.

24. You smell alcohol on someone’s breath and they say it is only aftershave-what would you do?
This is a much more serious situation than the above. Alcohol is just not tolerated in today’s fire service. If you are going to do this, you had better make sure you know what you are getting into. This situation can turn ugly very quickly so be as certain as you possibly can. That being said, it is your duty to report this problem to your superior officer. OK, hold on for a second. Are we not forgetting something? Before taking this to a higher level, you must speak to this individual in private. Discreetly make your concerns clear and if the candidate denies it, (and you are still sure they are intoxicated) it is now time to speak with your station Captain.

25. Your shift Captain asks you to shovel snow away from a fire hydrant. As you are doing this, an association member walks by and tells you that this is not in your contract and to stop. What do you do?
This situation is easy to answer but requires a tactful response. Here you have to keep in mind the chain of command and come back with an explanation that informs the union representative where the request came from and that they should go to that officer to discuss it further. Yes, you will continue to shovel.

26. How many sick days a month do you feel is acceptable and why?
Well, well, well! Talk about a situation that could make or break your interview. You have know that no department likes to see people off sick. The last thing you want to do is let the panel think that you would take a sick day when it is not really needed. This is a huge expense to some cities and therefore your response should be the following.................None. In our department we are allowed 1 1/2 days a month and have two firefighters who have worked 17 and 24 years with no sick days used. Not bad eh.

27. Do you have any questions for us?
I can’t begin to explain the amount of weight lifted from one’s shoulder once this question finally comes up. The interview is over. But, you are not done yet because you can put the cream on the cake by offering a closing statement that reflects on your sincerity and passion for your quest of becoming a firefighter. Thank the panel for their time and then exit the interview.

Here are several more possible interview questions that you can make your own answers to.

28. What have you done to prepare for this interview?

29. What have you done to prepare for a career in the fire service?

30. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?

31. Why do you want to be a firefighter for the City of _______?

32. What is the most appealing aspect of being a firefighter?

33. What is the least appealing aspect of being a firefighter?

34. What do you consider to be your strongest asset? You’re weakest?

35. Give an example in which you had to work as part of a team in order to achieve a common goal?

36. What is the advantage of working in teams?

37. Why is teamwork so important in the fire service?

38. What do you know about the organizational structure of the ____ Fire Department?

39. How do you and your family feel about you working shift work?

40. What is the most important trait a firefighter must possess?

41. How could you help maintain good relations around the firehouse?

42. What is a typical daily routine in a firehouse?

43. What will you do with your spare time while on duty?

44. Do you have any volunteer experience?

45. What duties does a firefighter perform?

46. What type of person would you find it most difficult to work with?

47. How should performance be graded?

48. Define sexual harassment and give your feelings about the subject.

49. What would you do if you were witness to someone being sexually harassed?

50. In what direction do you see the fire service going?

51. What is common sense?

Each of your interview stages will be either tapped or in my case, the panel was writing each answer that I provided down on a pad. Make sure you are prepared for this stage, that you look presentable, act mature, remember your answers and for God’s sake, don’t babble.
Congratulations!
Now thank the panel for their time, shake hands and exit the interview room.
That wasn’t so hard now was it!