Diversity

[JohnS]

I took a few fire courses. Although, I think a diverse education along with strong work and life experiences, helped myself.

[FireEMTGuy]

Exactly it. Proven life experiences help the most. A candiate can have a million courses and cert's but a candidate with proven life experience and proven responsible choices will be chosen over the candidate with no life experience and a million courses.

[Red_Devil]

here here, go to a writing and just look around, a lot of kids there right out of highschool that have just graduated from the fire programs, they may have a hockey sock full of certificates and papers and all that jazz, but no life experience, they have their DZ ticket but whens the last time t hey got behind a wheel of a stanard 6 speed truck, besides using the truck or bus at their road test, i drove truck for 6 yrs for a transportation company before i got hired!! Life experience looks better on a resume then these know it all courses!

[Fireknight]

And being able to sell yourself in the interview process is a big help. When you walk away from the table you want them saying WOW, the interview is no time to be modest and shy, but not cocky, let them know what you can do for them, not the other way around.

[Jurassic]

Fireknight, very good point. It's ALL about the interview. It is what ultimately gets you the badge. And in regard to life experience and seals, it's actually about BOTH. You can't have one without the other. They are looking for the whole package, because a million applicants have it. But you really do want to "wow" them in the interview. And you will probably know it when you leave.