Take every test you qualify for. This helps you learn your strengths and weaknesses, so that you can hopefully capitalize on the strengths and improve on the weaknesses. Trust me, we all have strengths and weaknesses; the key is learning what they are so we can make the most of them. Taking every test you qualify for also increases your chances of getting hired; the negative part about doing this is if you are finding yourself at a certain plateau and you are going nowhere. For example, you have taken ten different firefighter tests and you have yet to pass one of them. Why did you wait until the tenth test before you realized it was a problem? Shame on you! You should have immediately realized it was a problem and started working on those perceived weaknesses that you encountered during that phase of the hiring process.
Don't wait until the last minute to prepare yourself! Remember that you should always have the attitude that your dream fire department will be opening up their recruitment process tomorrow and that you will only have one day to apply. Too many people feel they don't have the time to prepare for an upcoming test, or they do not feel it is necessary to plan ahead. I remember having a firefighter ask me what books he should purchase for the upcoming captain's test - when I say upcoming, I mean that it was occurring in one month! After picking up my jaw from the ground, I tactfully told him which books he should purchase for the NEXT test that will be occurring in about 18 months. With a puzzled look, he asked me "what do you mean?" I told him that there is no conceivable way he could read and comprehend a few thousand pages of material in one month. He could definitely read and comprehend the material in 18 months, and now would be the best time to start preparing for the next!
test. Needless to say, he did take the captain's test, but he did not do well enough to get promoted. The bad part is that he got very close to getting promoted; so close he could probably taste it. I venture this made him kick himself for not taking more time in advance to prepare. So close, yet so far away. (Continued - To Read More Click Here)
