Q&A Interview Question

• Question:

I read your article, Five rules to encourage Optimism and to discourage Negativity Don’t Bring Your Baggage Into The Job Interview. (you can find this article at: http://jobsforveterans.military.com/1207/rules-encourage-optimism-discourage/)

Your note about reading between the lines on a job announcement may be a bit misleading. When you go into a job interview and presume to know what the company really wants vs. what they put in print would seem to me to be pretty arrogant. I’ve tried that and have been cut short in the interview. Nobody likes someone to come into their house and tell them how you’re going to fix things for them when they didn’t ask you to. Continue Reading

“Not Getting the Job” Should be a Learning Event

The scenario plays out all too often. You get the call that your resume was selected; you land an interview; and then…silence! Days, perhaps weeks of uncertainty pass, until you finally receive the dreaded email stating “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Getting rejected for anything is devastating, but getting rejected for a job can be very unnerving. The immediate reaction for most is to obsess over what went wrong. Did I blow the interview? Am I too old? Was the position filled internally? While wallowing in self-doubt is the easy way out, rise above your pessimism and take the opportunity to conduct an honest assessment. Follow up by asking why you were not the right fit. Perhaps ask the interviewer if he or she could offer you ways to improve so you might become a better candidate for the company in the future. The interviewer won’t think any less of you, and if you don’t ask, you will never know. Continue Reading

The Anatomy of a Job Description, and Other Pointers

Ryan Thomson, Redfish Technology

What is the purpose of a job description? It is of course an administrative document. It does serve to establish a description of an employment work contract. But in terms of recruitment, it is a marketing tool that should attract the attention of the talent you are seeking.

The Job description as an Administrative and Legal Document

As an administrative document, job descriptions serve to set out the parameters and expectations internally to current staff and management, as well as to prospective new hires. Each job description should address the title of the position, the department, the supervisor, the essential functions, duties/responsibilities, qualifications, and results expected. Continue Reading

So … What Did You Actually Do?

When I tell people that I’m a resume writer, some assume that I work with a lot of candidates who need assistance embellishing their resumes. In actuality, this is almost never the case. Many of our clients are highly educated professionals who have so much work experience that they can’t figure out where to start when it comes to writing their resumes. While this is definitely a good problem to have, I see experienced candidates make the same mistake again and again on their resumes. They get so caught up in describing all the facets of their jobs that they forget to explain one very important thing: What do they actually do? Continue Reading

Paramedic Job Description Template

If you’re looking for paramedic jobs, it’s important to obtain the proper job description for the position you want to pursue, because the nature of the industry is extremely far-reaching.
The emergency medical services industry includes everything from various levels of emergency medical technicians and paramedics to ambulance drivers and emergency management personnel.
And because each position within the EMS industry has its own training requirements and skill set, you should study job description of the exact occupation you want before deciding how to prepare for the position.
For instance, check out this job description template for ambulance drivers:
The Ambulance Driver job function is to drive the ambulance assisting in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. They must also assist in lifting patients.

• Job Functions

The Ambulance Driver job function is to drive ambulances or assist ambulance drivers in transporting sick, injured, or convalescent persons. The Ambulance Driver removes and replaces soiled linens and equipment to maintain sanitary conditions. The Ambulance Driver places patients on stretchers and load stretchers into ambulances, usually with assistance from other attendants. The Ambulance Driver accompanies and assists emergency medical technicians on calls. The Ambulance Driver is expected to earn and maintain appropriate certifications in order to perform their job function. The Ambulance Driver replaces supplies and disposable items on ambulances making sure that they are always fully stocked before making an emergency call. The Ambulance Driver is responsible for reporting facts concerning accidents or emergencies to hospital personnel or law enforcement officials. The Ambulance Driver is responsible to administer first aid, such as bandaging, splinting, and administering oxygen. Sometimes the Ambulance Driver is expected to restrain or shackle violent patients.

• Knowledge

The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of a customer satisfaction. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. The Ambulance Driver needs knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

• Skills

The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to give full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to perform routine maintenance on equipment and determine when and what kind of maintenance is needed. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to adjust actions in relation to others’ actions in order to properly perform their job function. The Ambulance Driver must have the skill to monitor gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure the machine is working properly and the patient vitals are being correctly controlled. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents. The Ambulance Driver often has to make decision quickly so they must have the skill to determine the kind of tools and equipment needed to do their job function. This can be a life or death situation for someone so they need to be fully aware of what each piece of equipment on the ambulance will do and how to properly use the tools. The Ambulance Driver needs the skill to use logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems. The Ambulance Driver needs to be actively looking for ways to help people while doing their job function. The Ambulance Driver needs to be able to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem solving and decision making.

• Abilities

The Ambulance Driver must have the ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving the arm or while holding the arm and hand in one position. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to quickly and repeatedly adjust the controls of a machine or a vehicle to exact positions. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events. The Ambulance Driver needs the ability to speak clearly so others can understand any instructions or direct commands.