Cover Letter for Captains Position

[johnemt76]

I am applying for a captains position for my department. I have a great resume done, and I am stuck on a cover letter. Does anyone have any suggestions, or samples that might help me out. Thanks for any help you guys can provide.

[freeport441]

Try the book "Facing the Promotional Interview" by John Mittendorf. Several examples of Cover Letters from good to bad.

[CaptBob]

Did they ask for a cover letter or do you just feel you need one?

[johnemt76]

I would like to provide one. I think it is appropriate to include a cover letter with the resume. Is this wrong? And to answer your question specfially, no they did not ask for one. Thanks for any help!!

[ffchun]

You might consider an "open" and "close" statments during your interview to emphasize certain qualities of yourself. This is if you choose not to have a cover letter. Sometimes people will not give you the time of reading it (cover letter) versus actually listening from you.

[CaptBob]

A candidate faxed me his resume for review. The cover letter for the position he was applying for stated, “Attached is a 'brief' description of my qualifications.” I laughed aloud because he had sent me a book. The printer ran out of paper. Save a tree, the raters will not read these volumes.

I’m a one-page resume guy. The resume is easier to read if it’s not in a folder. No cover letter unless requested. Most raters will not read a cover letter. That same information is going to be on your resume, right? But too many candidates have convinced themselves by the four inches between their ears they must have a cover letter. That’s a corporate resume format, not fire. One candidate wrote: The oral board complimented me on submitting just a one-page resume.

Don’t send me out on a search party or a treasure hunt to find your great stuff on your resume. Hit me with your major qualifications, starting with your experience, on one page. Keep it simple. Many promotional candidates forget to start with any officer acting time.

Write the resume believing the raters won’t go past the first page. If you must put your resume in a folder so you will sleep better, don’t cover up the first page with a title page. You can put any supporting details, documents, and certificates following the first page. Letters of recommendation are seldom read. Have you ever read a letter of recommendation that said something bad?

Suggested firefighter resume format: http://www.eatstress.com/resume.htm

[johnemt76]

Thanks guys, that is very helpful..

[CaptBob]

You might consider an "open" and "close" statments during your interview to emphasize certain qualities of yourself. This is if you choose not to have a cover letter. Sometimes people will not give you the time of reading it (cover letter) versus actually listening from you.

[FONT=Verdana]Believe it or not you're not running the promotional interview process. I have yet to see a cover letter that does anything more than the acutal resume except to go on and on yada, yada, yada.

Openings and Closings

Too many candidates open with dumping the whole load on why they want to be an officer, what have they done to prepare for the position, why they want to work for this agency, etc. What they don’t realize is the opening or Tell us About Yourself question is just an icebreaker to get you comfortable in the chair. What’s real important to understand here is that answer is not scored! That’s right, there is generally not a box to score an opening or closing statement.

So after you dump the whole load on a question that is not scored, then, they ask you questions where your answers are scored and you start reintegrating what you already have said, losing the edge and valuable points. A one-minute or less answer about you and your hobbies is all that is needed here. A "Nugget" here: If they look baffled after your short answer, ask if they want more. They usually won't.

For the most part Closing Statements aren’t scored either. But if you
said something important that was not already covered on the previous questions it could cause the raters to go back and adjust your scores. The raters will also adjust your scores if you say something stupid.

So the “Nugget” here is if you are given a chance to give a closing
statement first scan you mind looking for anything important that was
part of your script that was not already asked like why you want to work for this agency, what have you done to prepare, etc.. Then deliver a condensed segment as part of your closing. You can obtain a sample for a script here: http://eatstress.com/workboolette.htm

[BCLepore]

I have been an evaluator on three different Battalion Chief promotional panels in the last three months.

Here are my suggestions for résumé’s:

First and foremost PROOFREAD it before you turn it in. It is the first impression we have on you as a candidate. I can usually find errors in grammar and punctuation. Not the first impression you are looking to create.

Second, do not “pad” your resume with useless crap, rather include committee work, and department involvement.

Third, take the time to put it in a nice folder (leather preferred), with plastic page protectors.

Fourth. Make COLOR copies of all of your relevant certificates and include them

Fifth, DO NOT include your school transcripts if you are not proud of them

Paul Lepore
Battalion Chief
www.aspiringfirefighters.com

[johnemt76]

I proof read the resume many times. It is by far the best resume I have ever submitted. I also included 4 copies of the resume in the folder so when the time comes they can be handed out. Thank you guys very much for your great opinions. Hopefully soon I will have "The Badge".

[CaptBob]

I also included 4 copies of the resume in the folder so when the time comes they can be handed out.

Keep it simple

Consider not going into your interview handing out resumes expecting the raters to read them. They usually won’t. The time to read your resume is before you walk into the room. Get enough copies of your resume to the Personnel Department in enough time to be placed in your file. The resume will be given to the raters before you walk into the room.

[FDNY2TRUCK]

I am currently a career firefighter but am applying at other departments. I recently had an interview and I gave several copies of my resume to the secretary that checked me in. She gave them to the interview panel and they reviewed it before I entered the room.

If I would have handed it to them when I walked in the room, I would not have been able to shake their hands and chances are they would not read it. Or if they did read it, they might be reading and not concentrating on what I was saying in the interview.
Good Luck

[FDNY2TRUCK]

I’m not spamming so don’t jump all over me. There are several resume sites out there and I just happened to stumble across one of them.

I used www.fdresume.com for help with my resume and they did a good job. The price was a little lower then other company but the product was top notch and it was written by a firefighter that also teaches professional development for the University of IL.

There are several companies out there so take a look at them all and chose the one that is best for you if you really need help. I can post the resume and cover letter they wrote if anyone would like to see it and maybe it can help you.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Wow! It must've been a slow week at bobby abd boobie's ranch. 3 spam posts in one thread.

FDNY2TRUCK, don't worry. It's only spamming if you are selling stuff that can be obtained for free in other places.

johnemt76, there is a thread just below this one where we discussed this very subject. Here is the post I made at that time. And don't worry, I don't have any books, tapes, cd' DVD's or speeches for sale.

There are three very important things to consider about your cover letter before you worry about the what to put in it.

1. The letter MUST be free of grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.
2. The letter MUST be written in a business format. Leave out the fancy fonts, clip art and "eye-catchers". I disagree srtongly with using bold fonts and bullet points. Your reviewer can read. That stuff is a distraction.
3. Under no circumstances should the cover letter be in excess of one page.

Make sure the letter is addressed to a specific individual. Using the greeting of "Dear Sir" when the letter may be read by a female is a faux pas that may be deadly.

Your cover letter should to three things.

1. Introduce yourself and state that you are applying for a particular position.
2. Show career highlights or landmarks that may or may not be on your resume. For example, if you are applying for a position as a training officer, the fact that you participated in a project that highlights you knowledge and skills as a training instructor may be lost in the resume. The cover letter is the place to bring that stuff out. There is little need to restate what is on your resume. The exception to this would be if there is a specific certification or other qualification that is needed for the position. In that case, you can state it. But remember, the reviewer can read your resume.
3. Ask to be considered for the position. In your case, there is a specific time and date for the interview already set. If that were not the case, there is alot to be gained by asking to be considered and then telling the reviewer that you will call them on (a date two weeks or so in the future) to set up an appointment for an interview. Then actually call. It shows enthusiasm and initiative.

Don't forget that your resume should be prepared in a business like manner and be concise as well. People misunderstand resumes. For the most part, the resume and cover letter are not getting you the job. They are getting you the opporunity to interview for the job. Once you get the interview, YOU are getting you the job.

Good luck.

[ffemtp009]

Hey Guys,

I need someone to write my resume and cover letter that is due in a few weeks for a department I am applying for. I have found a few resume writing services out there and don’t know which is better. If you have used www.fdresume.com or any other services, can you let me know how they did and if it was worth it.

I have a resume I wrote in high school but it looks like crap and I could use some help adding structure and some creativity to my sentences so I stand out from the other thousands of applicants.

I’m not looking to bring out the spammers, if you would like to e-mail me your opinion on the service you used, that would be wonderful too.
If you have used fdresume and have a copy of the work they did, could you e-mail it to me so I can see what their product looks like?

Thanks guys

[ffemtp009]

Ok, ok, ok…

I went with a resume service and so far so good. We did the phone interview tonight and should have a proof within a day.

I will post the final resume for all to scrutinize as well as my overall opinion of the service.

Thanks to all of you that e-mailed me privately, I don’t need any more resume examples!!!

[wakenhutff]

Hello,

I have been looking through resume posts and most of The posts look a little old so I don’t know if anyone looks at them anymore. I am employed in Iraq as a contract firefighter. My contract expires in a few months and I need to get my resume in order to submit for multiple fire department jobs back home.

I have looked into the fdresume.com web site and am most likely looking at buying the resume and cover letter. The price looks very reasonable in comparison to other sites and all the reviews look good. If anyone has used them recently or can recommend what writer to use through the service, I am open to all feedback.

[CaptBob]

Resumes First Impressions

Let’s say you are in the process of applying for a firefighter job or any job. What factors play into the hiring panel’s first impression of you? Naturally, your physical appearance. Your choice of words, eye contact, and your handshake are also very important. But you may have overlooked the most important factor in making a good first impression – your application and resume.

I can't tell you how many times we've seen applications with misspelled words, poor grammar, and sloppy organization. It certainly gives me a negative first impression of the candidate, before I’ve even had the chance to meet them in person.

Putting in that extra effort to build a solid and well-crafted resume could be the deciding factor in getting hired. And having reviewed thousands of applicants’ resumes in my lifetime, I’ll provide you a few tried-and-true tips on writing a strong resume.

Unfortunately, the sad truth is that most resumes are poorly done. Many applicants will simply copy a generic business-style resume format, which usually features paragraphs that drone on and on about accomplishments and experience. This is not very well-suited for EMS/firefighter/paramedic jobs due to the high volume of candidates vying for the same positions. Reviewers only have a few moments to look at your resume before you walk into the room, so you need to grab their attention immediately.

I'm a huge fan of the one-page resume for entry-level hires; don’t even bother with a cover letter or a resume folder. Save a tree by being concise and don't make the job panel send out a search party to find your good stuff. Try imaging that the reviewer won’t spend more than 60 seconds looking over your resume. Hit them with your major qualifications and experience right away on one page.

Here are a few other points to consider:

Don’t list your education as the first item on the resume. That’s for business/corporate interviews. You should highlight your key work experience right away. EMT certification. Bam. Firefighting experience. Bam. Apparatus operation training. Bam.

Your experience doesn’t necessarily have to be listed in chronological order. Try building your resume with the most pertinent experience and information at the top of the page. I remember one candidate telling me that his paramedic certification and firefighting experience were his best qualifications. Yet he listed it at the bottom of his resume where it can be easily overlooked.

You should include the dates of qualifications and experience on the right side of the page where it can be easily referenced. This allows for more freedom when formatting the order of your resume.

Then supplement your qualifications with education, course work and other secondary extracurricular information at the bottom of the page to balance out your applicant package.

Here is how I would suggestion organizing your resume:

Carl Mcfly
1284 Main St.
Kensington, Ca 94588
Phone: 510-286-5890 e-mail: Iwantafirejob@aol.com

OBJECTIVE: To achieve a level within the fire service.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Firefighter Fire Department, CA 2-00 Present
Duties include but are not limited to fire suppression in structural as well as wild land environments and emergency medical services under highly stressful emergency conditions. Also, fire prevention, public education, vehicle and station maintenance under the supervision of a Captain, always focusing on providing quality customer service.

Engineer (Acting) 2-03 Present

Firefighter Fire Department (Auxiliary) 3-99 2-00
Perform in a probationary capacity under emergency situations, fire suppression, emergency medical services, also fire prevention, public education, vehicle and station maintenance.

EMT Ambulance Service, CA 3-99 2-00
Perform under emergency situations; emergency medical services under the direction of Redondo Beach and L.A. County Fire Department Paramedics. Vehicle and station maintenance and Code-3 driving.

INSTRUCTOR Emergency Response CPR 3-03 Present
Adult, Child, & Infant CPR training for the community as well as for the professional rescuer.

Owner/Operator Pool Company, CA 5-97 2-00
Service and repair of residential and commercial pools and spas according to County Health Department specifications.

EDUCATION: (is space is needed to keep on one page, these can be placed in two columns)

Bachelor’s Degree
EMT Defib and Combitube certified
Firefighter I
Red Cross certified CPR Instructor
Firefighter II
Federal Red Card System Member
Driver/Operator State certified
Class B Driver’s License

If you have space left using a size 12 fount on the first page you can add:

ACTIVITIES
Member of State University Track and Field Team.
Member of State University X-Country Team.
Volunteer for Hubbs Institute White Sea Bass Population Restoration Project.
Volunteer for Red Cross on various projects

That’s all you need. Nothing more, nothing less. Keep it simple.

Now that we’ve covered how to construct a balanced resume, we must not forget about another key element: presentation and delivery. Don’t even think that you can go into an interview and hand over your resume for the job panel to review on the spot. This upsets the normal flow of the interview. Be sure to FedEx or hand deliver a hard copy of your resume to human resources before the interview. Don't fax it.

And with the onset of technology, many departments have made applications available online. However, this new method leaves you susceptible to a whole slew of challenges. Make sure to double check spelling and grammar before clicking that ‘send’ button. There is no excuse for sloppiness or mistakes just because you apply online or through email. Also, make a copy of your online application before sending. I’ve talked to many candidates who’ve submitted online applications, but couldn’t remember the information they had put down six months later during their interview.

These resume tips will ensure that you are starting off on the right foot when applying for a job. After all, competing against other candidates and going on interviews make the application process hard enough as it is. Don’t give a bad first impression before you can even get your foot in the door.

[wakenhutff]

I guess I’ll post this here as well,

Thanks for your input but I ended up going with a fire department specific resume writing service that did a phone interview today and should have things all set for me by Tuesday night. I researched the company and it appears that they have a lot of success stories.

I know I could just enter my info into the MS Word resume format, but it looks so elementary and basic even if I am applying for an entry level position. Even though I am starting at the entry level, I still want to highlight my capabilities.

I explained to the writer what I am looking for (something that is clean, easy to read, original, and highlights my qualities like education and work history all in a single page) and they said that they could do exactly what I was looking for

[wakenhutff]

Went with a writing service that only writes firefighter resumes.

[wakenhutff]

Went with a writing service that only writes firefighter resumes.

and they did a great job. I would use them again if I ever needed to.

[HLNfirefighter]

Hey Waken can you post or e-mail me the phone number or web address for the resume company you used. I don’t need a cover letter just a resume.