Help with figuring out what schooling to choose and what my steps should be?

[jamesh23]

thanks for all the help guys

[jamesh23]

also not sure if this is in the right section, sorry.

[BoulderJ]

I am by no means an expert so this is just a matter of what I have seen and heard in the fire service hiring process.

Fire Departments do very extensive background checks. Any criminal infraction can usually be found as there is a paper trail. Regardless of whether you plead guilty, were found guilty or charges were dropped – it looks bad. These could be traffic tickets, dui/dwai, drug issues, misdemeanor charges or felonies etc. Many departments will not hire anyone with a felony conviction but I noticed you said your charge will be dropped so I am not sure how they will look at that.

The biggest thing that can help you is to maintain a clean record and put distance (time) between those incidents. No one is perfect. People do make mistakes. The issue departments run into is one of responsibility and liability. If you cannot be responsible in your personal life than how can you responsible as a public servant? Can you be trusted when you are inside a citizens home or business? Will you continue to make the same choices as you made before?

I know you cannot stereotype everyone into the same category but there are studies to support this line of thinking. If you had the exact same qualifications as someone else but they had a clean record and you didn’t, it would be an easy decision for the department to make.

If you happen to get into a hiring process with a department make sure you are completely honest about why you were charged, what is was for and what you have done to change your behavior. If the issue was for instance, several years back, then it would be easier to explain that you learned your lesson and are a different person.

I don’t think you getting a job in the fire service will be impossible but it will definitely be much harder now that you have a record. Unfortunately what’s done is done and you have to live with it. Keeping a clean record and putting time between you and those issues is key. If you really want the job then keep at it. Keep your certifications current, keep taking classes at college and keep testing.

Once again this is just my opinion from what I have seen and heard from the background process.

[jamesh23]

Ok, I agree the honesty and ya it just sucks a dumb mistake can ruin a persons whole life, ill keep at it and just have to get a lot more certs than normal and maybe do some volunteer work or something for experience, thanks and id appreciate more answers as well.

[jamesh23]

Ok, I agree the honesty and ya it just sucks a dumb mistake can ruin a persons whole life, ill keep at it and just have to get a lot more certs than normal and maybe do some volunteer work or something for experience, thanks and id appreciate more answers as well.

couldnt figure out how to edit, also plan on getting my degree so that cant hurt, this is what I want to do, I guess if I cant ill fall back on mechanics, which I hate but am semi good at.

[fire49]

Do you mind listing every thing you have been

1. Arrested for and what level of crime misdemeanor/ felony

2. Convicted of

3. What are you on probation for?

4. What state are you in?

If you have a felony, more than likely you will have a hard time getting hired

[jamesh23]

Do you mind listing every thing you have been

1. Arrested for and what level of crime misdemeanor/ felony


2. Convicted of-----nothing

3. What are you on probation for?

4. What state are you in?

If you have a felony, more than likely you will have a hard time getting hired

answered above, thanks

[fire49]

If you are on probation, YOU have been CONVICTED.

You can check different city web sites some will tell you what thier disqualifiers are and also you can call and they might tell you what the disqualifiers are.

Sometimes they will say after so many years from an incident you can apply

Suggestion stay out of any trouble

[jamesh23]

I am not on probation anymore

[fire49]

Normaly depending on the state you either plead guilty or no contest and the sentence is deferred adjudication

Yes if you stay out of trouble it ends and sometimes the charges go away

You can cal the city attorney and maybe they can explain it
For your state

[fire49]

Just read very carefully how the questions on the application read!!!!


Ours read have you "ever" been convicted

http://www.gustafsonlaw.com/Crim-Sen...tence.htm#DS-3

[jamesh23]

all were in a different state, im ok now though thanks guys

[upallday]

You have an uphill battle.
It's going to be really hard to get hired for you. I'd suggest picking a different career path that you put your efforts towards and use the fire department as more of a hobby. Take the tests that you can. Interview. If it works out, awesome. If not, at least you'll have a career doing something else.
The deck is stacked against you.

Whatever you decide to do, best of luck.

[fire49]

We do out of state checks

And there are paid private Internet checks that pull all kinds of stuff up

[fire49]

You might just go through the process at a few places and see what happens

[45gggh]

thousands of people applying for the career, they can be picky and with that said you may want to consider a different career. I know of a handful of colorado fire departments that will not hire you within 10 years of a DUI

[jamesh23]

ok thanks a lot guys

[jamesh23]

We do out of state checks

And there are paid private Internet checks that pull all kinds of stuff up

do you know of any of these off the top of your head? i'd actually like to buy one and see what comes up on myself.

[fire49]

do you know of any of these off the top of your head? i'd actually like to buy one and see what comes up on myself.

Turn on your private messages, so you can be sent one!!

[jamesh23]

ok should be good to go! didnt know I had to turn it on thanks!