Chicago Fire Exam, March 2006

[WIff4hire]

Going to a Pass/Fail only test will be a nightmare, because there will be NO transparency, NO accountability,NO actual list, and NO way of checking to see if the hiring sequence is legitimate.

Otherwise, a perfect world excuse for the City to bypass truly qualified candidates and go back to hiring unqualified minorities and those with clout.

Wow, took the words right out of my mouth. Big cities have a hard on for minorities. Things like affirmative action are racist. As we all know, real diversity comes from the color of your skin (note sarcasm). But departments are too concerned with numbers, rather than skilled and intelligent employees.

Hearing that this test is pass/fail has really dampened my enthusiasm about testing for CFD. As a white male, ive got roughly no chance of being "randomly" selected.

[WIff4hire]

without trying to sound racist, whats the chance of a white male being hired? The Chicago webpage says it wants minorities to apply so does that mean they will be chosen first?

As a white male, getting hired in the fire service is like winning the lottery. At least, thats how its been described to me.

[pfd4life]

Hearing that this test is pass/fail has really dampened my enthusiasm about testing for CFD. As a white male, ive got roughly no chance of being "randomly" selected.

So what, take the friggin test. I'll be there, and I am one of the biggest crackers you can find. If you can't handle that you might not be selected just becuase you are not black, then don't test...just one less person that I won't be competing with for that job. Remember, even though you are white, the test, interviews and physical will still weed out the ones who can't hack it. You have nothing to lose..

[dooley]

There is no interview that I've ever heard of, though maybe they will change their procedures from previous years (not that I'm trying to discourage anyone from taking the test). FYI, I heard from a friend on the CFD that the City Council also approved the increase in max age for hire as 38 vice 35. Good news for me, since I'm 33 now!
Good luck to all.

[FFSmitty1]

WIff4hire: I've got to ask, what country do you live in? Chicago is 46% white and 36% black. The fire dept. is about 65% white. The chicago suburbs have 3 milliion people with over 100 paid departments and not one of them is majority minority. The community I serve is 90% minority, the department is 90% white. And if guess correctly from your handle you are from wisconsin. Are there even any minorities in WI outside Milwaukee?

[pfd4life]

WIff4hire: I've got to ask, what country do you live in? Chicago is 46% white and 36% black. The fire dept. is about 65% white. The chicago suburbs have 3 milliion people with over 100 paid departments and not one of them is majority minority. The community I serve is 90% minority, the department is 90% white. And if guess correctly from your handle you are from wisconsin. Are there even any minorities in WI outside Milwaukee?

Nice post, most communities outside of the major metro areas, Milwaukee, Green Bay etc..still contain a population that is a majority of caucasians. Hmongs and latinos make up most of the non black/white populus in these areas. Regardless though...if you don't take the test because your afraid that a person of another race will get placed ahead of you just because the color of their skin...please..

[WIff4hire]

WIff4hire: I've got to ask, what country do you live in? Chicago is 46% white and 36% black. The fire dept. is about 65% white. The chicago suburbs have 3 milliion people with over 100 paid departments and not one of them is majority minority. The community I serve is 90% minority, the department is 90% white. And if guess correctly from your handle you are from wisconsin. Are there even any minorities in WI outside Milwaukee?

I live in america, but im guessing you meant county, i live in milwaukee county. The only point i see you making is that outside of the major cities, minorities are few and far between. Other than that, i really dont see the purpose of your post. I dont mean to bitch and moan, and say this is unfair. Im just trying to point out how ridiculous things like affirmative action are. It shouldnt matter how much of the community is minority, a hiring process for any job should reflect skilled candidates. I notice a lot of departments try to get more minorities to apply, but why? If mostly white males apply, then mostly white males will be hired, thats just percentages right there. So why should departments skip over whites and select a less qualified minority, when so few minorities applied?

Many corporations have had shown descrimination in hiring and promotion processes, and it seems to me that things like affirmative action are just quick fixes so that numbers and percentages look better when regarding minorities. What they should be doing is ensuring that its a fair process, and encourage more minorities to apply and score high enough to be hired.

Regardless though...if you don't take the test because your afraid that a person of another race will get placed ahead of you just because the color of their skin...please..

Lets get one thing straight, im not "afraid" that a minority will get a job over me because of their skin color. I take every test that i can, and i try my hardest on all of them. Im just trying to let off a little steam, and i did so by agreeing with another member who already stated the obvious.

[FFSmitty1]

I was simply disagreeing with the statement " As a white male, getting hired is like winning the lottery." While getting hired is often difficult, in the greater chicagoland area it is not harder to get hired being white.

[Firefighter2230]

bringing this one back for a question any ideas as to why the online applications are not online yet or am I looking in the wrong place?

[ChicagoFF]

http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/cfdaWeb/ try that

[Firefighter2230]

thank you sir greatly appreciated looked all over the citys website and could not find anything.

[Peekay]

applicant #20** here

[ChicagoFF]

Anyone else sign up yet?

[Firefighter2230]

applicant #20** here

guess this is the confirmation number?
if so mine saaaaayyyyyyysssssss 22** <new trend I dunno I just post here

[markemark129]

I just signed up, where does it say what number applicant i am?

[BIGBOS1]

Its the confirmation #....

I was 1897....

I think they are way past 5000 now for onlines....

It will be interesting to see how they "weed" out people, background is the only thing that I can see doing it.....

The test is going to be a joke, I've taken a similar written, but they took all of the math portion of it out so its much easier to take........

[Golzy12]

What company is doing the test?

[Peekay]

Yeah the study guide had grade school stuff in it, they may do the lotto to pick canidates to move up in the process;that would suck. I know diversity is a big part of the agenda, though I am not sure how they are going to achieve this, seems like every big city has diversity on the agenda.

Anyways, good luck everybody!

I/O solutions is doing this test I assume from the study guide.

[Firefighter2230]

did anyone who filled out an online app choose to get the information via mail or email? if you got it through email what all was sent?

[BIGBOS1]

They will send the stuff out after the application due date has passed.

Its info on where you go and what time you take your test....

Yea I'm also hearing that its a lottery pick w/social security #'s to move up in the process....they are going to hire 900+ but out of 30,000 + people most likely taking it, its a 5% chance you will get called....