Your "real job" resume

[danhawkeye]

Hi everyone!

I have a question that is specific to volunteers.
Do you think listing your Volunteer Fire Company affiliation is a good idea for your "civilian" resume?

I work in IT and am contemplating a new gig, my first job switch since joining the fire service (yeah I am still a probie, but pretty active in my company).

While most people would consider volunteer firefighting to be a noble undertaking, I am also aware that a prospective employer might consider it something that distracts from what they are looking for. Or worse, the image of the stereotypical gung ho yahoo might come to mind...

I tried searching the threads for a similar question and didn't see one. Thanks in advance for your input!
Dan

[doublej986]

I think it looks good on a resume. Shows you are interestetd in th ecommunity and you plan on staying around awhile.

[Pyrophoric]

Definitely, and I would also use my chief and or officers as a reference. Your fellow firefighters know the true side of you better than any other employer's you could work for, in my opinion.

I give my all to my dept though, so I would feel very compfortable in doing so.

[joshball]

I always have, proud of it.

[LaFireEducator]

Especially if you have administrative responsibilites with the FD can be related the real world job you are pursueing. It also shows the emplyer that have have a sense of dedication to what you do, volunteer or paid.

[utfd701]

Since I am a Human Resources type person and I review resumes all the time my answer is:

YES, YES, YES!

[doughesson]

I've never avoided adding my time as a volunteer to my applications.In some cases,it can mean another skill set that has application to what you are applying for,especially if you are licensed as an EMT at any level.
More often than not,I'd be asked to tell war stories,which I minimized on grounds that "We can't really tell more than what's on the news.".

[jkuhn22]

You should always list your membership in the fire department. It shows that you are committed to helping others, you work well under pressure, and that you are giving back to the community. I really can't see how it would hurt you. I have been in a few interviews over the past few weeks and it has helped me.

[danhawkeye]

thanks for all the good advice!

[RoughRider]

Hi everyone!

I have a question that is specific to volunteers.
Do you think listing your Volunteer Fire Company affiliation is a good idea for your "civilian" resume?

I work in IT and am contemplating a new gig, my first job switch since joining the fire service (yeah I am still a probie, but pretty active in my company).

While most people would consider volunteer firefighting to be a noble undertaking, I am also aware that a prospective employer might consider it something that distracts from what they are looking for. Or worse, the image of the stereotypical gung ho yahoo might come to mind...

I tried searching the threads for a similar question and didn't see one. Thanks in advance for your input!
Dan

You have something to hide?

[Driver76]

Depending on the job, being a FF and listing your certs could prove quite attractive to many employers. If you will be working in an environment that handles high combustables or chemicals, or the potential of big losses exists in the event that one day things start to unravil, your FD training becomes an automatic asset to the company.

[mdcook]

On the application for my current job, there was a place to list "volunteer or community service". I put down that I have been a vollie for over 25 years and on a county haz mat team.
On my second day of work, the safety manager was almost drooling when he came to see me. He needed some one to be the emergency response coordinator on my shift (evenings) and was almost begging me. How could I refuse? It's a little extra pay and a little extra paper work, but not bad and it looks good to the company brass.
We get first aid and CPR-D training, on the clock, and those of us that are vollies, either FD or Vol. Amb. Corps, get a donation check sent by the company every year.
So I would say yes, tell at least your immediate supervisor and if the opprtunity presents it self, put it on your application.

[BrianB35]

Yes, put it on your resume. I have it on my performance review here at work and my management know I can be counted on in a crunch.

[LtTim556]

Other than saying, yes put it on your resume I can't think of anything to add to the reasons that have already been stated. Good luck.

[the1141man]

I don't think it's a bad idea to add it to your resume...especially if you're applying for an emergency services or related position, whether public or private.
I do have one piece of advice, however:
Unless you're applying for a job that requires specific certification that you have, don't go listing the alphabet soup of certs you hold! Civilian employers understand "Firefighter" and "EMT". They do not understand FF1, FF2, HAZMAT FRO, CSRO, SWRT, etc, etc. It's entirely unnecessary to list all that stuff if you're applying to be a barista at Starbucks or whatever.

I mention this solely because I know guys who do that--list every single cert they hold on every application they fill out. Keep it related to the job you're applying for (aka KISS principle).
Of course if you're applying for a Fire Service or EMS position, maybe even an LE one, by all means go right ahead and do the laundry list... but don't be "that guy", listing every Fire/EMS cert acronym known to man on a Pizza Hut application.

[CdnFD24]

Anything that says "volunteer" on your resume is GOLD

Be sure to place Volunteer Firefighter not just Firefighter on your resume. (I am assuming from your post that you are a firefighter with a volunteer department?)

NJ

[Leeland]

I've always put it on my resume. Not to say that it helps but sometimes people are more than thankful for having somebody in the work force who does volunteer work such as a fire fighter.

[Haweater]

don't forget that it would be a good time to discuss with your potential employer whatever leeway you would appreciate. As an employer, I would certainly hire a volunteer firefighter.... but I would definitely want to know ahead of time how often you're going to want to leave work for a call. Our department isn't overly busy with daytime calls so the inconvenience of leaving is minimal. If your department is quite busy, it could be a pain.
It's just like hunting season, told my cousin when he was starting a new job to include in his application that he takes one week of holidays on the 3rd week of November EVERY year. He's never had to beg for the deer hunt off and his employer hasn't given him grief over it because it was known up front.
Cheers,
Gord

[ChiefReason]

You bring assets to the company that the company wouldn't have otherwise.
Most likely, they will want to draw upon your firefighting education in matters such as fire prevention, disaster planning, fire drills, etc., but only offer what you KNOW.
With my 25 plus years as a volunteer firefighter/EMT, employees know that they can ask me about home smoke detectors, minor medical problems and when a major disaster hits the national news, they will ask me questions about protocols and such.
I can tell you that my work in the fire service serves me well as the safety director for my company. When I see an application with firefighting experience on it, more than likely, I will push it through. I haven't been wrong yet.
Oh; and it is on my resume.
CR

[mcaldwell]

don't forget that it would be a good time to discuss with your potential employer whatever leeway you would appreciate. As an employer, I would certainly hire a volunteer firefighter.... but I would definitely want to know ahead of time how often you're going to want to leave work for a call. Our department isn't overly busy with daytime calls so the inconvenience of leaving is minimal. If your department is quite busy, it could be a pain.
Cheers,
Gord

I would suggest that you get into the exact details of that at the end of the interview process, or even once the offer is made, but before you accept. At that point they have already decided they like/want you, and you can broach the topic once the employer is in the mood to negotiate.

Don't scare them off before they start to consider you a desirable prospect.


And Gord, How was the Salmon run on the island this year? I grew up in Sudbury, and sure miss fishing Providence Bay each year.