Totally biffed my interview with the Volly Services

[MetalMedic]

So there was a basic group interview today with a few people getting together for a low down on the services and how to become a memeber. We went around the table and everyone mentioned what they were there for. I said that I was looking to be a flight medic, but wanted to get experience before I decided to jump into it. So the meeting started and the person running it made it clear they did not want to precept someone for 6 months just to have them run off. If that was the case they wanted to know up front so they could expect it and that it wouldn't rule anyone out of being accepted. They said they needed assistance so it's not a big deal. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

At the end of the meeting I the leader asked about my plans, I explained that I did want to get a paid EMT job, but had no intention of leaving my volly service even if I did get a paid gig. And that I wanted to work as an EMT before I decided to jump feet first into medic classes. He then said, "Well you have to chose...." I was thinking, "Uh I thought you said you were cool with someone wanting a paid gig if you knew about and if they planned on staying...." So I thanked him for his time and left.

I like the opportunities there (as I had explained- I could be a EMS teacher as well and their services are more progressive than most). I do want experience and I do want to get to a paid service, but I don't plan on jumping ship. They only require a total of 144 hours a year and 75% attendance at meetings. So it's not unreasonable and not undo-able.

What should I have done/said differently?

-MetalMedic

Edited May 25, 2011 by MetalMedic

[Just Plain Ruff]

So there was a basic group interview today with a few people getting together for a low down on the services and how to become a memeber. We went around the table and everyone mentioned what they were there for. I said that I was looking to be a flight medic, but wanted to get experience before I decided to jump into it. So the meeting started and the person running it made it clear they did not want to precept someone for 6 months just to have them run off. If that was the case they wanted to know up front so they could expect it and that it wouldn't rule anyone out of being accepted. They said they needed assistance so it's not a big deal. Yadda Yadda Yadda.

At the end of the meeting I the leader asked about my plans, I explained that I did want to get a paid EMT job, but had no intention of leaving my volly service even if I did get a paid gig. And that I wanted to work as an EMT before I decided to jump feet first into medic classes. He then said, "Well you have to chose...." I was thinking, "Uh I thought you said you were cool with someone wanting a paid gig if you knew about and if they planned on staying...." So I thanked him for his time and left.

I like the opportunities there (as I had explained- I could be a EMS teacher as well and their services are more progressive than most). I do want experience and I do want to get to a paid service, but I don't plan on jumping ship. They only require a total of 144 hours a year and 75% attendance at meetings. So it's not unreasonable and not undo-able.

What should I have done/said differently?

-MetalMedic

Maybe they wanted you to be an automaton and give them pie in the sky assurances that you would be there forever. Sounds like they don't want to spend money on you all in the end result of you leaving.

The guy who told you that you had to choose obviously wants someone who will put their life on hold and give all their time to the volunteer service and not look for any way to better themself.

Are you sure you want to be associated with a service that wants to hold you back and put restrictions on your professional growth?

[paramedicmike]

It's a tough lesson to learn, for sure.

You need to do what you need to do. Sometimes, however, the best thing you can do for yourself is just keep your mouth shut. It can seem that more often than not that's the hardest lesson to learn.

I do agree with Ruff's question to you about being affiliated with an organization that from the very beginning seems to want to place some pretty restrictive limits on where you can go and what you can do.

[Dustdevil]

This has been covered so many times here that I'm actually a little surprised that you are, well... surprised.

You may as well have told them you wanted to be an astronaut.

[Bernhard]

What should I have done/said differently?

Probably nothing. There may be many causes for the leaders reaction, some I can think of (beeing myself in a volunteer lead position):

1. They seem to have no problem getting members, when they're able to interview a group (!) of interested people! So they basically have the luxury to choose and rule out people simply on slight "misfits".
2. They may have other reasons to deny you. Which may have nothing to do with you or beeing anything but reality based.
3. They have had bad experience with career people in volly settings (see below).

For my volly team I too want to rule out those we will have to invest much time, effort and money into only to find out we were misused as a cheap starting point for something else. Occasionally that happens. But I only have one or two single person interviews per year, so I have simply not much of the selection possibility. So normally, I would give it a try, if the candidate is still willing after I described the high standards he has to meet. Our training schedule involves a basic medical responder course, which is not very expensive and in most cases we see there and on following ride-alongs, if a candidate is fitting. We have had candidates I didn't want to go to further (more expensive) education then and some candidates realizing that it's nothing for them after this course and ride-alongs.

Point 3 above is something to consider. We here have several people choosing the full career EMS path after beeing long-term, valuable and really motivated (plus highly educated) members of our volunteer service, even some in leading positions. None of them is seen often any more, despite said otherwise. Shift plan, family and the will to see something other than blue lights and medical scenes IS a reason in real life. I fully understand this, but from the volunteer squad's view this is a major loss. On the other side there may be the leader's fear, that better educated and experienced career medics could have a bad influence on the volly group (either mixing things up because of bad attitude or really demonstrate that the group is sub-standard).

If you really want to get there, I would suggest to give it another try: go there, talk with the leader again in a friendly setting and explain your feelings, reasons and plans. Try to understand his miscomfort. Make clear that you especially like the high level of his squad and how you expect to be able to meet the hourly/meeting requirements later.

But be warned: some years ago I had such a candidate - I had a strong disbelief for her motivation to stay longer than the practical ride-along time she wanted to have before entering a medical profession. I wasn't very friendly, made it clear that we want a long-term membership and not beeing misused as a fun experience. She tried again to convince me two times until I assigned her to some shifts.

Meanwhile, we're married.

[island emt]

Paid , Volunteer or in between. It still takes a lot of time and effort to say nothing of the expense to get newbies up to speed and able to work in the street.

They have probably been burned in the past and want to know up front how much return for their investment there is going to be.

Every newb wants to be a rotary wing aviator medic, so that tells them you really have no clue how few providers there are in air med systems.

Pipe dreams are wonderful , but reality will score many more points in any interview process.

What I want to hear in the interview is that a newb wants to continue to learn and be a better provider.'

If they tell me their goal is to have my job their hired. :-}

Can't wait to retire

[uglyEMT]

140hrs a year? Can I have that volley number LOL Here I am doing 900hrs a year not including what my Line Officer position entails.

Back to the OP...

Alot of volley squads need members that will be long term due to a high turnover rate and being burned in the past. It takes time for a crew to gell and that wont happen if you have a revolving door of members coming through. I don't think you duffed the whole interview but might have put a bad taste in their mouth by telling them about your future plans. Not that that should be a valid reason, hell its called volunteer for a reason, but sometimes it does.

If you really want to get in with this squad make a follow up call to them and let them know your willingness to be part of their organization.

Hope this helps.

[DwayneEMTP]

With your desire to continue on to Medic I can't imagine that you'd even want to be part of such a system. It will likely do you little good and has the possibility of doing you harm. Motivation as a stumbling block to being able to participate. Yeah....see ya. But, very few will take your desire to be a flight medic seriously when you are still at the infant level of EMS. You have many years before you'll even be considered for a flight position, and most will quit or fail long before then.

And in what capacity would you have been allowed to teach EMS there? EMS teachers with no EMS experience? That's pathologic.

Where does your desire to be a volly stem from? Maybe it's best to just work on your paid gig instead?

Dwayne

[MetalMedic]

Thanks for the thoughts everyone.

I did explain that I didn't want to leave the volly service after I found a paid gig and made that clear. I let him know that I liked the opportunities they had there, such as teaching and the chance to be an instructor. I wanted to have some experience under my belt under the best of circumstances.

He just seemed irritated that I told him that I was seeking paid employment as well (even though he was fully aware I have no job at all right now). So we'll see. Not feeling as pissed at myself this morning about it. It has great opportunities, but I also found some places that are hiring for paid gigs. So I'm not going to throw all my eggs in one basket.

-MetalMedic

[NYCEMS9115]

Volunteer Ambulance Service are lacking Volunteers. They provide Ambulances in rural areas with no EMS or ALS or Hospital nearby. That being said, people volunteer spare time; not work, school, or family time. There are over 8700 hours in a year, I think you would be able to sacrifice some hours for them but not your life, as they have suggested.