"job scared" hiring practiced?

[DwayneEMTP]

I was talking to a guy in class the other night, an telling him about applying to AMR in CA for a basic position.

When I took their employment exam I was told I did “exceptional”. And then on the skills section, I was one of three, out of ...I think...25 or so that made it through on our first pass. (CPR, deliver a baby, bleeding control, board and load a specified trauma vic, etc.) I have no idea how I did on the interview, though they didn't seem impressed.

When I was later told by my instructor that they hired two classmates I was pretty confused. One was a nice little girl, very overweight (I think about 5 foot, maybe 150-160lbs) She was very smart, but so insecure that it was understood that she didn't get called on to do anything in front of class as she couldn't do so without getting very upset...shaking, stuttering...Even in our study groups she just listened because she couldn't answer questions with "everyone looking at her". Because of her weight she wasn't required to participate in anything physical with the rest of the class. (This was an academy, we did some push-ups and very limited marching and jogging.)

The second was a little know it all jackass. Knows everyone, has an 'alternate' way of doing everything. I was told that it took him about 2 ½ hours to make it through the stations during the interview. He required additional help to complete his testing to pass the class. It's hard for me to imagine him being responsible for anything, much less EMS things.

I was telling this guy from class that I couldn't understand what it is they were looking for based on these hiring decisions. He was telling me that he ran across an article on the net about poor hiring practices in place as people do not want to hire people that will A) Someday take their jobs, or Expect to work in an environment that requires more effort to maintain that what is currently being put out.

He claimed that in studends followed by whoever created this paper, that a "C" student has a much better shot at employment than an "A" student.

I just have a hard time with this theory. Though I can't really reconcile their decisions with the decisions I might have made faced with the same applicants, this just seems so petty as to be unbelievable.

So was he right? Or is there something going on here that I don't understand?

Thanks for your time everyone...Have a great day!!

Dwayne

[somedic]

AMR is a screwed up business to begin with. You probably would not have been satisfied there any way.

Somedic

[Snow45]

I worked with amr Before, and it was nothing impressive.

As for the hiring process, And call me old fasion, but I think the quality of care and knowledge the provider has sould be the decision maker and not weither that said person would take your job. I would be happy if somebody I was supervising would out shine me, cause that ment i did my job right.

[traumaman5150]

I have an appointment for the written test in Livermore On Tueasday 11-28 What should I expect?

[Asysin2leads]

Dwayne, take everything you hear about being hired with a grain of salt. I can't tell you for sure why those two were hired, maybe the know it all jackass had a know it all relative as a know it all higher up someplace. Maybe the rotund little miss was performing mouth to <CENSORED> rescustiation, its a crazy world out there. What I do know is that if you are devoted and competent, eventually you will get picked up. You may tear your hair out watching lousy people hire other lousy people for the wrong reasons, but hang in there, keep plugging away at school, and keep searching. I know part of what is infuriating about EMS is that your skills and knowledge do not have the same effect on your employment opportunities that it does in other fields, and nepotism, cronism, and favoritism runs rampant. Stick it out, wait for the know it all jackass to get bored or the rotund young lady to hurt herself, which will be sooner than you might expect, and try again. I wish you the best.

[Dustdevil]

As for the hiring process, And call me old fasion, but I think the quality of care and knowledge the provider has sould be the decision maker and not weither that said person would take your job.

I wouldn't say that was an "old fashioned" idea. I would say it was an idea that was never utilised in the first place.

In over thirty years, I don't recall ever working anyplace in EMS, clinical, or hospital medicine, where the quality of your job performance was the overriding factor in your success.

It's all about the politics. And the Peter Principle is alive and well in EMS.

[Cookie]

Think of it in this context: Would you really want to work for an agencey that hires the people you described?

[Connie31079]

Ummm, excuse me.....*raises her hand*

I can't help but to question....you think being 5 feet tall and 150-160 lbs is "very overweight"?????? :-k

What kind of women do you like, STICK FIGURES???

I"D DIE TO BE LIKE THAT! Now me, I'm overweight!!! Holy geez man, I'm 5'5" and 300 lbs., and I recently LOST 56 lbs!!!

I think I was 150-160 lbs. when my mother spit me out 34 years ago!!! :scratch:

After I have my gastric bypass surgery in a few months from now, if I can get down to 150 lbs., I'll be as happy as a pig in sh*t!!!!