Background Information
An organization’s enduring competitive edge in today’s hypercompetitive economic climate is predominantly generated from intangible assets: human, social, and cognitive capital. Workers with the necessary aptitude develop intangible resources. By ensuring a sufficient supply of people with the required competencies, human resource professionals support organizational effectiveness in the current and future. Human resource experts achieve this through efficient employee relations management, the talent management of talented people, and workforce management.
Being a firefighter entails putting forth much effort to protect people, their property, and the environment. A well-written resume aim will demonstrate to potential employers that the applicant is a solid contender for the post. Additionally, it will motivate the employers mentioned above to read the entire CV. People must begin with a vital resume aim if they want to start a rewarding job as a firefighter. This work is written to analyze and describe the processes for hiring qualified firefighters.
Internal and External Factors on Demand and Supply
Demand
Firefighting often provides job stability since communities rely on firefighters to defend their residents and property. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts firefighter employment to grow by 4% between 2020 and 2030 (Firefighter: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022). Firefighters in the United States get an average yearly income of $52,532 and are eligible for overtime pay (Firefighter Salary in the United States, 2022). They have access to benefits, including health, dental, and health insurance, as public employees. If they sustain an accident in the workplace, they are also entitled to disability compensation and retirement pensions.
Fire agencies assign firefighters to work around the clock since emergencies can occur at any moment. People could have the option to choose the hours that best fit their desired way of life. Others work 10- or 12-hour shifts three or four days in a row. Some specialists work 24 hours on and 48 hours off. People have various options to improve after becoming entry-level firefighters and accumulating experience. They may be promoted by their department to a commander, captain, or assistant commissioner post, which would provide them with increased responsibility and salary. The government may demand that they hold a bachelor’s degree if they wish to be considered for a higher-level post, such as deputy chief.
Supply
The firefighter industry is dominated in California, Texas, and Florida. It is predicted that this sector will stay highly competitive because there are generally more persons interested in becoming firefighters than there are open positions. As small towns expand and add career firefighters to their volunteer personnel, the majority of new employment will be generated. Each work shift may now last for fewer hours in some fire departments, and two personnel may be hired to cover what was once a one-person shift. Most job growth will occur as voluntary fire services transition to paid personnel. Given how crucial fire protection is to communities, firing firefighters is a rare occurrence.
Firefighters will still be required to put out flames even if better building materials and construction rules have led to a long-term decline in fires and fire fatalities. Since fires may spread quickly, it is crucial to contain them as soon as possible. To put out burning flames and control the environment to lessen the effects of fires, wildland firefighters will continue to be required. Additionally, firefighters will keep responding to medical situations. Despite the large number of volunteer firefighters who are qualified for career firefighter jobs, employment opportunities for firefighters will remain favorable.
Recruitment Plan
Objectives
The work involves physically demanding movements of the entire body, including running, walking, crouching, climbing, carrying, and standing on uneven or hilly terrain. The activities frequently include involving extensive use of the legs and arms, such as when moving people and goods and operating machinery. Daily lifting, dragging, or restraint of essential things may be expected of the employee. The position can demand that someone be able to work in small, cramped areas with little illumination.
Long hours spent in a firehouse with many types of people are a perk of the fire brigade profession. Being at the firehouse for extended periods of time with their coworkers requires patience and tolerance from successful firefighters. Firefighters may spend many hours with the same group of people for days on end in the firehouse. As rivalries and intramural fighting are not acceptable in fire departments, tolerance and patience are essential for every firefighter to succeed. Successful firefighters must have practical communication abilities. Firefighters must be able to communicate important information when reacting to an emergency, as well as be patient listeners and empathetic while speaking with worried bystanders. The ability to read, write, and speak English; being bilingual, primarily in Spanish, is highly preferred.
One of the most devoted public servants people have been the firefighter. They may travel for days without seeing their family because they are committed to their goal of protecting the individuals they serve at any cost. Few individuals can fathom that degree of professional devotion. What it takes to be a good firefighter is rooted in courage. As a fireman, it is your responsibility to prioritize the protection of the public over all other considerations, including a person’s health and safety. People are the sole hope for individuals who are in imminent danger during a fire emergency. Only the most daring among them are suitable for such a duty since, if they do not save them, nobody else would.
Candidate Recommendations and Recruitment Strategy
According to the Data on Recruitment Sources and Methods file, from the applicant pool of 43 candidates, only 13 were finally offered a job. The size of the collection of applicants should be a minimum of 83 people in order to get as close as possible to the desired number of 25 new employees. It is advisable to get in touch with the dispatchers for the police, fire, and ambulance services at least 4 weeks before the expected job offer date. Newspaper advertisements, online job posts, employee recommendations, internships, “ride-along” experiences, and walk-ins are a few examples of recruitment strategies. The best time to get in touch with energetic firefighter participants who were selected from other refers to means or department managers within the nation is at least 6 weeks prior to the expected job offer date. Newspaper advertisements, electronic job listings (local, state, and regional), informal recruiting at fire organization and union events, informal employment during multi-agency training missions, job fairs, employee recommendations, and walk-ins are some of the tactics used for work.
The urgent adoption of an employee recommendation policy is required to address the lack of competent entry-level firefighters. This policy stipulates that each employee who successfully introduces a fireman I applicant will get $1500.00, which will be distributed as follows: The first $250.00 payment will be made when the potential firefighter chooses to accept the offer of employment; the second $250.00 payment will be made when the likely firefighter accomplishes the 12-week fire academy training program, and the final $1000.00 payment is due when the potential firefighter has served their first year of active duty.
Selection Plan
Selection Methods and Tests
The entire recruiting process includes screening candidates, which happens before the interviewing process and after the recruiter has gathered CVs through a job post or recruitment event. An individual’s screening can assist in determining whether they meet the position’s basic standards. The department might need to take into account quick assessments for oral or written communication to make sure candidates are a good match for particular jobs. Candidates must pass examinations for firefighters such as the driver, administrative and support person, communicator/dispatcher, and perception assessments.
The hiring procedure for firefighters always includes interviews; they are a two-way conversation that allows the department to determine whether or not the candidate is the most suitable for the position. Interviews also provide the candidate the chance to form an opinion about the fire service. The interview gives individuals an opportunity to learn more about the person and learn about their history, abilities, skills, interests, and availability. It also enables individuals to be evaluated for fit by explicitly outlining expectations and communicating the fire department’s standards upfront.
Employees from the fire department should conduct a qualification evaluation, which can involve a departmental interview. As part of this review, the candidate’s background screening results, training, experiences, and personal qualifications may be evaluated in relation to how well they prepared the applicant for the role of a firefighter. The fire department will provide a conditional employment offer to those applicants who meet the most stringent standards and schedule them for the subsequent phases based on the hiring needs. A city physician should undertake a medical assessment on the applicant to see whether they are healthy enough to carry out the entire range of firefighter tasks without having any problems that would make it unsafe for them to do so. The candidate’s psychological readiness to safely execute the entire range of firefighter responsibilities is assessed.
Verification Test
A criminal history check, an employment verification check, and a drug test will often be part of a firefighter background check after conducting the interview. While some agencies obtain information from state or federal sources, some merely examine local criminal records. Arson, any type of theft, any type of assault or violence, and violent offenses are frequently grounds for dismissal for fire service trainees. Therefore, lying on a CV or job application is usually a deal-breaker with fire departments. Even without a perfect record, a department head will admire a candidate for being open and honest.
Evaluation Methods
The time-to-hire method indicates how many days pass between the beginning of the hiring process and the time a candidate is hired. This indicator measures how quickly qualified applicants advance through the hiring process after submitting an application, allowing for performance evaluation of the recruitment staff. Calculating and maintaining the recruiting budget revolves around the cost-per-hire method. The recruiter can learn from this indicator how much money the department typically spends on new hires. Since it gauges the value that new recruits provide to an organization, the quality of the hiring method is near the top of most firms’ lists of key performance indicators for successful performance. More productivity, improved culture, and lower turnover are all benefits of hiring great staff for a business. The recruiter may learn how prospects feel about the recruiting process thanks to satisfaction ratings.
References
Firefighter salary in the United States. (2022). Web.
Firefighter: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2022). Web.