Patiently Waiting... how long?!?

[NormyDan]

Hi, I was successful on passing my final interview for Luton and Bedfordshire service back in February now. I was placed on an 18month holding list and am still waiting 6 months on. so as you can imagine with a year to go im getting more and more restless with this torchering waiting game.

I have on several occasions contacted the Hq and spoke to recruitment officers, but everytime the only information given to me has been nobody knows How many people are on the next course or when it will be, just wait! This makes it twice as tormenting for me.

Im sure there are lots of others out there in the same situation as me, and really I have posted this hoping that just on the off chance there maybe someone listening on here that knows more or has anykind of advice for me.

Its a long long shot in the dark, and the chances of anyone on here knowing more is slim I know, But it would be very nice to know more... and if i didnt try asking around, then i definately wouldnt find out anymore.

So anything that may help me is much appretiated, even past experiences so i can get the general gist of how things usually work.

Thanks for listening to me moan!

Dan, Bedfordshire

[Kaiser]

It doesn't get any better once you're in mate, welcome to the fire service................ whenever you start

[NormyDan]

just reviving this from the depth guys.......another 6 months on...............6 more to go.  tell me im not just being inpatient!


Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

[Cal10]

...Its a long long shot in the dark, and the chances of anyone on here knowing more is slim I know, But it would be very nice to know more... and if i didnt try asking around, then i definately wouldnt find out anymore.

So anything that may help me is much appretiated...

I had my interview just yesterday and I have twice been given information about the holding pool and how long it is _expected_ to be before it is exhausted. In our case that comes down to about two years. Is there nothing informative in the paperwork you received back in the days?

[NormyDan]

well i phoned up yesterday only to be told that they have started a new recruitment campaign already and so the holding list i was on is now void. Which isnt a problem, i was prepared for this and was told all along this may be how it would end for me, and thats fine, thats just how it is.

However, i feel a little disheartened that nobody had the decency to notify me, so i knew, and so i had the chance to re-apply. now im left no where.

Since i recieved my letter telling me i was successful in passing my interview, and everytime i phoned for any information, i had repeatidly been told the same thing, 'we will notify you of ANY information we have that affects you and you current position'.....nothing!

If i hadnt have phoned, i could be sitting waiting like a spare lemon at a wedding until July when my18 months had finished. Im sure theres others out there still waiting now.

I know everyone willsay it happens and i was lucky in the first place to be acceptedon my first try,and no, im not giving up..... but would no one else feel as i do too? why would i want to work for people who cant be bothered to even phone or write to me to let me know i my time is up, but i can re-apply this month. too late now!

This is a moan and i do feel i have a good reason too. All the attention that had to be payed towards equality and treating everyone fairly and they show how they feel abou that by effectively 'forgetting' about me. Just sort of lost faith in them now.

views most welcome. Ta, Dan

[xan]

welcome to the 'caring' fire service.lots of policies and procedures,but often little substance from H.R.

[kurnal]

I know your experience is shared by many in many brigades. The moral is that if they dont want you straight away then you haven't been successful on that occasion and to keep trying elsewhere.

Odd individuals within the recruitment team appear to make these rash promises about keeping peoples names on file but invariably there is no substance to it. I bet you didn't have the 18 month waiting list bit in writing?
Most brigades policies are to start each recruitment with a clean slate in the interests of equal ops. Least wise it was when I was in the job.

[NormyDan]

Yeah i see what your saying. It all seems to me that there is a huge lack in organisation in it. i have a contact in luton and beds service and he also agrees, his exact words were, 'Even after serving 20 years in the same service, what your telling me doesnt sound i the slightest bit like new news, and doesnt in the slightest bit surprise me either!'

The 18 month waiting list part was actually written down in my final letter i recieved afterpassing my interview. It said, 'You will remain on this list for 18 months ORuntil we run our next campaign, whichever comes sooner'

So i realy cant work out the idea of an 18 month one when they already planned to recruit in 12 months anyway. Why keep people holding on when they know they will just be discarding old for new anyway? not really verywell thought out if you ask me!

[ginor]

Hi Normy.
You are right to moan. Very right.

I am just coming up to my final interview, and had naively thought that if I prepare well and pass it then that is that and Id be in... Wrong.
Judging by your tale I am considering withdrawing my app.
I have already waited 16 months to get to this stage ( pre interview) and it already seems appallingly badly run.
Now I learn that after the interview even if I pass I may be cast aside.
I am really shocked to learn this and if I dont get through will almost certainly not try again.
I admire the persevereance of you folk who try try again to get in, but man it really seems like they dont want anyone to come and work for them.
But if you do try again Norm, Good luck.

[Kaiser]

The problem is, there are so many applicants for the job of firefighter that brigades think they can treat people like rubbish.  If they had the same recruitment difficulties that our armed forces currently experience, there would be a very different way of doing things.  I know it isn't any help to you guys but that really is the way things are.

[kr1s]

It took me just over two years guys, and thats to get in the RDS. Im wanting to apply WT but I know enough now not to get my hopes up!

[NormyDan]

ginor, hi, dont give up mate just because of my bad experience, you never know. just dont get exited. Which to be fair i never did, my issue was that they never ever had any intention of letting me know what was going on.

My advice to you is if you do pass the interview dont just waitfor them to contact you. keep pestering them. alot! even if like i did you only get we dont know anything each time, keep phoning because it very likely it seems this will be the only way you will know you havnt been successful, it seems they are only interested in contacting you if they want you. Also apply for other areas at the same time to increse your chances. Just prepare for anything mate, i think they are likelyto just throw anything at you! and best of luck to you in your interview and your future if you do pass!

[Clevelandfire]

Hi Folks

I fully understand the frustrations you guys have trying to get in.

It should be a case that if you pass the interview you are in, even if you do have to wait a while for the next available training course, not be told that you're succesful but could still be elliminated.

Our probey who has just joined our watch said it took him 2 and half years to get through everything from start to finish.

My advice is apply to any brigade recruiting (i know its a pain having to keep on taking days off work to do the selection tests or travelling miles upon miles) but do it. YOu will get the experience of passing tests and interviews plus even if you are told you are succesful as Normydan was you still have a few option left available to you if it all goes bottoms up!

As Normydan says keep pestering them once succesful phine them twice a week, make sure they get to remember you. Log all the times you called them and who you spoke to. If they say there's no news and then all of a sudden have dropped you because a new recruitment campaign is taking place you can then make a formal complaint.

Another route now is the RDS process.

Retained staff are trained and recruited in the same way as whole time staff. I know it would mean you need to live near a retained station but its worth considering because they do the same job, get the same training and a lot of brigades now will let RDS staff who came in under the National Firefighter Selection Tests the chance to transfer into wholetime after a short while without much additional training required.

Its just a thought but I realise it doesn't help any of you out.

Normydan keep going sunshine, sometimes these tests are designed to see how committed you are and how badly you want to get in.