Telephone Interview for Manchester Fire Service

[Cat]

Hi,

I have recently applied to Manchester Fire Service and have just taken the NFA and NFQ tests.  I know the next stage is a telephone interview (which I believe only Manchester do).  I would be grateful if anyone could answer the following questions for me as I would like to start preparing for the interview now in case i'm successful (sorry if the answers to any of them have already been posted.  Please point me in the right direction if they have):

1) Will the questions in the telephone interview be similar to those asked in the face to face interview i.e will they be PQA focussed?

2) Any idea where I might be able to find some good sample questions that I can practice answering (I have already had a look at the www.fireservice.co.uk website and found it very useful) or any tips on how to prepare?

3) Any suggestions as to how to do well in a telephone interview generally as I've never had one before and don't really know what to expect?

Any help will be much appreciated as I've waited for this chance for a while now and I don't want to throw it away.  Thank you.
Cat

[hannahvca]

Hi Cat

I can't say 100% what happens in Manchester but i would be pretty sure the Interview questions would be PQA based, as this is a National Standard and all questions need to be compared against this agreed criteria. I would still advise you wait for a post from somone who has been through it, just to double check.

Telephone interviews are genearlly a bit shorter, a sort of 'pre-screen' to decide whether to see if you are suitable to be invited for the full Interview. So expect questions, but without the visual clues of facign an audience.

Re the pages at www.fireservice.co.uk, nice to hear they were helpful. I wrote the Interview questions, but also have a look in the Development section of the site, the pages I included there about the PQAs, Application form and Interview are applicable to the recruitment stage. The development section is more advice about promotion processes but there is a lot of overlap.

If you look me up on there you will find my sites where i have written some free tips, these might also answer some of your questions

cheers

Hannah vca

[Cat]

Hi Hannah,

Your information has been really helpful - actually any information is right now.  I've had a look in the Development area and I've managed to print off some of the information on the website regarding the interview.  I've also been onto your website and download some of your online tips on how to prepare and present my information.   It's helpful to know what exactly they are looking for.  I am also going to see if I can possibly buy the "Pass Your Fire Interview Workbook".  After all it will help me if I get to the face to face interview as well.
 
Thank you
Cat

[theheat]

Hi cat

having taken a telephone interview for GMC i can tell you that its exactly like the interview, they ask the questions in pqa format the same as the interview an they are really good at calming you and making it like an informal interview but just make sure you answer the questions as you would in your interview!

answer them with a STAR technique

s= situation
t=the task you had to do
a= the action you took
r=result outcome of your actions

try an focus your answers on what YOU did say how you did things an how your involvement was a benefit etc

just be confident and get youself fully prepared for every stage!

good luck

[Cat]

Hi theheat,

Thank you for your information and advice.  I can look at my examples and use the "star" technique to focus my thinking now.

fingers crossed, hopefully my preparation now will pay off.

[AllyMacG]

Do they tell you there and then on the phone if you have been successful or not?

[theheat]

no they inform you by email but its literally a week at the most that you have to wait

[james84]

Hi just wondering if anyone has heard from Manchester fire about the NFA and NFQ results yet?

Suppose no news is good news

James

[White_elephant]

Not necessarily fella, sit tight did they tell you when you would hear if you have been successful or not?? If that date has passed give them a ring and ask?
Failing that its a nervous wait I am afraid........

[james84]

yeah they said they'd let us know either way! Date has only passed a couple of days so will try to relax and try not to think about it as much- nervous time for everyone!!

[AllyMacG]

Just checked still no news perhaps the bank holiday weekend put a delay on things think I'll leave it till monday or tuesday before enquiring about it as the telephone interviews are due to start w/c 09/06

[Mike1307]

ive not had anything either yet. then again despite sayin they get results in 2 weeks (i was there tues morning) they may not of even sent the test sheets away until all of the test days had been done which would of been thursday (i think was the last day), and then may take a couple of days to put the results online to send to people. will just have to have a nervous wait over weekend and see what happens by monday/tuesday i suppose.

[AllyMacG]

i was there tue 13th afternoon session its going to be a killer waiting, what did you guys think of the the tests?

[AllyMacG]

Just got an email inviting me to take part in the telephone interview on 13th june get as much PQA practice in as possible, then realised its friday the 13th.

[Adam V]

I got an e-mail on Friday saying i had been successful with NFA tests but there was no availability for telephone interviews. Athough they will be reviewing the availablity and will update by 12th June. Anyone else on here had this e-mail?