1. Searching for Firefighter Jobs:

With the advent of the internet, it has become much easier for aspiring firefighters to find firefighter jobs, in terms of searching for positions that are available. The other side of that same coin is that more people are able to find the same jobs. The key to finding firefighter jobs on the internet is in trying to think like a recruiter posting a position.

• Search using many search engines - google.com, yahoo.com, and bing.com are the big three. Be sure and use all of them for each search term used.
• Search employment sites - monster.com, careerbuilder.com, and hotjobs.com are good job posting resources.
• Search for "firefighter position", "firefighter job", "fire fighter job", "fire fighting job", "firefighter recruitment", "fire fighter recruitment", "firefighter opening", "fire fighter opening", etc.
• Some departments refer to their entry-level firefighter position as fire recruit, fire cadet, fire engineer, apparatus operator, engine operator, fire rescue technician, fire rescue specialist or a whole host of other job titles.
• Some departments still even use obsolete job titles such fireman and hoseman.
• Those interested in seasonal or wildland jobs can search for jobs such as: range technician, hand crew member, squad boss, or forest technician.
• Many search engines offer to "search within these results". In this case you may search for specific states in order to find positions close to home.

[ Consider using FireRecruit.com. FireRecruit.com is the premier source for firefighter jobs and fire service employment listings throughout the US. ]

2. Knowing Which Firefighter Job Postings are Legitimate:

All job postings are not equal. Many factors affect whether or not the job posting is worth pursuing. Consider the following when evaluating internet job postings:

• Watch for age of post. If the job has been posted for longer than four months, chances are it is no longer useful. (Some postings contain testing and application dates, so check for those first.)
• Watch for military and schools to post. Want to become a firefighter? Join the military. Want to become a cook? Join the military. The military offers positions that very closely mirror those in the civilian arena. While joining the military may be a beneficial option to some, others may not wish to consider it. Scrutinize postings to ensure that they are not related to the military (if this is not a path that you might consider) or a school that has a fire services program.
• Remember, many pages that get posted to the web, don't get removed! Lazy web-masters often remove links to pages, but forget to remove the pages themselves. Unlinked (and, therefore, invalid) pages remain in the organic search rankings for many months and often years.

[ FireRecruit.com is the premier source for firefighter jobs and fire service employment listings throughout the US. ]

3. Understanding What the Firefighter Job Postings Mean:

Watch for age requirements. If the job listing requires that candidates be between the ages of 17-34, this is a military recruiter. There is no need to look at these jobs unless you are interested in enlisting. However, not all "federal" ads are from military recruiters. There are many civilian, federal firefighter job postings that can easily be mistaken for military enlistment ads. Learning how to distinguish between these is sometimes difficult and may take some time. There are many legitimate Federal Firefighter jobs available and often these jobs have minimal certification and experience requirements.

If the ad states that they are for “status candidates” that means it is only open to current federal employees. You will need to pay close attention to the requirements and/or the “who may apply” information provided. These jobs can be located in various parts of the US and in any number of settings, from military bases, and other military installations to Federal prisons, Veterans Hospitals and other Federal institutions that have their own fire departments.

These Federal jobs can be a part various agencies such as; FEMA, Department of Defense, Department of the Interior, Department of Veterans Affairs, Department of Army/Navy/AirForce/Marines/Coast Guard and countless other jurisdictions that fall under Federal control. The locations can vary from bases on Hawaii, to the California Coast, to the heart of the midwest, and to New York. There are more firefighter jobs out there than most candidates realize and knowing what they are telling you is essential.

4. Finding a Firefighter Job is a Numbers Game:

The best baseball players only get three hits out of ten at bats. Seventy percent failure does not discourage them. When seeking a firefighter position, an applicant could strike out time and again, but it only takes one opportunity for success. In obtaining a firefighter job you are looking to hit just one home run. Unlike baseball, when it comes to your job search, average does not matter.

The more "at bats" you get, the better your chances of hitting that home run. If one candidate steps up to the plate just one time per year and another candidate steps up to the plate twelve times per year, who has a better chance of hitting that home run? Just keep trying, keep swinging and keep learning from those strike outs.

5. Having Someone Do the Work For You:

Searching for firefighter jobs is a LOT of work. There are options, however. Firefighter Tony Vitalie has provided a great service to aspiring firefighters since 1994. Tony runs a website called FireRecruit.com and its stated purpose is to direct job seekers to quality firefighter job listings. For as little as $5 per month, they will deliver the freshest list of available firefighter positions right to your inbox.