About FirefighterInterviews.com
FirefighterInterviews.com was founded in 2003 due to a lack of resources and information on firefighter interview preparation for college students in firefighting programs. It wasn’t long after, they started offering mock interviews and critiques to candidates across Canada and the US, face to face and through phone interviews. Later in the year the owner (Shawn Cooligan) co-wrote the Study Guide for the Canadian Firefighter Interview which was quickly adopted at most colleges in Ontario. A few years later the book was published by Thompson Delmar learning (a leader in firefighting text books) titled the "Study Guide for the Firefighter Interview"S. Today they are changing with technology, offering the most comprehensive and up to date resources on firefighter interviews through their online database available by subscription.
Shawn
Owner/Firefighter Interview Coaching Counselor
Acting Captain Shawn Cooligan has been offering firefighter mock interviews/critiques and professional resume development since 2003.
Co-author of the book "Study Guide for the Firefighter Interview" Published by Thompson Delmar Learning- New York.
Contributing Author to Fire Hall Magazine - The Canadian Firefighting Resource - for articles pertaining to firefighter interview preparation.
Provided firefighter mock interviews and critiques to both Seneca and Fleming students in the Pre-Service Firefighting Training and Education Program.
Instructor in the Fleming Fire Program since 2003.
Acting |Captain with the Peterborough Fire Department.
17 Years experience in firefighting.
Shawn is a certified Trainer Facilitator with the Fire Marshal's Office.
Assisted 100's of candidates reach interview success.
Shawn is a co-author of the "Study Guide for the Firefighter Interview".
Deanna
Human Resources/Behavioural Interviewing Specialist
Deanna graduated from the Human Resources Management program at Sir Sandford Fleming College. She holds a CHRP designation and is a member of the Human Resources Professional Association.
Over the past 10 years, Deanna has held various positions within the HR field including: Recruiter, HR Assistant, HR Specialist and as an HR Manager. Deanna has specialized primarily in recruitment and behavioural interviewing.
Deanna understands the qualities a firefighter needs to possess, having been involved in the firefighter recruitment process. Deanna has a strong connection to the fire service in her personal life also, as she is married to a professional firefighter.
With her strong interpersonal skills, Deanna finds gratification in the ability to help others succeed in their careers.
Rich
F.C. Fire Consulting
Rich began his professional fire service career in his home town of Kamloops in central British Columbia in 1976 were he rose through the ranks to the position of Acting Chief Fire Prevention Officer.
He accepted the job of Fire Chief in the neighbouring community of Merritt in 1991 to 1999. From Merritt Rich and his family moved to beautiful Vancouver Island where he took on the position of Chief Training Officer with the District of Langford. In 2003, he took over the Chief’s position with another neighbouring community - View Royal, where he retired from in 2005.
Rich is an honorary life member of the Fire Prevention Officers’ Association of British Columbia.
Rich has first hand experience at conducting firefighter interviews and is now providing candidates with mock interviews/ interview coaching for entry level firefighters.
David
Acting Captain
Former Chief Training Officer
Mr. Gillespie has 16 years of fire service experience including holding the rank of Chief Training Officer with experience in many recruitment drives and fire recruit interviews.
- Certified Incident Safety Officer
- Associate Instructor with Community College, and Ontario Fire College
- Swiftwater Technical Rescue Instructor-Trainer and Consultant
- Member of Panel Interviews with multiple recruitments
- Married for 14 years and has two young sons
Mr. Gillespie's experience has shown him that the majority of applicants arrive not well prepared. They have the spit and polish and a few answers ready, but have trouble putting it all together. Like a house fire, an interview requires a good size-up, a quality pre-plan of the potential employer, and aggressive training to culminate in an excellent operation of the interview.
Jenn
Managing Director of Virtual Resumes Inc
Jenn Andrew is the Managing Director of Virtual Resumes Inc. (www.virtualresumes.ca) . Virtual Resumes' team of skilled writers provides resume and cover letter services to people in all fields of work. The team has specialized expertise and tremendous success in fire, police and EMS resume composition. Jenn brings a unique perspective to resume and cover letter creation, as she was in the recruiters' chair for more than 10 years prior to starting Virtual Resumes.
Her recruiting experience includes candidate sourcing and selection for companies from every industry imaginable and for positions as varied as skilled tradespeople, industrial managers, administrative professionals, accountants, engineers and everything in between! This expertise has helped ensure VR's clients' resumes are dramatically improved in areas of quality and accuracy of information, and through articulate explanations of relevant core competencies and skill sets.
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