BillKaneEMT Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I've filled out over a hundred apps so far. I'm desperate for employment that pays more than 8 bucks an hour. I made more than this as a totally inexperienced high school grad 13 years ago!!! I got an email this morning offering a great job at double my current pay with full benefits after 90 days.. They even offered overtime!! I was so happy. Of course I was immediately transferred into one of those damn loops that try to simultaneously sell you things and steal your identity. I'm running a system scan now and I've already found a trojan and a keylogger. Way to go interweb thief! You want to steal my identity? Are you insane? Help yourself hoss. I'm tempted to mail my social security number and life history to them. I can't get a gas station credit card ffs!!!!! Normally I'd include a few emoticons to express the fact that I'm not gonna get riled up over internet idiocy. But I can't manage it right now. I just pulse oxed myself. 98% with a pulse of 114. My bp is 130/80 or so which is much higher than usual for me. I am seriously enraged. I thought, ever so foolishly, that maybe things were starting to look up. I thought that maybe I was gonna be able to get work in a job that isn't minimum wage, no hope of advancement, no hope of benefits, no hope of anything. Perhaps I should thank the would be thief for giving me a shred of sunshine. There. That was a joke. Still not in a smiley mood though. I'm in a "Why isn't there capital punishment for identity thieves? Via woodchipper?" mood. Anyway, I got so damn excited at the thought of having a decent job again that I violated one of my cardinal rules. Never click an email link. Fair warning to all jobseekers, it seems one of the career sites is probably selling email addresses. They made references to my resume, references to personal contact info that is supposedly kept on "secure" servers by the job finder sites... Be cautious. If you do get tricked by these pieces of excrement, run a system scan, Kaspersky and Malwarebytes are both serviceable scanners, and free. Sorry if this came off as too "rant-ish", I couldn't help myself. Terrible night at work, then I'm on cloud nine for 5 minutes, then I get shot down like a clay pigeon. Pulse is down to 88. Not great but manageable. Le sigh. Time for a nap. G'night folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiology Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Get your butt down to Indianapolis, but watch out, if you find your partner is a funny looking Kiwi bloke with a shaved head and lazy eye who likes to blast the air horn a shit ton, run like hell! Control, Medic 102 on location. Yeah, I'm just taking the piss mate, sorry I shouldn't make fun of your troubles but hopefully you feel a better now? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillKaneEMT Posted February 23, 2012 Author Share Posted February 23, 2012 I do actually. It may just be extreme tiredness but I'm feeling surprisingly calm. Think I got it out of my system. Out with the bad air, in with the good. /repeat. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiology Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Glad I could help you feel better Best nick off, bloke stuck under a tractor .... again, sigh! Ambulance, Lifeline airborne ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medicfreakstriveforalive Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 I also have been applying like maddddd for a position as a paramedic since graduating in May 2011. I am also a RRT. But,,,,,NO luck! Really what the f is up with this area of medical care? My biggest "beef" is the companies that I do get an Interview with after jumping through all their hoops is wanting people with experience! I am really frustrated that they call you in and it's quite apparent you just graduated 9 mos. ago. If anyone out there can explain to me how to get experience when you're not employed yet as a paramedic, please let me know. But seriously BillKane I feel your pain. Hopefully you will soon get your dream job! from medicfreakstriveforalive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPhT Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Breathe in, breathe out, repeat. Sometimes life sucks. You just need to remember that EMS is full of people who thought we'd make more money and wouldn't have to work as hard. Just keep dropping apps whenever you can. Start going to the offices in a suit and tie with a fancy copy of your resume and/or portfolio, and introduce yourself to the receptionist, the HR person, and anyone else you can find who works there. Now that having been said, are you applying for full time only? You might have to resign to working basically around the clock in order to start somewhere. You might need to work part time to bid into full time positions. It sucks, but it's because every yahoo out there that has a EMT cert and a pair of trauma scissors is trying to get into the business. Just keep at it, don't give up on yourself, and don't beat yourself up. Some other things to look at; have someone look at your resume and make sure it looks different than everyone else's. You WANT to be noticed. You WANT to stand out from the crowd. Look at how you're filling out your applications. Make sure you're using good grammar and spelling. For a job that pays less than McDonalds, they sure love to critique every little detail about us. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwiology Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 ...it's because every yahoo out there that has a EMT cert and a pair of trauma scissors is trying to get into the business. Hey, hey, hey I resent that remark, I have a stethoscope too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussiephil Posted February 23, 2012 Share Posted February 23, 2012 Hey, hey, hey I resent that remark, I have a stethoscope too! Doesn't mean you know how to use it!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nypamedic43 Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 I was really lucky when I graduated from medic school. The night I passed my test, I was offered a part time position at the company that I did my ride time at...the same company I am with now. After 2 weeks of part time, a tragic accident led to the full time position that I have now. 5 days a week...no nights unless I pick up an open shift, benefits, vacation and time off whenever I want or need it. The pay isnt awesome but its more than 10 bucks an hour. Keep trying and keep your chin up. Something will come up for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asysin2leads Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Sorry to hear you're having trouble. I know job hunting is one of the most frustrating experiences you can have. Unfortunately, as previously stated, the market is flooded with people who have an EMT certification, gloves, scissors, and sometimes even stethoscopes. Quite frankly I think some EMT classes at this point are a money making scam akin to Acai berry juice or Amway. Set up shop, give a few lectures, run a few practicals, enough people manage 70% or so on the state, and make a few hundred. As you move up the ladder things get a little easier. Having your paramedic certification makes it easier to get a position but even that's not a gimme. I would not suggest picking up and moving to some geographic location on the promise of a BLS position. Trust me, some outfits out there are scary to say the least, and you don't want to end up in God knows where with a job that doesn't pay or puts you at significant risk. Usually this is the point where people suggest volunteering, and if you're in one of those areas that demands some kind of field experience before entering into a paramedic program, or the paramedic program offers 20 spots every two years and is run by the fire chief, his brother, his other brother, his brother in law, his wife, and the students who enter are coincidentally all related, then you might have to bite the bullet, volunteer a little, kiss some butt and cross your fingers. If there happens to be a more enlightened paramedic program that actually takes academic ability into account, then I suggest saying screw the volunteering, no matter how much people insist that you need EMT-B experience, and using your time to enroll in an Anatomy and Physiology course, doing really well, and then applying. I should mention that Chemistry and Biology are usually prerequisites for A&P, and if they're not, they should be. If you have the luxury of picking a program, try to find one that has rotations at a major Level I teaching facility. Its something you can put in your resume that will help you. Then after all your hard work you'll be a freshly minted paramedic and you can beg and plead for some outfit to hire you with no experience, but it will be easier to do than trying it with an EMT-B card and the chairs are nicer in their waiting rooms. Did I mention that applying for a job in EMS is a thankless, frustrating experience? I don't like to mention my background too much, but lets just say if you looked at my resume you'd be pretty impressed, I have just about every certification known that a prehospital provider can possess. Seriously, the only thing I'm missing is an FP-C designation and combat experience. I also have years of field experience at the ALS level. I have had a very difficult time securing employment. That being said there are many providers out there with an FP-C designation AND combat experience, some of them on this very board, and THEY have a hard time getting a decent position. I don't want to discourage you, I just want to try and put it into perspective of why its so tough to get a job. Oh, and for the love of God keep a clean driving record. With insurance rates being what they are having a citation for sneezing improperly can cost you a position. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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