What are the oral interview and the oral board like?
The oral interview and oral board are critical to the hiring process. The oral interview may find you face-to-face with the chief of the department. You can depend on discussing what the job is like, how well you think you can do the job, and why you want to be a firefighter to begin with. These discussions allow the interviewer to assess your interpersonal skills, and your honesty and comfort level in discussing these topics. In some cases, the interview will include an oral board. The oral board is designed to assess your interpersonal, communication, judgment and decision-making skills. The board itself may consist of two to five people, who may be firefighters, civilian personnel, or even interview specialists. Be ready to answer the same questions you answered in the interview, and to respond to hypothetical situations. Be prepared for both the interview and the board, by practicing answering some questions in advance.
