Making The Department Episode One - Rob Christensen

Rob Christensen, co-founder of TopScore and Interview Coach, spent three years as a wildland firefighter and 23 and counting with his current city department. With 26 years on the job, he's experienced the most horrific and rewarding of calls. Despite the many close calls he's witnessed and experienced, as well as, the scenes he will never be able to forget, he would choose this career path over and over again every time.

In this audio, Rob shares his journey to a position with a city department; the lessons he learned, the obstacles he overcame and his advice for anyone currently in pursuit.

Here's some incredible footage of a house fire he fought alongside his brother. The house collapses right before the 16 min mark.

Making the Department

The road to a full-time paid department is tough. It's often marked by many failures before success. It's a time when your character's tested. Your grit put on display. Your weaknesses revealed. And most importantly you're given an opportunity to grow.

How you respond to your challenges as a candidate and as a probie is a good indicator as to how you will be as a firefighter. The hiring process although frustrating at times is designed to find the candidates willing to work,
willing to persevere,
willing to push themselves,
willing to learn,
willing to fail and get back up, 
willing to be stretched,
willing to take criticism,
and willing to grow.

As a candidate, you're always a different person at the beginning of your journey than you are at the end. You've either matured or surrendered.

We want to celebrate the candidates turned probie, turned career firefighter and their journey of endurance, their lessons learned, their obstacles overcome, their success achieved and the goals they are still pursuing.

It's our goal that by sharing these stories every month you'll mature instead of surrender and endure in the pursuit of your career no matter the obstacles you face.

The stories to come, are of those who have been refined in pursuit of their dream and remain committed to the goal.

Listen to the first story, with Captain Rob Christensen, here.