FireLink

HAGERSTOWN, Md. - The Hagerstown Fire Department's first female career firefighter worked her first shift recently, after completing nine weeks of intense training. While others are quick to note her accomplishment, Deanna Glaze says she just wants to be a member of the department. "They have treated me very well," she said. "I haven't been singled out or given any special ...

Want to temp for Uncle Sam? According to Michele Hartwick, branch manager for Manpower in Arlington, Virginia, temporary government opportunities abound. "The government has a mandate to reduce the size of federal government that began in the Clinton administration and continues today," Hartwick says. "So a lot of work has gone to contractors." "What we look for are skilled and educated ...

You've heard that your base salary is largely determined by your education level - but did you ever wonder exactly how much education matters? If you've got enough smarts, it shouldn't matter whether or not you have formal training - right? Wrong. At least, it might not be so simple. As job scarcity continues to drive more competition to each open ...

Paid firefighters across the nation battle with budget cuts, lack of overtime allocation, and department closures. In a profession that seeks to protect every citizen (including the lawmakers who slash funding) from death and destruction, firefighters must also stop to consider their own well-being. In light of keeping FireLink members up-to-date with fire and rescue information, we've put together a top ...

TACOMA, Wash. - An old Mercury Grand Marquis lies mangled on the grounds of the Tacoma Fire Department Training Center, its roof shorn away and its windshield folded over like a piece of crinkled cellophane. The perpetrators: a group of teenage girls. The wreckage was collateral damage from a vehicle extrication exercise at Camp Blaze, a firefighting camp for 16- to ...

Heroically, salary is often an afterthought for firefighters who feel called to protect and serve their communities. Realistically, however, income is a concern for every person in the department from the newest recruit to the seasoned chief. Part of being employed in any profession is being informed as to what's going on in your field, including pay scale. Salaries and benefits ...

California firefighters are some of the greatest paid in the nation. The current median hourly salary for a California firefighter is $28.41. Job openings are usually posted in the employment departments of cities and counties. They may also be listed with the California Employment Development Department and at schools and related types of public places. Local fire stations generally have information ...

Having trouble getting your resume noticed by Department of Defense (DoD) agencies? You're not alone. For more than eight months, John Rosen submitted more than 60 online resumes to the Navy, Air Force and Army. He was sure he was qualified, but he was never referred to the supervisors for an interview. The problem? Rosen was not using the right keywords. ...

Hundreds of you responded to Monster's Worst Summer Job Contest with the most bizarre and jaw-dropping stories (our condolences for some truly horrible summer experiences). Coming up with the top five was much harder than we thought. Now it's your turn to judge: Check out these five finalists' stories (edited for brevity and grammar) and vote now for your best pick ...

**You have 60 days from your entry on duty to sign-up for Flexible Spending Account(s), or until October 1, whichever comes first. Applications for the current calendar year are not accepted from October 1 through December 31. If you wish to enroll after October 1 you will need to do so during open season for the following year.** The Federal Flexible ...

Stress. Pressure. Anxiety. Tension. Whatever you call it, there is no shortage of it in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced workplace. Consider these statistics: * Stress-related disorders are fast becoming the most prevalent reason for worker disability, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. * Job stress and related problems cost American companies an estimated $200 billion or more ...

We've all heard stories about the nightmare of working for a toxic boss. Some of us have even had the unique displeasure of doing so ourselves. Red flags to such behavior often appear as soon as the interview process. We've compiled 10 early warning signs of a toxic boss. Heed this advice, and you might be able to avoid a negative ...

Networking is about making contacts and building relationships that can lead to jobs or other work-related opportunities. Thoughtful networking provides a focused way to talk to people about your job search. Done right, it can help you obtain leads, referrals, advice, information and support. It is an essential component of any successful job search, but it requires calculated planning. The good ...

Even the smartest and most qualified job seekers need to prepare for job interviews. Why, you ask? Interviewing is a learned skill, and there are no second chances to make a great first impression. So study these _10 strategies_ and caveats to enhance your interview IQ. **Practice Good Nonverbal Communication** It's about demonstrating confidence: standing straight, making eye contact and connecting ...

Gina had recently been laid off after working as a marketing manager in a high tech company for the past five years. She was distracted as she walked through the aisles of the supermarket. She was thinking about ways to market herself into a new job. She stood in front of the cereal selection, overwhelmed by the number of brands to ...

You find a promising job listing online. Excited, you send a well-crafted cover letter and resume and wait for a response. Six weeks later, you're still waiting, your enthusiasm has waned, and you've concluded your resume has fallen into a black hole. A proactive approach to your job search can improve your chances of landing interviews. These six tips will help ...

Business documents rife with typos can undermine your professional reputation, not to mention that of your company. That's why you should have a good working knowledge of grammar, spelling and punctuation as well as the ability to catch mistakes before someone else does. Catching your own errors can be challenging. But with a little practice, you can reduce your margin of ...

How long should my resume be? is one of the most commonly asked questions about resumes. Not too long ago, job seekers were told that a resume should never exceed one page. Those who broke this golden rule were destined for the circular file. Times have changed, and so has the criteria for resume length. **The new guideline is**: A resume ...

Despite ongoing attempts to reduce the reference checking process to an online, instantaneous "click here" exercise, there will never be an adequate substitute for the human interaction that must occur between whoever is checking a candidate's references and the references themselves. To be effective, the process requires intuition, common sense, extraordinary listening skills and the ability to combine various comments in ...

The local fire marshal is required to perform a variety of important duties. A Fire Marshal is the member of a fire department responsible for investigating fires. The Fire Marshall must make sure that everything in his / her jurisdiction is up-to-date with fire code. The local fire marshal is required to annually inspect all buildings and facilities of public service ...