One of the most frequent questions asked by candidates is “What are the most common fire lieutenant interview questions?” Since most promotional exams will have an oral interview as a component candidates from all types of department’s ask this or a very similar question. However, the answer is very difficult.

There is just no way to truly know what questions will be asked during an oral interview because there are so many things that factor into the development and selection of the fire lieutenant interview questions. If the department is looking to improve in the area of employee management, the questions can be heavily weighted towards personnel issues. If the department is focusing on customer service, the questions can lean towards meeting the needs of the customer. If the department has been experiencing issues on the fire ground, emergency scene scenarios may make up the bulk of the interview. It all depends on what the department needs in its fire lieutenants.

The best candidates know this about the interview and make sure that they study carefully what skills, knowledge and abilities the department needs in its officers. These candidates know that the interview will be looking to discover if they have the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities to meet the department’s needs. Look at what types of training are currently being presented by the department. What classes are the current officers attending? Has the department recently changed its mission statement or stated new goals or objectives? These topics can be easily turned into fire lieutenant interview questions.

Another method to help you prepare is to ask current fire lieutenants what types of questions were asked during their exam. While the questions may be different this time around you can determine if the questions were focused on one or more areas and what the areas were. If the questions focused on leadership and leadership is still a hot topic in your department, this type of question is a likely question you may see during your exam.

You can also ask officers above the rank of lieutenant what skills, knowledge and abilities they are looking for in a fire lieutenant. Again, the answer may help you to determine what is important to the department. If it’s important to the department then it’s important to the new fire lieutenants and, therefore, may be included in the fire lieutenant interview questions.

After you have completed your research into possible areas the fire lieutenant interview questions may be focused on turn your attention to the types of questions you can typically expect in any interview. Here are a few examples:

·       Why do you want to be a fire lieutenant?

·       How have you prepared for the position?

·       What special skills, knowledge or abilities do you possess?

·       What are the typical job duties of a fire lieutenant?

·       Why are you the best candidate for the position of fire lieutenant?

These are just a few examples of the types of typical fire lieutenant interview questions you must be prepared to answer.

There is no way to truly determine what questions will be asked during your promotional interview. The best candidates take steps to understand what is required of a fire lieutenant and what skills, knowledge, and abilities are needed to be successful at the position. They are then able to format good responses to the fire lieutenant interview questions used during the interview because the questions will be based on the job of the fire lieutenant. Learn more at AspiringFireOfficers.com