I’ve had a few of you ask me lately, “Should I wait until I finish school?” or “Should I wait until I finish the academy before I start applying?” My answer is NO. APPLY. Apply whenever you meet the minimum qualifications because you never know what opportunity might come your way. Your goal right now should be to get yourself inside a firehouse and around the fire service as much as possible. We can talk all day about station life, expectations, routines, cooking, cleaning, training, checking equipment, running calls and learning how to carry yourself around a crew. But actually living it and experiencing it yourself is a completely different ball game. That experience starts building structure, discipline and confidence. You start learning how a firehouse operates and, more importantly, how YOU fit into that environment. And yes… that young guy in the picture is me 😂 Right out of my fire academy in 2004, I became an Ambulance Operator with Huntington Beach. I also spent time with Compton and La Habra as an Ambulance Operator / Fire Intern, and even worked for CARE Ambulance for a short stint. I wasn’t sitting around waiting for the perfect opportunity. I was trying to get experience, learn the job, meet people and get one step closer to getting hired. I’ve been in your shoes. I know what it feels like to be trying to figure out the next move and wondering whether you’re doing enough. That’s a big reason why I started Own Your Shift and why I want to help you guys succeed. Keep applying. Keep testing. Keep visiting stations. Keep learning. Keep putting yourself in positions where opportunities can happen. Your first job doesn’t have to be your dream department. It might just be the experience that helps you get there.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Now it’s time to get this week started. 👊 First off, how did last week go? What was your biggest win? What could you have done better? More importantly, what are your goals for this week and for September? I just uploaded 2 firefighter resume examples into the Classroom, with a few more coming soon. Take a look at them, compare the different styles, and start building or cleaning up your own resume. Also, don’t forget everything else you guys have access to in this community. 🔥 On Duty Shift Performance Training App We’re starting a brand new 12 week training method this week built to get you strong, jacked, and get those lungs and heart strong. We’re also adding more cardio strategies to help you build that engine and be ready when it’s time to perform. 🧘‍♀️ C Shift Mobility & Recovery My good friend Shoshana has been putting together breathing, mobility, and yoga flows geared specifically toward firefighters. Don’t sleep on recovery. Being able to move well and stay healthy is part of being ready for this career. 🎯 This week, set some goals. Fill out some applications. Make a couple station visits. Get your workouts in. Work on your resume. Start preparing for that next opportunity before it shows up. And this Wednesday at 7PM PST, we’re going over resumes AND interview prep, so you definitely don’t want to miss this one. Drop it below 👇 What was your biggest win last week, and what are you getting done THIS WEEK? Let’s goooo!! 🔥👊