Subjectivity inherent in the hiring process
Terrence L. Jordon
Battalion Chief
City of Youngstown (OH) Fire Department
Reference is made to Patrick Agostinelli`s Letter to the Editor “Does civil service serve the best interests of the fire service?” (September 1997), in which he criticizes the fire service`s hiring processes.
From the tone of his comments, one can assume that he attributes his delay in getting hired by the Rochester Fire Department to an affirmative action as well as an effect of the civil service testing process. It is very clear that he has not had the unenviable task of balancing the need to hire competent personnel while ensuring that females and people of color are not excluded–an issue that affects urban departments more than rural or suburban organizations. If affirmative action is the demon it is made out to be, then how can it be that less than 10 percent of career firefighters nationwide are minorities and females?
The objectives of the civil service testing process are (1) to ensure public access to public jobs and make a reasonable attempt to reduce favoritism (in the real world this does not always happen) and (2) to establish a list of individuals who may have the mental and physical capabilities to competently and safely perform the duties of a firefighter. The most logical way to categorize the candidates is by test score. There is no guarantee that the candidate with the top score is the most qualified, which is the reason that most departments interview at least three to five candidates per opening.
Many individuals erroneously believe that test score alone determines who is “qualified.” Most final hiring decisions are subjective, and anyone who believes any employer`s hiring process is 100 percent objective is living in a dreamworld. As long as human beings are involved in the hiring process, individual values and biases will determine who is and who is not hired. Many firefighters hired under consent decrees, whether voluntary or not, have proven to perform on the fireground as well as or better than their nonminority counterparts. To my knowledge, there is no qualitative evidence to suggest that there is a difference in performance.
An entry-level test should not be so heavily slanted toward the specifics of the job that only individuals with prior experience could possibly pass it. Some of the finest firefighters and officers I`ve worked with have had no prior firefighting experience or college education. If the fire department has done its job during the initial screening, training, and probationary periods, it can weed out undesirable employees, maintain a diverse workforce, and maintain a high level of customer service. If the fire service adhered solely to the contention that municipalities should “reward” people with prior experience, EMS certifications, or relevant employment, only white males between the ages of 18 and 35 who were ex-volunteer firefighters would be hired. If these criteria have to apply to the career fire service, then they should apply to volunteer fire service recruits as well. The volunteer service, I`m sure, goes out of its way to recruit and train minorities and females so they can get all the training and experience to compete for career jobs.
If, for testing purposes, the Rochester Fire Department granted credit for Mr. Agostinelli`s degree, then he was granted an advantage over individuals who did not possess a college degree. But, obviously, this was not enough for him, as he attempted to earn additional consideration by doing volunteer work for the fire department and making “friends” (i.e., contacts who just might mention his name to the powers that be). So his contention of wanting a “level playing field” has little credibility.
As a fire officer, I am as proud of my professional achievements as I am of my African heritage. I was neither hired nor promoted on the basis of race. However, after 15 years in the fire service I realize that the good ol` boy system is alive and well. At least departments who use affirmative action plans are up front about how they intend to hire applicants.
