911, What’s Your Emergency?

Since losing my so called career in the pharmaceutical industry, I have had to take a hard look at exactly what I want in a career, and what makes me happy.

Part of why I enjoyed the pharmaceutical industry so much is because I was helping people.¬† I wasn’t on the “front line,” the consumer didn’t know my name, but it was very self fulfilling to know I was a part of making peoples’ quality of life better.

I have tried to continue in the pharmaceutical industry.¬† It seems as if I’ve been blacklisted though, as I haven’t even been offered an opportunity to interview.¬† Some positions seemed a “perfect match” with my skills, and one job was EXACTLY the same thing I did at Baxter!

With my wifes’ help I found that Monroe county has 2 openings for 911 dispatchers!¬† (She’s amazing at finding open positions) So I went for it.¬† What I understand so far about the hiring process is it’s more about testing than just an interview.¬† I took the first¬†test last Wednesday night, and I must say it was very interesting.¬† It was completely computerized, and to my understanding just an exercise in distraction.¬† It was mainly data entry type stuff, but here’s the kicker:¬† every few seconds an “emergency” would pop up on the screen.¬† If we did not dispatch the correct agency within 15 seconds, the test would give us a lower score.¬† All while doing the data entry portion at the same time!

It was very intriguing, yet fulfilling at the same time.  I am excitied about the possibility of becoming a dispatcher as I would be helping people, which is all I really want to do in life.

I received an email yesterday from the Monroe county director of communications, I passed the test!¬† No congratulations are in order yet, but it’s the first step.¬† The email also stated I would be contacted after the first of the year regarding more testing and interviews.

Wish me luck!