Fewer than 22,000 people took the open competitive exam to become an FDNY firefighter this year despite the department sinking $3 million into a recruitment campaign, pushing back the registration timeline and adding more testing dates.
The position remains the same, attempting to cover the vastly increased wage bill due to NIC rises, as well as other cost increases, without the ability to pass on to the customer, which has directly impacted recruitment and growth plans.
The AI interview tool was robotic and lacked emotional intelligence, creating a scenario that felt detached and unengaging, ultimately leading to a negative experience.
Running a staffing agency involves managing thousands of candidate profiles and relationships with clients while ensuring compliance. Traditional CRMs often fail to meet these unique challenges, necessitating specialized CRM software.
When asked about the location, Officer Nancy Matos denied the department was specifically targeting soldiers. "We pick random spots in the city," she told Washingtonian.
"In a very violent situation, we need to make sure that we're not suffering members being injured, as opposed to having the vehicles and the equipment, including water cannons, which can probably deal with very violent disorder. So that's what they're there for."