Recruits fail personality test MICHAEL OWEN From: The Advertiser December 25, 2006 11:30PM
MORE than one-third of people wanting to join the Metropolitan Fire Service are rejected because of personality quirks.
Firefighters have described a new personality test as "flawed" and called for a review before the next intake early next year.
Latest MFS recruitment data, obtained by The Advertiser under Freedom of Information, shows that of the 443 people who sat the personality profile test for the first time last year, only 159 passed.
Just 50 of the 614 people who applied to become firefighters were successful during the most recent recruitment process.
The 8 per cent success rate confirms just how difficult it is to enter the profession, with the MFS saying it was "not unusual to have some people try up to six times to become an MFS officer".
According to the FoI documents, of 614 initial applicants, 531 were invited to undertake the recruitment process last year.
Stage one, the shuttle run, was failed by 41 potential recruits, while 279 were rejected during the personality profile/firefighter ability phase, 92 did not make it past the interview/assessment centre stage and 10 failed job-related task testing. No applicants failed the medical exam and one did not pass a police check.
MFS spokesman John Foody said the personality profile, used for the first time last year, was a "valuable tool to ensure potential firefighters are able to work closely, in pressure situations, with other firefighters from diverse backgrounds".
"People who are more sociable may be better suited to being in the fire service because you're working closely with your team for extended periods of time," he said.
"If you are too introverted or too domineering this doesn't best suit the role of a firefighter."
But United Fire Fighters Union of SA president Bill Jamieson said there were many cases in which intelligent, stable and well-adjusted people were rejected by the MFS for failing the personality test.
He said the union was not consulted before the test was introduced and demanded a full review of the recruitment process.
"I think it is flawed," he said.