May have messed up my chances with the FDNY? Help!

[Guest joe1981]

Hi, my FDNY investigator recently found 2 off the books jobs I worked at somehow when I was younger. My investigator wants to know why I didn't include these jobs in the application. Plus she wants the dates I worked. I don't know what to put on why I never added them to the application plus I am afraid to get in hot water wit the IRS. What do I do? Thank you for your help!

[jack10562 414]

I can only suggest that you be as forthcoming and honest as humanly possible. Unfortunately you may already have potentially jeopardized further consideration of your application, and any feeble attempt to get around this could only add the finishing touch.

Good luck!

[FFEMT150 214]

I would have to agree with Jack on this one. The best thing to do is be honest. With that being said, why didn't you include the off the books jobs? Just give them the reason and hope for the best. Good Luck.

[ny10570 745]

The FDNY is not the IRS. If these were truly off the books, cash jobs how did they find them unless you gave them references that came from or were with you at those jobs. Either way, tell them exactly why you left them off your application and you might as well come clean with any others. If there were 3 jobs they might be asking about 2 and waiting to see what you do about the third. DO NOT LIE ON YOUR APPLICANT PACKET. If a few months from now they find out you lied and you're not yet civil service, GOODBYE. We have people from all backgrounds with a variety of criminal records and personal problems in their past. The dept will take a reformed anything over a liar.

[mustang22_2002 21]

If your a minority i wouldnt worry about it being that the city is giving them special treatment

[Guest joe1981]

If I were to come clean how would I even go about saying in a statement? I ask this because I'm. unsure what to say when telling them why I didn't put it down on the application. They even asked me to put the dates down if I worked for the jobs. The problem is I don't even know the exact dates and not on good terms with those last employers.

Edited January 2, 2012 by joe1981

[FFEMT150 214]

If I were to come clean how would I even go about saying in a statement? I ask this because I'm. unsure what to say when telling them why I didn't put it down on the application. They even asked me to put the dates down if I worked for the jobs. The problem is I don't even know the exact dates and not on good terms with those last employers.

You could try and estimate the dates, just state that you don't remember the exact dates and that you are not on good terms with the bosses. Biggest thing is to be honest about it. If you didn't put them down because you aren't on good terms than say that. Thats just my opinion.

[jack10562 414]

If you didn't put them down because you aren't on good terms than say that.

Agreed.

I doubt that it makes much difference, but what kind of work were you doing that was "uncovered"?

[Guest joe1981]

Agreed.

I doubt that it makes much difference, but what kind of work were you doing that was "uncovered"?

For both jobs I was working for a weightlifting gym. So would it be a good idea to just state that I wasn't on good terms with either place and that's the reason why I didn't list them? Which is true.

[FFEMT150 214]

For both jobs I was working for a weightlifting gym. So would it be a good idea to just state that I wasn't on good terms with either place and that's the reason why I didn't list them? Which is true.

If that is truely the reason than yes. The worst thing that you can do as we have all stated here is lie about it. I hope everything works out for you.

[firefighter2711 12]

If that is truely the reason than yes. The worst thing that you can do as we have all stated here is lie about it. I hope everything works out for you.

If your giving a sworen statement and thats why you didnt put them on thats what you say. The application process does not state whether you were on good terms only. They want to know all of your employers good and bad terms. If you didnt put them down because hey were off the books then say because you thought it was only positions that you held that were on the books.

[JJB531 652]

If your a minority i wouldnt worry about it being that the city is giving them special treatment

Not to take away from the topic at hand, but although I am no fan of the City of New York as an employer, it was a Federal Judge, not a City Judge, who rendered a decision that the FDNY's hiring practices discriminated against minorities. Therefore, the City's hands are tied because of the Federal Government, not because of a decision/policy made by the City of New York.

[helicopper 1,050]

Hi, my FDNY investigator recently found 2 off the books jobs I worked at somehow when I was younger. My investigator wants to know why I didn't include these jobs in the application. Plus she wants the dates I worked. I don't know what to put on why I never added them to the application plus I am afraid to get in hot water wit the IRS. What do I do? Thank you for your help!

If I were to come clean how would I even go about saying in a statement? I ask this because I'm. unsure what to say when telling them why I didn't put it down on the application. They even asked me to put the dates down if I worked for the jobs. The problem is I don't even know the exact dates and not on good terms with those last employers.

First off, how much younger? If it was 10 years ago you may not have that much trouble. If it was 10 weeks ago, different story.

Talk to your investigator, tell him the truth, and ask for guidance. If it was an honest mistake, you simply forgot about old part-time jobs, you may be alright but you have to be honest in your application package and any other documents they ask for.

[OnTheWheel 43]

I wouldn't dig the hole any deeper. I'd be careful about saying you aren't on good terms with them thats why you didnt put them down. Looks like youre hiding two employers that you dont want the FD talking to, and those are the two theyll probably WANT to talk to. Estimate the dates and just say they were off the books and you werent sure how they would go over on an application. And in the future put it all down!!! I bet you wont make this mistake again. Good luck.

[EMTDelta 22]

Also be careful what you post on here. There are PLENTY of FDNY persons that are members, and you never know who it is, or who knows who.

[nfd2004 750]

Also be careful what you post on here. There are PLENTY of FDNY persons that are members, and you never know who it is, or who knows who.

I agree with Every one of the statements above. And I certainly agree with "EMTDelta" on here. Besides, how do you know that he/she isn't investigating you. It happens all the time. People tell their stories on a site like this for the world to see. I'm sure its very easy to find out exactly who you are regardless of any user name.

Regardless, you better be honest about any wrong doings. But I will also tell you that we all make mistakes in our lives.

Like somebody says, the dept will take a reformed anything over a liar.

[everybodygoes 331]

Not a single person here works for fdny so where does your expertise come in? I told this young lad what to do. I hope he listens or gets the point and follows the instructions.

[ny10570 745]

Not a single person here works for fdny so where does your expertise come in? I told this young lad what to do. I hope he listens or gets the point and follows the instructions.

Huh?? While I don't work for personnel; I am currently employed by the FDNY, I've successfully been through the candidate process twice, and I've walked others through the hiring process. What did you tell him to do?

[PFDRes47cue 653]

Huh?? While I don't work for personnel; I am currently employed by the FDNY, I've successfully been through the candidate process twice, and I've walked others through the hiring process. What did you tell him to do?

I was going to say, NY10570 and a few others are employed by FDNY...

[nfd2004 750]

Not a single person here works for fdny so where does your expertise come in? I told this young lad what to do. I hope he listens or gets the point and follows the instructions.

I thought this guy asked for ADVICE, not if we worked for the FDNY or not. I guess my expertise came in with giving ADVICE to many others to get on several career fire depts, INCLUDING the FDNY. Maybe you can go to www.ctfire-ems.com and look up what was written about a year or two ago on a thread called "I'm Proud of Them". It tells there, just some of the people that followed the ADVICE of myself and a few others. And by the way, I believe one of those now a career firefighter with the FDNY Special Ops.

I'm sorry for just trying to help. I wasn't aware that he was only interested in responses from FDNY members. And by the way, I am a full supporter of the FDNY and the FDNY EMS. Read some of my hundreds of posts over the last few years on this and other web sites.

[everybodygoes 331]

Giving someone the wrong information because you don't have experience is not advice, it is your opinion. Not discounting it just making an observation from the inside. I had to deal with the CI people for months because they didn't believe a signed lease and cancelled checks was an acceptable format for proof of residency, I also know from working on that floor of Metro Tech what to expect. I told him my advice via a PM which is what everyone should do, since as many of you pointed out, you NEVER know who is lurking on any forum.

[helicopper 1,050]

Without knowing the identity and background of every member in an online forum you should absolutely take everything with a grain of salt. Every response to this thread has been opinion because we're not the background investigator with this application nor are we policy makers in the FDNY. Simply being an employee of FDNY doesn't qualify anyone as an expert in applicant investigations either.

Lots of input has been provided, the original question answered with several different viewpoints, so the thread is now closed, Any further dialogue on the subject should be by e-mail or PM.

Thank you.