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Q. If I am not able to make my scheduled CPAT appointment. Will you be offering a make up date?
A. Please contact CFD recruitment to notify us if you are unable to attend your assigned session. We request you contact us via email at cfdrecrutiment@ci.charlotte.nc.us with the dates and times you are available. If we have other cancellations and can accommodate your request, will will contact you. We will try to accommodate your request if possible. However, we cannot guarantee it.
Q. After the CPAT, when should I expect to hear something?
A. It will take us considerable time to review all applications, and we will stagger interviews throughout the coming year. It may be a few weeks or even a few months before you hear anything. Please be patient. Your application will remain in an open and active status until we inform you otherwise.
Q. I passed the CPAT. What is the next step?
A. Everyone who passed the CPAT will be eligible to be considered for a Firefighter position. The next step is a pre-polygraph/background interview. We will contact you if you are selected to move forward.
Q. If I am selected for a background interview, what do I need know and what should I bring with me?
A. You should bring a complete set of personal history documents. This is a formal interview and you should dress accordingly. Also allow plenty of time (anywhere from 2-4 hours) for administrative work and for your interview.
Q. If I complete a background interview, what is next?
A. A polygraph examination is the next step after a background interview. As with the background interviews, we will stagger polygraph examinations throughout the year. If you do not hear something right away, please be patient. There is no need to call to check on your application. We will contact all applicants who are selected for a polygraph. All applications will remain open until you are notified otherwise.
Q. I know someone in the hiring process who has an interview scheduled. What does that mean for me? Should I call to check on my application?
A. No, you do not need to call to check on the status of your application. Your application will remain in an active and open status unless we notify you otherwise. Also, you should not consider anyone else's status as an indicator of where you stand. We will be scheduling interviews throughout the year, and unless you receive notification that your application has been closed, you are still eligible to be considered.
Q. My contact information has changed. How should I notify you?
A. Accurate contact information (email, phone number, mailing address) is critical. It is your responsibility to make sure your information is correct. If we cannot get in touch with you, we will move on to the next applicant. We prefer to have all correspondence in writing. You can email us at cfdrecruitment@ci.charlotte.nc.us. If you are having trouble with email, please call the Recruitment Division at 704-336-2979 or 866-733-3473.
Q. How do I know where I am on the list?
A. The Charlotte Fire Department does not keep a list. We do not rank order candidates based on their written test score or on CPAT times. The written test and the CPAT are simply pass/fail. Their purpose is to establish an eligibility pool of applicants. Everyone who passed both the written test and the CPAT in 2009 is considered to be a candidate in the current applicant pool.
Q. How many firefighters will you hire from the 2009 hiring process?
A. Our hiring needs vary from year to year and depend on a number of factors such as current staffing levels, annexations, retirements, budgetary constraints, etc. On average, we hire between 20 and 40 firefighters from a test pool.
