A New Idea For Approaching Your Job Search

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you
to give the reason for the hope that you have.
But do this with gentleness and respect.”
I Pet. 3:15

Pride. Boasting. Self-promotion.

We are told these are wrong. One thing God hates is a proud heart. They are self-centered, egotistical, childish.

Humbleness. Meekness. Self-effacing.

How different these are. We are encouraged to develop these attributes. God loves the humble and meek. They are other-centered, servant focused, mature.

So how can you practice the one and not the other in a job search and still effectively sell yourself in your résumé, your cover letters, your interviews? The answer…by how you view your job search.

Are you in your job search alone?

If you see your job search as totally your responsibility, demanding your efforts, requiring your energy to move it forward; then you will focus more on taking pride in what you have done and promoting these as a way to demonstrate your capabilities to prospective employers.

In this approach, it’s all about your efforts, your achievements, your accomplishments. You did it. It was your skills that made things happen and you can be proud of it.

If, however, you see your job search as more of a partnership with God in His adventure, as a collaboration requiring your energy and His behind-the-scenes directing, and as an integration of your ingenuity and His power, then you will be able to take the more humble approach recognizing you simply cannot do it on your own.

How is God involved?

In this second approach, it’s all about God’s involvement. He provided the opportunities, the various experiences to develop and enhance your skills He gave you in the first place. Here you sell yourself by describing what He has done and enabled you to do, even if you never use His name.

You can take the same scientific approach as astronomers and archaeologists when you sell the value you bring as God’s creation by:

• Describing your own characteristics: personality traits, strengths, accomplishments, skills, experiences, etc.
• Explaining the methods: the experiences, employers, projects that enabled you to attain your skills.
• Present the value: how this translates into a benefit for the current employer interview.

Can you do that? Can you see your history that way? If not, step back and look at how God has guided you to where you are whether you know it or not.

Master Guide, thank you for having a hand on my life to bring me to where I am today.  Help me to articulate that effectively.