Developing Expertise During Your Job Search

“So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph’s care;
with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself
with anything except the food he ate.”
Genesis 39:6

Expertise is a valued commodity.

Companies pay well for it.

Society grants acclaim and recognition for it.

People write books to discuss their area of expertise and educate others.

But how do you develop valuable expertise?

Would you consider yourself an expert in anything? Or let’s say, would you consider yourself more expert in something than the general population? How did you gain that expertise? You will probably respond with formal education, training, on-the-job mentoring, and real experience. Some expertise is the accumulation of years of working through projects, challenges, and diverse scenarios in the same arena.

But here’s a thought to ponder:

God may be using your period of under or unemployment to give you some other areas of expertise. Joseph is a perfect example.  Starting in Genesis 39, we read his story:

• Spoiled younger son of a well-to-do family
• Worked as a shepherd’s helper
• Hated by his brothers and sold by them into slavery
• Falsely accused of sexual impropriety and put in prison
• Released by Pharaoh to be Prime Minister of Egypt

Joseph went from being a shepherd’s helper to Prime Minister over a thirteen year period, but with no formal education, no structured training, and his only mentor was Potiphar when he served as his slave. But God was his curriculum advisor and had Joseph enrolled in His leadership development program.

Over those thirteen years, God had Joseph learn human resource talent management, operations, fiscal management, resource management, performance management and much more. All of this was to prepare Joseph for the crisis he would face as the Prime Minister…But only God knew this…Joseph had no clue.

Take a look at your life, what is going on in your world? What expertise might God be laying in your life…right now…during your unemployment. Only He knows the future.  You didn’t have a clue. But be ready to embrace it.

Heavenly Career Coach, keep me malleable to learn expertise wherever I am as you direct my steps and I look forward to my prison release.

If you would like to explore working with a Christian centered Career Coach, Contact me for a no-obligation 60-90 minute job search consultation with America’s Job Searching Coach, or text me at 425-220-0707  and we can discuss your situation, your résumé, what you would like to achieve, and structure your job search to fit your uniqueness.

I am also available to speak to groups.