I've said before that there's no such thing as "Christian job search." There's just job searching that Christians do. Every job seeker I know of has to write a resume, every job seeker has to participate in job interviews, every job seeker has to perform on the job. There's no wiggle room in "every." Christian or not, more often than not you have to "do job search" to get a job. One of the biggest challenges I've faced in helping lots of Christians write resumes is an almost overwhelming reluctance to toot one's horn. That reluctance comes, I think, from a mistaken notion that describing skills and achievements on a resume is wrongful boasting. A resume is commercial for you. If you don't toot, nobody will hear anything. You must toot. How to do you do it humbly? Quite simply, you tell the truth about what you've done. If you've done great things, say so. That's not boasting, that's honest. Give credit where credit is due along the way, though. If you were part of team that did something great, say you and your team did it. Reflect well on the leadership of your former boss, if he led well. Being gracious and willing to share credit will set you apart. Telling the truth about what you've done so a potential employer can evaluate your potential isn't boastful. Look, you're not at a dinner party spouting off about how you made the world safe for democracy. You did your job well. Now you're reporting the results. If you go into a job interview with sterling character, but refuse to talk about yourself, the interviewer won't end up knowing anything about you. That means you won't get hired. Only a fool would hire somebody he knows nothing about. If your going for a leadership position, it's even more important to toot your horn. Again, you're not claiming to be omnipotent. But if you don't show that you're a confident, competent leader, they won't hire you to be one. It's true there's a fine line between confidence and arrogance. Stay on the confidence side of the line and your "Christian job search" will end up being a successful one. Copyright (c) by Roy Miller |
