How Christian teens find employment.

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Getting a job! How Christian teens can find employment.

Trying to get a job can be stressful. But the following 11 tips should help any Christian teen looking for employment.

Attitude

Employers will love you if you meet the requirements of the position and seem honest, pleasant, and willing to go the extra mile. (Many people will not go the first mile, so here is where you can shine.) Employers turn off to applicants who are dishonest, negative, or lazy.

Provided you suit the job you apply for, you must convince your potential employer that you will always turn up on time, work harder or longer when needed, and don't take long lunch breaks, coffee breaks, or much time off.

Suitability

Apply for jobs you can handle. If you are an introvert (someone who is not bubbly and outgoing), you may find too much stress in a job that demands an outgoing personality. If you prefer the outdoors, an office job may not suit.

Consider carefully the job's requirements, and make sure you meet them. Never exaggerate — it will backfire badly when someone finds out, or you land a job you cannot handle. Christian honesty can be a big winner here.

If you have talents, experience, or qualifications in a certain field, you will do best if you apply for work in that field rather than in an area that suits the talents of other applicants.

Handicaps

Everyone has a “handicap.” You may be too young or too inexperienced. You may not have qualifications. You may have a physical weakness. You may have a criminal record. Whatever your handicap, some employers will care and others won't. Even if 98 per cent of employers don't hire you because of your flaw, your goal is to find that other 2 per cent as fast as you can.

If it becomes obvious that your handicap is troubling a potential employer, thank him or her for seeing you, and try elsewhere.

Initiative

A manager said that when he was interviewing for a new secretary, he asked each applicant to do a short typing test. Most were hesitant, but one young Christian girl impressed him when she said, “Sure, where's the computer? I've got a typing test in the car if you'd like to check my speed and accuracy.” She landed the job because of her initiative.

Put yourself in the top 10 per cent of contenders by showing eagerness to take any test and answer any question.

Prayer

Prayer is the area in which Christians have the least competition. If you are a Christian, earnestly pray that God will show you job possibilities — through friends, newspaper ads, and other avenues. Pray that you will be receptive to the Holy Spirit's leading, that you will recognize a suitable job when it comes along, and that if you are not successful you will take it as God's will to look elsewhere.

Résumés

A résumé (curriculum vitae, or CV) lists your career history and educational background. The best résumés tell potential employers what you have achieved or can achieve rather than merely listing what you like to do or duties you had in previous jobs.

Don't include personal details such as age and religion unless they are genuine requirements of the job. For example, your religion may be important if you apply for a position with a church, but not if you apply for a job with the government, a shoe factory, or a supermarket.

Make sure you type your résumé neatly, and check that it contains no errors. If you are unsure how résumés should look, or what to put in yours, ask friends who are working or who have recently landed a job. Or ask your local bookstore or library for a good book on the subject. Adjust your résumé to suit each job you apply for.

References

List two to five people who can vouch for your ability, honesty, or performance on the job. You could list previous supervisors if you have worked before, or the most prominent people you know, or people working in a similar industry as the one to which you are applying. For example, if you are after a job working with animals, try to include at least one reference from maybe a vet, zoo worker, or animal-handler. This is not always possible, but it helps if you can.

Make sure you get approval from the people you want to use as your references.

Appearance

Most Christians are conservative. They don't usually go for tattoos, body piercing, or fluoro hair. Most employers also lean toward conservative-looking applicants if it comes to a close choice.
Dress suitably for the interview. If you apply for a job as a gardener, an artist, or a tradesperson, you may be able to dress casually. If you apply for office work — guys could wear a navy-colored suit, white shirt and suitable tie, and women won't go wrong wearing a conservative outfit, moderate-length skirt or suit, and going light on make-up and jewelry.

Hire a suitable outfit if you can't afford to buy one.

Personality

We don't all have movie-star personalities. But you can create a good impression by smiling, trying to get on well with the interviewers, and giving the impression you are pleasant, respectful and ready to deal with whatever comes your way.

Your chances of winning a job may go up a notch if you shake hands with the interviewers, show that you remember their names, and appear confident without acting as though you will get the job.

Screening

Interviewers try to screen out applicants they think won't suit the position. They try to cut out applicants who appear uninterested, lazy, arrogant, turn up late for the interview, rave on about unimportant matters, and are evasive. They don't want people who lack enthusiasm, are whining, deceitful, lack motivation, can't back up claims, are negative, pushy, act as though they have already landed the job, and are unlikely to follow instructions.

Convince the interviewer you don't fall into such categories by your positive attitude, enthusiasm, and willingness to back up claims you make.

Gain an extra edge

Employers don't advertise some jobs. Friends and acquaintances of those who work there fill them. This is a good way to avoid competition. Let your friends, family, and people at your church know you are looking for a job, and ask them to tell you if they hear of anything suitable. Remind them every few weeks, and try to get a recommendation from them if they work for the company at which the vacancy occurs or they know someone who does.

Also, consider applying direct to a place you would like to work — even if they haven't advertised a vacancy. This has a higher success rate than many people think.

Christians often stand out in non-Christian workplaces because of their high standards. Even though most employers may not be strong Christians, the traits that impress them — like honesty, reliability, and a positive attitude toward work — are often strong in Christians. (Read Galatians 5:22-26.) They are characterisics that employers like to see in their staff.

These points cannot guarantee you will land the job you want at first try. But it's why many Christians have a high success rate at landing jobs.

Related topics:

• Voting in elections: How can I know the best person to vote for?
• Teens who go to church have less trouble and higher values.
• How can I become more popular?
• Can tattoos be a turn-off when I am looking for a job?
• How can I persuade and influence people?

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