THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
THE JOB SEARCH STEPS

Job Search Preparation

The Job Search

The Job Application

The Job Interview

Leave The Results In God’s Hands
Page 1 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
JOB SEARCH PREPARATION

Pray First! Pray for God’s will in your life and ask Him to
direct and bless your Job Search.

Strengthen and Expand Your Personal Support Group:

Strengthen ties with family and friends and rely on them for prayers, love,
emotional support, ideas, job leads and possible financial aid.

Consider joining one or more of your Church’s small groups.

Prepare Financially to be unemployed for 6-24 months:

Make a budget and adjust your spending accordingly.

Consider selling those assets that you really don’t need.

If necessary, look for part-time temporary work.

Establish a list of 3 or more reliable people who agree to
serve as Job References:

Pray that God will help you select people for your Job References who
will have a positive influence on your job hunting success.

If possible pick your references from your former managers and
supervisors, otherwise pick fellow employees or professionals such as
school teachers, college professors, etc.

Call each person and get permission to use them as a Job Reference.
Make a record of their day and night phone numbers.

Call them again each time you use them and tell them who may call
them, what kind of a job you are looking for and why you think you are
qualified for that job. Ask them to promptly return all voice mails from your
prospective employers.

Practice filling out a typical Job Application Form:

Download and print out or otherwise obtain a typical Job Application
Form. Fill in all of the blanks. Keep it for future reference. You can
download a comprehensive Job Application form from:
http://www.quintcareers.com/employment_application.pdf
Page 2 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
JOB SEARCH PREPARATION (CONT’D.)

Prepare Your Résumé:

The main purpose of your Résumé is to get you a job interview.

Its submission may be your only chance to make a good impression on
the HR and Hiring Managers who read it.

Since it is such an important document, get help in its preparation: Attend
Workshops and read books on creating an effective Résumé. Be sure to
also pray and ask God’s help and direction. Before you send it out, ask
others to proof read and critique it.

If possible, attend the Résumé Writing Workshop at North Coast Calvary
Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop.

Some common rules for writing a Résumé include:

1-2 pages in length.

It should be written in the present tense, with short, bulleted sentences.

It should be neat, easy to read, accurate and totally honest, and free
from grammar and spelling errors.

One goal is to make it so well-written and easy to understand that a
reader in 20 to 40 seconds, can read and understand its contents.

It must have your name and contact information on the first page.

It must clearly state the type of job and career that you are seeking.

It must include a chronological employment history.

It should tell of the main duties and accomplishments for each job you
have held. When possible, use action verbs such as “decreased”,
“improved”, “completed”, etc. when describing your accomplishments.

It should list education and job training that you have completed that is
relevant to the job or career that you are seeking.

It should be essentially free of irrelevant information.

Free Résumé Templates of various formats can be downloaded from:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/CT101448941033.aspx
Page 3 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
THE JOB SEARCH
Job Search Techniques:

Networking:

Networking is the process of connecting with people who in turn connect
you to others.

It is reportedly the most successful of all Job Search techniques.
Statistics indicate that more that 60% of the jobs filled were found through
networking.

Learn effective Networking Techniques- If possible, attend the
Networking Workshop at North Coast Calvary Chapel’s Career Transition
Workshop. In addition, attend other workshops, read books and articles,
search the internet for ideas and practice with friends and professional
associates.

Start by making a list of nearly everyone you know and contact them by
phone or Email. These are your Primary Contacts. The people to whom
they refer you are your Secondary contacts.

Continue to expand your list of Primary and Secondary contacts by
meeting new people.

Before you attempt to make a contact, plan what to say and ask for God’s
help and blessings on your efforts.

Contact each person on your Contacts lists by telephone or if that isn’t
practical, by Email.

Continually seek new contacts: Temporary work, Volunteering and taking
Classes offer opportunities to meet new Primary Contacts. They also help
you stay busy, keep your spirits up and improve your personal skills.

Search for Existing and Upcoming Job Openings:

Contact former co-employees, bosses and HR personnel in companies
where you were previously employed.

Make “Cold Calls” to companies asking if they have now or plan in the
near future to have job openings that you may be able to fill.

Look for jobs on the internet, frequently check:

Craigslist,

Newspapers such as The North County Times and San Diego Union
Tribune

A Google search of the various titles of jobs you are seeking.

Monstor.com and other internet job posting websites (lots of
competition but a good place to find out which companies are hiring for
Networking and Cold Calls).

San Diego Workforce Partnership: http://sandiegoatwork.com/.
Page 4 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
THE JOB SEARCH (CONT’D.)

Make a practice of checking for contacts and job openings in every place
that comes to mind: Professional Periodicals and Journals, Retail Store
Bulletin Boards, Career Services at your former College or University, the
U.S. Department of Labor, etc.

Consider contacting Employment Agencies, Temporary
Agencies and Headhunters:

Screen them first and try to select those who specialize in your job field.

Never agree to pay them for their services

If you pick multiple recruiters/services, let them each know who you are
also working with.

Also tell them of all employers who you have previously contacted or are
planning to contact on your own.

Request feedback on where they have sent your Résumé

Terminate their services if you are not satisfied.

Be careful with internet services, your Résumé may be posted along with
hundreds or thousands of others.

Temp Services may have “Temp to Perm” jobs that lead to permanent
employment.

Keep good records of your Job Search Activities, including:

Names, occupations, titles, phone numbers and Email addresses of
contacts.

Job opening dates and descriptions of their required job skills, duties and
expectations. Company information,

Email correspondence, records of telephone conversations, etc.
Page 5 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
THE JOB APPLICATION



Investigate each company as thoroughly as possible prior to
submitting a job application:

Determine their location, type of business, competitors, financial status
and types of job openings that might be of interest to you. Try to learn the
names of their hiring authorities and if possible, contact present and
former employees of the company for information about the company,
types of jobs available and work environment. This information will help
you to write your custom cover letter and if necessary, to modify your
Résumé to emphasize your skills and experience that may apply to the
job opening you are applying for.
Write a custom Cover Letter for each Job Application:

Your Cover Letter should motivate the reader to study your Résumé. It
should, in a few words summarize your experience, strengths and
qualifications for the job. If appropriate, mention the names any of their
employees who may know of you and of your capabilities.

If possible, attend the Résumé Writing Workshop at North Coast Calvary
Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop to learn more about writing
effective Cover Letters.

A website with a Cover Letter template can be found at:
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/coverlettersamples/a/coverformat.htm

Ensure that your Résumé’ is properly worded to show that you are a good
candidate for the job for which you are applying.
Submit your Resume and Cover Letter:

You will probably send your Resume and Cover Letter by US Mail., If you
decide however to send your Résumé’ by Email, Insert a copy in the
body following the cover letter for easy access by the recipient, and also
Attach it as a File attachment for easy saving to the recipient’s Résumé
file.

Pray and ask God’s help in putting your Résumé in the hands of the right
people and in its successful in fulfilling His will for you.

A few follow-up Emails or phone calls may be appropriate to check on the
status of your application but being a pest may reduce your chances of
getting the job you are applying for.
Page 6 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
THE JOB INTERVIEW


Prepare ahead for each Job Interview:

Learn effective interviewing skills ahead of time
If possible, attend the Interviewing Workshop at North Coast Calvary
Chapel’s Career Transition Workshop.

Also, attend other workshops, read books and articles, search the
internet for ideas and practice with friends.

Pray and ask God to give you self-confidence, to provide you with the
right words to say and to make this interview a success.

Complete your research on the company and the job prior to the
interview.

Be prepared to attend multiple interviews or interview with more than
one person.

Be prepared to answer tough questions- Questions about everything
on your Résumé, especially gaps in employment, about yourself, your
career goals, how you achieved prior goals and how you have handled
tough situations. Write out and practice your answers.

Prepare and memorize a list of thoughtful and sincere questions
regarding the job you are interviewing for, the department your would
be working in, the long term employment and career growth prospects
of the job and about the company in general.

Prepare to write a Thank You note (or notes) at the end of the
interview.

Dress well and appropriately for the job you are interviewing for.

Be prepared to take a few notes during the interview.

Arrive 10- 15 minutes early.
The Interview:

If you have done your homework, you are as well prepared as possible.

Silently ask for God’s guidance, be upbeat and confident, and try to enjoy
the interview.

Be as relaxed as possible but stay alert and try maintain eye contact
throughout the Interview.

Answer all questions as clearly, accurately and honestly as possible.

Always be positive and if possible, don’t say anything negative about your
previous employers.

Ask your prepared questions and other questions that you think are
appropriate during the interview.

At the end of the interview, If you think you would like the job, tell the
interviewer with enthusiasm and confidence, that you want the job.

Complete your Thank You note and leave it at the front desk or mail it on
the way home.
Page 7 of 8
THE CAREER SEARCH PROCESS
LEAVE THE RESULTS IN GOD’S HANDS



After the Interview, thank God for being with you throughout the
job interview and be sure to ask Him to guide those involved in
filling the job opening to fully understand and carefully consider
your personal qualifications when making their selection.
Then, immediately begin your quest for another job
interview. The longer your are out of work, the more difficult it
may be to find a job.
After a few days, follow-up with a phone call to the interviewer or
the HR representative to learn of the status of your application.
Don’t be a pest.
Never Give Up!
Recommended Reading:
ADDENDUM
David Rawles. Finding A Job God's Way (Moving into the HOV Lane of Your Career)
Garland, TX: Hannibal Books, www.hannibalbooks.com, $12.95
A Few of the Bible’s Guidelines on Prayer:
Jesus said...“When you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your Father, who
is unseen.” (Matt.6:6)
The Lord told the prophet Jeremiah...”Call to me, and I will answer you and will tell you great
and unsearchable things that you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)
James, Jesus’ half-brother wrote...“If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who
generously gives to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.”(James 1:5)
Jesus also said...“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock and the door
will be opened to you.”(Matt.7:7).
Jesus’ Apostle John wrote...“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we
ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” And if we know that he hears us—whatever
we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”(1 John 5:14-15)
But... “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened:”(Psalm 66:18)
Intent and Disclaimer:
The intent of this paper is to provide an overview of and check list for Job Search Steps that
apply to Career Search Process. The information presented here is based on the author’s
personal research and experience and does not necessarily represent the views of North
Coast Calvary Chapel, its staff or others who are involved in the Career Transition Workshop.
You are encouraged to attend North Coast Calvary Chapel’s excellent Career Transition
Workshops to learn much more about the Career Search Process.
I wish you success in landing a great job!
Ralph Anderson, Email: [email protected].
01.21.09
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