Pet Peeves of Church Job Searchers
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Wed, November 30, 2005
- Viewed 162
- (92) comments so far
PET PEEVE #1: At least acknowledge that I exist
Above all, the biggest gripe that I hear all the time is that churches do not communicate with candidates. In the business world, it is pretty standard practice that each person who applies will hear back from the company they apply to; even if it's just a letter saying that the company received the resume. For some reason, most churches have not adopted this practice. As a matter of fact, most churches do not contact anyone unless they want to schedule an interview. From the job seekers standpoint, this is frustrating not hearing from churches you have applied to. There is a simple solution to this problem for churches: Since most resumes are traded via email these days, set up a special email account that handles resume applications. Simply set up an email autoresponder saying that you have received the resume, and telling more information (like forwarding on a full job description; telling about your hiring time-table; and what the candidate can expect to hear from you in the future. If you'll be contacting only those who you'll be arranging interviews with; communicate that.) This will help alleviate the biggest frustration of those prospective employees who are contacting your church.
PET PEEVE #2: Don't shut me out based on my experience/education or lack of experience/education
Many churches place experience and education parameters in their job descriptions, and that is ok... but there are always exceptions to the rule. Many times I hear from frustrated job seekers that feel they have either too much or too little job experience; and that because of that, they are not being looked at for most jobs. While it's important to determine the level of professional experience you're looking for; but sure to not automatically exclude applicants who may have other types of experience that may serve you even better. Sometimes a new graduate with a real passion should beat out a person with five years 'experience'. Sometimes a person with additional training and skills will knock your socks off.
PET PEEVE #3: Don't misrepresent the current state of your church
Here's another one I hear quite often: Don't say everything's just fine; when the church just split and your $8,000 under budget this month. Let's face it... search committees can say anything during an interview... and many do... painting an unrealistic picture of the strengths and weaknesses of their church. Be honest. Share your struggles and weaknesses. Be upfront.
PET PEEVE #4: Don't string me along or feed me a line.
Be clear and honest on your timeline and hiring process. Many search committees string people along unknowingly; mostly because they're not confident in the hiring process. If you have a timeline for hiring, please tell the candidate. If you say you'll call on Tuesday, but sure to call on Tuesday. If you say during the interview the salary is $50k; be sure it's at least that when you start talking seriously. Candidates need to know where they are in the process... don't keep them guessing.
PET PEEVE #5: Tell me when you've hired someone.
Candidates tell me that there's nothing more humiliating than calling a church you thought you were in contention with, only to be told that the position has already been filled. Be sure to close up all the holes when you hire. Communicate the hiring to any other candidates who feel that they are still in contention. You'll save a lot of unneccesarily phone calls and help save hurt feelings.
PET PEEVE #6: When it comes to pay, don't overpromise.
I mentioned this before... when it comes to pay, please be fair. This works a couple of different ways: First, don't underpay... pay a fair wage, especially to staff members with young families. Allow them to live at a comfortable level. You'll have a lot happier employee; and a longer, more fruitful ministry overall. Secondly, don't over promise what you can or will pay. Don't commit to hiring a person when you don't have the funds. I hear horror stories all the time of young families that move across the country only to find in six months that the church doesn't have enough funds to continue to pay them. Also, don't hire at a cheap salary and promise increases and bonuses that never, ever happen. Broken promises only mean that staff will in all likelyhood leave much more quickly.
Those are just some of the pet peeves that I hear from job candidates. Do you have some you'd like to share? Also, if you're on a search committee, what do you do to remedy these pet peeves to your prospective employees?
Todd
A couple of weeks ago, I wrote an article on the Pet Peeves of a Search Committee. The response was unbelieveable. We heard from many people on both sides of the issue… those who serve on search committees and those who are job seekers. This week, I want to take a look at some of the pet peeves that I hear quite often from job seekers and their frustration about the search process. This is by no means a complete list… but these are the things I tend to hear the most often…
Comments
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chris on Wed, November 30, 2005
Good stuff. The only one I’m not sure about is the one about qualifications.
As a person who has hired staff from time to time, there is nothing more frustrating than setting the criteria for a position - say, 2 years experience - and getting fifty resumes from guys who don’t have any experience at all. That just wastes my time. And I’ve NEVER turned down a candidate for being overqualified. In ministry, I don’t even know what that means… All of us are underqualified to serve on behalf of the Sovreign of the Universe.
The rest of the post is sadly right on target. Unfortunately the vast majority of churches today operate in a horrifically unprofessional manner. Why then are we surprised when the staff we hire are unprofessional?
Peter Hamm on Wed, November 30, 2005
A lot of these issues were addressed in the previous post. And to re-iterate a TEENY bit of what I said then, it helps if your churches identify the HR people that they have as leaders in their churches and tap those resources! Those folks would avoid a lot of this stuff.
And also, please DON’T take 6 months or longer to make a decision about whether to even have the candidate for a second interview! Talk about stringing someone along!
Kevin on Wed, November 30, 2005
Wow! I could have written those. Very true.
Matt on Wed, November 30, 2005
Oh man, did I just go through almost all of those recently. I just came on as Technical Director and Director of Communications at a church (thanks to churchstaffing) about a month ago. I was laughing at every point because I knew exactly how the person being affected by those feel. But everything’s good now. Got a great job and a fair salary at a great church. My only response to Chris’s post only comes because I am a recent college graduate who had a hard time competing for jobs. I was involved HEAVILY in college ministries while in school. I was a small group leader, programs director, advertising director, tech director as well as a few other things. No, I didn’t have any professional experience, but I DID have plenty of experience. And after working for a month on a job, I can say that there’s not a whole lot of difference between what I did and college and what I do now. (No Classes!) So I just hope that Personnel people at churches looking to hire don’t overlook recent graduates. We have a fire and passion that burns just as bright if not brighter than most people with 10 years of professional experience. We WILL surprise you.
Wes on Wed, November 30, 2005
Great read. I feel like you hit the nail right on the head. I enjoyed the spin on the one about qualifications. As a staff pastor I know that we can have some pretty invaluable experience without having the “title”. Thanks for a relevant blog.
Wes on Wed, November 30, 2005
Great read. I feel like you hit the nail right on the head. I enjoyed the spin on the one about qualifications. As a staff pastor I know that we can have some pretty invaluable experience without having the “title”. Thanks for a relevant blog.
Evangelist Jeff on Wed, November 30, 2005
I just recently had a church tell me that they were very interested in me, called me and talked to me over the phone about a full time pastoring job. Then they sent me a form to fill out.. How in the world are you ever going to get to know me if:
1) You never invite me to come to you and met you face to face.How do you get to know me over the telephone and by a piece of paper.
2) You never even heard me preach.
3) You make the assumption that I have bad track record because I am divorced, used drugs, and alcohol.
According to the bible I read it tells us “Behold all things have become new.”
& Romans 8:1 “There is now therefore no commendnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Then they won’t to use 1 Timothy 3:2 “He must be the husband of one wife.” When Paul wrote this he was writting to the people of his day who married more than one wife. Is it my fault ex- wife wanted to leave, because she was man crazy and still is. She is remarried/divorced, and living with a married man. Gee whizz dude’s… She is the one who said she never loved me, did not love me, and could never love…. Then said oh by the way I love this guy… After you had your life threatend by serving your country… This is some way to come home… But anyway…No use opening up that can of worms.
4)Don’t wait almost a year to send me some lovey dubbie letter that is all sugar coated. When you never even sent me one that you got the resume’ in the first place.
5) Don’t belittle me because I don’t have a degree…
Sometimes I think I know how old Jephthah felt… His brothers did not want him either because his mom was a prostitute. But later on they ran to his side begging him to come help them…. With all this said, do as God told Samuel when he went to ordain David as King… Don’t look at the outside for I have refused him.. Look at his heart, not experience, or degrees, or a good speaker…
Wayne on Wed, November 30, 2005
Excellent material here. I’ll add a “ditto” to the qualifications discussion…resumes cannot entirely explain a candidates “real” experience. Churches who set rigid parameters on “pedigree” are definitely excluding excellent candidates who have good education and have put it to use in the trenches where the real learning takes place. I know resumes can be exaggerated, but they should be read open-mindedly.
Paul McDonald on Wed, November 30, 2005
Here’s a few of mine that I’ve experienced in my job searches with churches (I’ve been seeking an operational support position/executive pastor/business manager position at a church):
1) Don’t tell me that you won’t hire me because I’m not married (yes, I actually got that one once, although I am married now… should I go re-apply?)
2) Don’t tell me that you do not need someone with preaching skills and then tell me that you won’t hire me because I have never preached before.
3) Don’t tell me that you don’t need someone with a seminary degree and then not hire me because I don’t have a seminary degree.
4) Don’t tell me that you’re passing on me because you want someone with an MBA and I have an MBA.
5) Don’t schedule an interview with me and then try to get out of the interview five minutes before the interview time because it’s the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and you want to go home.
6) Don’t ask for references and then not call them.
7) Don’t advertise a position, interview for the position, and then decide not to fill the position because you decided you don’t need it.
Just some of my thoughts and frustrations!
Don on Wed, November 30, 2005
At age 59, I have responded to churches who wanted “Pastor who is experienced, mature in the faith, and has a deisre ti stay for at least 10 years.”
I am experiencing age discrimination with over 20 years experience in the pulpit.
M-m-m…wonder if I can “turn back the clock.”
Carol on Wed, November 30, 2005
Hey!
I CAN’T BELIEVE I READ IT HERE. Regarding hiring at realistic wages: saying that staff with young families especially need to be compensated well is, well, discriminatory, even if that staff member is male or female. Paying more based on family status is probably even illegal in most states.
Come on! We’ve fought way too long and hard to have equal pay for equal work, whether the employee is male, female, married, or single. Pay what is fair for the job, in the market, based on qualifications and experience.
WallyGator on Wed, November 30, 2005
Ditto on all the comments. Been there and done that and have several tee shirts. Now in my sixties, I find that age is a definite barrier, even in interims. Was told by my DOM to chill out and enjoy retirement. I’ve been fortunate to mentor several new pastors in the last several years, but, now most new pastors or youth ministers tell me that it’s a new day and my old mentoring skills aren’t relevant.
Kent on Wed, November 30, 2005
Carol: saying that staff with young families especially need to be compensated well is, well, discriminatory”
Kent: Actually Carol, this is the practice of the military as well.
Matt on Wed, November 30, 2005
WallyGator
That is definitely a shame. Those young guys lecturing you grasp the crucial idea of making sure the church is ministering in a contemporary and relevant way but they are probably forgetting that those who have gone before us, such as yourself, have a vast well of experience and wisdom that we would do well to tap. The church still needs the young people for fresh ideas and relevance, but we equally need solid wisdom from those were in our shoes 20 years ago. At 22, I’d like to think I’m ahead of the game in realizing this so early.
Jim on Wed, November 30, 2005
Why is it that often the secular buisness community has higher ethics in this area than the church? That still boggles me today! Candidates have to remember that candidating is a two way street… if first contact shows a lack of ethics, what will you find digging deeper?
How to avoid this? Forget about established churches and go plant your own and create a culture of excellence among your people unto the Lord. That way you’ll avoid the 20 member indecisive and initiative deficient search committee.
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