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Learning about the Job Seekers Ministry




We talked to Glenn Arrant the leader of Horizon Christian Fellowship’s Job Seekers Ministry and asked questions about Job Seekers.

VCTA: How did you get involved in Job Seekers?

I was working for Boeing in LA and attended a midweek service at Calvary Chapel. They put out a call for coaches to help people to find work. I felt God tugging on me to get involved so I did. The ministry was just starting and we had to develop everything. God blessed the work and people got jobs.

When I was transferred to San Diego, I thought that Job Seekers’ was over but God had a different plan. I continued to help people here update resumes. I approach Pastor John and said that God was not finished with JSM and could I start JSM here in Valley Center and he was excited about the prospect.

VCTA: What is the primary function of JSM?

First and foremost is evangelism. We let seekers know they are not in this alone. God is walking before them and we are beside them. Jobs are secondary, but we do this in a way that a shows the seeker to bring God into a job search and it is a natural part of finding a job.

VCTA: How does JSM help a seeker?

The current trends in finding a job have evolved from hiring managers not have sufficient time to screen candidates and computers have taken over the selection process. This is true for mid to larger companies.

Job Seekers Ministry (JSM) is bridging that process. JSM also has skills assessments for the person who is new to the working world such as students or single mom’s.

Despite what the government says about the state of the economy, it is not uncommon to see more than a hundred applicants for a single engineering position and this is not limited to engineering. The job search is more difficult than in past but people are getting jobs. The people that get the jobs are those who are best prepared. This is the mission of JSM.

VCTA: How does JSM help people to prepare?

JSM leadership keeps up on all the latest trends and passes this knowledge to the seekers. Maybe it would help to take you through the whole process assuming that you are seeking a job and you have limited work skills.

The first thing the coach would do is to ask the seeker to take a skills assessment test. We do this to make sure the seeker is applying for the right type of work. If they have a resume it will be reviewed at that time. The coach needs to make sure they are using the correct type of resume.

VCTA: Right type of resume?

Yes there are three types of resumes. Chronological, Functional and Hybrid.

VCTA: Can you explain the difference?

Sure, chronological is just what it sounds like, it is the date based resume that 99% of people use when applying for a job. It is skills and date centered.

A functional resume approaches the job not from dates and skills but from a skills reference only. A hybrid is a combination of the two.

VCTA: When do you use one type of resume verses another?

This is a very good question. The coach has to take in to account what the applicant has accomplished. If you as a seeker has ten years of employment at no more than two companies then the chronology resume is OK. If a person has been laid off or has had three or four jobs for whatever reason, then the functional resume is best.

VCTA: You have refereed the ten year time frame is that important?

It is for two reasons. One resumes need to be short and there is not much room on one sheet of paper and you need to get all the data on it that you can in your resume. The second reason has to do with age discrimination. Despite the laws it still happens. If the reader only has ten years of data they can’t tell how old you are. These are not hard and fast rules, but the coaches are taught to use good judgment.

VCTA: What is next in the job seeking?

The Job search. This is done almost exclusively on line. Search engines such as Indeed.com and Monster.com are a good place to start. Word of mouth on a job is the best way because you know someone in the company who can tell you about working conditions plus they can hand carry your resume to the hiring manager.

If the seeker finds a job that look like a good fit for them, we teach the seeker to look at a job requisition and pick out the important skills from the requisition. The seeker is taught to insert the important phrases or words from the requisition into their resume. This has to be done with the highest ethical standards. A lie on a resume can get you fired as well it should. The seeker is than coached on how to word smith the resume to get past the computers so that the hiring manager will see the resume.

VCTA: It sounds like the seeker has to get past a computer to get and interview, is that the case?

In most companies that is the case.

VCTA: So what is the next step?

Suppose they call for an interview, this could be a phone interview or you may be called into the office or the latest trend is to use SKYPE and interview you from home. This introduces a host of problems that a coach needs to teach the seeker to overcome. JSM helps the seeker by doing mock interviews for the position under those conditions.

This seems like a lot to remember, how does the person looking for work retain it all and what if they have no computer skills?

There is one on one help available thru JSM. The coaches are told not to do the work for the seeker but there may be a case where they need to step in and do a bit more to help the seeker. It is up to the coach.

VCTA: I understand that there is a seminar on March 14. Please tell me about that.

Sure, we will be covering all the aspects of finding a job. Everything we talked about here will be covered in some depth on the 14th.

VCTA: Can anyone still sign up?

Yes that can sign up at: horizonjsm@gmail.com It is open to anyone needing help.

VCTA: What is the cost for the seminar?

Nothing, the seminar, any one on one help is free.



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