Forward Thinking

Each of us has a specific calling or purpose which the Lord intends for us to fulfill in our work. The root meaning of the word “vocation” has to do with a call to a particular task. Ephesians 2:10 reads, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Study this passage carefully, “We are His workmanship.” The Amplified Bible says “We are His handwork.” Each of us has been created uniquely and given special physical, emotional and mental abilities. You have probably heard the expression, “After the Lord made you, He threw away the mold!” You indeed are uniquely gifted. No one in all of history – past, present or future – is like you.

The passage continues, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we whould walk in them.” The Lord created each of us for a particular job, and He endowed us with the proper skills, aptitudes, and desires to accomplish this work.

This calling may be full-time Christian service or a secular job. Often people struggle with whether God wants them to be in business once they commit their lives to Christ. Many feel they are not serving Christ in a significant way if they work in business. Nothing could be further from the truth. The key is for each person to determine God’s call for his or her life.

In his book God Owns My Business, Stanley Tamm writes, “Although I believe in the application of good principles in business, I place far more confidence in the conviction that I have a call from God. I am convinced that His purpose for me is in the business world. My business is my pulpit.”

For those who earn a living through secular pursuits, it is a great comfort to know that the “call” of holy vocation carries over into all walks of life. God strategically places His children everywhere!

Job Interviews

There are several things you should do to prepare for an interview:

1. Pray. Ask the Lord to help you get the job ifi it is the one He wants for you. This can be a special time in developing a closer walk with the Lord.
2. Do your homework. Learn as much about the company as possible before the interview. This information will help you demonstrate your understanding of the company during the interview.
3. Be on time and well groomed. Never arrive late; plan on being at least ten minutes early. Your clothing should be clean and neat; be careful not to dress too casually.

Employer’s Evaluation

The employer’s evaluation of a candidate for a position will usually include the following:

1. How mentally alert was the candidate?
2. Did the candidate answer questions concisely or did they ramble?
3. Did the candidate demonstrate a degree of intellectual depth when communicating?
4. Has the candidate used good judgment and common sense regarding life planning up to now?
5. Was the candidate enthusiastic about the opportunity or position?
6. Was the candidate respectful of their former employer(s)?
7. Did the candidate make eye contact?

Potential Interview Questions

1. What are your long-range and short-range goals?
2. How are you preparing yourself to achieve them?
3. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
4. How would you describe yourself? What is one strength you have? One weakness?
5. In what ways do you think you could make a contribution to our organization?
6. Why did you decide to seek a position with this company?
7. What criteria are you using to evaluate the company you hope to work for?
8. Tell me about the last time you experienced and had to deal with a conflict.
9. How do you think your college experience has prepared you for this position?
10. Why should I hire you?
11. Do you have any questions you would like to ask?

Helpful Hints

Write down and bring any questions you might have to the interview.

Never interrupt the interviewer!

Never bring up salary in the initial interview. If the question of salary does come up, it must be done by the interviewer.

Always thank the interviewer for their time, and the opportunity to discuss your qualifications with them.

Follow up the interview within a few days by sending a personal thank-you note.

Retirement

The dictionary defines retirement as “withdrawal from an occupation or business, to give up or retreat from an active life.” The goal of retirement is deeply ingrained in our culture. Many people retire at an arbitrary, pre-determined age and cease all labor in the pursuit of a life filled with leisure.

Scripture gives no examples of people retiring and gives only one direct reference to retirement, which is found in Numbers 8:24-26. The instruction there applied exclusively to the Levites who worked on the tabernacle.

As long as one is physically and mentally capable, there is no scriptural basis for a person retiring and becoming unproductive. The concept of putting an older but able person “out to pasture” is unbiblical. Age is no obstacle in finishing the work the Lord has for you to accomplish. He will provide you with the necessary vigor and stamina. For example, Moses was eighty years old when he began his 40-year adventure leading the children of Israel.

Scripture does imply that the type or the intensity of work may change as we grow older – a shifting of the gears to a less demanding pace in order to become more of an “elder seated at the gate.” During this season of life we can actively employ the experience and wisdom gained over a lifetime. If we have sufficient income to meet our needs apart from our job, we may choose to leave the job to invest more time in serving others in whatever capacity the Lord directs.