on job-seeking...part 1

For those of you who read my blog, it probably goes without saying that long periods of silence mean I am working through something and will return to writing once I have come to some resolve. That is partially the case with this post, but I am certainly not in the clear...yet. What I have found is a new perspective, which has made the last week brighter and restored hope to my outlook. If this post seems gloomy at first, bear with me, I'll get there.

Perhaps it was the way I was raised, thinking that joblessness is simply a code-word for weakness, laziness, or ignorance. I admit, that thought is appalling to me now, but for some reason I always thought that work was simple. You find a job, you work hard: simple. I look back with shame on all the times I have failed to have compassionate thoughts toward those who struggle financially or seem unable to land a job. There are an abundance of factors that play into even the simplest career move, especially in today's world.

Let's discuss logistics. Hiring in our society is no longer a simple matter of walking in the front door of a business, handing them your resume, sitting down for an interview, and being hired on the spot. If you live in a small town or perhaps the town you grew up in, things might still function more simply. But for those who move frequently or live in bigger cities with specialized industries, job-seeking can become much more complicated.

Complications are the name of the game with online applications. Maybe this system was adopted to weed out poor applicants or save the employer time, but online applications may have weaknesses of their own. It is impersonal. The job-seeker spends hours filling out online applications, only to receive a brief, automated response that the computer has, indeed, received your ever-so-personal, data-converted application. You, the job-seeker, are no longer Jana Dough with wonderful people skills and a cheery aspect; you are now the summation of data-entry now grouped with many other e-applicants like yourself.

Not only is e-application impersonal, but it may also be dehumanizing. Honestly, I do not mean this to sound like an over-reaction. But in what other area of life is it acceptable to have someone solicit your time, respect, and attention, only for you to ignore them, fail to respond, or plainly not acknowledge their humanity and needs? Understandably, businesses are likely flooded with applicants for each available opening, and logistically it is probably challenging to speak with each individual. So perhaps this is not merely a problem with e-hiring, but a problem in our tech-savvy society in general. Have we forgotten the importance of acknowledging and honoring human dignity as we become increasingly detached from physical reality and engrossed in nebulous technology? We may be forgetting our people skills and care.

Even though many job-seeking experiences transpire in the manner stated above, there are unique glimmers of hope that have tremendous powers of encouragement. Take Heidi, for example. She responds immediately after reviewing my application. She calls me, hears my voice, and seems genuinely interested in helping me find a position in her company. She sets up interviews and follows-up. If you are in a position responsible for hiring personnel, be a Heidi. Let people know that you believe they are inherently valuable and worthy of your time. As a representative of your company, it shows that your company cares about its employees. And you never know how much your efforts encourage those involved in what can be, a very discouraging process.

In the next post (on job-seeking...part 2), I will be writing about ways to surround yourself, the job-seeker, with godly encouragement, truth, and support. In the section above, I have discussed some of the external difficulties of job-hunting. Now I am moving on to discuss the internal dynamics of the search. Hopefully the discussion of the internal will reach your heart and bring you encouragement, as it has done for me.