Find Church Jobs Faster

12/14/2024 Church Jobs Online Staff

One study found that 95 percent of job hunters make mistakes that significantly delay the time to find church jobs and ministry openings! These mistakes fall into two categories: (1) unproductive methods of finding job openings and (2) ineffective interviewing skills. On average, people change jobs eight to ten times (or more!) in their lifetimes, so it makes sense to learn how to use the best job search strategies to reduce the time it takes to find these openings substantially.

Finding Church Jobs

There are two job markets: the advertised (or organized) job market and the hidden (or disorganized) job market. Understanding and utilizing both job markets will allow you to find job openings more expediently and efficiently.

The advertised job market is the most familiar. It includes jobs found on the Internet, such as ChurchJobsOnline.com and ChristianCareerCenter.com, and through employment and recruiting agencies. The jobs are organized and readily accessible. The advertised job market is the most popular because it is easy to access.

While 95% of job hunters seeking church jobs rely on the advertised job market to find employment, only 15-20% of the available jobs are represented. As you can imagine, only using the advertised job market makes the job search process slower and more frustrating. Not only is there only a small percentage of actual church job openings listed, but applicants will find more intense competition because of the many job hunters who use church job boards and other sources. Some job hunters even give up searching for a church/ministry job because they either see no openings on job boards for that type of work or they get no responses to the resumes they have sent.

The high percentage of church ministry jobs available at any given time are found in the hidden job market. The jobs are "hidden" because they are filled without churches advertising them online. Finding these jobs involves a more proactive and strategic approach. Job seekers find out about job openings through developing personal contacts and contacting employers directly (whether or not a church is advertising job openings). Phone calls, referrals, and interviews are the keys. This market is more challenging but yields much more fulfilling and rewarding work.

Are you wondering why many church job openings are found in the hidden job market? This is because many churches have found that advertising a position is not always the best way to find qualified candidates. Besides the expense of promoting a position, a job posting online can bring in hundreds of resumes from unqualified people. It takes a lot of church staff time to review these resumes, and even then, the hiring manager knows very little about the candidates brought in for an interview. One study found that 85% of all employers don't advertise job openings!

Instead of sifting through resumes and spending hours interviewing unqualified candidates, church staffing committees and recruiters more typically hire people they already know or those who find out about the job openings and contact the organization. Therefore, if you contact a church with an unadvertised opening, you could be the only candidate they interview for the position. The odds are certainly more in your favor than if your resume is one among hundreds received in response to a job posting.

Does this mean you should avoid using church job boards? Of course not! The advertised job market does contain approximately 15-20% of available job openings, and they are organized so that it is easier to find positions for which you qualify. It does mean, however, that you should manage your job search work to invest no more than 40% of your job search time in pursuing possibilities on church job boards and 60% of your time using strategies to tap into the hidden job market. By thus dividing your job search time, you will significantly increase your chances of finding employment quickly.

Getting the Support You Need For Finding Church Jobs

Using these techniques to find job openings and interview effectively can maximize your efforts in finding a church job in less time. But remember--knowing this information is not enough; you also need to be persistent in implementing what you have learned. Finding a new job is not easy; most people need support, encouragement, and accountability as they search. Create your support network of friends, family, and a professional career coach if desired. For many, a career coach has given them the winning edge in finding work that isn't just a job but a calling.