When a headhunter spots you
What Christians need to know about changing paths
Recently, there have been problems with second mortgages in the United States and the global financial crisis has caused private companies and public institutions to lay off employees or cut salaries in order to reduce operating costs. The most troublesome thing for agency managers is either that it is difficult to find talents, that they are inappropriately employed, or that they should lay off employees or cut their salaries.
In the United States, Taiwan and other places, there are various channels for job introduction. Some find jobs for the lower-middle class or white-collar workers, such as secretaries, accounting assistants or part-time job opportunities. Taiwan's 101 or 104 Job Banks fall into this category. Some introduce jobs to professionals such as accountants, doctors, chemical analysts, or pharmacists, which are called human resources agencies or dispatch companies. Head-hunting companies are an alternative job introduction channel, targeting senior company executives or special professionals. Of course, there are also comprehensive agency companies with all-inclusive services.
What a resume can’t do
Many Americans put their resumes publicly on various job search websites, such as: www.dice.com; www.monster.com; www.careerbuilder.com. There are dozens of such websites. On the one hand, you can find new job opportunities based on your own expertise. Companies looking for talents can also find professional candidates online.
Most people's first job after graduating from school is to submit a "resume" to seek an interview opportunity. What each person presents on his resume is his or her past special performance, academic experience, autobiography, etc., which are mostly based on the content and nature of previous work.
However, the many years of work experience on a resume often cannot be seen and cannot express the life-long ambition that you and I most "earnestly desire" in our hearts. Except for a few people who change careers or engage in research and development, generally speaking, the next job they find is often similar to their past work experience.
The most curious thing about headhunting companies
One afternoon in Washington, the United States, a vice president of a headhunting company called me and invited me for an interview. He wanted to "discover" my passion. If this passion is applied to work, it will be fully displayed. For example, if you have a passion for saving wild animals, you can work for the Society for the Protection of Animals; if you believe that drinks can make people happy, you can work for the Coca-Cola Company. He also said that a tennis fan opened a "Four Season" indoor tennis court in Northern Virginia in the United States. Regardless of whether it is warm or cold, winter or summer, one can play tennis from morning to night and entertain others.
I went to the appointment curious, wondering what other passions I had yet to discover. I describe the general situation of working as a database administrator for more than ten years. In my spare time, I like to write short articles and share my life experiences about family, church, work, etc. Although I dare not speak out about who I can help, I can at least provide readers with reference and comparison.
The vice president said that he observed that my eyes were bright when I mentioned writing. This is the passion he is looking for in me, and it is a passion that can be put to good use at work! To put it bluntly, he wanted to find something worth "promoting" in me.
Five things to do when switching runway self-assessment
1. Understand and evaluate your current work status and possible development potential.
□1. Under what circumstances would you stay in your current job? Under what circumstances would you find another job?
□2. What are your special preferences for your new job field?
□3. How long have you wanted to change your job? Why change jobs?
□4. List your special job skills, including your foreign language abilities.
□5. List the items in your current job that you are most satisfied with and the items that you are least dissatisfied with.
□6. What bad records will prevent you from finding a good job? What good track record can help you find your next job?
□7. If you had to describe your most special expertise to an expert, what would it be?
2. Ask your spouse or closest relatives, friends, and confidants to provide objective opinions to eliminate your personal subjective blind spots. There are three main aspects:
□1. In what areas does your spouse (relatives and friends) think you should improve? What is your greatest strength or expertise?
□2. What is your spouse (relative or friend)’s biggest concern about the new job field you want to find?
□3. In three years, what growth or changes does your spouse (relatives and friends) think you will make in the workplace? What are the long-term plans?
3. Occupation selection form: three hundred and sixty-five lines, the winner will be number one. The headhunting company lists various job projects and job search channels for selection. Due to space constraints, this is omitted here. Readers can list several ideal industries in their own minds.
4. Items that new customers may have concerns about, but you have not yet noticed. This part is very important. If you have the following questions, you need to provide detailed explanations when applying for a job, or enrich yourself professionally first. The original list has about forty-four items, which are summarized into six points:
□1. Your past academic experience or achievements may be difficult to measure or quantify.
□2. I have never worked in a large company, and there is no leadership and management ability shown on my resume.
□3. I changed too many jobs in the past.
□4. My past experience was too narrow and I stayed in the same job for too long.
□5. The job industry has entered a decline or is a sunset industry; the goal of finding a job is not closely related to your education or experience.
□6. Insufficient computer skills, poor academic performance in the past; often changing careers and tracks; not professional enough, etc.5. When looking for a new job, what do you think is the biggest challenge or obstacle for you personally? Give three examples.
After the first interview, he sent five forms, requiring them to be filled out and returned as preparation for the next interview. The table is detailed, but due to limited space, I have condensed the content to provide self-evaluation for Christians who are determined to change careers.
Three things an employment agency must do
The five major job application forms on the right can help headhunting companies evaluate and find out the "selling points" that they can recommend to employers based on your work expertise, skills and learning experience! The vice president said that general methods of sales or introduction work can be divided into three types:
1. Sending a bunch of advertising flyers to customers is like sending resumes to various company personnel departments. The advertising flyers or resumes flying in like a snowflake are often ignored by the other party before they have even read them clearly.
2. A better sales method is to call potential buyers or employers, introduce the value and advantages of the "product", and persuade the employer to take action to interview a client.
3. A more advanced sales method is to directly call the company's CEO, senior executive or human resources director to introduce the potential employee's expertise and what benefits hiring this employee will bring to the company.
The third is the introduction method adopted by headhunting companies, which uses senior executives to find you your long-cherished job, rather than just filling the vacancy. There is no such thing as a free lunch. The commission they need to provide this service is as high as US$7,500, which can be discounted at 20%, but a non-refundable deposit of US$2,500 must be paid first. With such a high commission, those of you who hope to find your lifelong career should think about whether it is worth it!
God has already prepared something
This experience of being spotted by a headhunter prompted me to think: How should Christians view finding a job or changing careers? What is God’s intention on this matter?
1. God has a wonderful plan for everyone’s life
In the Old Testament, Joseph is a good example. His life had many climaxes, and he could be said to be a "super pioneer" who changed his career path. Joseph, the son of Jacob, was sold by his brother to Egypt as a slave. He worked in the house of Potiphar, the captain of the guard, and managed everything. Later, Joseph was framed by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned. The warden also asked Joseph to explain everything in prison. After Joseph was released from prison, he interpreted Pharaoh's dreams, glorified God, and gained Pharaoh's important use.
From colorful garments to bloody garments, from bloody garments to servant garments, from servant garments to prison garments, from prison garments to the final fine linen garments, Joseph became the prime minister of Egypt under one man and above all others, completing God's plan to save the Israelites. painting. All of this comes from God’s guidance!
2. Wait quietly for God’s timing and don’t act too hastily.
Moses waited and tempered in the wilderness for forty years. In the third forty years, God began to use him to lead the Israelites who were enslaved in Egypt to leave and return to Canaan, the land promised by God. Even the Lord Jesus Christ had thirty years to prepare. He did not begin His work until He had gradually grown in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and man.
No matter how good your development potential, career plans or job opportunities are, it all depends on God. God will close the wrong doors one by one, leaving only the one prepared for you and me. Opening that door is for the sake of the gospel; God hopes that our work can become a channel for Him to glorify His name.
It is easy for people to get ahead of God, wanting to rush outside to work in a larger space before praying and waiting. In fact, we should calm down first and let God arrange our days for you and me. From these saints, we see that today’s patience and trust are preparations for God to send you and me out to do great things and complete the Great Commission tomorrow.
3. Be willing to accept God’s molding and become a suitable vessel
When the time appointed by God comes, God will raise us up to do the work. He calls us“All things work together for good to those who love God” (see Romans 8:28).I hope we will not seize tomorrow from God’s hands. The minute and hour hands on the clock both move at a certain time. We believe that God’s timetable is the best and that He will fulfill His specific plans and will for us.
Like a potter, he makes some into earthenware vessels to hold water, and some into holy vessels for the altar. This is exactly what God does with us. He has complete sovereignty and uses us to be a vessel suitable for Him.
God may use a headhunting company, a manpower agency, a dispatch company or a manpower bank as a medium to lead people to the place he has prepared. We must have faith in God, knowing that He will fulfill His plan in us, wait patiently, and strive to enrich ourselves to respond to the role God wants us to fill.
Author profile
Zhao Shiliang, from Taiwan, now lives in Virginia, USA, and works as a senior database manager in Northern Virginia. Serves at the Chinese Christian Church in Northern Virginia as an adult Sunday school teacher. He and his wife have two sons.