How Jesus can help you interview for a job

I have a couple of friends who are interviewing for jobs, and it is something most of us do every once in a while. If you are a Jesus-follower, you stand a better chance of being a great interviewer.

Thorin Klosowski at Lifehacker posted today, commenting on an article in the Wall Street Journal, "The Receptionist is Watching You." Klosowski begins,

When heading into a job interview you might think that you need to start your performance with the person interviewing you. However, as the Wall Street Journal points out, everyone ranging from the security guard to the receptionist is watching you.

Here are some excerpts from Leslie Kwoh's WSJ article:

Want that job? Better be nice to the receptionist... assistants are not only close to the boss, they’re generally sharp observers who can instantly sense whether someone will fit in with company culture, says Karlena Rannals...

It’s just one way companies are filtering candidates in a tight labor market where more applicants are vying for fewer openings, experts say...

Administrative assistants aren’t the only ones watching. Sometimes crucial impressions are formed even earlier than the first meeting, if an applicant has been communicating with administrative staff to make logistical arrangements for, say, an in-person meeting or a videoconference.

"Smart recruiters ask for feedback from the travel agent, the driver from the car service that picked you up at the airport, and the admin that walked you around all day,” says Rusty Rueff...

There is statistical evidence to suggest that your fit with company culture is even more important than your technical skills.

So how does being a Jesus-follower set you up to be a great interviewer? You will treat all people well, from the recruiter to the receptionist to the custodian to the administrative assistant to the interviewers. You won't just suck up to them in order to curry their favor. You will respect them and show them genuine interest purely for their sakes alone. You will imitate Jesus as Paul describes it: "Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too" (Philippians 2:3-4, NLT). That is what Jesus-followers do. From the least to the greatest, we love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39). In other words, what the Wall Street Journal article recommends should come naturally for a Jesus-follower.

Oh, and don't forget to look people in the eye, smile, and offer a strong handshake too.