Twelve Tips for Job Seekers

In today’s ever-changing world, the challenges of unemployment or under-employment continue to be a concern. When I served as manager of the LDS Employment Resource Center in Florida, I found the following steps to be helpful for those seeking a new job:

Contact your ward employment specialist for an interview. The specialist can help train you on ways to look for a job. This includes finding job leads, writing a résumé, polishing telephone skills, and answering interview questions.
Examine job sources on a regular basis. These sources include leads from the ward employment specialist, state job services, federal and state employment hotlines, business and personal acquaintances, trade journals and technical publications, Internet sites, newspaper classified ads, telephone yellow-page listings for companies that hire people with your skills, county and city job boards, the Better Business Bureau or chamber of commerce, and temporary job services.
Plan and organize your job search systematically. Set specific goals for your job search. Take time each morning to prayerfully plan your day. Mail or deliver résumés, check the Internet, call on potential employers, complete job applications, make appointments, and schedule interviews. Make the job search your full-time job.
Attend classes to learn new skills at a local vocational center, college, or university. Also participate in weekly employment training with your ward employment specialist.
Watch the videocassette JobSearch: Finding the Job That’s Right for You and complete the workbook available at your ward meetinghouse.
Approach as many people who hire for a particular company as possible. Be courteous and tactful. It’s my experience that newspaper ads result in job offers about 10 percent of the time, employment agencies 15 percent, and direct contacts and networking 75 percent.
Read positive, motivational books and study the scriptures daily. Also listen to uplifting music.
Kneel in prayer morning and night, and fast when appropriate.
Pay tithes and offerings. Sometimes when employment problems arise, the payment of tithing may seem like an impossibility to some. But having faith in the Lord’s promises opens windows to His blessings (see Mal. 3:8–12).
Exercise regularly to stay in shape and to reduce the effects of stress.
Serve faithfully in Church callings.
Counsel with priesthood leaders.

Roland O. Miguel, Middleton Ward, Buena Vista Utah Stake