Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

A Few Grown Men

Home
Family, Parenting and Religion
What to look for when you want a new job

What to look for when you want a new job

Last updated on: October 14, 2013 at 1:01 am by marcusbrotherton

What to look for when you want a new job 2013-10-04T09:31:00-06:00 marcusbrotherton

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

If you haven’t already experienced angst with a job, probably you will soon, particularly in this season of cutbacks and workplace instability.

Maybe you’re working at a job you’re not passionate about right now. Or at a job that seems meaningless? Or your job feels like only a stepping-stone to something else. So what do you do?

When it comes to looking for a new job and evaluating potential job offers, there are five important areas to watch for. These key criteria are built of off the acronym P.A.P.E.R. and are not given in the order of importance.

When it comes to seeking a job, look for:

P: Provision: Like it or not, receiving a paycheck is a huge reason for working. That’s not wrong at all. 1 Thess. 4:12 instructs us to work “so you won’t be dependent on anybody.”

Will the job you take provide for your financial needs, whatever they are in a given season of your life?

**A: Aptitude:**Can you do this job, or can you learn it? If you hate the ocean, don’t look for a job as a tugboat captain. You might want to be a fighter pilot, but if you wear glasses as thick as Coke bottles, it’s not feasible to seek being a pilot as a career direction.

At what school subjects did you excel? Where does your current training lie? If you like math, then look for a job that uses those skills. Do you like computers? Stay in that field. God has given you natural talents, abilities and preferences—consider all those factor in the jobs you seek.

P: Partnership: Single or married, this is always something to think about as you look for a career direction. It’s easy to think only of yourself when it comes to a job. But you’ll want to factor in what your spouse thinks about a job situation.

If you love a job and your spouse hates it, or vice versa, it probably won’t be a long-term fit. Also, with some jobs, it’s virtually impossible to do the job well and have a family.

For instance, a friend of mine works as a military contractor and is gone overseas for up to two years at a time—he’s often forbidden to disclose his whereabouts or even to have contact back home. That makes it really tough to be a husband and father.

When seeking a career, factor in the partnership equation. Will what you do allow you to be around home enough to be fulfill that role in your life as well?

E: Excitement. Being passionate about a job is a good thing. You might not love everything about a job, but maybe you’re excited about what you’ll learn, or the opportunities it provides, or where it leads.

If you absolutely hate a job, chances are it won’t be a good fit for you long-term. Sometimes a job carries a level of excitement only for a season. That may be your nudge to seek something new.

R: Reason. Last, but perhaps most important, does this job matter? Does it affect people in a positive way? Does it lead people closer to Christ? Is God glorified by what you do?

If you see your job as without purpose, it will be hard to sustain it over time. Sometimes people think they can only find purpose in their job if they’re pastors or missionaries. But you can serve God anywhere, and with virtually any job.

A friend of mine s a dentist who cleans teeth all day, but she’s got an amazing ministry in who she talks to and in how she conducts her business.

You’ll probably have a lot of jobs throughout your working years, some you’ll like, some you’ll hate. Rest in the fact that God guides in good directions. Continue to seek his face and he will make your paths straight.

Married now? Thinking of marriage in the future? Get a free copy of my free e-book,

The Marriage Manifesto:

10 simple commitments husbands can make that lead to stronger marriages.

Details at: www.marcusbrotherton.com

“I loved The Marriage Manifesto”

—Jim Burns, Ph.D.

Career

Previous Post

October 11, 2013

How Past Relationship Wounds Kill Your New One

Next Post

October 16, 2013 Venus and Mars go to church

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Giveaway Book Review Bullying Career Christmas Church devotion Discipleship Donald Miller Drugs & Alcohol Easter eternity evangelism Family food giving thanks God humor James H. Pence Jonathan McKee Leadership love Marcus Brotherton marriage masculinity men's ministry men's studies movies music Parenting Pastoring patriotism persecution pilgrim politics pop culture Prayer Prison Ministry prosperity religion Saul secularism sex Social Media Television Thanksgiving Uncategorized women Worship youth culture

Select a Month December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Zion" (as in Mount Zion) mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Spirit River Light Fortress