Next to the CV, your written application for any employment position is the first thing the employing body will see, and therefore is very important and needs to be done as professionally as possible.  I applied for a number of youth worker positions as well as school chaplaincy position when I was first starting out in ministry, and I never even got to the interview stage, I had no idea why.  Of course you start to think, maybe I’m not good enough, maybe I shouldn’t be in ministry, maybe…..you know how it goes.  But, after waiting for a reply to one application I had sent off, I decided to ring them up, and the ministry was very nice and spent about ten minutes on the phone with me telling me exactly why I was not getting any interviews, it was the way I had been writing my applications.

 

I had been writing them in an essay fashion, which he told me was not the way.  What I needed to do was to address the point in the Job Specifications that the employing bodies were sending out to me.  If you have a look at the Job Specifications and the Person Specifications, there are headings and a description of each point or qualification or experience they want the person to have.  You have to address each one on its own, for example…

 

Personal Specifications:

   The person must posses a strong faith in God

 

I became a Christian in 1989 and my faith is ……………………………………….

 

Job Specifications:

   A good working knowledge of the needs of young people today.

 

Young people today have many different needs that…………………………………….

 

Got the idea?  Each specification must be answered separately, even if they cross over a bit.  You write the Specifications they have written as headings and then underneath each sub-heading your answer to that specification.  Employers will often have their own cheat sheet with each specification written down and which they tick off as they go through your application.  If it’s one big long essay, they will often not even bother reading it, especially if other applicants have done theirs in point form addressing each specification.  After I did this and started addressing each point, I started getting interviews and then employment in youth ministry.  And be honest, if you have no experience in a area, say that, but add that you are willing to learn and do further study if needed.  Also make sure you put enough information about your qualifications and experience, any experience is important, even if it’s not in paid employment.  If you would like to speak to me further on this subject, drop me an e-mail,

 

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