Saying you are a Christian in an interview

[Laurie919]

I had a job interview yesterday for a job I would really like. I had to answer a 3 page questionaire after the interview. It had two questions that were worded something like....

What do you attribute your success in your career to date to and what caused your failures.

This was my answer - my successes are due to God's grace and favor on my life and my failures are due to my stepping out of the will of God.

I had already answered his questions about my skills in prior answers on this thing, so I thinking giving God glory for my successes is a great thing.

 

[HannahBanana]

I doubt it disqualified you from the job, but, depending on the experiences that that man has had with Christians in his lifetime, he might have some prejudices against you. Though that's not a definite, since he could very well have had all good experiences with Christians. If he does refuse to give you the job just because of that, though, then that'd be blatant discrimination and you should contact the ACLJ (which is a Christian version of the ACLU) about it.

 

[Reanimation]

I doubt it. Though if the man has had bad experiences in the past with Christians, he may react negatively (as Hannah has already said). Then again, he may be a Christian himself and may view you in a positive light as a result.

It's a bit of a roll-of-the-dice. I avoid doing anything of that nature when I'm going for a job, just to stay on the safe side.

 

[Inkachu]

I would definitely NOT put those answers in an interview! They're looking for your job-related skills and you gave them nothing of that. Giving credit to God is great, I think you should be free to add that in, but they don't want to hear about God, they want to know what qualifies you for the job. They wanna hear skills, abilities, achievements, and experience. Have you had success because you're a fast learner? A team player? Great with clients? That's what they want to see.

 

[Laurie919]

I would definitely NOT put those answers in an interview! They're looking for your job-related skills and you gave them nothing of that. Giving credit to God is great, I think you should be free to add that in, but they don't want to hear about God, they want to know what qualifies you for the job. They wanna hear skills, abilities, achievements, and experience. Have you had success because you're a fast learner? A team player? Great with clients? That's what they want to see.

I had already put that on the five pages of answers. God is the reason I am able to do what I can do. He deserves the credit for it.

 

[Inkachu]

I'm just telling what the employer wants. You can defy that and put whatever you want for your answers. You're free to make your own decisions, naturally. I said that you can give credit to God in your answer, but adding in your skills and abilities is what they're looking for. So the choice is yours.

 

[KarrieTex]

The questions are well within the legal parameters of interviewing. However, you could have worded it in such a manner that would not leave you open to the possible illegal bais that could happen.

In my view as someone who interviews people and as a Christian, I wouldn't hire you if those answers were being weighed in the decision. You didn't tell me anything that gives you the edge for the job.

 

[radhead]

This was my answer - my successes are due to God's grace and favor on my life and my failures are due to my stepping out of the will of God.

To me that sounds like whatever good thing you did was merely God helping you undeservedly. Bailing you out, so to speak. The only thing you personally contributed was negative: stepping out of his will.

I would have stated it as faith being *one* of your supports or strengths, if you wanted to include your faith.

 

[Tamara224]

I think you did good, Laurie.

I did a similar thing in my application to law school. We had to write an essay explaining why we want to go to law school and why they should let us in. A big portion of it was centered on the fact that I believe in God, I believed it was His will for me and I wanted to make a difference in the world by using whatever talents God had given me.

I worried about whether that would be a big turn-off for a secular university law school. I was accepted, though, and got my acceptance letter a whole month before the application cut-off date.

The truth of the matter is that it is God's will that will prevail. He is in control of whether or not you get this job. It's not the interviewer in control, God is.

Just remember that. And trust God. He knows the plans He has for you; plans to prosper you.

You did right to declare your faith and write what was from your heart to write.

 

[KarrieTex]

EXCEPT not one person here is saying that declaring her faith was wrong it is the manner in which it was done that would leave her open.

What you did and what she did is totally different. You explained why you believe you are to become a lawyer and it was due to God's calling. I did the same thing in my position and I was responding to an athesit.

But to give a theological answer and not the real answer does nothing but leave her open to bias and the possiblity of not getting the job.

God never said not use our minds when it comes to questions like this.

 

[trOlliJokinen]

The only time I ever used christianity in a job interview was to make sure I didn't get the job. It worked. If I were an employer, I could care less what faith you were as long as you got your job done. heck, there's a lot of people where I work and that work in places around me that don't speak english. They get their job done, and that's that.

 

[Tamara224]

EXCEPT not one person here is saying that declaring her faith was wrong it is the manner in which it was done that would leave her open.

What you did and what she did is totally different. You explained why you believe you are to become a lawyer and it was due to God's calling. I did the same thing in my position and I was responding to an athesit.

But to give a theological answer and not the real answer does nothing but leave her open to bias and the possiblity of not getting the job.

God never said not use our minds when it comes to questions like this.

I don't see the difference you see in the answers.

Why do you assume that her "theological" answer was not the "real" answer?

Why do you assume that she wasn't using her mind in her answer?

There's no way to know how the interviewer will react to such a question, or exactly what they were looking for in an answer from her. We can speculate as to what answers would most impress, but we can't know that for sure. There are too many possibilities, too many variables. The best course is always to trust God and lean not on our own understanding.

I see no profit in beating her up over something she cannot undo at this point.

She answered what she answered. The outcome is in God's most capable hands.

 

[KarrieTex]

You can't beat up on someone who asked for your thoughts.

 

[radhead]

I think it's important that you give honest answers like that. I was just trying to look at it from an extreme perspective.

Someone could also say something like, they are a "team player", just because they think that's what the employer wants to hear.

 

[Thomas1984]

I think it's important that you give honest answers like that. I was just trying to look at it from an extreme perspective.

Someone could also say something like, they are a "team player", just because they think that's what the employer wants to hear.

Yeah, to many people either lie on their CV/Resume, or just tell the interviewer what they think they want to hear. Laurie answered honestly, from her heart, and you can't fault that. At least, I wouldn't.

 

[soccerdad66]

Without seeing the application and knowing what you already put down, I probably wouldn't have, but the #1 thing Inka was stating was did you put down the skills they're looking for, so as long as you did that, you should be fine. Honestly, if the interviewer is a Christian, he might be impressed with your boldness.

 

[Laurie919]

I'm just telling what the employer wants. You can defy that and put whatever you want for your answers. You're free to make your own decisions, naturally. I said that you can give credit to God in your answer, but adding in your skills and abilities is what they're looking for. So the choice is yours.

Being that I am 38 years old and probably have had that many jobs I have enough sense to know what an employer wants. I was actually proud that I gave credit to God.

Oh and it must have worked I am going in tomorrow to discuss salary and benefits.

 

[Laurie919]

You can't beat up on someone who asked for your thoughts.

I use to think that until I found CF!

 

[Laurie919]

I think it's important that you give honest answers like that. I was just trying to look at it from an extreme perspective.

Someone could also say something like, they are a "team player", just because they think that's what the employer wants to hear.

I did tell them that and also that I have a willing to learn attitude. That I will do anything needed in a postion even it requires something that I feel isn't my job. I said that I find it very difficult to work with people who have the "its not my job attitude".

 

[memoriesbymichelle]

Congrats on getting the job! I hope it works out for you. We must remember that God is in charge and He is the one that gives us power to gain wealth/work. You were honest, and I think honesty is the best policy.