Need a prayer

[Sunday21]

Dear Sis's & Bros,

if anyone is online, I could really use a prayer for an lds job seeker. He is coming to see me tomorrow. He tells me that he is desperate to stay in Canada and needs to find a job in order to do this. For some stupid reason, he has waited until he is about to graduate before telling anyone in the ward that he is in this pickle. Why do so many people do this? So many of our people take degrees without any thought as to whether or not there is a job at the end of the degree. No one I know, even people who ought to know better, thinks that anything is odd about this. So many people in my ward wait until they have graduated before sounding the alarm that they need a job. What on earth is wrong with these people? In any case, if you can find it in your heart to pray for this perso, I would appreciate it!

[LeSellers]

12 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

an lds job seeker … is coming to see me tomorrow

Are you a CSM? Or a SES or a WES?

13 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

he has waited until he is about to graduate before telling anyone in the ward that he is in this pickle. Why do so many people do this?

There are a number of reasons. First, most people are too proud for their own good. Being unemployed is a serious loss of face. But not admitting it is cutting one's nose off to spite his face.

Second, many people assume that things will just work out. See Doc&Cov 8:2.

Third, some people are just lazy.

Finally, some people fit all three classes.

Lehi

[Sunday21]

8 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

Are you a CSM? Or a SES or a WES?

There are a number of reasons. First, most people are too proud for their own good. Being unemployed is a serious loss of face. But not admitting it is cutting one's nose off to spite his face.

Second, many people assume that things will just work out. See Doc&Cov 8:2.

Third, some people are just lazy.

Finally, some people fit all three classes.

Lehi

Yeah. I think you are right!

[LeSellers]

20 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

an lds job seeker … coming to see me tomorrow.

Are you a CSM? Or a SES or a WES?

It's important because what you do depends on who you are.

Lehi

[Sunday21]

21 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

Are you a CSM? Or a SES or a WES?

??? can't quote so I hope you see this. I am none of the above and it is definitely not my job to help these people. My ward is very small. The employment specialist is also our relief society president. I really like her as a person but I know that some of the advice that she has given people is a) wrong b) seriously disastrous, and I do mean disastrous. I hate to think of one instance. Nothing really works properly in my ward. We are one sad story. Anyway, I do know the employment market because I am a researcher/educator in this field. My nonmormon family think I am crazy to try to help these people who frankly have through their own ignorance created some serious problems for themselves which could have been much ameliorated if they had spoken up.

[LeSellers]

First, have him fill in completely a profile on LDSJobs.org He'll need his LDS log in credentials. Whatever LDS Employment Resource Center works with your area will "see" him and can start to help, too.

Second, have him send me an electronic résumé (Word­ format is best, but pdf will work, too) at [email protected]. Put my name (ATTN: Elder Sellers) in the subject.

Third, make sure the Elders' Quorum President assigns him a job coach (or the HP Group leader if he's a high priest; it's the RS pres for sisters). This may be the most important item in the list. A job coach must be employed (preferably in the same industry), the same sex (if I recall correctly, you should not be his job coach), not the HT or VT, and not in the job seeker's family. The job coach should plan on spending about fifteen minutes a week working with him, slightly more at first.

Fourth, tell him in no uncertain terms that looking for work is a full-time job: 40 hours/week. Not 2 hours a day, not 30 hours a week; 40, no less. That's what the job coach does: help him set goals, and help keep him accountable, both hours and numbers of phone calls, on site visits, résumés written and sent, job fairs attended and on and on.

Fifth, he needs to get a suit specifically for job interviews, cleaned, pressed, and hung in the closet in plastic, so when the call comes, he can be ready to go the next day.

Finally, he needs to know his most powerful resource is Father. President Hinckley said, "The Lord wants you to be successful." Prayer, scriptures, meditation, and more prayer are critical to his successful search.

I'll look at his résumé, and make suggestions, along with giving him a format that has worked up to five times faster than any other out there. Once I have done a first pass, I'll have to pass his file along to the center for your area. We don't have the time to help everyone in the Church, but for the first time, I will set the time aside to make that much happen, any way.

Lehi

Edited April 11, 2016 by LeSellers

[Sunday21]

9 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

First, have him fill in completely a profile on LDSJobs.org He'll need his LDS log in credentials. Whatever LDS Employment Resource Center works with your area will "see" him and can start to help, too.

Second, have him send me an electronic résumé (Word­ format is best, but pdf will work, too) at [email protected]. Put my name (ATTN: Elder Sellers) in the subject.

Third, make sure the Elders' Quorum President assigns him a job coach (or the HP Group leader if he's a high priest; it's the RS pres for sisters). A job coach must be employed (preferably in the same industry), the same sex, not the HT or VT, and not in the job seeker's family. This may be the most important item in the list.

Fourth, tell him in no uncertain terms that looking for work is a full-time job: 40 hours/week. Not 2 hours a day, not 30 hours a week; 40, no less. That's what the job coach does: help him set goals, and help keep him accountable, both hours and numbers of phone calls, on site visits, résumés written and sent, job fairs attended and on and on.

Fifth, he needs to get a suit specifically for job interviews, cleaned, pressed, and hung in the closet in plastic, so when the call comes, he can be ready to go the next day.

Finally, he needs to know his most powerful resource is Father. President Hinckley said, "The Lord wants you to be successful." Prayer, scriptures, meditation, and more prayer are critical to his successful search.

I'll look at his résumé, and make suggestions, along with giving him a format that has worked up to five times faster than any other out there. Once I have done a first pass, I'll have to pass his file along to the center for your area. We don't have the time to help everyone in the Church, but for the first time, I will set the time aside to make that much happen, any way.

Lehi

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate this, we don't have an lds employment centre. Well I believe we do have one but it ridulously far away. This is a country with very few people who are quite spread out. We also do not a job coach program through the elders quorum. Thanks, I will do the rest! Bless you!

[LeSellers]

14 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Thanks a lot. I really appreciate this, we don't have an lds employment centre. Well I believe we do have one but it ridulously far away. This is a country with very few people who are quite spread out. We also do not a job coach program through the elders quorum. Thanks, I will do the rest! Bless you!

Yes, they are far away in many areas — shoot, we cover Montana and New Mexico and east to Independence, Missouri. That doesn't mean they won't help: it'll be long distance, but they can be very effective, nonetheless.

The job coach program is tailored to the individual. You have it, it's called the Priesthood quorum (or Relief Society). Many wards and stakes don't use it, but the bishop and the stake president are responsible for implementing it, and each Saint has the right to ask for (I'd go so far as "demand") a coach.

I'll be looking for his résumé when I get into the Center on Wednesday (I'm a Church Service Missionary, and only work there two days a week).

Lehi

Edited April 11, 2016 by LeSellers

[Sunday21]

13 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

Yes, they are far away in many areas — shoot, we cover Montana and New Mexico and east to Independence, Missouri. That doesn't mean they won't help: it'll be long distance, but they can be very effective, nonetheless.

The job coach program is tailored to the individual. You have it, it's called the Priesthood quorum (or Relief Society). Many wards and stakes don't use it, but the bishop and the stake president are responsible for implementing it, and each Saint has the right to ask for (I'd go so far as "demand") a coach.

I'll be looking for his résumé when I get into the Center on Wednesday (I'm a Church Service Missionary, and only work there two days a week).

Lehi

Thanks so much! I will do all these things. Bless you!

[LeSellers]

29 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Thanks so much! I will do all these things. Bless you!

Quote

Mosiah 2:16 Behold, I say unto you that because I said unto you that I had spent my days in your service, I do not desire to boast, for I have only been in the service of God. 17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

I hold the Lord responsible for His prophets' words.

Lehi

[Sunday21]

8 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

I hold the Lord responsible for His prophets' words.

Lehi

I think you have a great calling. Maybe I could angle for this position in retirement!

[LeSellers]

9 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

I think you have a great calling. Maybe I could angle for this position in retirement!

That's exactly what we did. I retired in November, and we started working there in March. (Just got set apart this morning, though. Bureaucracies, even in the Kingdom, are cumbersome sometimes.)

Lehi

[Guest LiterateParakeet]

Prayers.  It's so nice of you to try and help Sunday!

[Sunday21]

23 hours ago, LeSellers said:

That's exactly what we did. I retired in November, and we started working there in March. (Just got set apart this morning, though. Bureaucracies, even in the Kingdom, are cumbersome sometimes.)

Lehi

Dear Lehi, 

Thanks for your help. I think I have him sorted now. Firstly, he spoke to the ward's employment specialist and he has 3 years to find a job. I got him into several one on one sessions at the university to: write the resume, learn about LinkedIn, and practice job interviews. I asked him to send LinkedIn invitations to several of my colleagues but he is too scared so I think that I have done my bit! Thanks for letting me know about your calling it is a great service that the church has! 

[LeSellers]

28 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

Thanks for your help. I think I have him sorted now.

One of the things the Centre can do for him is help write and "populate" his LinkedIn page (along with how to use Twitter, and blogs, and Facebook, and …) .

It is, indeed, a great service, but the Church has always worried nearly as much about the temporal as the spiritual when it comes to salvation and self-reliance.

Lehi

Edited April 12, 2016 by LeSellers

[Sunday21]

8 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

One of the things the Centre can do for him is help write and "populate" his LinkedIn page (along with how to use Twitter, and blogs, and Facebook, and …) .

It is, indeed, a great service, but the Church has always worried nearly as much about the temporal as the spiritual when it comes to salvatoon and self-reliance.

Lehi

This really is a great service. I will let him know. Unfortunately I think it will take a while to get him set up with the chuch. His church registration # does not work. Getting that kind of thing fixed takes forever here!

[LeSellers]

22 minutes ago, Sunday21 said:

 His church registration # does not work.

Odd, but you are closer to the situation than I.

Almost everyone has an LDS.org sign in, but it does take the membership record number and his confirmation date to establish an account.

If there's anything I can do, let me know.

Lehi

Edited April 12, 2016 by LeSellers

[Sunday21]

8 minutes ago, LeSellers said:

Odd, but you are closer to the situation than I do.

Almost everyone has an LDS.org sign in, but it does take the membership record number and his confirmation date to establish an account.

If there's anything I can do, let me know.

Lehi

Thanks. It seems that his record number does not work. I am trying to get this fixed! Again thanks. It sure sounds like a great calling! So useful!

[Sadliers]

It could just be one of the guy things... Focus on one thing at a time... during school the focus is only on school. Now the focus can be released and it appears the next thing on the list is a job...

[Guest]

Well, why don't we just pray for the kid who never studied or listened in class and pray he'll do alright on the final exam?