How To Get More Interviews At Your Dream Organizations When Leaving Vocational Ministry

♟️ STRATEGY SHIFT:  Practice makes perfect when transitioning from ministry.

Your goal is to get offers, so we need to practice how to get them.

Step 1: Find organizations to practice with.

Wait, practice? Yes, practice - live!

If you can’t get an interview anywhere, that means that something in your application process is broken.

So instead, apply for jobs at organizations you would classify as “2-star” or “3-star” organizations.

If you rank the organizations you're applying to on a scale of 1 to 5 stars, these are the ones where, if offered a job, you might consider accepting, but they're not your dream companies.

So start by finding organizations that do similar things and have similar roles.

Step 2: Apply for roles you’re interested in at these 2 and 3-star companies.

If you get ghosted or rejected here, it’s likely the same will happen at a 5-star organization.

If you get an interview here, take the time to do the interview and learn why they liked you for the role.

What about your experience, your resume, and anything else you did made you an attractive candidate?

Additionally, take the time to figure out what gave them pause. What about your background did they not like? Are there any gaps that you need to fill on your resume, either by upskilling or being clearer?

If you don’t get an interview, study the job description and figure out what’s missing from your resume, and if you have that experience, can you better clarify it?

Step 3: Once you get an interview, go as far as you can in the process.

If you land an offer at a 2 to 3-star company, that’s a great thing! You don’t have to say yes, but you’ve taken notes along the way on what makes you stand out as a top candidate and what you need to improve on.

You might even be surprised that the organization could move up to a 4, or even 5-star organization, as you get to know their mission and their team.

Step 4: If you continue interviewing, move now to your 4 and 5-star organizations.

Once you feel confident about your ability to get offers or into final interviews, move on to your 4 and 5-star organizations.

Use what you’ve learned: resume adjustments, answering the interview questions, asking the right questions yourself, and providing any project or sample work - to be the best candidate they see!

These roles will be more competitive, but now, so are you. Because you’ve practiced and honed your skills.