Dozens of men from the south end of the Salt Lake Valley area gathered recently for a stake priesthood meeting to talk employment.
Their discussion had an unsettling beginning. A stake employment specialist cued up an audio tape recorded at a recent gathering of well-paid sales associates from a national U.S. company. Following a quick cursory roll call, the associates learned their fate with the business: they were all losing their jobs. Immediately.
Information on severance and insurance packages could be heard being distributed — along with an invitation to apply for the one or two jobs being created by consolidating the many positions being eliminated.
That stark audio recording was chilling for any listener who depends on employment to support a family, make a mortgage payment or keep a month or two ahead of credit card debts and other bills.
Indeed, outside of family relationships and Church membership, one's job is perhaps the most defining element of one's identity. Want proof? Try conversing with a stranger for more than a minute or two before someone asks, "So, what do you do for a living?"
For Latter-day Saints, punching the employment clock moves beyond cultural norms. It's a commandment.
"It is interesting that the first recorded instruction given to Adam after the Fall dealt with the eternal principle of work," said Elder Howard W. Hunter of the Quorum of the Twelve in the October 1975 general conference. "The Lord said: 'In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread' (Genesis 3:19). Our Heavenly Father loves us so completely that He has given us a commandment to work. This is one of the keys of eternal life. He knows that we will learn more, grow more, achieve more, serve more and benefit more from a life of industry than from a life of ease."
Still, in times of economic uncertainty, jobs have a habit of coming and going. One's employment status is not always protected by a strong work ethic. Industries that were once white hot (read: sub-prime mortgage lending companies), sometimes turn cold. And folks who thought they would celebrate their 65th birthday at the job they began 20 or 25 years earlier can unexpectedly find themselves out of a job — victims of corporate catch-phrases such as "downsizing" or "outsourcing."
Others are very much employed — working 40, 60, even 80 hours a week — yet still struggle to provide for their families. Despite the long hours, their wages can't satisfy their needs. They're underemployed.
LDS Employment Resource Services
For the better part of a century, the Church has helped people help themselves on the job front; to learn and live self-reliance. Elder Glen L. Rudd's definitive history the Church's modern-day welfare program, Pure Religion, speaks of a Church-operated employment program called the Deseret Employment Bureau that operated in the early years of the 20th century. America's Great Depression would prompt the organization of stake and regional employment placement programs that would serve as models for a centrally directed welfare program called the Church Security Program. Helping members prepare for and secure meaningful employment was a pivotal element of that revolutionary, inspired program.
Today, members who are looking for work — or who want to improve their job circumstances — can enjoy a treasure trove of programs offered through LDS Employment Resource Services. According to lds.org, the Church operates nearly 300 LDS employment centers throughout the world. Each center is equipped to help job-seeking members and non-members, alike, utilize these programs at no cost. Similar resources can be found via the "Employment" section at lds.org and through ward and stake employment specialists.
Career Workshop
A Church-developed career workshop provides practical training designed to help participants develop the skills and savvy they need to land a solid job. Participants range for middle-aged women who are entering the workforce for the first time to seasoned professionals searching for employment or a new career path.
The free course takes several days to complete and would likely cost thousands of dollars if offered by a commercial employment placement organization. During the workshop, participants are taught to identify their career goals and the skills and resources needed to realize such goals. The workshop also teaches essential job-finding tools such as professional networking, crafting an attractive resume and polishing job interview skills.
The course is taught at the Church's many employment centers and, in some cases, by trained stake employment specialists and missionaries.
Many have found the workshop to be an invaluable resource in their job search.
Often times a pool of applicants with similar educational and employment backgrounds are vying for the same position. The applicant who makes the best first impression might well be the one who secures a second interview or lands the job. The career workshop teaches participants how to master skills such as "Me in 30 Seconds" and other power statements that communicate important personal information in a short amount of time.
Steven Dayhuff lost his job two years ago when the start-up company he worked for ran out of capital. A call center administrator, Brother Dayhuff contacted a number of employment headhunters, but saw few results. He enrolled in the Church's career workshop and began developing skills that were pivotal to his job search. He began networking and accepted coaching on job interviewing and resume building. When Brother Dayhull interviewed for jobs, he felt empowered by his new tools. Soon he was accepting a good job.
"I applied the techniques that I learned in the Church's program on how to present myself," said Brother Dayhuff, who serves in the bishopric in the Highland 5th Ward, South Jordan Utah Highland Stake.
Service missionary Sister Nan Rasmussen has witnessed the Church's employment resources bring peace to people's lives via her assignment at the LDS employment center in West Jordan, Utah. She smiles while talking about a young man who participated in the center's career workshop. Recently, he returned to the center accompanied by his wife, three children and happy, happy news. He had found desirable work.
Indeed, the Church's employment resources is not simply about landing a paycheck. It's a spiritually driven program crafted to assist families and individuals care for themselves, Sister Rasmussen said.
"Each day I pray that I'll be able to help someone."
Professional Placement Program
In addition to the Career Workshop, LDS Employment Resource Services offers a placement initiative for managers, executives and other professionals.
The program is anchored in networking and helps participants establish valuable contacts in their chosen professions. One highlight of the program available in many communities is a professional networking group that allows job-seeking professionals to gather with other professionals from the area. There they can introduce themselves and get the word out about their individual skills and employment needs.
One-on-one coaching is also available to help participants navigate the daunting world of job interviews and tap into networking resources.
Sometimes all a job-seeking professional needs to get his or her foot in the proverbial door at a company may be access to business tools such as computers, telephones, fax machines and copy machines. It's available at the employment resource centers, again free of charge.
Brother Dayhuff said the professional placement program taught him networking skills that will serve him well throughout his working years.
Other workshops available through LDS Employment Resource Services includes specific courses on interview techniques, resume building, exploring career options, self-employment, family finances and a course on utilizing the Church's job database.
It's never too early to start coursing a career path. Youth can utilize LDS Employment Resource Services by enrolling in workshops exploring career options and securing scholarships.
Helpful hiring tips
Many with employment needs might be searching for a job for the first time. Some might have recently graduated from college or vocational school. Others might be hoping to break into a new field. Many haven't updated their resume or drafted a cover letter in decades. LDS Employment Resource Services is flush with practical tips and counsel that might make the difference in landing a desired job.
Job-seeking skills such as networking and creating a positive impression on would-be employers can bless folks in any field or profession. Typical job search questions such as "What to wear to a job interview?" or "How do I negotiate a salary?" can be answered through one of the many employment resources, including lds.org.
Help for priesthood leaders
One of the most sacred duties of bishops and other priesthood leaders is shepherding the temporal needs of the people they are called to serve. Members who are unemployed or underemployed often struggle with anxiety, frustration and worry. Some might not be able to adequately provide for their families. Others are unable to participate in Church programs or hold callings because they work on Sundays or have little free time to serve.
Bishops and other priesthood leaders have a friend in the LDS Employment Resource Services. The program can help priesthood leaders organize effective employment efforts in their units and provide essential training to called employment specialists. Additionally, LDS Employment Resource Services serves as a proven networking source for program participants.
Working with priesthood leaders, job-hunting folks can be placed on the Church's employment database that's designed to match people with potential employees.
Bishops and fellow priesthood leaders can find joy helping others find self-reliance and enjoyment at the workplace. In the October 1996 Ensign, President Thomas S. Monson spoke of a priesthood quorum leader who enlisted the principle of the "Bishop's Storehouse" by utilizing his own business background to help others land jobs. The priesthood leader told President Monson: "This year I have helped 12 of my brethren who were out of work to obtain permanent employment."
That priesthood leader showed his love by helping those in need, wrote President Monson.
Posting jobs on LDSjobs.org
LDS Employment Resource Services is not limited to helping people find good work. The program also helps businesses find good workers. By setting up a free account online at ldsjobs.com, employers can post job openings and work closely with employment missionaries and staff to find people eager to work in their company.
"We get a lot of employers who bring a lot of job postings into the center," Sister Rasmussen said. Brother Dayhuff said he can trace the Lord's hand in his own employment quest.
"It requires faith to know that our Heavenly Father is aware of our situation," he said.
E-mail to: jswensen@desnews.com
