Favor for Good Works

Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us;

and establish for us the work of our hands…

(Psalm 90:17)

 

It’s the first full week of summer vacation and several young people that I know are still looking for work. It is no coincidence that in the same week I found one of my old check stubs from my first job from high school that I also attended a meeting on workforce readiness in today’s economy. It was like déjà vu, reliving a moment in my Career Orientation class, hearing employers repeat the same message conveyed by my middle school teacher over thirty years ago, that the basic requirements to landing a job are simple: proper attire, appropriate conversation, and a positive attitude. If it is that simple, why are young job seekers having a hard time finding work? What do they need to do to find favor with hiring managers?
 

I grew up in a small community, so there were a limited number of jobs that teenagers typically preferred, like in retail or in an office. Most of my friends either worked in grocery stores, or as I did, in local dairy bars and restaurants. Many of us who worked in high school took classes like D.E.C.A. (Distributive Education Clubs of America) and C.C.E. (Cooperative Career Education) that allowed us to earn classroom credits while gaining real-world work experience. Without knowing, we found favor with local small business owners who took a chance on us, giving us our initial opportunity to do good works.

Favor is access to open doors beyond our natural reach. Two people can come from the same environment and have same opportunities, yet experience different levels of favor. I know from experience that favor ain’t fair, it reigns on the just as well as the unjust. I guess that is why it is called favor, a supernatural preference that allows you to experience unmerited blessings and grace to do good works. My constant prayer is that God grants me favor to be a blessing to someone in need.

So today, my targeted audience is young people who are looking for work and cannot seem to find opportunities via traditional job searches. Perhaps this is a season of access to favor to open doors by starting a small business. Ever consider the supernatural favor to become a

·        Personal assistant tasked with answering the telephones, scheduling meetings, running errands
·        Social media specialist responsible for updating Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Instagram accounts of other busy people or business owners
·        Mobile carwash attendant who travels to potential clients homes or business to provide services
·        Virtual tutor, helping younger students advance reading, math, and/or science skills
·        Mover/packer, assisting those in need with getting rid of clutter or prepare for a move

These are just a few suggestions for a young job seekers looking for economic diversity through entrepreneurial actions. Faith without works is dead, so I recommend getting started sooner than later. And remember those basic requirements mentioned in the first paragraph? That is a start, but do not forget some other P’s: professional, punctual, and persistent. How will you find favor to get hired?
 

Are you a hiring manager or interested in providing a young person with an initial opportunity to do good works? Let us know by commenting or sending me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.