Reading your story actually made me feel a litlle better. I am only 25, and i have already got fired 3 times. I got a BA in communications 3 years ago. And so far has led me nowhere. For some reason I am always the first one to go out the door. 1st job I got fired was hard core telemarketing sales, i gave 200 percent and got nowhere, they fired me after a yr w them. Saying it wasnt agood fit. 2nd job was working w a small family company as an assistant to president 7 months later, they fired me again bc I wasnt a good fit. The women at the office just didnt like me, i was the outcast. Too young, too dressy, too outgoing etc. 3rd job another small family business, i was there 4 month, this time i have done exceptioanl job, or so I thought and they let me go. Again not a good fit, this time it was my lack of experience that go me out the door, and it was another sales job. I have learned my lesson, No More Sale Jobs. But now I am starting to doubt myself, how come I am always the one to go. When I am such a hard worker that gives everything even though these were no t my dream jobs. In reality I still dont know what I want to do. I know what i dont want. But now i feel like i cant even say o got fired so many times with a BA. And I know it wasnt my fault, but so what.Thats now what a prospective employer would say. Dear Mike What do I do now?

Sometimes working with your brothers and sisters can be dissappointing just like working with your blood relatives.

I’ve worked in many Christian niche businesses from church architects, bookstores, magazines to recording studios. What I’ve learned is to never take a job or contract until you have received payment. Oftentimes Christian businesses and churches expect you to do the work on a volunteer basis. They assume that since you’re Christian, you will not ask for a check.

But I’ve learned that your clients will be more cooperative, give you more referrals and respect you if you demand some form of upfront payment. And no matter how great the person’s voice is, great their ministry is don’t complete a service unless some monies have exchanged hands and a contract is signed.

I had just graduated high school and after a year of working and attending college, I felt the need to move on. About six months later the shop foreman called me to offer my job back plus a sizable raise. I accepted. This actually happened three more times. I was making more than anyone had ever made in that position and had restructured the process so that efficiency and output were at an all-time high.

The corporate office restructured management , my boss was demoted and they brought in a man with twenty years experience at the steel mill–to run a billboard shop? It didn’t make sense to anyone. They asked me to train him. I asked for a raise. They declined.

I told the Executive Supervisor the new shop foreman could watch and take notes, but without a raise I wouldn’t formally train him, they should find someone qualified to fulfill that need. They fired me.

I packed up my files and went home. If I remember correctly, it was about a year later they were acquired by another outdoor advertising company and the Executive Supervisor and the new shop foreman lost their jobs. I got a call to come back to work. I declined.

I was young, so my actions might not have been the best choices, looking back though, I learned that if you allow people to walk on you and take advantage of you, they will. I wouldn’t stand for it from the guys in the shop and I wouldn’t stand for it from the supervisors. Yes, I lost my job, but I gained the respect of everyone else working there and became rather infamous. This all happened over a decade ago and I still get calls from new shop foremans making pretty decent offers.

The most important thing I learned, though, is that a formal education doesn’t teach you how to deal with people.

As low man on the totem pole, when you approach someone in upper level management with respect and honesty, you’ll find the depth of their character and integrity simply by the value they place on you. I’ve found the greatest have walked a mile in your shoes and remember the feeling, therefore they treat you with respect and they’re more than willing to help you succeed. I’ve also learned that this type of person is rare, but a blessing when found.

I have certainly found this to be the case. It’s all about expectations. People expect Christians to be honest and treat them kindly. This is not always—or even usually—the case. As long as we have to recruit from the human race, we will have human problems.

Thanks,

Mike

I would have to say that one of the biggest mistakes I’ve made is assuming that working with Christians makes a job easier….NOT! Are you kidding me, working with other Christians is one trial after another. So the lesson that I had to learn the hard way is that Christians are not to be trusted or given any more grace than nonbelievers. Plus, when you work in a ministry setting you have to be very careful with your boundaries because the tendency to blur work life with “fellowship” is great…and if you’re not careful you can really get burned. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything :)

It’s encouraging to know that we all go through “failure” moments. I read a book once in which the author claimed failure is the back door to success. Handled rightly it can lead us to character growth, wisdom for life, and greater humilty.

It was humble for you to share. God gives grace to the humble.

Thanks.