by Joan Lloyd - www.joanlloyd.com

I am a former Catholic priest, originally from Europe, now living in Milwaukee. In job interviews, I never mention that I was a priest, orthe ministry work I did. Instead, I emphasize the social development work that I did. My question is this; is it better to say that I was a priestso that I could better explain my work with people? (I am in a human service profession). My fear is that it would be harder for me to get anew job if the interviewer knew my background, especially if he/she were a Catholic. How about the resume? I include my philosophical andtheological background but nothing from my ministry work. I always enjoy reading your articles in The Journal. I find them very helpful.
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For every thousand interviewers, there are a thousand prejudices. As an employer goes through a stack of resumes, he or she is looking for anyreason to screen out applicants.

It may not seem fair, but it is reality. Although good interviewers struggle to remain objective at all times, they are still human. Like youand I, their own backgrounds, experiences and values influence them.

Because you are in a human service profession, you will have no trouble drawing from your experience as a priest. It's the work you did not thetitle you held that matters.

For your interviews, prepare in advance short descriptions of the results you achieved. Use "sanitized" language that is translated for theinterviewer's understanding. For example, parishioners could be "clients;" sermons could be "presentations." You must also possess awealth of experience in things like coaching, counseling, promoting, conflict resolution, financial management, hiring, facility managementand so on. Your goal is to be evaluated by your skills, not who you were. However, don't get caught with egg on your interface. If anemployer asks you pointed questions, you may want to be prepared with an honest, yet positive, reply about your past.

Prepare and rehearse a brief explanation that will put to rest any fears the employer may have. For example, "Yes, I did work as a priest. Infact, my leadership role in that job honed my counseling (or whatever) skills to a high degree. Since leaving that profession, I have used theseskills very successfully in other areas of my life and no one ever guesses that I was a priest."

For your resume, use whatever language is appropriate for the field to which you're applying. Because you can't be there to sell your skills inperson, you run the risk of being screened out before you get a chance to open your mouth. Because of this, you may not want to mentionthings in theological terminology.

You may also want to put your European background in a positive light. Depending on the position and company or agency to which you'reapplying, you might want to say, "exposure to many cultures has broadened my ability to understand and communicate with a variety ofpeople."

JoanLloyd has a solid track record of excellent results. Her firm, JoanLloyd & Associates, specializes in leadership development, organizational change and teambuilding. This includes executive coaching, 360-degree feedback processes, customized leadership training, conflict resolution between teams or individuals, internal consulting skills training for HR professionals and retreat facilitation. Clients report results such as: behavior change in leaders, improved team performance and a more committedworkforce.

JoanLloyd has earned her C.S.P. (certified speaking professional) designation from the National Speakers Association and speaks to corporate audiences, as well as trade & professional associations across the country. Reach her at (800) 348-1944, mailto:info@joanlloyd.com, orwww.JoanLloyd.com