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Does Prayer Work in Job Search?
- Sunday February 16th, 2014
- 6,436
If you’re involved in an academic job search, you already know how difficult it can be to land the right position. Perhaps you’ve wondered whether or not prayer would actually help you in your job search, in which case you will be comforted to know that it can indeed be beneficial.
Many Forms of Prayers
While praying is traditionally associated with religion, praying is actually a deep human experience of reaching out to a higher source, including your very own inner self. Hence, praying may be formal or informal, oral or silent, etc: what matters the most is not speculation or collective wisdom about praying, but your personal connection and experience with what you conceive to be the Divine, the Higher Source in your life. During a challenging job search, you would like to be inspired by that mysterious intuition that guides you in the right direction to find the right job posting, your dream employment opportunity or a good connection at the right time.
Inner Strength in Job Search
One of the most testing period of your life may be during your job search, especially if you are unemployed. Where to get started? Why you are not receiving any call after sending out so many job applications? Where will your next dinner come from? How would you pay your rent and bills? Are you on a breaking point?
Take heart. Pray and keep up your determination. Almost everybody goes through this type of terrible emotional roller coaster when they are looking for employment. At times like this, you want to strive to be in the game through the finish line, for the only certainty leading to failure is when you stop searching for job.
Prayer is Comforting
Another reason to pray during your academic job search is because doing so can be very comforting. You just might find that after saying a prayer in a form consistent with your faith or beliefs, you are more relaxed and at ease during a job interview than you would have been otherwise. This in turn can give you the edge you need to stand out from other applicants. Praying can also help you stay focused during your job search, which will go a long way toward ensuring you don’t miss deadlines or forget to follow up with people after you have spoken with them.
Building Confidence in Job Search
People who pray on a regular basis may find within a stronger source of confidence than those who do not. Nothing can help you more with your academic job search than having a positive attitude and displaying lots of confidence will. Believing in yourself is the first step toward realizing your goals, so you may want to set aside some time every day to pray, in order to begin feeling better about yourself. After time, you’ll automatically have more self-esteem, and won’t have to second-guess your abilities. You might just find that you are willing to apply for jobs you wouldn’t have dreamed of applying for before.
Provides Direction
If you’re unsure of where your academic job search should take you, you could just find the answer through prayer. Many people find that talking to God, in their own personal way of conceiving him, about the situation helps give them a sense of inner peace, and provides direction for them to use when searching for new opportunities. Praying about a job offer could also help you decide whether or not a position might be right for you. Any time it seems like you don’t know where to turn, you can always pray about it in order to find that inner voice that sparks the direction you need to follow.
A number of churches also believe that prayer in important during an academic job search, and have set up special websites where people just like you can go to if they are uncomfortable praying alone. In addition, a local priest or minister will usually be willing to meet with you in order to pray, regardless of whether you are a member of that congregation or not.
A Word of Caution on Prayer and Superstition
While prayer may be a powerful tool in your academic job search or other job hunting, you should avoid a common trap of misconception and superstition by thinking that somehow, you could simply pray, sit down and wait for God to hand you your dream job, without you taking any steps to search for employment, apply for jobs and prepare for job interview.
When you are looking for employment, you should always bear in mind that you are involved in a mental game of strength, faith and skills. A harmonious self, sustained by prayer can help you in mysterious ways. Like in many areas of life, your personal experience matters the most.
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