4 Easy Steps to PREP for Your Career

Need a job, an internship, a career? Learn how to PREP – Kingdom Style!

Recently, UVF hosted a Career & Internship Fair where a variety of businesses and ministries came to share their need for qualified individuals. Students were encouraged to wear business casual dress, bring resumes, and share their information with vendors and collect business cards.

As Christians, we recognize that God knows our steps before we even make them. He knows who needs to meet whom, what divine appointments await us, and who might be offering the exact opportunity He is calling us to accept. He calls us to be ready, oil in our lamps and sandals by our beds, metaphorically speaking.

Here are a couple of things you can do to PREP for employment, either for a part-time job, internships, or a future career:

Personality Test
Are you Introverted or Extroverted? Sensing or Intuitive? Thinking or Feeling? Judging or Perceiving? Try taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI^®) personality inventory to learn more about yourself, how you work with others, and even what jobs might be a good fit. You can take the free version at 16 Personalities.com for slightly different feedback.

Résumé
Your résumé is a document that clearly lists your contact information, employment history, education, life experiences, and skills that relate to why an employer should hire you for the job. Résumé Genius, Canva, JobNexus, and Zety are a few websites that offer free templates to get you started.

Education
Life is full of opportunities to learn – both in the formal classroom setting with professors and homework deadlines, and in leadership opportunities on and off campus. Volunteer when you see a need. Say “yes” to the chance to learn a new skill for free. This may include helping a friend film a video or going on a mission trip. Or, if your degree could be enhanced by a certification, get information on it and explore the opportunity to add it your résumé.

Prayer
The Lord knows who He needs you to be, where He needs you to be, and why He needs you to be there. Let me tell you now, He won’t always let you in on some of these answers which is why we should go to Him in prayer every day. Develop an eternal perspective on life, a kingdom-mindset. Knock on the doors He provides and the right one will open. Behind that door are other human beings trying to figure out life who need Jesus and who might just get a glimpse through our loving, gracious support. God has a special place for you, sometimes for a season, sometimes for a lifetime. Give it all to Him, every day.

For current students, go to Career Services under My.ValleyForge.edu for on and off-campus opportunities. Off-campus opportunities are also posted in UVF-Career Services on Facebook. The fall Job Fair for students seeking part-time jobs will be on August 30, 2018, in Heritage Hallway. The next Career Fair will be on January 19, 2019. Résumé reviews are available in Student Success & Career Services in Tucker Hall 102.