Today on MoneyLife

Sharon Epps, Crown's Executive Vice-President of Content and Media will join us in the studio again today. We're going to talk about work and business today.

I've been studying careers and calling for several months and learning about how different generations have viewed the role of career in their lives differently.

In other words, your age affects how you look at your career. For example, seniors, people born before the Great Depression, are very loyal and stayed with the same company for 40-50 years.

Builders, those born from the Great Depression to the mid 1940s, viewed a career as a way to make a living and take care of their families.

Baby Boomers, born from 1945-1965, saw career as the central focus of life; their work defines them.

Busters, those born from 1965-1985, see work as an irritant. It distracts them from what they want to do. Work is a necessary evil.

Millennials, the latest generation, born between 1985-2005, view work as a place to serve. The Millenial view of work and career is the right one, the closest to God’s view in the Bible. It's important to look at how to make good career decisions and avoid bad ones. That’s what we’re going to do today.

Sharon's here to talk about the keys to avoid making bad career decisions.

We want to help you in the area of career, where so many people feel a need.

People have different motivations for the career they pursue, depending on age. Everyone makes bad career decisions.

Here are some ways to make a bad career decision:

1. Choose the first or easiest job you can get. This is usually done out of concern about not getting another job, insecurity. However, there are times when you have to do something temporarily to pay the bills, especially in this economy. God will honor that choice in an emergency.
   
   
2. Choose a job based on the amount of money it pays. You need to be more concerned about how well a job fits your skills. If you’re chasing money, you’ll never catch it, you'll never have enough. Most get-rich-quick schemes are scams.
   
   
3. Choose a job because it sounds like a good title. People sometimes take jobs because the title appeals to their pride, vanity
   may not be the best fit
   many jobs are glamorous, but they’re necessary
   if you’re willing to do them with a good attitude, provide better job security.
   
   
4. Taking a job just because management offers it. Ssometimes people take on more responsibility than they can handle. It may involve too much travel, too many hours, or it may be more skilled at production than management.
   
   
5. Choosing a job because that’s what your parents do. Parents need to be sensitive to putting pressure on their children to follow in their career footsteps. We tend to guide children towards fields that seem safe, offer job security. Children need to be encouraged to pursue what God has wired them to do, what he is calling them to do.

Here are ways to make good career decisions:

1. Clarify your purpose in life. Seek to understand how God has wired you and the kind of work He has made you to do. Larry Burkett often said people are like snowflakes, each one is uniquely made by God. Be who God created you to be. Trust God and give Him control. Many people aren’t doing what God called them to do as far as their work. They have an unfulfilled dream. Seek to move in the direction of what God wants you to be. Finances can be a help of hindrance to fulfilling your life purpose.
   
   
2. Learn about your natural bent. Discern your abilities, interests, strengths, priorities, and values.
   
   
3. Explore several occupations that fit into your pattern. We encourage taking advantage of internships, temporary jobs in a field. Learn how a job really works. Today 25% of teens are having a hard time finding part-time jobs. Encourage them to volunteer at places they think they would like to work.
   
   
4. Seek God’s confirmation. Ask for His guidance and counsel, get His approval for what you’re doing. Iif you have the desire for God to use you as He created you to be used and you ask Him to put you where He wants you, He will. Seek the counsel of godly people.
   
   
5. Choose your direction and initial destination and develop a plan to get there. Take the first steps of faith, God will reveal His will.
   
   
6. Learn to manage your own career. Don’t be a victim of the decisions of others. This is a stewardship issue. Manage what God has give you wisely. Be proactive, be informed.

Some people don’t want to change careers, they want to stay where they are. It can be a good decision to keep your current job. You could become a better worker where you are.

Christians can make the best of any job by:

• Having a great relationship with your boss, find out how you can serve your boss
  
• Learn to be a friend to those around you, good relationships at work will make you much happier
  
• Change your attitude
  
• Be pro-active, look for unmet needs, and ask God if He wants to use you to meet those needs

***

There's still time to take advantage of our Transformation Challenge. A friend of the ministry gave $500,000 to challenge others to give before the end of the year. We invite you long-time listeners to become partners with us. Your gift will be doubled up to $500,000 and will help create more MoneyLife programs, distribute films, and produce resources. Thank you!

Choosing the Right Vocation

In choosing a vocation, Christians must weigh their priorities very carefully. When people are out of God’s priorities, they are out of His will.

• Read More

Job Loss

Dealing with lay off is not pleasant, but look at the lay off as an opportunity that can be conquered.

• Read More

Making Career Decisions

Most Americans need to unlearn the errors and then learn the truth regarding career decisions.

• Read More

Networking

The most effective method of finding a new job is through contacts—the people you already know or those who know the people you already know.

• Read More

Other Resources:

• ABCs of Money Package
• Career Direct
• God's Principles for Operating a Business
• Business By the Book
• Crown Mvelopes