Ministry HR is screwed up

6 years of business. Undergrad focussed on HR (Human Resources) MBA focusses on HR. Love management, love HR, love employment law, love collective bargaining. HATE stupidity.

I've always thought that the church is way behind the secular times when it comes to hiring, firing, promoting and especially recruiting. After reading Andrew Zirschky's Blog and great discussion, I am reminded of the horrible job churches do. Read the posting here.

My opinions on hiring and recruiting is this.

1. Churches are too closed doored on who they hire. Most churches hire people they know or come highly reccommended by friends. Recommendations are essential, but if you never expand your circle of where recommendations come from, you never expand your potential to hire better employees. Churches rarely expand their circles.
2. Churches can't overcome their fear of hiring people they don't know. This is understandable because most churches on their first attmept to hire someone that hasn't been raised up in the church, gone off to a college affiliated with the denomination, and is the child of a board member usually get burned. As a result they don't push past their mistake and learn. Instead they become phobic to the idea of hiring anyone outside the circle. While it is understandable, it is unacceptable.
3. Churches are inept at determining if the candidate is a potential good hire. I've been part of many interviews for secular and christian jobs. Most interviews for secular jobs do a great job of finding out if you are a good match for the company and they aren't afraid to tell you if you aren't. Most churches / religious organizations aren't. On one particular interview, I was never asked a question. They just kept telling me about the job until the only question was "So, do you want the job?"

I have lots of other opinions about this, but I've found that if I post more than a few paragraphs no one reads it. (I know I don't)

So - Point is - We're hiring a worship director and I'm tired of waiting for "traditional" methods currently being employed and am trying to speed up the process. If you - or anyone you know want a fair shot at this position, let me know. Great church, Great boss, Great benefits, Huge potential. I can give more details when you ask.

Email me here mbbarrett@gmail.com or here pastor.matt@fcoc.net or post comments.