The Search for My First Job After College

Senior year is here, and I will soon be graduating in April 2018 as a social work major! From there, I will enter the social services industry. As I think back on my first interaction with a social worker, I am reminded of a time during my senior year of high school. I participated in my high school’s internship program where I spent a semester working at a local homeless shelter. There was an Americorps volunteer who had just graduated with her bachelor degree in social work, and she introduced me to the wonderful profession. I remember looking up more information after hearing the title “social worker” and having my heart light up with each job description I read. I had always felt like my calling was to serve others, but it was a wonderful feeling to know that this calling actually had a title: social work.

As college graduation becomes closer and closer, I have begun searching for jobs. I am looking at both private and state agencies for open positions and have come to the conclusion that open positions are not difficult to find. At the Department of Child Services alone, there are nine posted positions for the state of Indiana. The number of jobs open as caseworkers in correctional facilities exceeds that.

However, as I am looking for these positions, I find myself being drawn to the posted salary before looking at the job responsibilities. After noticing this pattern in myself, I began to ask myself why I was doing that. To put it kindly, social work is not a profession for individuals who want to be rich. I find myself looking at a small difference in salary as a deciding factor in pursuing these positions instead of seeking the Lord in these decisions. When I read the Bible, it says to seek the Lord in all that I do, but I see myself spending time seeking the position with a higher salary. I want to do what is right but find myself doing the opposite. Paul was onto something when he talks about this in Romans 7, right?

At the Ron Blue Institute, we talk a lot about contentment and what that looks like as a Christ follower. Even as a NEXUS Peer Coach, I have to ask myself what contentment looks like in the face of my future career. I believe God has called me into this field, and I should be content in knowing I am following His will. Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” I find contentment in seeking the kingdom of God and following what His plans are for me. There will always be a human desire for “more,” but true contentment is found when we draw closer to Him, and as I continue my job search, I am reminded that I need to search for Him first.