Rude employers: Is it because they're Christian?

[NotKelly]

Okay, maybe a provocative subject line, but... I've been searching for a job for a couple months now. I've gotten a few phone interviews and some in-person ones, but no job offers yet, but that's not unusual, etc etc.

 

My issue is that so far, every time I happen to deal with prospective employers who identify themselves as Christian (either it's a church, or a business owner who publicly plays up his/her Christian values), I've found these people to be noticeably rude and unprofessional when it comes to the search process.

 

With every other place I've applied, the HR people or business owners are on time, professional, and -- if you have interviewed with them at least once or twice but don't get the job -- at least courteous enough to drop you a quick email saying someone else has been chosen. I think these days, you can't expect a response after one phone interview, but if you are brought in for one or even two in-person interviews, eventually you will hear SOMETHING, usually just a form response, which is fine.

 

In my experience, three or four times now, it's always the "Christians" who just leave you hanging. I went through three interviews with one place and heard absolutely nothing back from them. They didn't even have the courtesy to say "Thank you for speaking to us, we're going with someone else" - standard impersonal form letter, how hard is that? It's not like everything hinged on their response, because after a while I figured I didn't get the job, but it just seemed rude and cold. I came in three times to speak with you (over the course of a week) and you just leave someone hanging? Really? I can see a corporation acting like that, but a church? (This after I had sent the usual rounds of thank-you notes to interviewers, like you're supposed to if you're a polite and committed job-seeker, etc.)

 

The latest is getting called back for another interview by another Christian employer... I was at the dentist when the call came in and I called back not an hour later. When I identified myself, the guy said "Who?" You just left a message for me, I said, repeating my name. The guy said he was in a meeting and that he would call me back. He never did. I basically wasted my whole day waiting for this guy to call, so that I could give him my undivided attention. Didn't call the next day either, or the next. WTF?

 

What is with these people? It's getting to the point now where when I go to an employer's website and see a lot of "Christian values" highly touted, I brace myself for flaky behavior.

Edited November 12, 2015 by NotKelly

[OpenBook]

By their fruit ye shall know them [Jesus]... regardless of what they say [me].

 

I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing this. Churches are full of flawed human beings, just like everywhere else. Yes you'd think they would practice what they preach, but that doesn't always happen.

 

Whatever the case may be - consider it a bullet, dodged. You wouldn't want to work there anyway. At least you got an early indicator of what it would have been like.

[SincereOnlineGuy]

 

In my experience, three or four times now, it's always the "Christians" who just leave you hanging.

 

 

You'd know that job wasn't for you if you read """"""God's PLAAAAAAN"""""" for you. You'd be able to pen your own rejection letter, etc.

 

 

So yes, ask your imaginary friend why you didn't get the job.

 

 

Then ask yourself why anyone would have an imaginary friend who so clearly likes somebody else better.

[Got it]

I think it is probably more about the size of the company. I would presume that a church or a business that publicly lauded their religion is not a large one, so they are less skilled via personnel and software. Most larger companies have Applicant Tracking Systems that automatically produce those form communications so that makes it a lot easier to handle.

[MightyPen]

OP, I'm pretty..very...okay, extremely anti-religion, and so I'm tempted to pile on and say "Yes those Christians are always so high and mighty!" but really as Got It pointed out, much of it probably boils down to a lack of professional behavior, systems and resources.

 

 

If you feel you should avoid religious-based employers in the future, I certainly wouldn't begrudge you, especially if you are not religious yourself. Heck, many smaller employers who use the Jesus fish and things like that on their advertising may attempt to "vet" future employees anyway based on their religion. I mean, how can they puff their chests that they are a Christian company if the sales guy/woman is a dirty heathen with no Jesus fish anywhere?

[thefooloftheyear]

I doubt highly that religion had anything to do with it...

 

I really dont know what you want?...Its pretty simple..If they really want you they'll hopefully find the time to keep you in the loop...But businesses, esp small ones, simply do not have the time or resources to follow up, send correspondences and/or apologetic letters to people they dont hire...

 

Or sometimes they drop the ball, but its usually because something came up that needed immediate attention...

 

Employees walk out on jobs or take other jobs when you already hired them and never call or notify ..They also do other sorts of things that wouldnt be considered appropriate..It happens both ways..

 

TFY

[TaraMaiden2]

I'm honestly astonished that such businesses are permitted to advertise their christian leanings as part of their profile.

It's a form of pre-emptive prejudice.

I mean, if you're making an application to actually deliberately work within a specifically religious/Christian environment, their religious affiliation is an obvious and given criterion. It goes without saying....

 

But if it's an accountant's office, or real Estate, or a workplace which would have no obvious, overt or significant connection or association with any religious group, it's effectively narrowing the field of applicants and determining - by its very mention of its christian connection - that atheists need not apply, and other religious groups may come under scrutiny...

 

In the UK such a declaration is neither permitted no condoned....

[MightyPen]

I'm honestly astonished that such businesses are permitted to advertise their christian leanings as part of their profile.

It's a form of pre-emptive prejudice.

I mean, if you're making an application to actually deliberately work within a specifically religious/Christian environment, their religious affiliation is an obvious and given criterion. It goes without saying....

 

But if it's an accountant's office, or real Estate, or a workplace which would have no obvious, overt or significant connection or association with any religious group, it's effectively narrowing the field of applicants and determining - by its very mention of its christian connection - that atheists need not apply, and other religious groups may come under scrutiny...

 

In the UK such a declaration is neither permitted no condoned....

 

 

Welcome to an atheist's life in America, where using the Jesus fish in advertising or putting "A Christian-owned business" on letters automatically equates, in some people's minds at least, to some sort of seal of approval.

 

 

I could start my own law firm with a tagline of something like, "A law firm owned by a rational, critical thinking person who shuns mythology in all forms" but uh here that wouldn't go over so well.

[SincereOnlineGuy]

Welcome to an atheist's life in America, where using the Jesus fish in advertising or putting "A Christian-owned business" on letters automatically equates, in some people's minds at least, to some sort of seal of approval.

 

 

I could start my own law firm with a tagline of something like, "A law firm owned by a rational, critical thinking person who shuns mythology in all forms" but uh here that wouldn't go over so well.

 

 

I wonder if they'd allow/make you (to) bake wedding cakes??

 

 

But c'mon, MightyPen... what do you exclaim upon hitting your thumb with a hammer?

 

We all need a certain amount of mythology in our lives.