Friday, July 6, 2018
Hey Fletch … I was thinking about applying for the open XP role at our church. Then I found out the church quickly and quietly hired an insider. Is this typical?
DRF—I’m sorry that you didn’t get the change to apply for the position and possibly get an interview. If a church posts an open position, they should allow three to five weeks for people to apply. Otherwise, it makes people wonder, “Why did they post the open position?” This is exactly the question that you are asking.
The answers are complicated. Some churches have an insider who is interested but unsure of the role. When the job is posted, they see the full job description. This speeds up the dialogue and the person can be quickly hired. Other churches go through the formality of posting an open position, but already have a candidate in mind. I’m not a fan of this for the very reason of your question.
The word “insider” is challenging. It can mean promoting an existing staff person or it can mean hiring a friend. You may want to have a conversation with a leader in your church about the hiring process. Ask straightforward questions and see what they have to say. It may make sense when you hear the whole story.
