Should I Talk About My Faith During a Job Interview?

If a secular employer asks you questions about your faith during a job interview, that’s a big–I mean BIG–red flag.

You also shouldn’t be asked about what you do on your weekends unless it’s relevant to the job.

Now, if you’re chatting informally and you mention you go to church on the weekends, that’s up to you. But, a potential employer shouldn’t be asking you questions about personal topics that aren’t relevant.

It strikes me that religion is appropriate at the entry level inasmuch as many employers, e.g. retail and fast food, will require weekend shifts. So that can come up a bit. In other jobs, there will be some times that you simply need to say “no” out of conscience. I remember a vendor once offering to take me to a Vegas show, and when I declined, I got curious and looked up what the show was when I got back to my room. I’m pretty sure it was a topless revue.

I actually just took my company’s conduct course, and it’s worth noting that they are very firm about not asking these kinds of things, and actually had a section on micro-aggressions. I’m torn on that last bit, as I love learning about where people are from and consider it a way of making connection with people, but apparently there are enough people who consider that an offense that they mark it off limits. And to be totally honest, a lot of times I get curious, but decide that “that’s really their business to reveal if they want”. But sometimes it’s tough, ‘cause I get to work with so many really interesting people.

I am a self employed multi-vocational pastor. That means each time I meet a potential new customer, it can be like another job interview. I want to be careful not to use my faith as a sales pitch, but I also do not want to miss out on a witnessing opportunity. Since the only boss I have to worry about is my savior, I talk to Him a lot about this. There are times I have waited to talk about Christ until after I have the job or even after I have finished the job. Sometimes it is better to build credibility and even a bit of a relationship before speaking of our faith. Other times, doors have opened so clearly during the first meeting that I speak of my faith right away.

One such example happened this fall. I was filling in a trench I had dug right next to a rural road, when a man I had never met stopped and asked me about doing some work for him. We jumped in my truck and looked at his job and in a short time it was as if we had known each other our whole lives. The conversation naturally went to spiritual things and I witnessed to him and handed him a tract. He said that he had not read the Bible, but had just started reading it the night before because he was discouraged about some trouble his son was having with school. I am so thankful that my “boss” allowed that conversation to take place.