In today’s competitive world, few things are more discouraging than being out of work. If you are looking for a job, wanting a better job, or know someone seeking employment or education, the Internet home for LDS Employment Resource Services (ERS) at http://jobs.lds.org is more than a website for job leads and job information. It is a resource powered by people helping people who are making a difference in lives of individuals and families.

This is because LDSJobs goes hand in hand with a vast network of Church Service Missionaries (CSM) who volunteer twenty hours per week in hundreds of LDS Employment Resource Centers the world over. They work with local Church leaders and employment specialists who use the site to assist job seekers, students, and anyone looking to improve their circumstances. Employers post job openings at LDSJobs and search for eligible candidates. Very active account representatives find open positions, and contract with major companies to provide direct links to hiring systems from within LDSJobs. Deseret Industries also has a close association with LDSJobs, providing dynamic placement and training internships.

A central feature of LDSJobs is an incredible database of job openings accessible to any user registered on the site. Jobs are searched by skill-set or description, using a few key words with a location. Each post has requirements and instructions about how to apply. A job-seekers profile serves as an online resume for matching the candidate’s skills, experience, education, and career goals.

Finding employment is a full-time job for a job seeker and requires more than just submitting an application and waiting for a call back. CSMs in LDS service centers provide workshops, including a career workshop that focuses on important job-seeking skills,  and individual counseling to help job seekers polish their resumes, improve their interview skills, develop career or education plans, and find scholarship sources. CSM’s work with stake and ward employment specialists to assist anyone who registers on LDSJobs through the process of finding a good fit for their needs and abilities. Many CSMs extend their service commitment because they enjoy working with people and see lives rewarded through their efforts. Software at LDSJobs helps track job seekers throughout the mentoring process.

The results are a witness to the dedication of trained volunteers, and the technology tools that support resources at LDSJobs. According to Bart Howell, a Church Service Missionary who spends several hours per week as a service center coordinator, “The website really helps us out a lot. Behind it, we see a spiritually based operation that is patterned after the Savior in seeking out the poor and needy. We see results every day as people without hope find hope where there was none, and with help, direction and motivation, their lives are changed and their families for the better.” Over a thousand individuals found jobs during the past year through the service center where he volunteers.

You may not live near an LDS Employment Resource Center, or know an employment specialist, but you can still tap into resources on LDSJobs online by viewing the videos and using the available tools. Register on the site, locate an LDS Employment Resource Center near you, and make a call. You will find a welcome support network of people willing to help.


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