I got the interview that led to a job after I surrendered to God. I learnt that having good qualifications didn’t necessarily mean I could get interviews, much less get a job. I learnt that being be obedient to God’s leading was far superior to using human logic to get a job. If God gives you an instruction or a Word from the Bible for your job search, just obey. Human logic doesn’t add up. His ways are higher than ours.

Here’s my story with God.

Photo by Kahl Orr on Unsplash

I worked as a product manager for an IT firm in late 90s. After a few months working, I couldn’t help but notice many of the sales managers or Business Development Managers (BDMs) drove nice flashy sports cars. They had an air of apparent self-confidence. I admired their impeccable suits and branded clothes. One day, I said to myself, “I think it’s good for me to be a BDM too”. I was so captivated by the ‘apparent’ high life of a BDM.

Shortly after making up my mind, I mustered enough courage, walked up to my manager’s office and told him that I wanted to be in sales. Now, my manager was an experienced, polished salesman. He was the ultimate Mr. Confident, and I greatly admired him. He paused and gave me that *look* of a bemused person.

He saw my youthful bravado and naivety. I couldn’t exactly recall what he said, but he responded and gave me the approval to move up to sales! Hooray! I was going to be a BDM! Beyond the apparent glamor, little did I know that doing cold calls, securing meetings in the corporate world, and winning deals were actually very very hard. Very hard. I gave it a go for a few months before I finally threw the towel in.

I couldn’t handle the stress of being in sales. I couldn’t hit my sales quota. I thought I could, but after 6 months as a Business Development Manager, I realized that selling and meeting quotas were a LOT harder than it looked. I was optimistic and definitely very naive. I ended up a struggling salesman.

So, what happened next?

That’s when I cried out to God, “Get me out of this. I need an easier job!”. Unlike Joshua, I didn’t stop to listen or wait upon God for instructions how to proceed.

Likewise, David’s life is filled with moments where he intentionally paused to seek God’s guidance, especially in times of crisis or major decisions. Here are some powerful examples from Scripture:

🛡️ 1. Rescuing Keilah – 1 Samuel 23:1–5

When David heard the Philistines were attacking Keilah, he didn’t rush in. Instead, he inquired of the Lord twice—first to confirm if he should go, and again when his men were afraid. God assured him of victory, and David obeyed, saving the city.

🔥 2. After Ziklag Was Burned – 1 Samuel 30:7–8

After the Amalekites raided Ziklag and took their families captive, David was deeply distressed. But instead of panicking, he strengthened himself in the Lord and asked, “Shall I pursue this raiding party?” God answered, “Pursue them. You will certainly overtake them and succeed.”

So, without really consulting or waiting for God for the next steps “how” to get a job, I used my human logic. I naturally tried to apply to as many jobs as I could outside my company – as fast as I could over the next several weeks. I handed out my resumes to recruitment companies. I applied for jobs through the papers. Strangely, I could not land a proper interview. And this was despite the fact I was seemingly paper qualified for those roles. I graduated as a Computer Engineer and had recently completed my Microsoft Certified Technical Engineer (MCSE) professional accreditation. MCSEs were a sought-after IT accreditation during my time in the 90s as those who had them could command a salary premium. 

I was devastated that I couldn’t land any interviews.

Why was that? After some reflection, I realized why. In my heart, I knew that I didn’t seek God for His guidance “how” to take my next steps. I just asked God to get my out of the current situation. I was running without Him. So, after many weeks of trials, I surrendered with my pounding heart to Him. During my prayers, I felt God speaking to me gently, in a still small voice:

“You should just stop applying for jobs and leave the outcome to me”. 

“What? Stop applying for jobs?”

Here’s where my little brain started reasoning with me, “If I don’t apply for a job, how in the world would a company be able to find and hire me? That defies logic” 

With hindsight, I learnt that it’s better to put aside the 6 inches or 15cm of logic that resided between our two ears AND listen to what the eternal and wise God says. 

Thankfully and mercifully, God was patient with me. I finally gave in and said to God,

“OK God, I’m going to give in to your ways. I can’t handle the stressful BDM job. But if this is where you want me to be, I’ll stay there. I’ll wait for you to get me out of this role. I’m going to stop applying for jobs”.

Two weeks later, a headhunter called me up and invited me for an interview. I wasn’t sure how they got my resume; but the fact was they found me and called me for an interview. The rest is history. I passed the interviews and joined that company.

My advice to you if you are reading this story is this. God knows best. If He gives you an instruction, JUST DO IT. You don’t have to understand how it works but learn to trust God. Having right qualifications doesn’t necessarily mean you can get interviews, much less a job. There is a common saying, “It’s who you know, not what you know”. We are not to use human wisdom and logic but rather, learn to be obedient if God tells you to do so. Against human odds and logic, I got my interview and landed a job after I surrendered to God. The odds are in your favour when you walk in obedience to God.