Credentials or Competence

 

What is the more important quality to determine someone’s success? I’ve thought about this, in particular, regarding a person’s job or career. There are people who have all the right degrees and qualifications, but when it comes down to crunch time they’re just not very dependable, or competent. Others may not have the degrees required, but you can find that they are otherwise competent and reliable.

I had a boss who seemed to place a lot of importance on applicants having all the right credentials and experience for the position they were applying. Some of his hires, I would say, ended up being not that impressive, when they were hired on that basis alone. There are a lot of things to consider when hiring someone. Some people who have all the right degrees can easily take the job for granted. Therefore, they don’t appreciate what they have. So, they approach the job with the attitude, “You’re just so lucky to have me here.” These are the type of people who show up when they feel like it. They might end up calling in a lot to say they aren’t coming in that day. Or, they might not call in at all.

There’s also the factor to consider of them just being a capable person. I’ve seen some very intelligent people with all the right degrees, but as the saying goes, “They could mess up a one man parade.” This is sometimes hard to watch. You can watch some people work and it seems they just leave a trail of disaster behind them. And it can be more work just fixing everything that gets messed up than if you had never hired them at all.

A less credentialed person can sometimes be the right hire for many reasons. They might appreciate the job more. So, they don’t take things for granted. They pay more attention to what they’re doing. They approach the job with a fresh mindset, so they don’t have any pre-conceived notions. They also don’t have any bad habits that you need to un-train from a previous job they had. They’re a blank slate you can work with and teach them what you want them to learn, the way you want them to learn it. To hire these people you may have to rely more on references and talking to previous employers.

Of course, some people are neither credentialed nor competent. I suppose those would definitely be a no hire. And other people are both. In which case, you might end up getting a really good employee. The bottom line for me, is that if I had to choose between the two, I would choose the competent person. I would say that credentials and degrees have often become overvalued in our society. I’m not trying to denigrate people with credentials. I’m just saying that, in my experience, if I had to choose between the two, competence is the better way to go. You can get a long way in life just by being a competent and dependable person.

 

…Let’s go deeper

 

 

It’s often been said that God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called. I think there’s a lot of truth to that, and it’s evidenced by scripture. There are many examples where God used some of the least expected candidates. I think King David was one example. Of all the sons of Jesse, he was the one people least expected to become King of Israel.
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The prophet Jeremiah was another example because he thought he was too young. He said in AV Jeremiah 1:6, “Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child.” He didn’t think he was qualified. But God answered in AV Jeremiah 1:7: “But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.” God doesn’t care whether you meet the qualifications of people. He has His own set of qualifications. He knows the hearts of all men. He knows whether they’ll be faithful to what He’s called them to do.

AV 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” This is true often not only of things, but of people God uses. But what does this verse mean, you may wonder? Well, when God speaks about the ‘foolish things of the world’, He’s saying they may look foolish to the people of the world. And when He speaks about the ‘week things of the world’, He’s saying that they may look weak in the eyes of the world. But God has placed a high value on them. They’re not foolish to Him. He knows their true value. These are often the people who aren’t puffed up with pride, but have a humbleness of heart that God is looking for.

A relationship involves loads of hard work, compromise, patience, dedication, trust etc which makes it unavoidable cialis properien discover address now for one to have the diabetes. If men’s failing to achieve an erection more than 50% of deaths in CKD stage generic viagra usa 5 cohorts are attributed to cardiovascular disease. PWD ram Rush liquid http://robertrobb.com/stantons-protest-pickle/ order generic viagra incense aromas has been the number one selling alkyl nitrite and isobutyl product base is mixed in the world for over 30 years. Erectile dysfunction, a failure of achieving or maintaining a brand cialis no prescription healthy erection for the mutual sexual satisfaction of both partners during sexual intercourse.’ Even though this herbal supplement is not approved by the U.S. AV 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;” This also illustrates for us that our sufficiency isn’t in ourselves, but in God. We are made credible because of Him. We are qualified because of Him. Not due to some earthly mandate we have to back us.

AV 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” This was God’s response to Paul when He asked God to take away His ‘thorn in the flesh.’ Why did God say this? Well, because this infirmity got Paul completely out of the way so that God could work through Him. God’s strength is made perfect in our weakness. Why? Because then we’re out of the way. Our ego, our pride, our self-sufficiency doesn’t get in the way. And God can work through us more effectively.

What’s the end result of all this then? AV 1 Corinthians 1:29 says, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.” This ends up showing us that He is the one to be glorified. If God were to use only the qualified and wise, in this world, people could easily attribute their success to those people themselves. But when God uses the least, in the eyes of the world, they can only end up concluding that it was a work of God.

You may feel God calling you to do something you don’t feel qualified to do. This can make you reluctant to step out and do it. But know this—if He’s called you to do it, He will equip you to do it.

AV Jeremiah 1:6-7, “Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I [am] a child. But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I [am] a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.”

AV 1 Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

AV 2 Corinthians 3:5 says, “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency [is] of God;”

AV 2 Corinthians 12:9, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

AV 1 Corinthians 1:29 says, “That no flesh should glory in his presence.”

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