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Shoe color for ministry position interview

Well, the interview was last weekend and it went really well. I went with the black shoes, nice and shiny. I got a compliment or two on them.
 
Am I the only one that thinks that black doesn't go with a navy suit? I'd go with the Browns unless truly ratty. Truth is that unless something really sticks out (one direction or either) they'll only remember a sense of well/appropriately dressed or not. Would think the bar for that for a youth minister would be lower - i.e. No flip flops.

but what do I know, I'm just an old 56a whose had Sgts. Major dress me for the last several years ;)

So did some checking and I'd like to change my recommendation to the Black shoes.

That's the nice thing about Navy. It goes well with both, as long as the brown is dark enough.

Sandals. It worked for the big man!

Most churches are looking for you to represent Jesus, and would frown upon attempts to pass yourself off as Jesus. Plus, a good church is messy, so close-toed shoes are required.
 
Well, the interview was last weekend and it went really well. I went with the black shoes, nice and shiny. I got a compliment or two on them.

Dressing for the ministry really depends on the church, IMHO. The church I belonged to in St Petersburg tended to be somewhat informal. The pastor most of the time wore a suit and tie. The music pastor wore a sport shirt. Most of the congregation wore informal attire with perhaps 30% of the men wearing a jacket.

The church I belong to in AZ is more informal. I have yet to see any of the ministry wear a jacket and at most 10% of the men in the congregation wear a jacket.
 
Dressing for the ministry really depends on the church, IMHO.

I totally agree with you. I wore a suit for the morning worship and khakis and a sport shirt for the evening worship. I followed the habits of the preacher at the congregation. The congregation I grew up in was and still is more formal, all of them are different. I do feel like being in a leadership position requires one to look the part, even if the congregants dress informally a leader should be more professional - seeing as how he is being paid to do the work.
 

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
Well, the interview was last weekend and it went really well. I went with the black shoes, nice and shiny. I got a compliment or two on them.

Congratulations.

Does "went really well" mean you got the job, or just are "still in the running"?

Dressing for the ministry really depends on the church, IMHO.

Indeed.

... I followed the habits of the preacher at the congregation. ... I do feel like being in a leadership position requires one to look the part, even if the congregants dress informally a leader should be more professional - seeing as how he is being paid to do the work.

Yes.

On the last two posts quoted ... I agree. Fit in with the general tenor of the congregation, and dress well enough compared to the general congregation to send that subtle message that you take your obligations of the leadership position seriously. Right on.



In terms of dressing for interviews specifically, I have always felt that dressing for an interview is different from dressing for the job that might come from the interview. The two are connected, yes, but ... two different levels of formality and dress. Think of the analogy of "wedding and married life" compared to "interview and job" ... you dress up more for the wedding; if you showed up in your normal clothes to say "I do", SWMBO would likely be miffed.

(The two levels of dress are "connected" ... so you dress differently for an interview to be a banker or lawyer than you would for an interview to be a computer programme designer, and differently again for a job driving a D8 Cat. But in each case, you "gussy yourself up" to let the interviewer know you are taking the interview seriously.)
 
Congratulations.

Does "went really well" mean you got the job, or just are "still in the running"?

Thanks!

"Really well" means that at the end of Sunday services most of the congregants stopped to let us know they hoped to see us again in the near future. The elders, who would be making the final decision, told me they were very pleased. My family and I stayed in the home of one of the elders and he and I spoke for sometime after services about ministerial tax/insurance issues and that they would be contacting me in about a week to let all of the congregation submit feedback to the eldership. We are of course not getting our hopes up too high and and still looking for opportunities, but we are confident and hopeful.
 
Sounds good. Fingers crossed here that you get the job.

Thanks!

"Really well" means that at the end of Sunday services most of the congregants stopped to let us know they hoped to see us again in the near future. The elders, who would be making the final decision, told me they were very pleased. My family and I stayed in the home of one of the elders and he and I spoke for sometime after services about ministerial tax/insurance issues and that they would be contacting me in about a week to let all of the congregation submit feedback to the eldership. We are of course not getting our hopes up too high and and still looking for opportunities, but we are confident and hopeful.
 
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