Guided Search Engagement Process
When you hire Minister Match for a Guided Search engagement, you get much more than a “recruiter.” You get the strength and experience of our team and your own dedicated Search Manager. Partner-level involvement in every search is very important to us. Don Viar, our founder and the author of The Search Committee Handbook, is personally involved in every Guided Search engagement as both an advisor and recruiter.
Before starting the five phases of The Minister Hiring Process, we will first engage in an extra “Discovery Phase.” Your Search Manager will invest the time needed to learn more about your congregation and better understand the job opportunity at hand. During this phase, we get to know your leadership team by meeting with your elders and existing ministers. We work to understand your congregation’s recent history and your vision for the future.
As you progress through each phase of The Minister Hiring Process, we work with and through your search committee Chair as a partner and resource. We serve as mentors, advisors, and support staff to help the Chair and committee execute a great search process. Throughout the search, Minister Match shoulders a huge portion of the administrative work so that the Chair and the committee can be focused on the needs of the congregation and getting to know the candidates.
Still from a practical perspective, we understand that there is a desire to understand how the "rubber meets the road" and what exactly Minister Match does to earn its fees. While no two searches are exactly the same, here are the services that we typically provide throughout each phase of the process*:
Planning
- Consultation on the selection of the committee Chair and members
- Consultation with the elders on their “Charge” to the committee
- Training for the search committee on The Minister Hiring Process
- Initial draft of the Job Description
- Initial draft of the Position Advertisement.
- Initial draft of the Congregation Survey
- Initial draft of the Candidate Questionnaire
- Creation of a secured online document storage location for the committee
Development
- Placement of the Position Advertisement on the websites and in the publications approved by the Committee
- Prospecting and recruiting calls to potential candidates
- Monthly recruiting status report to the committee
- Serving as the congregation’s Point of Contact for all potential applicants
- Pre-screening applicants based on the committee’s minimum qualifications
- Delivery of a qualified, screened Candidate Pool
Selection
- Training for the search committee on the 5 Rounds of the selection phase
- Facilitation of the Round 1 Initial Selection Meeting
- Initial draft of the Round 2 interview questions
- Coordination of the Round 2 remote interviews and facilitation of the video or audio conference calls
- Coordination of the work samples needed for the Round 3 reviews
- Facilitation of the academic, financial and criminal background checks
- Coordination of candidate visits to your congregation for Round 4 interviews
- Initial draft of the Round 4 interview questions
- Participation in candidate referencing
- Observation and participation in the Round 5 nomination meeting
- Notification to candidates as they are eliminated from the search process
Introduction
- Creation of an Elder Update Package on the eventual Nominee
- Input on the structure of the final Job Offer and Employment Agreement
On-Boarding
- Facilitation of relocation logistics
* The actual services needed by your congregation may vary so the services shown on this list are provided on an "as needed" basis.
If this sounds like something that might be a fit for your congregation, we would appreciate the chance to discuss your situation. Please click the Get Started button below to have someone from our office reach out to you.