Keys to finding a successful YM?

Hi everyone. I am the DRE at our parish and we have lost our 2nd youth minister in 18 months. I will try and be brief - but I need some advice. Any suggestions on how to navigate the hiring process so that we don't - once again - hire someone that is not willing or able to do the job? The last person we hired was, on paper, very qualified. He interviewed well and said all the right things - everything we wanted to hear. However, the gap between what he did vs. what he said he would do was insurmountable. And, if I'm being honest, his personal/family life was not agreeable with the time required to do the job well. Before we begin our search again, does anyone have suggestions or tips/tricks for the interview process? What aspect of your interview did you feel most prepared you for the actual job of being a YM? What do you think was make or break?


  • Hi!! Our parish support team was just working on the steps for hiring a youth minister! Tricia has been instrumental in making it happen. Send us your name and phone and email and we can get you some information from our research! Praying for you today!

  • There will also be a great breakout session on this at CYMC 10-13 June in Arizona.

  • edited January 2018

    Here is a great blog:

    Along with some great interview questions:
    The time has come to bring the final candidate or candidates to a face-to-face interview. If you have chosen to do a panel interview, assign an order to the questions that will be asked and various members of the panel to ask specific questions.

    If you have teens on your panel, ask them what they would want to know about the youth minister and include a few additional questions to the questions below. Do not feel as though you need to ask all the questions presented here. We are just providing you with a series of questions that will help answer questions that will provide a well-rounded idea of the individual you are interviewing including spirituality, professionalism, and ministry skillset.

    Personal Spirituality Interview Questions
    Tell us about yourself?
    What is your biggest dream in life?
    Describe your prayer life at this time.
    What do you most value about your Catholic faith?
    What teachings of the Catholic Church do you find most difficult to teach teens? Why?

    Ministry Experience Interview Questions
    Why did you choose to be a youth minister?
    How would you define success in youth ministry?
    At the end of your ministry career, what must have been present for you to feel as if you had a successful career?
    Describe the perfect work environment with coworkers and staff in which you would experience the most success.
    Looking back at your past work or ministry experience, what would your previous employer or staff say were your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
    What does your weekly programming look like at your current parish? (If they are currently a youth minister at a parish)
    Annually, what events or experiences do you provide your teens at your current parish?
    Tell us about one of your most effective Life Nights? Retreats?
    What would your vision be for youth ministry at this parish?
    Can you share a struggle or failure you faced in work or ministry? How did you recover from this moment that did not go how you planned it to go?
    What has been the greatest challenge in your current youth ministry (or job)? What has been your greatest achievement in youth ministry (or job)?
    What is your relational ministry or evangelization approach with teens and families?
    Have you managed a Core Team or volunteers in the past? If so, how did you create a sense of teamwork and spirituality so they could succeed in leading teens to Christ and grow their personal relationship with God?
    How would you go about recruiting Core Members or volunteers for your ministry?
    What is your vision for developing, forming, and empowering Core Members or volunteers in youth ministry?
    Imagine that you have received a coveted national award five years from now. Why did you receive the award, what is the award, and what are the circumstances under which you received the award?

    Leadership Interview Questions
    Think of a time when you have had to perform in a leadership role and tell me how people responded to your leadership efforts.
    Tell me about a time when you failed? How did it happen? How did you handle it?
    If I were to ask your Core Team or your peers to comment on your leadership style, your leadership strengths, and your leadership weaknesses, how would they respond? What would this discussion tell me about you as a leader?
    What are the three most important values you demonstrate as a leader? (Ask them to expand with an example of one of the values in practice at their current workplace.)

    Additional Questions
    Share the Job Description with them and ask them if they have any questions about the Job Description
    Do you have any questions for me/us?
    Expect questions about:
    Job description/responsibilities
    Salary/money, insurance, vacation time, etc.
    Who they report to (DRE, Pastor, Priest, Formation Director, etc.)
    Why previous youth minister quit
    If there was not a previous youth minister, why the parish has decided to support youth ministry

    Be sure to close in prayer and thank them for their time. Give them a timeframe for which they will hear back from you about the position and if there are other candidates you are still interviewing.

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