Qualified Candidate Scale
The Qualified Candidate Scale (QCS) was created to help both candidates and organizations have a clearer understanding of interests and readiness of a candidate for serving either in missions or in overseas education. Flexibility is an important consideration when considering a candidate and the role he or she might play in kingdom work. There are 10 QCS questions in the Journey portal (formerly Finishers Project) and Education profiles.
Some questions are less important to a some organizations. Complete the profile as accurately as possible for the most compelling and appropriate results. Each one contributes to an overall assessment of a candidate with the goal of helping candidates and organizations find a better match. But the big idea is to have you and the mission agency start a dialogue.
A QCS score should be considered an approximate measure when it comes to determining if a candidate is suitable for serving in missions or with any specific agency or school. We at MissionNext do hope it will be helpful for agencies and schools to find candidates on Journey and Education pathways. We also hope that candidates will find the QCS score as a useful tool to thoughtfully position God’s call on their lives.
# | QCS Question | Importance |
1 | Process Stage | The Process Stage gives an agency or school an indication how ready an individual is to begin serving. It helps to know where they are on their journey in seeking opportunities to serve in missions or as an educator to serve overseas. Those who are just beginning will take longer to learn about the many options and opportunities in mission work. People who are ready to select a ministry are much further on their journey and are ready to decide. |
2 | Time Commitment | Time Commitment is helpful for agencies and schools because it gives them a better idea how long someone is considering serving. While long-term is preferred, some agencies are looking specifically for people to serve short-term. Often flexibility in how long someone is willing to serve is what is most important. |
3 | Journey Guide Option | The Journey Guide Option is helpful to agencies because it gives an indication of how willing an individual is to fully engage in the process of searching out opportunities to serve. |
4 | Cross-Cultural Experience | People having greater Cross-Cultural Experience are more likely to thrive when in an overseas assignment, especially long term. This is an indication of readiness. Most agencies have training available for people interested in serving overseas who may not have any cross-cultural experience. Depending upon the extent and specific experience the time needed to get to the field may be reduced when a candidate has this kind of experience already. |
5 | Relocation Possibilities | Many opportunities to serve in mission work can be done locally and may not require relocation. Most all of the Education opportunities are specifically overseas. Let the adventure begin. Being willing to relocate as needed is an enormous help to agencies because there is greater flexibility to meet the agencies specific needs. |
6 | Church Involvement | Many agencies look at how involved a candidate is in serving in their church as an indication of how serious they are in serving on the mission field. Someone who is actively serving in their church and has already taken steps with church leadership toward going into missions is going to be more attractive to an agency than someone who attends church but is not otherwise involved. |
7 | Missions Exposure | Missions Exposure is another indication of how much a candidate is interested in missions. This may range from no experience to current missionaries who are coming to MissionNext to find a new role in kingdom work. |
8 | I/We can be Available | When a candidate can begin serving is an important readiness question. Often mission agencies have limited resources to work with a candidate who will not be ready to serve for years. Yet many agencies have recruited people who have a passion for missions while in high school and helped them to steer their college or graduate education to meet specific needs for their ministry. It can be a win / win for both the candidate and the agency. |
9 | Attended Perspectives | The Perspectives course or Perspectives on the World Christian Movement is a significant indicator of a candidate’s interest in missions. The Perspectives Course, a ministry of the Frontier Ventures, is based in Pasadena, California. The course engages candidates in Biblical, Historical, Cultural and strategic elements of missions. Agencies often cite the Perspectives course as a clear indicator of interest in serving in kingdom work. |
10 | Your Faith Journey | A self-assessment of faith journey is an important indication of maturity in their walk with the Lord. Less established Christians may crash in a stressful, cross-cultural environment. A mature Christian is more likely to accept challenging assignments as God’s call on their life. Depending on the needs of an agency there may be many opportunities for Christians who are willing to be stretched in their Faith as well. |