Four Questions To Ask When Preparing A Ministry Resume

We get a whole lot of questions about how to best prepare a ministry resume. I tell people resumes are a lot like weddings: there are a million different ways to do one, but only a few things really need to happen to make the deal legitimate.

So what are the key ingredients to ministry resume writing? There are a whole lot of valid ingredients, but here ere are four questions to ask yourself as you are writing or reviewing resumes. They should give you a good start to discerning and creating the very best ministry resume.

1. Is the ministry resume the right length? There’s an old school wisdom out there that says resumes must be one page only. That thinking has pretty much passed by the wayside. One or two , or maybe three pages is fine. Far more important than length is organization and readability. Does the resume lay out in a way that is sensible? Does it get right to the point? Does it start with the candidate’s most recent work history, and then move to education/beliefs, etc.? Focus on organization in a ministry resume may be a good indicator to organization in work flow on the job.

2. Is the ministry resume focused on an objective? Good ministry resume writers take time to focus the resume on the job they are seeking. Does the resume state from the outset what the candidate’s objective is? Is the objective clear, concise, compelling, and a fit with the context of the job? If you’re thinking this means you have to tailor your resume to every job you’re applying for, you’re right. Taking care to hand craft your ministry resume for the job indicates that you will take time to hand craft your work for the needs of your new employer.

3. Is the resume filled with achievements? A good ministry resume tells what you have gotten done, not what you believe should be done. When reading over a resume, there should be a clear narrative that outlines the ways that an employee has created a difference for an employer. Even in the church world, those achievements represent a profitmargin.

4. Is the resume filled with interesting information? A good ministry resume isn’t just clinical. It gives an insight into the candidate as a person. One way to do this is to list hobbies. But be careful: boring hobbies = boring candidate! Does the resume show a candidate who is involved in difference making efforts in the community? Does it show a physically active person? Does it show an interesting person? Resumes are the first step to an employer deciding, “Do I want to hang out with this person all week?”

We will be adding more content on ministry resumes in the future, but would love to hear from you.

Question: What do you think is the most common mistake on resumes?