Churches make up a big part of the community in residential areas. People gather there on weekends and during fairs and festivals to commemorate the saints and their sacrifices while interacting with one another for better community building.
A pastor is a central figure in all that. As a leader of the church, he is often entrusted with providing sermons, leading communions, and other duties of the church. As commanding and awe-inspiring as this position may seem, it takes more than just a congregation behind to get a pastor’s job.
In this blog, we will cover what the role of a pastor entails, what the typical responsibilities of a pastor are, and how to write a resume that can help a seasoned pastor find a church.
Who Is A Pastor?
A pastor’s position is not like any other in the corporate or commercial world. As a member of the clergy, a pastor has to lead by example in the community through selfless behavior and shepherding of the masses.
According to the bible, a pastor is the guide of the people of the faith who leads them to salvation through the teachings of the book. Another thing that is noteworthy in the Christian tradition is the Sunday sermon. Usually, it takes an hour to deliver the weekend sermon but it takes 10 hours on average to research, write, and edit the lessons.
Another aspect of the job of the pastor is taking a look at the administrative duties of the church. These can cover fundraising events and even the allocation of the collected funds to ensure that everything is smooth and people have a conducive environment to practice and learn about their faith.
Job Responsibilities For Pastors
Before you develop a resume and look for a job as a pastor, it is necessary to understand the key responsibilities of the role. Typically, the role is divided into three major categories of tasks – conducting worship services, administrative duties, and attending social events in the community.
So, this section is dedicated to providing an in-depth look at the job and its related responsibilities of the job.
- Preparation of weekly sermons
- Preaching and conducting worship services for the community
- Interpreting biblical scripture for the congregation
- Providing care and counseling to the members and even assisting them in a crisis
- Officiating special services including confirmations, baptisms, weddings, and funerals
- Collaborating with choir leaders to incorporate music into church services
- Assisting others in the church’s financial matters
- Supervising management with all the areas of the congregation
- Supporting staff with their duties
- Holding meetings to set directions for the church
- Ensuring every church facility is working properly
By taking a look at this expansive list, professionals can see that there are more than a handful of duties that are entrusted to pastors. You can add some or all to your resume to stand out from the competition.
Benefits of Writing A Custom Pastor Resume
Whether you are a corporate banker or a pastor, there is no denying that a solid resume by your side during the job search can open many doors. There has been a constant rise in online portals that allow users to create profiles and then share them with recruiters and hiring managers. As we can see from the responsibilities of the pastors, the role takes more than the grind of 9 to 5. that’s why it is necessary to understand the need and benefits of a custom pastor resume.
The foremost benefit of a pastor’s resume is that it can help headhunters see the potential in prospective professionals. The dedicated sections allow them to take a look at and understand the highlights of the career, work experience, and academic qualifications and make a better decision about hiring the perfect candidate.
How To Write A Modern Pastor’s Resume
In this section, we will cover the process of writing a resume for a pastor. This is best done by going through each section of the resume and then populating each one of them with relevant information. Before getting started, pastors can also get professional resume writers to do the hard lifting for them. They are trained writers with years of experience and expertise in balancing all the elements and optimizing the resume according to the industry’s best practices.
For those who are up for the challenge of making a resume on their own, this is the guide!
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The Format & Structure
Before setting time and resources to develop the whole resume, it is necessary to finalize the ultimate look and feel of the resume. You have already seen many resumes, some are simple paragraphs running through the page from left to right. Others are often filled with infographics and creative elements. As a professional, it is up to you to find the best format and structure for the resume. The most important elements of a resume that you must decide on are as follows:
- The horizontal and vertical margins of the resume – no more or less than one inch
- The font size and style should not be outlandish – should be standard
- The use of infographics and other elements should be in line with the role
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Taking Advantage of Job Summary
A job summary is a short paragraph, no more than 3 to 4 sentences that cover the major highlights of the career along with the prospects for the pastor. For those who do not have at least 2 to 3 years of professional experience, it is best to go with an objectives summary that focuses more on academics and training rather than giving the gist of past achievements and experiences.
Recruiters are looking for experienced pastors with charismatic personalities. It is because the role entails meeting with people and handling them in different situations. A past of actively devoting time to that is a welcome addition for the pastor.
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Exemplifying Work Experience
The work experience section in a pastor’s resume is different from that of other professionals. It is hard to contain the role of a person who is active in both the spiritual and social lives of the people and then highlight its main points in one single section. Since it has to be done, here is a simple yet effective way to connect with the recruiter through the work experience section.
- Stress on percentages and statistics
- Achievements are better than mere job responsibilities
- Leadership and charisma are a must
- The previous communities should be happy with the pastor
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Academic Qualifications
Academic qualifications are another point of uncertainty for pastors. In many cases, it does not take any formal education to be a pastor, but certain experience in conducting worship practices, and social, and financial services around a church.
But, we have also seen that the prerequisite of education depends on where a pastor wants to take up a church. Typically, it takes 16 or 18 years of education in theology, Christian studies, and other related fields. If you have relevant formal education in the field, you should highlight it accordingly. If not, you can do away with the experience and achievements in the fields.
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Special Skills & Mentions
Even when you have a solid section for experience and core skills, it helps to have a rightly populated section for special skills. Clergymen need to be active and effective in dealing with people. The special skills often include communication and other interpersonal skills because they go a long way in church services and other community-building endeavors.
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References From Community Members & Clergy
There is hardly any need to add references from community members and higher echelons of clergy in the initial screening phase. But if you want to make a lasting impact on the recruiters, it is best to first converse with the person that you want to add as a reference and then add his credentials. They should be the latest and the person should be responsive to any queries and questions regarding your application. The best way to move forward is to leave the section blank or completely leave it out for the best effect.
A Cover Letter To Augment Your Pastor’s Resume
When it comes to developing a cover letter, many professionals make the mistake of simply producing a rephrased version of the resume. There is no denying that resumes have their limitations, especially the need to dispense too much information in a small document. So, a cover letter is the perfect complementary piece to ensure that nothing is lost about the candidate in the initial screenings. You can write a cover letter on your own or you can hire a dedicated resume writer or cover letter writer to do the heavy lifting for you.
The process of writing a cover letter is simple – the start covers the introduction and experience, the middle covers the future ambitions of the professional, and the closing remarks carry a call to action to take things further.
While applying for a pastor’s position, it pays to attach a cover letter with the resume so that the two documents can provide a complete picture of the skills and qualifications of the pastor.
FAQ
What should a pastor put on a resume?
A pastor’s resume is not different that that of any other professional. It has the same sections for work experience, job summary, and academic qualifications. But the contents of these sections are very much different. While developing your resume, you should do due research and ensure that everything is right on the mark.
What should a ministry resume include?
A ministry resume should include the following key information:
- A header with the latest contact information
- Job summary to give a gist of the past career
- Work experience to highlight services in each church
- Academic qualifications, if any
- Special soft and core skills
- References from clergy
What are some pastoral skills?
The definitive list of pastoral skills includes the following traits:
- Empathy
- Community-building
- Adept in biblical studies
- Interpersonal and communication skills
How do I write a resume for a community pastor?
A community pastor requires a lot of experience and skills in conducting worship services, looking into the special needs of the church members, and so on. The best way to write a community pastor resume is by hiring a professional resume writing service.
How do I write a resume for a youth pastor?
A youth pastor is different from other pastors as he caters to the needs of different members. While developing a resume for a youth pastor, it is necessary to highlight the relevant experience and expertise in the major sections of the resume. This also goes true for the references and other portions.
