How to Write a Ministry Résumé
- 1). Think of your resume as a communication tool that tells church search committees who you are, what you've done, what your strengths are and what you're looking for in a ministry position. Choose a format that pleases you but remember that it should be clean and easily readable.
- 2). Include contact information at the top of the resume like your name, address, phone number and email address. Type your name in a larger font than the rest of the information on the resume, about three or four times bigger than the rest of the wording.
- 3). Craft a personal mission statement after your name and before your education and ministry experience. If you are using Microsoft Word, place your personal mission statement into the summary portion near the top of the page. Keep your statement to two sentences. Write briefly and succinctly about your life goals and ministry passions.
- 4). Start with your educational history. Create a section titled "Education" and beneath it list your college degrees earned in reverse chronological order. Include each school's name, city, and the major(s) you obtained and your graduation date(s). Write "anticipated" before the date if you have not yet graduated. Consider including your G.P.A. if you are still in school.
- 5). Create a section titled "Certifications." List your certifications and any endorsements you have gained.
- 6). Write a section next that details the work you have already done at other churches. Title this section "Ministry Experience." Write in the active voice and use action-oriented verbs like "administer," "consult," "coordinate," "design," "improve," "speak" and "teach." Organize your experience by job title or church name. Highlight your strengths, skills and accomplishments.
- 7). Include a section titled "Related Experience" to highlight unpaid or volunteer work that showcases additional skills and strengths that are not communicated in your "Ministry Experience" section.
- 8). Include a section for "References" at the bottom of your resume. List the names of three to five people whom you have worked for or with and who can discuss your accomplishments and skills with search committees considering you for an open position.
- 9). Review your resumer for grammar, spelling errors and typos after you have completed the rough draft. Take a break for a few hours and review it again for accuracy and completeness. Consider whether you have omitted any critical skills or experience or if you have redundant information unnecessarily lengthening your resume. Try to keep your resume to a page, if possible, and no longer than two pages. Ask a friend who is on a search committee or is a pastor to review your resume and give you his opinion on things that might need to be added or deleted from your resume. Save your resume in .pdf and .doc formats as well as plain text so that it can be easily emailed or uploaded in any format.