YOUR RESUME:YOUR RESUME:

a “Picture” of Your Ministrya “Picture” of Your Ministry on a Page or Two on a Page or Two

Source: BOB DALE

Why Do a Resume?Why Do a Resume?Focusing the PictureFocusing the Picture

To get yourself a face-to-face To get yourself a face-to-face conversation with the search conversation with the search team!team!

To think through your life story and To think through your life story and faith journey clearly…for yourself.faith journey clearly…for yourself.

To present the highlights of your To present the highlights of your ministry pilgrimage ministry pilgrimage selectivelyselectively…for …for others.others.

A Snapshot of YouA Snapshot of You

Who you are & how to contact you easilyWho you are & how to contact you easilyWhat you’ve concretely accomplished & What you’ve concretely accomplished &

experiencedexperiencedWhere you’ve ministered & in what Where you’ve ministered & in what

role[s]role[s]How you’re educated/gifted for your How you’re educated/gifted for your

craftcraftWhat you feel called to do nextWhat you feel called to do nextWhat you’ve done as a volunteer or a What you’ve done as a volunteer or a

hobbyisthobbyist

Framing Your Resume PictureFraming Your Resume Picture

Tailor your presentation for a specific Tailor your presentation for a specific rolerole

Show how you’ve moved churches Show how you’ve moved churches forward in specific termsforward in specific terms

Highlight your core gifts, skills, & Highlight your core gifts, skills, & craftsmanshipcraftsmanship

Leave detailed theological points of Leave detailed theological points of view or “killer” personal facts for face-view or “killer” personal facts for face-to-face conversationto-face conversation

In general, less is moreIn general, less is more

Getting the Picture in FocusGetting the Picture in Focus

Organizing Your ResumeOrganizing Your Resume

Chronologically…with your most Chronologically…with your most current information & current information & accomplishments firstaccomplishments first

OROR Functionally…with your Functionally…with your

accomplishments grouped around accomplishments grouped around primary gifts…from most recent primary gifts…from most recent

[Make it true, short, & error-free.][Make it true, short, & error-free.]

Vivid Snapshots Vivid Snapshots

Use Use strong verbsstrong verbs [muscle words]

[Created, built, directed,[Created, built, directed,

coordinated, designed, operated]coordinated, designed, operated]

Edit out weak verbs [flabby words]Edit out weak verbs [flabby words]

[Helped, assisted, served][Helped, assisted, served]

Spotlight distinct accomplishmentsSpotlight distinct accomplishments

in robust language!in robust language!

What to Leave Out of the What to Leave Out of the PicturePicture

In resumes, it’s generally inappropriate for ministers to comment on…

PoliticsRaceAge

Height/WeightSalary

Viewers of Your PictureViewers of Your Picture

Write for your reader…from your Write for your reader…from your readers’ perspective…in your readers’ readers’ perspective…in your readers’ language…for the position your language…for the position your readers are focused on readers are focused on

Put “hooks” in your material---things to Put “hooks” in your material---things to attract & attach to a variety of readersattract & attach to a variety of readers

““Testify” to our common faith…brieflyTestify” to our common faith…briefly

Who’s in Who’s in TheirTheir Album? Album?

What are churches looking for?What are churches looking for?

Someone who matches their Someone who matches their membershipmembership

Someone who will care for themSomeone who will care for themSomeone who will lead themSomeone who will lead themSomeone who understands their Someone who understands their

culturecultureSomeone who will staySomeone who will stay

Say “Cheese”Say “Cheese”

FirstFirst

impressionsimpressions

areare

lastinglasting

impressions!impressions!

Both on paper… & in person.Both on paper… & in person.

Resume “Do’s”Resume “Do’s”

Do create a professional quality resumeDo create a professional quality resumeDo customize your resume to fit a specific Do customize your resume to fit a specific

ministry postministry postDo be scrupulously honestDo be scrupulously honestDo be creative without going “Hollywood”Do be creative without going “Hollywood”Do have your resume reviewed by an Do have your resume reviewed by an

objective, critical eyeobjective, critical eyeDo offer a variety of personal referencesDo offer a variety of personal referencesDo expect financial & criminal checksDo expect financial & criminal checks

Resume “Don’ts”Resume “Don’ts”

Don’t oversell yourselfDon’t oversell yourselfDon’t skimp on quality presentationDon’t skimp on quality presentationDon’t assume you’ll be interviewed…Don’t assume you’ll be interviewed…

or notor notDon’t present controversial issues on Don’t present controversial issues on

paper…wait for direct dialogpaper…wait for direct dialogDon’t give an “any job will do” Don’t give an “any job will do”

impressionimpressionDon’t include a pictureDon’t include a pictureDon’t hide thingsDon’t hide things

Friendly Faces in Your AlbumFriendly Faces in Your Album

Who are the folks Who are the folks

who will “put a face” on your resume…who will “put a face” on your resume…&&

……hand it off to others?hand it off to others?

……speak well of you to others?speak well of you to others?

……make follow-up calls to others?make follow-up calls to others?

How do youHow do you

cultivate your network?cultivate your network?

On-Line ResumesOn-Line Resumes

If you circulate resumes electronically, If you circulate resumes electronically, use only common word processing use only common word processing programs. Otherwise, you run the risk programs. Otherwise, you run the risk that they reformat & print in jumbles that they reformat & print in jumbles that are unreadablethat are unreadable

If you use an on-line service, take If you use an on-line service, take advantage of the extra room for advantage of the extra room for descriptive materials. [Some services descriptive materials. [Some services charge, and others don’t.]charge, and others don’t.]

When the Picture Becomes a When the Picture Becomes a “Talkie”“Talkie”

Your phone rings…Your phone rings…

& it’s a search committee…& it’s a search committee…thethe first first impressionimpression

Engage them…show a little life & Engage them…show a little life & interestinterest

Focus on them---use a good phone...in a Focus on them---use a good phone...in a quiet room…& listen, listen, listenquiet room…& listen, listen, listen

Let them know you’re willing to talk Let them know you’re willing to talk more with them…or notmore with them…or not

Your 2-Minute CommercialYour 2-Minute Commercial

Many face-to-face interviews begin with Many face-to-face interviews begin with ““Tell us a little about yourself…”Tell us a little about yourself…”

Tell them what you’re called to do,Tell them what you’re called to do,what you’ve done, &what you’ve done, &

how a normal day goes…how a normal day goes…

clearly, interestingly, smoothly,clearly, interestingly, smoothly,sparklingly, directly, & concisely!sparklingly, directly, & concisely!

Interview “Do’s”Interview “Do’s”

Do rehearse expected questionsDo rehearse expected questionsDo dress & act appropriatelyDo dress & act appropriatelyDo make eye contact & use namesDo make eye contact & use namesDo speak conversationally & distinctlyDo speak conversationally & distinctlyDo mind your mannerisms & body languageDo mind your mannerisms & body languageDo ask questions when you don’t Do ask questions when you don’t

understand or need a moment to shape a understand or need a moment to shape a responseresponse

Do mention your strengthsDo mention your strengthsDo focus on Do focus on theirtheir interests & needs interests & needs

Interview “Don’ts”Interview “Don’ts”

Don’t focus on you, you, youDon’t focus on you, you, youDon’t apologize for things you can’t changeDon’t apologize for things you can’t changeDon’t exaggerate, evade, or lieDon’t exaggerate, evade, or lieDon’t be late, unprepared, or underdressedDon’t be late, unprepared, or underdressedDon’t criticize, complain, or begDon’t criticize, complain, or begDon’t ask about days off or vacation time yetDon’t ask about days off or vacation time yetDon’t forget to say thanksDon’t forget to say thanksDon’t…after all of these warnings…be tenseDon’t…after all of these warnings…be tense

Spend Some Time in the Spend Some Time in the DarkroomDarkroom

Before your first face-to-face conversation with Before your first face-to-face conversation with the search team…research & ponder…the search team…research & ponder…

Learn about the church & communityLearn about the church & community Be ready to show---if asked---how you deal Be ready to show---if asked---how you deal

with your weaknesseswith your weaknesses Craft 4-6 questions for them in advance…Craft 4-6 questions for them in advance…

1.1. ““If you could change one thing about the If you could change one thing about the church…?”church…?”

2.2. ““In 3-5 years, where do you want your church to In 3-5 years, where do you want your church to be?”be?”

3.3. ““Can you describe the best leader for your Can you describe the best leader for your church?”church?”

How Long Will It Take for How Long Will It Take for This Film to Develop?This Film to Develop?

In the secular work world,In the secular work world,

finding a new jobfinding a new job

takes 1 month of searching for everytakes 1 month of searching for every

$10,000 you want in salary$10,000 you want in salary

……& that’s if the economy is good.& that’s if the economy is good.

Double…or triple…that time for churches!Double…or triple…that time for churches!

Lots of folks want Lots of folks want

to come to [or stay in] Virginia’s churches. to come to [or stay in] Virginia’s churches.

When It’s a Family Photo OpWhen It’s a Family Photo Op

Like it or not, Like it or not,

your spouse & family your spouse & family

will be visible during the search process.will be visible during the search process.

You may say, You may say,

““You’re not calling my spouse,”You’re not calling my spouse,”

but a congregational call is family-to-family.but a congregational call is family-to-family.

Your spouse’s presence provides Your spouse’s presence provides

a vital set of eyes and intuitions.a vital set of eyes and intuitions.

Taming the Terrible “Too’s”Taming the Terrible “Too’s”

Too “old”---show energy & growth, Too “old”---show energy & growth, don’t talk about the past, demonstrate don’t talk about the past, demonstrate that you understand younger that you understand younger generationsgenerations

Too “young”---show flexibility & your Too “young”---show flexibility & your willingness to grow, indicate willingness to grow, indicate connections with older generationsconnections with older generations

Too “female”---dress conservatively, Too “female”---dress conservatively, appeal to family care issuesappeal to family care issues

Too “damaged”---be open, show Too “damaged”---be open, show recovery recovery

When the Camera Doesn’t Smile When the Camera Doesn’t Smile BackBack

Handling “rejection shock”Handling “rejection shock”when they choose someone else…when they choose someone else…

……Dealing with the emotionsDealing with the emotions1.1. Denial Denial This isn’t happening to me, is it? This isn’t happening to me, is it?2.2. Anger Anger Churches are full of the spawn of Churches are full of the spawn of

Satan!Satan!3.3. Depression Depression I’ll never find a decent church… I’ll never find a decent church…4.4. Acceptance Acceptance OK, I’ll just keep on trying. OK, I’ll just keep on trying.

……Learning from the experienceLearning from the experience

When the Picture Doesn’t When the Picture Doesn’t “Come Out”“Come Out”

Not every photo taking attempt Not every photo taking attempt

develops or “comes out”develops or “comes out”

As soon as As soon as youyou know know

this search process this search process

isn’t a match for you,isn’t a match for you,

tell them…tell them…

kindly, firmly.kindly, firmly.

When the Camera Does Smile When the Camera Does Smile BackBack

Accept a call graciously.Accept a call graciously.

Show appreciation for God’s call & Show appreciation for God’s call & for the matching processfor the matching process

Be sure details are understoodBe sure details are understood

Begin connecting to the Begin connecting to the congregational community before congregational community before you arriveyou arrive

Picking the Best PicturePicking the Best Picture

The average National GeographicThe average National Geographic

article features only 5 or 6 photosarticle features only 5 or 6 photos

……from 1200-1400 exposures!from 1200-1400 exposures!

The lesson?The lesson?

Keep circulating your resume widely,Keep circulating your resume widely,

keep networking broadly, &keep networking broadly, &

keep growing deeply!!!keep growing deeply!!!