Pastor Resume Sample, Templates, and Tips

There are many Pastor jobs available,however they will not come to you with out a well designed and built resume. This guide will help you learn about how to put together a resume that will get you hired.

Pastor Resume Professional Summary Tips

Working as a pastor involves a lot of work that is personal in nature. People’s spirituality is important to them, and members of your church look to you for guidance. Of course your own spirituality is also important to you, so use the Professional Summary section of your resume to talk briefly about what aspects of the pastor position are most important to you. You may choose to mention some highlights of your career thus far, which you can then expand on later in the resume.

Pastor Resume Skills and Abilities

Empathy, leadership and communication are some of the skills a good pastor requires. A pastor may not need a high level of technical knowledge to succeed at their job, but these other skills are incredibly important. A pastor’s relationship with their parishioners is very different from a professional relationship with a client. How do you help people form a personal connection with God, and set a good example for them to emulate? List the skills you use to achieve these goals in the Skills and Abilities section.

Pastor Resume Experience

Pastors’ duties vary widely, depending on the church, school or other institution they work at. As you list your duties at each of your previous positions, think about how they relate to the skills and abilities you’ve already discussed.

As you complete the Experience section, think about how you might demonstrate the contribution you made to each of your previous positions. Have you introduced new programs or undertaken charity work? Have you led outreach programs and made the church’s presence known in the community? Use action verbs to show how you made the role your own and demonstrate how you will continue to do so in future.

Pastor Resume Education

Senior pastors generally require a Master’s degree from a seminary or university, although the exact requirements may vary depending on the denomination. List your postgraduate and undergraduate degrees at the end of the resume, noting any standout classes and extracurricular activities.