Pastor Resume Example
Working as a pastor can provide a rewarding career, involving preaching weekly sermons and leading community outreach. For a successful pastor application, you'll want to submit a professional resume that showcases your relevant skills. In this article, we'll highlight tips and examples for creating a pastor resume that makes a winning impression on recruiters and hiring managers.
After reading this guide, you'll know what it takes to create a resume that really stands out from other pastor applicants. You'll learn how to show employers you've got the relevant qualities, skills and experience for the job, all presented in a format that employers prefer to see. The article also includes tips for formatting your resume according to your experience and strengths. Read on to learn how to write a perfect pastor resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.
Core sections to include in a pastor resume
A successful pastor resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections. If you're an entry-level candidate without much work experience, that section may be less prominent in your resume. You may focus instead on sections that showcase your skill set, such as education, projects, hobbies and hard and soft skills lists.
How you choose to present your resume is up to you. There are plenty of options for a professional resume layout and format, but every application should include the following:
Resume Header
Your pastor resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Opt for a professional-looking email address based on your name. If your email address could be construed as unprofessional or inappropriate because it contains nicknames or unsuitable language, create a new, more professional email address for your job applications. Always check your contact details to make sure they're up-to-date before you send your resume.
Layla Davis
layla.davis@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
0001 Cemetery Lane, New York, NY
linkedin․com/in/layla–davis123
Resume Profile
In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for pastor roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. Always make sure your summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for pastor roles.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. See below for some great examples of how to approach your pastor resume.
Good example:
Experienced Pastor and former Spiritual Leader with a proven track record of guiding congregations, providing pastoral care, and leading community outreach programs. Skilled in sermon preparation, spiritual counseling, and fostering a strong sense of community within the church. Dedicated to promoting spiritual growth, ethical living, and compassionate service
Bad example:
Worked in religious roles with experience in guiding groups and helping people with their spiritual needs. Have done work related to preparing talks, offering advice, and building a sense of belonging in a community setting. Focused on encouraging personal growth, ethical behavior, and helping others
Alternatively, a poor resume summary would include bland, generic information that does little to prove your suitability for the role, while failing to provide any useful insights on you as a person or as a candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.
Hard and Soft Skills
The skills section of a pastor resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include counseling and guidance, emotional intelligence EQ or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for pastor positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.
How to include hard skills on your pastor resume
Hard skills are specific skills related to the job you're applying for. They include particular abilities, technical skills and industry knowledge that relate directly to jobs as a pastor. Furthermore, an extensive list of hard skills helps to make a compelling case for your pastor job applications, as they show employers your understanding of the pastor role. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
If you want to make a strong impression with your hard skills list, focus on hard skills that align with your specific industry expertise, and that reflect the job description. For inspiration on the right type of hard skills for a pastor resume, see below.
- Public speaking skills
- Biblical exegesis proficiency
- Counseling and guidance
Showcasing your best soft skills
In your list of soft skills, add any personal strengths, qualities or transferable skills that make you a good fit for the job. Soft skills are often less specific to different industries, but that doesn't make them any less important. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
A strong soft skills section should play to your strengths, listing skills that reflect your personal qualities while also reflecting the skills listed in the job description. For some examples of good soft skills for a pastor resume, see below.
- Effective communication skills
- Emotional intelligence EQ
- Conflict resolution abilities
Education
The education section provides space to list your highest and most recent academic achievements that are relevant to working as a pastor.
Typically, working as a pastor requires a university or college degree, which you'll need to list on your resume. If you're working in this sector, it's usually a good idea to highlight your Bachelor of Arts in Theology degree or other relevant qualifications. Focus on qualifications that showcase your public speaking skills or biblical exegesis proficiency.
Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Divinity (BDiv), 2017 - 2020
University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California
Certifications and Training
Your certifications section is the place to mention any relevant professional pastor certifications, licenses or qualifications. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a pastor. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a pastor.
Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a pastor resume:
- Ordination Certificate, 2022
- Theology Degree, 2022
- Pastoral Counseling, 2022
Employment History
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a pastor. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
In addition, include a few bullet points under each job, highlighting your key achievements so the hiring manager can see how they led to successful outcomes. Back up each point with evidence to show how you meet the job description.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. Review some strong examples of resume work experience sections in the graphic below.
Good example:
Spiritual Leader, January 2022 - Present
Grace Leadership Consulting, Dallas
- Guided community of 5,000+ members through transformative spiritual programs, enhancing overall well-being and unity
- Published 3 best-selling books on spiritual growth and mindfulness, reaching a global audience
- Organized annual international retreats, drawing participants from 25+ countries for deep spiritual immersion and personal growth
Bad example:
Spiritual Leader, January 2022 - Present
Grace Leadership Consulting, Dallas
- Facilitated numerous events to foster community engagement and spiritual growth among diverse groups
- Contributed to the development of spiritual literature and resources for a wide audience
- Coordinated various international gatherings to promote spiritual well-being and personal development
In the graphic above you can see a great example of what to avoid when writing your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.
Resume tip:
Optional Sections
As well as the main sections of a pastor resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for pastor jobs.
Hobbies and Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.
Volunteer Experience
This section can be valuable for a pastor resume, if you've done any voluntary work that showcases your relevant skills. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
It's relatively unusual to include references in a standard pastor resume, but they are required occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References are available upon request.
Best action words for your pastor resume
Add strong verbs to your work experience section to show the hiring manager the impact you made in your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.
- Preach
- Counsel
- Lead
- Mentor
- Organize
- Develop
- Guide
- Teach
- Inspire
- Oversee
If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.
Example resume for pastor applications
Using each of the sections above, we've created this example pastor resume, to help guide you when creating your own:
0001 Cemetery Lane, New York, NY
•
layla.davis@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/layla–davis123
Dedicated and compassionate Pastor with a strong background as a Spiritual Leader and Community Organizer. Proven ability to inspire and guide congregations, develop community programs, and foster meaningful relationships. Skilled in delivering impactful sermons, providing pastoral care, and leading community outreach initiatives. Committed to promoting spiritual growth, social justice, and community well-being
Spiritual Leader and Community Organizer
2020
-2022
Harmonic Pathways Initiative (New Orleans)
- Spearheaded the construction of a community meditation center, increasing local engagement in mindfulness practices by 70%
- Organized interfaith dialogue events, fostering mutual respect and understanding among diverse religious communities
- Initiated a community outreach program, providing spiritual counseling and resources to over 500 individuals annually
Bachelor of Arts in Theology
2017
-2020
University of New Mexico (Albuquerque)
Public speaking skills
Biblical exegesis proficiency
Counseling and guidance
Effective communication skills
Emotional intelligence EQ
Conflict resolution abilities
Ordination Certificate
Theology Degree
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Best practices for a pastor resume
Simple tips for creating a winning resume
- Aim for a brief, concise pastor resume. One page is ideal for junior roles, while two pages are more suitable for senior positions.
- List your qualifications in your education section, including any necessary degrees or certifications, along with high grades.
- Use action words that show how you've made an impact in different pastor jobs (e.g. counsel, develop, inspire).
- Write a compelling resume summary or objective to introduce yourself and your key pastor skills.
- Use a clear resume format with professional elements, including suitable headings, line spacing, fonts and margins, to make your resume as readable as possible for hiring managers.
Avoid these common mistakes on your resume
- Don't use passive language because it's less engaging for the reader. Change phrases like 'the target was exceeded' to 'I helped the team exceed the target'.
- Don't list irrelevant work experience as it will likely do nothing for your chances of success.
- Don't use an email address with offensive, funny or casual connotations. Instead, create a professional email address based on your name.
- Don't use overly complex formatting and layouts that can make your pastor resume harder to read, and less scannable for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
- Don't fill your resume with industry jargon or business-speak that could alienate the reader.
Making an ATS-friendly resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your pastor resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Here are a few quick tips for creating an ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume layout, such as a reverse-chronological or functional format. This will mean your resume includes all the necessary sections, in the expected order.
- Use keywords throughout your resume that reflect the job description, so ATS resume scanners can recognize a strong connection between your skills, and those in the job description.
- Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
- Use a resume design that includes clean, professional design elements to give your content space to breathe. This might include clear, readable fonts, subtle color accents and simple design elements.
- Use simple, concise language to keep your resume to a maximum of one to two pages in length. This will make it easier for ATS software to read.
For tips and ideas to help you draft a professional resume to get noticed by employers, read our expert career articles and check out our detailed resume examples.
Frequently Asked Questions for a pastor resume
Now that you know how to write a professional pastor resume, you might also want to learn how to write an accompanying cover letter that makes a similar impact.
Firstly, choose whether you're going to write a full cover letter, or whether a brief email confirming your application and drawing attention to your resume will be sufficient.
If you choose to write a full cover letter, follow traditional letter-writing conventions surrounding greetings, sign-offs and use of professional language. The body of the cover letter tends to be three paragraphs. The first introduces yourself and the role you're applying for, giving reasons for your application. The second briefly covers your key skills and achievements that are most relevant to pastor roles. Finally, the third paragraph re-emphasizes your interest in the role and leaves a call to action, encouraging the employer to reach out to you.
If you want to impress employers with a professional cover letter, use Jobseeker's simple and beautiful cover letter templates.
For an experienced pastor application, the objective of your resume is to showcase the many achievements in your career to date. As a pastor with a wealth of experience, you'll want to showcase this in your work history section. Consider going back beyond the standard 10 to 15 years of employment history to show employers your experience levels. Include any optional sections that help to show your credentials and reputation in your industry. These could include awards, achievements and successful projects you've been involved in.
A resume headline can catch the attention of the reader and give them a strong first impression about your suitability for pastor jobs. A well-constructed resume headline can help your resume rank highly with ATS screening tools by referencing some of the key information from the job description. Write a short, snappy heading for your resume including the job title and a reference to your experience, your track record or one or two of your key skills.
You can use this example resume headline as a template for creating your own:
- Aspiring Junior Pastor Seeking Opportunities
- Dedicated Spiritual Leader and Mentor
- Experienced Senior Pastor and Leader
The best format for your resume depends on two key factors. Firstly, the amount of relevant work experience you have. Secondly, the type of role and its level of seniority. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. Once you have some relevant work experience, and for senior positions, a reverse chronological resume format is typically best. This emphasizes your work experience, which will probably be the key thing employers want to know about.
Key takeaways for your pastor resume
If you want to catch the eye of employers and recruiters, you need a professional resume that showcases your best skills and career achievements. Pick a resume format that matches your experience levels, and tailor the content of your resume to reflect the details of the job description.
Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications
Impress potential employers with your resume
Follow step-by-step professional guidance to create a polished resume in minutes.