Religion Resume Examples
Use LiveCareer’s step-by-step guidance to get a job in the church. Our Resume Builder gives job seekers complete religion resume examples. Get ease of use and helpful, thorough guidelines.
Our Recommended Example
Pastor
Popular Templates in the Religion Space
Youth Leader
Sunday School Teacher
Associate Pastor
Worship Leader
Table of Contents
Religion Resume
Religion Cover Letter
Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Religion Resume
Religious recruiters look for candidates with a commitment to the ministry, an understanding of scripture and someone with strong character and integrity. Written by certified resume writers, LiveCareer’s religion resume examples show you how to articulate those qualities as well as how to format and design a strong document.
When you are ready to craft your own resume, consider using LiveCareer’s Resume Builder, which offers you pre-written content suggestions for every section of your resume. Here are some examples of content our builder might recommend:
- Coordinated and spearheaded programs to increase church members’ service throughout community
- Provided spiritual care through visitation, counseling and prayer
- Officiated special services such as weddings, funerals, baptisms and nursing home services
- Accompanied morning worship services on organ as part of worship team
6 Dos and Don’ts for Writing a Religion Resume
Do
- Do give examples of your service. Those who aspire to work for religious organizations should include examples of their past religious service. Applicants should consider using experiences such as spreading the gospel, volunteering with their church, running religious services and interpreting or teaching the Bible’s teachings to show their expertise.
- Do include valuable business skills. Applicants with business experience should demonstrate these bankable skills. After all, churches, synagogues and other religious organizations require fundraising, bookkeeping, event planning and other services to stay afloat. Organizing religious paperwork, coordinating service schedules and designing holiday programs are all valuable skills these organizations need from potential employees
- Do feature membership recruitment and retention strategies. Today, many religious organizations struggle with recruiting and retaining members. Applicants could stand out by showing off their successful efforts in bringing new people to a center of worship. If you have these skills in another context, say for a professional organization, mention them.
Don’t
- Don’t forget your transferable skills. Use your past experience, such as working with youth as a camp counselor, teacher or tutor, to your advantage. The transferable skills you gleaned in these roles, such as lesson planning and conflict resolution, could transfer well to a role with a religious organization.
- Don’t hesitate to highlight your soft skills. At the heart of many religious organizations are the members. Job seekers need to show managers they are able to reach out and interact with the sect’s membership. They should show off skills like creativity, collaboration, and communication.
- Don’t exaggerate your accomplishments. Integrity is a big part of most religious organizations’ purpose. Applicants must never put anything on their resumes that demonstrates a lack of integrity, such as exaggerated accomplishments. Always be honest and humble.
Beat the ATS with These Religion Resume Skills
Most smaller churches and houses of worship still use old-fashioned recruiting strategies. However, larger religious organizations are apt to use an applicant tracking system (ATS) in the hiring process. The ATS gives employers a quick way to evaluate applicants’ resumes by searching for keywords that are critical to the role. This allows recruiters to quickly eliminate unqualified applicants.
Our Resume Builder recommends industry-specific keywords and phrases to help your resume pass through an ATS. Here are some examples of ATS-friendly verbiage our builder might recommend for your religion resume:
- Distinct oral preaching skills
- Accomplished at writing meaningful sermons
- History of successful church leadership
- Robust devotional life
- Experience spreading the gospel with youth
- Knowledge of accounting practices for church offerings and donations
- Ordained minister through the organization’s religious doctrine
Religion Resumes for Every Professional Level
Entry-Level Religion Resume Example: Scribe
For someone who wants a job in an entry-level religion role, such as a scribe, it’s vital to show off essential skills in the field even if you have limited work experience. This job seeker uses a functional resume format to accomplish this feat.
The scribe position requires lots of writing, organization and administrative tasks, and the applicant puts these important skills front and center in the resume. She also points out her experience as a church secretary and her educational background in secretarial studies.
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Mid-Career Religion Resume Example: Minister
The mid-career applicant, applying for a minister position, uses the combination resume format to show off his assets as an employee. This format puts his impressive industry skills on display, while also highlighting his job experience.
He has competencies in spiritual leadership, instruction, relationship development and officiating. He also has plenty of work experience as a minister and church leader. He showcases his ability to grow church membership and guide individuals through service.
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Executive-Level Religion Resume Example: Worship Director
The worship director position is an executive-level role open to the most experienced applicants. This job seeker shows off her potential to excel in this position with a chronological resume format. This format allows her to feature an exceptional background in religion, starting as a youth choir director. It highlights her many years of experience and a stellar career trajectory by putting the work experience section front and center. A focused skills section helps reinforce her experience by highlighting a background in communication, music education, arranging music and volunteer recruitment.
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Resume Success Stories
Statistics and Facts About Religion Jobs
Gender Composition of Clergy
Female
19.7%
Male
80.3%
Average Age
Female
50.1 years
Male
51 years
Average salary
Female
$34,028
Male
$49,500
Source: Data USA
Racial Diversity for Clergy 2018
| White | 80.67% |
|---|---|
| Black | 9.4% |
| Asian | 5.19% |
| Other | 1.94% |
| Two or More Races | 2.06% |
| Native American | .446% |
| Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander | .24% | 020406080100 |
Source: Data USA – U.S. Census Burea
Mean Yearly Salary for Religious Workers 2019
| Clergy | $55190 |
|---|---|
| Director of Religious ctivities and Education | $50490 |
| Other Religious Workers | $39830 | 06K12K18K24K30K36K42K48K54K60K |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Job Outlook for Religious Workers 2018–2028
Other Religious Workers,Director of Religious Activities and Education, Clergy
| 4%-6% increase | 0510 |
|---|
Source: O*Net
Popular Job Titles in Religion
- Clergy
- Minister
- Pastor
- Rabbi
- Rector
- Missionary Coordinator
Source: Occupational Information Network
Educational Requirements Statistics for Religion/Clergy
| Doctoral or Professional Degree | 14% |
|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 36% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 26% |
| Associate Degree | 4% |
| Some College, No Degree | 11% |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent | 6% |
| Less than High School Diploma | 2% | 0816243240 |
