Transcript YOUR RESUME: Portrait on a Page

YOUR RESUME:
a “Picture” of Your Ministry
on a Page or Two
Source: BOB DALE
Why Do a Resume?
Focusing the Picture
 To
get yourself a face-to-face
conversation with the search
team!

To think through your life story and faith
journey clearly…for yourself.

To present the highlights of your ministry
pilgrimage selectively…for others.
A Snapshot of You
Who you are & how to contact you easily
 What you’ve concretely accomplished &
experienced
 Where you’ve ministered & in what role[s]
 How you’re educated/gifted for your craft
 What you feel called to do next
 What you’ve done as a volunteer or a
hobbyist

Framing Your Resume Picture
Tailor your presentation for a specific role
 Show how you’ve moved churches forward
in specific terms
 Highlight your core gifts, skills, &
craftsmanship
 Leave detailed theological points of view
or “killer” personal facts for face-to-face
conversation
 In general, less is more

Getting the Picture in Focus
Organizing Your Resume
Chronologically…with your most current
information & accomplishments first
OR
 Functionally…with your accomplishments
grouped around primary gifts…from most
recent

[Make it true, short, & error-free.]
Vivid Snapshots

Use strong verbs [muscle words]
[Created, built, directed,
coordinated, designed, operated]

Edit out weak verbs [flabby words]
[Helped, assisted, served]
Spotlight distinct accomplishments
in robust language!
What to Leave Out of the Picture
In resumes, it’s generally inappropriate
for ministers to comment on…
Politics
Race
Age
Height/Weight
Salary
Viewers of Your Picture

Write for your reader…from your readers’
perspective…in your readers’
language…for the position your readers
are focused on

Put “hooks” in your material---things to
attract & attach to a variety of readers

“Testify” to our common faith…briefly
Who’s in Their Album?
What are churches looking for?
Someone
 Someone
 Someone
 Someone
 Someone

who
who
who
who
who
matches their membership
will care for them
will lead them
understands their culture
will stay
Say “Cheese”
First
impressions
are
lasting
impressions!
Both on paper… & in person.
Resume “Do’s”
Do create a professional quality resume
 Do customize your resume to fit a specific
ministry post
 Do be scrupulously honest
 Do be creative without going “Hollywood”
 Do have your resume reviewed by an
objective, critical eye
 Do offer a variety of personal references
 Do expect financial & criminal checks

Resume “Don’ts”
Don’t oversell yourself
 Don’t skimp on quality presentation
 Don’t assume you’ll be interviewed…or not
 Don’t present controversial issues on
paper…wait for direct dialog
 Don’t give an “any job will do” impression
 Don’t include a picture
 Don’t hide things

Friendly Faces in Your Album
Who are the folks
who will “put a face” on your resume…&
…hand it off to others?
…speak well of you to others?
…make follow-up calls to others?
How do you
cultivate your network?
On-Line Resumes

If you circulate resumes electronically, use
only common word processing programs.
Otherwise, you run the risk that they
reformat & print in jumbles that are
unreadable

If you use an on-line service, take advantage
of the extra room for descriptive materials.
[Some services charge, and others don’t.]
When the Picture Becomes a “Talkie”
Your phone rings…
& it’s a search committee…the first impression
Engage them…show a little life & interest
 Focus on them---use a good phone...in a
quiet room…& listen, listen, listen
 Let them know you’re willing to talk more
with them…or not

Your 2-Minute Commercial
Many face-to-face interviews begin with
“Tell us a little about yourself…”
Tell them what you’re called to do,
what you’ve done, &
how a normal day goes…
clearly, interestingly, smoothly,
sparklingly, directly, & concisely!
Interview “Do’s”
Do rehearse expected questions
 Do dress & act appropriately
 Do make eye contact & use names
 Do speak conversationally & distinctly
 Do mind your mannerisms & body language
 Do ask questions when you don’t understand
or need a moment to shape a response
 Do mention your strengths
 Do focus on their interests & needs

Interview “Don’ts”
Don’t focus on you, you, you
 Don’t apologize for things you can’t change
 Don’t exaggerate, evade, or lie
 Don’t be late, unprepared, or underdressed
 Don’t criticize, complain, or beg
 Don’t ask about days off or vacation time yet
 Don’t forget to say thanks
 Don’t…after all of these warnings…be tense

Spend Some Time in the Darkroom
Before your first face-to-face conversation with
the search team…research & ponder…



Learn about the church & community
Be ready to show---if asked---how you deal
with your weaknesses
Craft 4-6 questions for them in advance…
1.
2.
3.
“If you could change one thing about the
church…?”
“In 3-5 years, where do you want your church to
be?”
“Can you describe the best leader for your church?”
How Long Will It Take for
This Film to Develop?
In the secular work world,
finding a new job
takes 1 month of searching for every
$10,000 you want in salary
…& that’s if the economy is good.
Double…or triple…that time for churches!
Lots of folks want
to come to [or stay in] Virginia’s churches.
When It’s a Family Photo Op
Like it or not,
your spouse & family
will be visible during the search process.
You may say,
“You’re not calling my spouse,”
but a congregational call is family-to-family.
Your spouse’s presence provides
a vital set of eyes and intuitions.
Taming the Terrible “Too’s”
Too “old”---show energy & growth, don’t
talk about the past, demonstrate that you
understand younger generations
 Too “young”---show flexibility & your
willingness to grow, indicate connections
with older generations
 Too “female”---dress conservatively,
appeal to family care issues
 Too “damaged”---be open, show recovery

When the Camera Doesn’t Smile Back
Handling “rejection shock”
when they choose someone else…
…Dealing with the emotions
1.
2.
3.
4.
Denial  This isn’t happening to me, is it?
Anger  Churches are full of the spawn of Satan!
Depression  I’ll never find a decent church…
Acceptance  OK, I’ll just keep on trying.
…Learning from the experience
When the Picture Doesn’t
“Come Out”
Not every photo taking attempt
develops or “comes out”
As soon as you know
this search process
isn’t a match for you,
tell them…
kindly, firmly.
When the Camera Does Smile Back
Accept a call graciously.

Show appreciation for God’s call & for the
matching process

Be sure details are understood

Begin connecting to the congregational
community before you arrive
Picking the Best Picture
The average National Geographic
article features only 5 or 6 photos
…from 1200-1400 exposures!
The lesson?
Keep circulating your resume widely,
keep networking broadly, &
keep growing deeply!!!