Executive Pastor Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Executive Pastor resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Executive pastors are responsible for overseeing all aspects of a church’s operations. They manage staff members, oversee budgets, develop strategic plans, and much more. If you’re looking for a new opportunity that will allow you to grow professionally while helping your community thrive, this could be the role for you.
When writing your executive pastor resume, it’s important to highlight your experience managing people and resources effectively. You’ll also want to include any specific skills or experience relevant to the role that you have that will set you apart from other candidates.
How to Write an Executive Pastor Resume
Here’s how to write an resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
The best way to make your resume stand out is to use specific examples and numbers. So rather than saying you “managed staff,” you could say that you “increased staff retention rate by 15% in six months by creating new employee onboarding program.”
The second bullet point is much stronger because it provides specific details about what you did and the results of your work.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you submit your resume for a senior pastor or executive pastor role, it’s likely that it will be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. These programs look for certain words related to the position like “spiritual growth” or “leadership development” to determine whether your skills and experience are a match for the job. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right terms, the ATS might automatically reject your application.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common executive pastor keywords as a starting point to help you identify the skills, experience, and keywords that are most relevant to the role:
- Preaching
- Pastoral Care
- Ministry
- Nonprofit Organizations
- Leadership Development
- Community Outreach
- Fundraising
- Event Planning
- Program Development
- Strategy
- Volunteer Management
- Coaching
- Executive Management
- Public Speaking
- Social Media
- Organizational Leadership
- Strategic Planning
- Change Management
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Project Management
- Business Strategy
- Management
- Communication
- Team Leadership
- Business Planning
- Microsoft Access
- Marketing
- Social Media Marketing
- Customer Service
- Interim Ministry
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As an executive pastor, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems in order to effectively manage your church. This might include programs like Microsoft Office Suite, QuickBooks, and Church Management Software. You should also be familiar with social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter, as well as email marketing platforms like MailChimp. Additionally, it is helpful to be familiar with graphic design programs like Photoshop and InDesign, as you may be responsible for creating marketing materials for your church.