Many months ago I applied online for a position posted on a popular job website for staff positions in churches.  In a reply email the church informed me that they had received over 200 resumes in the course of about one week.  Talk about overwhelming.  I never heard from them again.  I think I got lost in the shuffle, but what on earth did they do with so many applicants?

Does a church have any idea at all what they’re in for?  Some churches do.  They have multiple staff and have a hiring process already in place.  My guess is that there was some trial and error in getting there.  Then there are other churches that just have an idea in mind for the person they want in the position, and then go out looking for that person.  No real process.  They’re just trying to find the person that fits in their preconceived ideal candidate.

What about the candidate?  Does he or she know the competition that they’re up against when applying for ministry positions?   How do they make their application or resume stand out in the huge crowd that already has applied for the same opportunity.

Here are some suggestions of what churches can do with those resumes, from the perspective of a seasoned resume submitter.

  • Clearly define the position.  Most churches are very good at laying out a detailed job description.  I ran across one church that required you to submit the results of three separate personality tests along with their initial cover letter and resume.  Clearly they had a process but I felt this may have been a little extreme.  Other churches post age limits and gender requirements.  Be thorough but don’t go overboard.  Define the position, not the person for the position.  Leave room for some flexibility.  You just don’t know the gem that may never apply due to restrictions set out in the initial listing.
  • Be sure your hiring process is clearly defined to all candidates.  Resume gathering deadlines, next step expectations, and so on.  Let all candidates know the process as soon as they apply.   Doing this will keep them from having to “guess” what might happen next.  Ignoring them when their resume has been rejected just leaves them hanging.
  • Request cover letter, resume and references in one package.  Why the references?  If something comes up during your initial research, contact a reference to get a better picture of the individual.  Asking for a photograph is not necessary at this stage.  Too many times a single photo can have more influence than anything written down.
  • Gather resumes for one month or less.  Set a date as a limit and stick to it.  Publicize this time frame in the initial job post.
  • Some churches have an application form as part of their initial process.  Most of the ones I’ve seen repeat most of the information in a resume.  Churches do this so they will have an easier time comparing candidates.  (Apples to apples.)  Make a form that can be easily filled out without having to reformat or copy/paste and returned by email.
  • Accept cover letter and resumes by email attached document in Word or PDF format.  No snail mail, please.  If they can’t do this, they are not living in this century.  Technology is here to stay.
  • Let each candidate know when they apply what the hiring process is.  Give them your deadlines.  Let them know what to expect and when to expect it.  If the candidate doesn’t receive a reply by a certain date then he hasn’t been chosen for the next step in the process.  Don’t leave anyone hanging or guessing.  No one likes to be ignored so doing this is just common courtesy.
  • What are your non-negotiables for the position?  Everybody has them.  What are they?  Is it denominational affiliation?  Age?  Gender?  Education?  Although this may not be the best thing to put in the initial job post, it does exist in the minds of the church hiring entity/entities.  If you can clearly list specific requirements in the initial job description post and let potential candidates know that you are not flexible, it may cut down the number of resumes you receive.
  • Regardless of the number of resumes submitted, choose no more than ten for the next step in the process.
  • If you haven’t prayed for each candidate who offers a resume (even if it’s 200 of them) then your process is incomplete.  Discarding a resume because it doesn’t have the right “key words” or “phrases” is a corporate approach that should have no place in the church’s selection process.  Keep God in the process through prayer.
  • A good, complete process should take around six months but no longer.  Do not rush the hiring process or you’ll find yourself doing the process too many times for the same position.
  • For a good church process, check out the “10 Steps to Finding the Right Person” by David Fletcher.

Here’s a few suggestions for candidates and their applying practices…

  • Tailor your cover letter for every job you apply for.  There is no such thing as a “standard” cover letter.  If you aren’t willing to put some time into the cover letter, it will show.
  • Tailor your resume to emphasize the needs stated in the job description.  Don’t make yourself out to be something you’re not.  Little white lies and embellishment are dishonest at best.
  • Check out the church’s website.  Learn everything you can about the church, its direction, current staff and current ministries.
  • Is this position new to the church or are you applying for a position already established?  Ask “why?” to either, if you get the chance.
  • Be creative.  When it comes to resumes, check these out.  I don’t need to write a thing.  The best advice is right there.

So, these are my thoughts of the topic of selecting potential new staff and sending out resumes.  Keep looking and keep praying.

The downside: Both looking for a position and looking to fill a position can be a long, tedious process.  Neither should be in a hurry about it.

The upside: A good process will pay off in the long run.  Refining the process over time will give you a streamlined approach.

The payoff: The right person in the right position at the right time.  Yay!

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m currently in the third step of a process with a church that grabbed my resume earlier in the week.  Go figure.