Each day, in my reference and referral work, I deal with resumes – lots of them. And they are as varied in content and format as the ministers who send them my way. While resumes are a very subjective thing, there are some basic things that any candidate who wishes his or her resume to get a second look should pay attention to.

A recent article in FastCompany.com shared with me by John Lepper, coordinator of Kentucky Baptist Fellowship, talks about how to make a resume stick. The writer says that “to advertise yourself with a resume is like trying to advertise a box of cereal with its UPC code.” He goes on to say that resumes have one role – to establish credibility – to help you clear the bar. Or, I would say to be able to have your resume set aside for further consideration. Your resume is a sales brochure in which you need to present yourself in the most positive light possible. While of course you should never stretch the truth, this is not a time for being overly modest.

 A well-written cover letter can give a search committee a bit of personal insight into the candidate that cannot always be gleaned from the usual bulleted data contained in the standard resume. It’s a place to let a bit of the passion of your ministerial call shine through. Unlike a resume for a secular position, this personal touch is something that is welcomed by church search committees. Try to keep the cover letter to one page while sharing information about yourself that makes a committee want to know more.