What Title Should I Put On My Resume? A Guide For Ministry Leaders Translating Their Experience
What Title Should I Put On My Resume? A Guide For Ministry Leaders Translating Their Experience
What Title Should I Put On My Resume?
A Guide For Ministry Leaders Translating Their Experience
Read Time: 3.5 minutes
Read Time: 3.5 minutes
Overview
Welcome to the Ministry To Marketplace Minute! In today’s episode, we’re going to break down the 10 step process used by all 81 people (at the time of this writing) to transition into the marketplace from ministry jobs. We’ve spent years honing this process to be as effective and quick as possible. So let’s dive in.
Today's Ministry To Marketplace Minute:
Mindset Shift: Should I change my ministry job title?
Strategy Shift: Explaining your pastor experience on your resume.
Do This Right Now: How to change your job title on your resume.
Who Will Hire Me?: 6 ministry friendly organizations with jobs for ex-pastors. (you get an extra one today!)
Overview
Welcome to the Ministry To Marketplace Minute! In today’s episode, we’re going to break down the 10 step process used by all 81 people (at the time of this writing) to transition into the marketplace from ministry jobs. We’ve spent years honing this process to be as effective and quick as possible. So let’s dive in.
Today's Ministry To Marketplace Minute:
Mindset Shift: Should I change my ministry job title?
Strategy Shift: Explaining your pastor experience on your resume.
Do This Right Now: How to change your job title on your resume.
Who Will Hire Me?: 6 ministry friendly organizations with jobs for ex-pastors. (you get an extra one today!)
LAUNCH YOUR JOB SEARCH
LAUNCH YOUR JOB SEARCH
🧠 MINDSET SHIFT: Should I change my ministry job title?
🧠 MINDSET SHIFT: Should I change my ministry job title?
Here’s the question: “Should/can/must I change my title on my resume?”
Answer this: What is your job? Go ahead, fill in the blank in your mind. “My job is ______.”
OK, did you just fill in the blank with your job title?
That is true, and in your organization, your job title is a description of the functions and actions of your job. And everyone in your organization knows what your job title means.
But if you read last week’s newsletter, we talked about all of the different job titles that can describe basically the same thing.
Let’s go on a quick journey. Is your job called something else in another organization?
Pastor, Priest, Elder, Reverend, Bishop, Rector, Chaplain…
So let’s reframe.
Are there other titles in other organizations that describe roles that have the majority of job functions and actions that you perform?
The answer is likely yes.
That’s a good starting place.
Here’s the question: “Should/can/must I change my title on my resume?”
Answer this: What is your job? Go ahead, fill in the blank in your mind. “My job is ______.”
OK, did you just fill in the blank with your job title?
That is true, and in your organization, your job title is a description of the functions and actions of your job. And everyone in your organization knows what your job title means.
But if you read last week’s newsletter, we talked about all of the different job titles that can describe basically the same thing.
Let’s go on a quick journey. Is your job called something else in another organization?
Pastor, Priest, Elder, Reverend, Bishop, Rector, Chaplain…
So let’s reframe.
Are there other titles in other organizations that describe roles that have the majority of job functions and actions that you perform?
The answer is likely yes.
That’s a good starting place.
♟️ STRATEGY SHIFT: Explaining your pastor experience on your resume.
♟️ STRATEGY SHIFT: Explaining your pastor experience on your resume.
Let’s be clear. You don’t have to change your job title on your resume.
This is 100% your decision.
But before we dive deeper, here’s some food for thought:
If someone asks you, “what do you do” and you answer with your job title, and then you have to explain further what you do OR the person has a pre-conceived notion of what you do, your title could be hurtful to your job search.
And some people have asked me,
“But Todd, is it unethical to change your job title on your resume?”
Defining accurate, ethical, and honest.
Let’s define what a job title is.
It is a word or series of words that is a reference point for what the actions, functions, and responsibilities of a job are according to the organization where the job exists.
Think of how many different “pastor” or “director” jobs there are. And how many different ways are there to say “youth, next gen, young adults, family, student…” right?
In the same way, if you already perform the actions, functions, and responsibilities of a job as outlined in a job description by another organization, then according to that organization, you do that job (or most of the job) - which may be a different job title than you have.
So who is right?
Wrong question.
The right question?
“What is most helpful to the hiring team to see the alignment you have with the job they are hiring for so that they can hire the best person possible?”
Let’s be clear. You don’t have to change your job title on your resume.
This is 100% your decision.
But before we dive deeper, here’s some food for thought:
If someone asks you, “what do you do” and you answer with your job title, and then you have to explain further what you do OR the person has a pre-conceived notion of what you do, your title could be hurtful to your job search.
And some people have asked me,
“But Todd, is it unethical to change your job title on your resume?”
Defining accurate, ethical, and honest.
Let’s define what a job title is.
It is a word or series of words that is a reference point for what the actions, functions, and responsibilities of a job are according to the organization where the job exists.
Think of how many different “pastor” or “director” jobs there are. And how many different ways are there to say “youth, next gen, young adults, family, student…” right?
In the same way, if you already perform the actions, functions, and responsibilities of a job as outlined in a job description by another organization, then according to that organization, you do that job (or most of the job) - which may be a different job title than you have.
So who is right?
Wrong question.
The right question?
“What is most helpful to the hiring team to see the alignment you have with the job they are hiring for so that they can hire the best person possible?”
What should your job title be?
What should your job title be?
What you would do in order to change your job title on your resume to make it accurate, ethical, and honest.
(in my professional opinion)
As I outlined in the newsletter about finding your Top Job Type, there are a few different jobs that fit your experience, skills, and wiring.
And then in last week’s newsletter, we talked about the structure of job titles.
The first word or series of words typically describes the function of the job within the organization.
The last word typically describes the level, and therefore the responsibilities of the job.
First, the job function.
You found a job that you really want to do, let’s say “onboarding specialist.” When you look at the job description, if you see that you have done 80% or more of that job, you can change your job title to “onboarding specialist.”
If you have only done less than 80% of what the job description says, you could either lower the level of “specialist,” or you could pick another job that most closely resembles the job you have now.
If it is another job in your job history before your most recent job that has less than 80% alignment, you can keep the same name of your job title, or follow the formula in step 2.
Remember, we already established that the title is the reference point for the actions, functions, and results of the job within that organization.
So if you’re using the organization’s language to help the hiring team find and hire the best person, it is to their benefit to change that.
Now let’s talk about the level of the job.
This is where changing your level is unethical.
My rule of thumb is, keep your current level, unless on the job description for the job you want to apply for, you see that it means you had more responsibility than you actually have. (See the “onboarding specialist” example above.)
Now you have your formula for changing your job titles on your resume in an ethical and helpful way.
What you would do in order to change your job title on your resume to make it accurate, ethical, and honest.
(in my professional opinion)
As I outlined in the newsletter about finding your Top Job Type, there are a few different jobs that fit your experience, skills, and wiring.
And then in last week’s newsletter, we talked about the structure of job titles.
The first word or series of words typically describes the function of the job within the organization.
The last word typically describes the level, and therefore the responsibilities of the job.
First, the job function.
You found a job that you really want to do, let’s say “onboarding specialist.” When you look at the job description, if you see that you have done 80% or more of that job, you can change your job title to “onboarding specialist.”
If you have only done less than 80% of what the job description says, you could either lower the level of “specialist,” or you could pick another job that most closely resembles the job you have now.
If it is another job in your job history before your most recent job that has less than 80% alignment, you can keep the same name of your job title, or follow the formula in step 2.
Remember, we already established that the title is the reference point for the actions, functions, and results of the job within that organization.
So if you’re using the organization’s language to help the hiring team find and hire the best person, it is to their benefit to change that.
Now let’s talk about the level of the job.
This is where changing your level is unethical.
My rule of thumb is, keep your current level, unless on the job description for the job you want to apply for, you see that it means you had more responsibility than you actually have. (See the “onboarding specialist” example above.)
Now you have your formula for changing your job titles on your resume in an ethical and helpful way.
QUICK WINS
QUICK WINS
✅ DO THIS RIGHT NOW: How to change your job title on your resume.
✅ DO THIS RIGHT NOW: How to change your job title on your resume.
Have a job you’re looking at?
Read the job description and determine if you did 80% of that job or more for each of your previous jobs in your career history.
Follow the naming convention for the first part of the title describing the functionality.
Follow the guidelines for the last part of the title outlining responsibilities of the job.
Update your resume and good to go!
Have a job you’re looking at?
Read the job description and determine if you did 80% of that job or more for each of your previous jobs in your career history.
Follow the naming convention for the first part of the title describing the functionality.
Follow the guidelines for the last part of the title outlining responsibilities of the job.
Update your resume and good to go!
🚀 FROM THE COACHING GROUP
🚀 FROM THE COACHING GROUP
Translation Done!
(we spend a lot of time in the coaching group making sure that everyone’s experience is translated effectively and will make sense to hiring managers)
Translation Done!
(we spend a lot of time in the coaching group making sure that everyone’s experience is translated effectively and will make sense to hiring managers)
🤝 WHO WILL HIRE ME?: 5 ministry friendly organizations with jobs for ex-pastors.
🤝 WHO WILL HIRE ME?: 5 ministry friendly organizations with jobs for ex-pastors.
Because of the time sensitive nature of job postings, we post these in the newsletter only.
Get the newsletter, along with 566+ others, every Friday morning.
Because of the time sensitive nature of job postings, we post these in the newsletter only.
Get the newsletter, along with 463+ others, every Friday morning.
Rooting for you! 🚀
Todd Linder
Founder and Head Coach // Connect with me on LinkedIn
How we can help you:
The Ministry To Marketplace Coaching Program: Join 89 others that have successfully transitioned from ministry into marketplace jobs that value their experience. Our coaching program will give you our proven step by step process to getting a job faster in the marketplace, weekly coaching calls and check ins, and community with others on the same journey as you. Book a call here.
The Ministry To Marketplace Quiz: Join 477+ other ministry to marketplace job seekers that have taken our 60-second (FREE) quiz to find out what is hindering your job search. You'll get a video and PDF results report straight to your inbox that will identify where you are, and what you need to focus on right now to get results. Take the FREE quiz here.
Want to hire someone with a ministry background? We always have 20-30 people in our coaching group who are hire ready! Email me (todd@launchpoint.co) with a link to the job description and I'll personally take a look in our coaching community for someone that fits, make sure their resume is lined up, and connect you with them directly. (completely FREE)
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