Admit it.

You’re sitting in your office cubicle daydreaming again, aren’t you? You want to build your Catholic resume or portfolio, but simply don’t know where to start.

Your job was rewarding at first. HR did a great job selling you on the company’s mission and the internal opportunities for growth. The pay is good, and the benefits are great. But lately everything’s been feeling mundane, even… meaningless.

You want to do something that really matters, something with eternal significance.

You daydream about bringing souls to Christ — working full-time for His Church and putting your skills and talents at the service of the Gospel. But you have a problem…

You’ve never worked in Catholic ministry.

Heck! You’ve never even volunteered to read at Sunday Mass.

Or maybe you’re concerned because you have no formal education in Catholic theology, catechesis, ministry, evangelization, or apologetics.

In other words, there’s nothing particularly “Catholic” on your resume or in your portfolio. You’ve been looking around at all the opportunities for ministry in your diocese, but you can’t help but wonder: “Why would anyone want to hire me for a ministry job? My current skillset doesn’t fit any of these job descriptions.”

If this sounds familiar, “Be not afraid” (sorry—John Paul II pun…)…

Here are five helpful tips you can use to build your Catholic resume or portfolio before you quit your day-job:

1. What skills are on your current resume or portfolio?

The first helpful tip you can use to build your Catholic resume or portfolio is pretty simple. Determine your skillset!

You have a definite skillset.

Whether you realize it or not, your current skillset can be put to use in the service of the Gospel. The Church needs you… and your skillset! So sit down, write out your skills, and brainstorm how you intend to use them in the service of the Gospel.

Are you good at building websites? As we’ve seen recently with the beatification of Carlo Acutis, the Church needs men and women who are capable of building attractive websites that folks want to come back to again and again.

Is digital marketing your thing? Great! The Church needs marketers and content creators who are adept at creating compelling content for evangelizing on the “digital continent.”

Do you work in sales or corporate coaching? The Church needs men and women like you; capable of creating stunning presentations, building compelling cases, and making persuasive arguments in favor of Catholicism.

The truth is, it doesn’t matter what your current skillset is. The Church needs you and your abilities. So write down what it is that you’ve been trained to do, and start thinking of ways you can use your skills in the service of the Church.

2. Figure out your talents

In his First Letter to Corinthians, Saint Paul says:

“There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit … The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good” (1Cor. 12:4, 7).

He then goes on to say that, as the body as a whole needs its various parts, so too does the Church need her members to use their various God-given gifts and talents for the sake of spreading the Gospel.

Ask yourself: “What talents has God given me?”

Are you musically inclined? Or maybe you have a gift for the written word. Do you “come alive” when you’re speaking in front of a large crowd? Or maybe one-on-one coaching is more your thing.

You have a talent. Most likely you have several talents. And you can use each talent to build up the Body of Christ. Find out what your talents are. And if you struggle to figure it out (*ahem* you’re not alone), ask a couple close friends or relatives what they think your talent is.

3. Volunteering can build your Catholic experience

Worried that you have no direct experience working in ministry or in a Church-related role? Not a problem!

Your parish may need RCIA sponsors who are available and knowledgeable enough to answer an RCIA candidate’s questions. Or maybe your parish priest could use some extra help ministering to the Youth Group, even if there is already a full-time Youth Minister employed by the parish.

Does your parish have a blog? Why not volunteer to write weekly or monthly articles?

Ask around. There are more than enough opportunities for you to volunteer and put your unique skills and talents to work, while at the same time building up that Catholic resume or portfolio you’ve been working on.

One great way to get involved as a volunteer is to join your local St. Paul Street Evangelization team!

4. Add Catholic education to your resume or portfolio

Who among us hasn’t been put off by the “Master’s Degree in Theology and three years of experience as a catechist or youth minister” requirement for that Director of Religious Education job you know you’d be perfect for!

You’re already working on building your experience by volunteering your time as a catechist, sponsor, street evangelist, or youth minister. Now, thanks to the internet, you have multiple ways to fulfill that education “requirement.”

If you need formal education, there are some amazing Catholic schools that offer Master’s degrees in theology, ministry, or catechetics 100% online! Franciscan University of Steubenville, Catholic Distance University, and the Augustine Institute are three of the best schools out there offering online degrees in theology.

But if you just need to brush up on your knowledge of the Faith, and want a certificate to show for it, there are some great options out there. The St. Paul Evangelization Institute and Catholic Answers School of Apologetics are two great places where you can solidify your knowledge of Catholicism, while also earning a certificate to post on your LinkedIn profile and brag about on your resume.

5. A final word to help you build your Catholic resume or portfolio

Building up your Catholic resume or portfolio is great and all. But there’s one thing you can do right now that will launch you into full-time Church-work faster than that perfect resume or portfolio ever could.

Networking!

Get out there and meet some people, especially the “key players.” Spend time getting to know your parish priest. Go to your local “Theology on Tap” events. Join or start a parish or diocesan book study program.

Get out there and meet people. After all, ministry and evangelization aren’t so much about what you know. They’re all about bringing the Gospel to people.

And if you’re already putting some of the above advice into practice, then you’re well on your way to launching your Church career.

Philip Rolfes is a freelance direct response copywriter, connecting people with the missions they’re passionate about.

Search here for Catholic job postings, or Catholic Professionals you can hire.

The post Build Your Catholic Resume or Portfolio in 5 Easy Steps appeared first on Catholic Professionals.

Upon reflection, however, I’ve realized that many of my skills have actually developed from secular or seemingly unrelated experiences that I’ve been able to repurpose for ministry use.

If you have the opportunity to participate in professional development specifically for Catholics in your field, I highly recommend it! However, potential Catholic employers are also often interested to see the skills and professional development you bring from your previous experiences, even in secular fields, and how that outside perspective could benefit their ministry.  These will be hugely helpful when it comes time to write your resume.

Professional development opportunities also give you tangible experiences to discuss at a job interview. Many common interview questions invite an applicant to illustrate ways that they have used particular skills or reacted in past situations, and professional development not only proves dedication to your work, but also provides these concrete examples you can use in an interview.

So what professional development opportunities should Catholic professionals be on the lookout for? Here are some unique ways to gain Catholic professional development.

1. Brush up on your marketing skills

It’s no secret that communication skills are one of the top factors that recruiters consider when screening candidates for a position – in fact, it’s one of Forbes’ seven most universal job skills.

One of the reasons communication is so valuable is because it is the root of marketing, the work that convinces someone to take an action on a product or service. Employees who can communicate well help forward this mission, even if they aren’t part of the marketing or communications team.

So why is marketing a helpful skill for Catholic professionals? Just replace that product or service with Jesus, and you’ve got yourself evangelization.

I would argue that every Catholic organization can find its root in evangelization. Thus, as a Catholic professional, marketing skills prove you can use evangelize not only about the prospective ministry, but also about Christ. That alone can set you ahead of the rest of the pack.

Unique marketing professional development opportunities:

• Volunteer to run the social media account for your parish or a favorite company.
• Subscribe to newsletters or podcasts about email marketing that will help you keep up on the latest spam laws.
• Try to convince a friend to take action about a product or service, even if you receive no financial gain from it.

2. Plan an event for Catholic Professional Development

I have yet to be part of a Catholic ministry that has not required some level of event planning prowess.

Luckily, it is a widely versatile skill that is easy to learn and put into practice. That’s probably why it was one of the top 10 skills hiring managers appreciated in new hires in 2018, according to LinkedIn’s 2018 guide for getting hired.

Being able to discuss your past experiences in event planning allows you to practically and succinctly illustrate many of your “soft skills”: time management, organization, teamwork, ability to conceptualize ideas and plan for the long term, and creativity.

Don’t worry if you only have secular event planning skills: you can still use that experience to leverage a Catholic job opportunity. Attention to detail, keeping calm under pressure, and remembering to plug in the microphone are skills relevant across fields.

Unique event planning professional development opportunities:

• Present a parish event idea to your pastor and volunteer to organize it.
• Become a speaker or presenter at an upcoming conference, and keep a record of how you prepared for it.
• Coordinate a networking event in your area to meet fellow Catholic professionals (and potential employers).

3. Build your business acumen

Oftentimes, churches and Catholic organizations will shy away from business practices. It seems to contradict serving others, but that method simply isn’t sustainable.

Whether you have a background in finance, office management, entrepreneurship, or even design, bring those skills up at an interview! Many churches and Catholic organizations are beginning to realize how essential business management skills are to successfully fulfill their mission. Thus, Catholic hiring managers are specifically seeking candidates who can bring those skills, while keeping in mind that personal gain is not the goal.

If business hasn’t been your forte in the past, but you’re looking to grow in this area, there are so many opportunities for you to grow your skills!

Unique business professional development opportunities:

• Shadow a small business owner for a day and see what it is like to be an entrepreneur.
• Check out your local Chamber of Commerce; they may have training for aspiring business professionals.
• Put your business skills to work for practical experience! Volunteer to prepare taxes for the elderly and disadvantaged.  Conduct a business plan for your local crisis pregnancy center, or organize a community fundraiser.

5. Join a professional organization

I cannot emphasize enough how valuable professional groups have been to my development as a Catholic professional.

Joining Catholic professional groups, particularly online Facebook groups, have helped me stay on top of current trends, learn new skills, and constantly challenge me to keep growing in my field.

More importantly, however, it has allowed me to be inspired by so many wonderful people doing great things for Christ.

Being part of a professional organization, either in person or online, tells a Catholic hiring manager that you take your continued education seriously. It also illustrates that you know other experts in your field who you can bounce ideas off of.

Unique professional development groups for Catholics

• Young Catholic Professionals
• Catholics Online
• Legatus
• Catholic Creatives
• Catholic Writers Guild

6. Educate yourself on Catholicism

Working for a Catholic organization does not mean you have to know everything about the Catholic faith. However, understanding the essential theology around Jesus Christ and the Church’s teachings is important to obtain a position in religious ministries.

You don’t have to have a master’s degree in Theology to be qualified for every Catholic job, however. Thankfully, there are so many free, popular theological courses and offerings for laity.

Plus, mentioning these Catholic organizations during an interview is like a secret code that you actually know your stuff. Being able to discuss your favorite Scott Hahn book or Fr. Mike Schmitz video will prove to the interviewer that you are serious about this position and upholding the culture of the organization.

Unique theological (and free!) development resources:

• Alpha or Discovering Christ series
• Ascension Presents
• Formed.org
• Word on Fire

7. Don’t neglect your faith

Soon after I started my career in Church work, I noticed myself begin to burn out. My faith was now associated with work. Mass attendance became just an extension of the work week, and prayer was like taking work home.

That’s when I realized the importance of feeding myself spiritually before I spent my day trying to do the same for others.

A job candidate who places a large emphasis on prayer understands the importance of continually developing his or her faith life and is less likely to burn out.

Even attending a retreat could be considered Catholic professional development for your soul!

So when a person demonstrates they take time to feed themselves spiritually, it indicates to a hiring manager that he or she is dedicated to faith and takes steps to prevent burn-out.

Unique soulful professional development opportunities:

• Attend a silent retreat or a Catholic conference aimed at professionals.
• Sign up for a weekly slot at your Adoration chapel. Bring some of your faith-based work to allow Christ to be a part of it.
• Write a prayer to say before you begin work each day.

8. Catholic-specific professional development opportunities

Want to really wow your Catholic employer? While Catholic-specific professional development opportunities can be rare, participating in one shows you are really dedicated to your new position and already have the training that comes along with it!

Unique Catholic professional development opportunities:

• Rebuilt book/conferences or Divine Renovation podcast
• Amazing Parish conference
• International Catholic Stewardship Conference
• Young Catholic Professionals Conference
• Legatus Summit

If you’re hoping to enter the Catholic job market soon, don’t stress if you’re lacking Catholic professional development opportunities to include on your resume. There are plenty of unique ways to show off or develop your skills to help grow the Church.  What’s important is having experience and proven passion!

About the Author:

Emily Ricci is the president of Gloriam Marketing, and works as a marketing content and social media specialist at a Catholic college and previously worked at a church for over 7 years. Her past church titles and responsibilities have included working as a Parish Office secretary, sacristan, Weekend Coordinator (ministry supervisor and event coordinator), youth minister, bulletin writer, coordinator of the baptism program, and Faith Formation teacher and assistant. After years in church work, Emily recognized the need for solid Catholic marketing and promotion, but realized that there were no marketing firms in the area that specialized in faith-based marketing.

Search here for Catholic job postings, or Catholic Professionals you can hire.

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