A Few Things to Keep in Mind
A growing number of churches and ministries now allow, and sometimes require, the potential candidate to submit a resume, cover letter, and sometimes even a personal information intake/application via e-mail or over the InterNet. Many do that as an initial “grid” by which to sort or prioritize the applicants.The only caveat here is to remember that due to the volume of material received, many organizations will not necessarily send a follow-up EMail to indicate they have successfully downloaded your documents. That’s why it’s always a good idea to let the church or ministry know (in your EMail) the format in which you are sending these materials as well as specifically ask them if they would notify you that they received your EMail and were able to download what you sent. The PDF Format or Word.doc is almost always the best.
If you don’t hear from them, write again… or call to confirm (unless phone calls are prohibited).
And by all means send a “snail mail” copy of your materials as well to their postal address. Documents do not always translate over EMail as nicely or completely as they appear on your computer. It depends a lot on who is downloading them, what their computer capabilities are, and whether the formatting has changed in the process.
A few of the better ministries and churches may actually acknowledge your application. The best ones may even give you a time frame for their decision-making process. But remember…they are a very small minority.
At any rate, how they choose to respond to you… or even IF they choose to respond to you…will tell you a little something about the church or ministry itself. If you’re applying to be the Administrator or Executive Pastor… maybe that’s why they need you!
It’s unfortunate that many organizations can leave the potential candidate in limbo for weeks, or even months, since the candidating/application process (especially in churches) is typically quite tedious. Gathering resumes, convening Search Team members, bringing church leadership up to speed regarding the process…all of this often takes a very long time. Unfortunately, you, the potential candidate, are trying to make an important life decision NOW. Patience is the keyword.
If you do decide to submit a resume or application electronically, and you receive a response, make sure you follow up quickly with a note of appreciation. You can always ask what the next step is in the process… or if they have a timeline for filling the position, if that hasn’t already been expressed.
