Faith should show up in your resume, not on it. There's a huge difference.

Most Christians I've worked with have asked me to help them write or revise their resumes. Some have asked me if their faith should be on their resume somewhere.

One could make the case that ministry-related jobs are "Christian jobs" and that a search targeting them is a "Christian job search" and, therefore, your resume ought to mention your faith. I agree, in that context. If you're not seeking a ministry-related job, though, you faith shouldn't be listed, hinted at, or referred to.

In those cases, your faith has no place on your resume. But it should be in there. Here's what I mean.

You resume IS NOT an advertisement for your faith. It IS an advertisement for the effects of your faith.

Your faith shows in

• What your references say about you
• The absence of lies on your resume
• The excellence of your achievements

If your references say you did a bad job, or you were the office politics champ, or they suspected you were going to stab them in the back, your faith isn't in your resume.

If you lie on your resume about your achievements, work history, education, or anything else, your faith isn't in your resume.

If your resume implies you just showed up and collected a paycheck at your last job, your faith isn't in your resume.

If your faith isn't in your resume, putting your faith on your resume doesn't mean much.

Do you remember the adage that actions speak louder than words (the Bible story about the Good Samaritan describes the same principle)? Putting your faith in your resume means showing that you lived the principles of your faith on the job.

If you're a Christian job seeker, strive to make your resume reflect your faith instead of advertising it directly. That's a more principled choice, and it's even likely to sell better.

Copyright (c) by Roy Miller