Quick Answer
Putting church volunteer work on your LinkedIn profile can be beneficial for several reasons. It shows that you are community-minded, have leadership experience, and are motivated by more than just making money. Many employers look favorably on volunteering. However, you should be careful not to overemphasize religion if your work is not related to it. A simple listing as one of your interests or volunteer experiences is usually sufficient.
Should You Include Church Volunteer Work on a Resume?
Including volunteer work on your resume shows employers that you are civic-minded, care about more than just making money, and are willing to donate your time and energy to help others. Volunteer work at a church demonstrates many positive qualities:
- Community orientation and engagement
- Compassion and desire to help those in need
- Willingness to contribute time without direct compensation
- Potential leadership and organizational skills
- Ability to work with diverse groups of people
In a 2019 LinkedIn study, 80% of hiring managers said they view volunteer work on resumes favorably. However, you should be careful not to overemphasize religion unless you are applying for a job at a church or religious organization. Keep your church volunteer work to 3-5 bullet points under a “Volunteer Experience” section. Lead with accomplishments rather than religious duties.
Good Examples
- Led fundraising drive that collected over $50,000 for new building construction
- Organized weekly meal service program serving 100+ people per week
- Recruited and trained 25 new Sunday School teachers
What to Avoid
- Proselytized youth group attendees through weekly Bible lessons
- Led children’s choir in hymn practice and performance
- Participated in weekly prayer groups
The key is keeping the focus on transferrable skills rather than religious activities.
Should Church Volunteer Work Be on LinkedIn?
The same basic guidelines apply to putting church volunteer work on your LinkedIn profile. LinkedIn provides a place to showcase community engagement, which 61% of hiring managers value.
You can include church volunteer work a few different ways on LinkedIn:
Experience Section
Add it similar to how you would on a resume, with a focus on accomplishments.
Interests Section
Simply listing your church name or “church volunteer” is usually sufficient here.
Accomplishments Section
You can highlight fundraising, events organized, or other quantifiable achievements.
Recommendations
Ask church leaders to write recommendations highlighting your skills and contributions. This gives third-party validation.
Pros of Including Church Volunteer Work
Here are some of the benefits of highlighting church volunteer work on your LinkedIn profile:
- Shows community engagement and prosocial motivation
- Demonstrates skills like leadership, communication, and organization
- Displays values like compassion and civic-mindedness
- Can help build connections with other LinkedIn users who volunteer
- Lets you showcase achievements that might not fit elsewhere on your profile
According to a 2016 study, 52% of employers are more likely to hire someone who has volunteer experience on their resume.
Cons of Including Church Volunteer Work
However, there are some potential downsides to be aware of:
- Irrelevant religious duties may raise questions for secular employers
- Listing time-intensive religious obligations may generate concerns about your availability
- Overemphasizing church volunteer work when applying for non-religious jobs can be off-putting
- Some employers may hold biases against particular religious affiliations
Avoid discussions of your specific religious beliefs and keep the focus on universal values like community, compassion, leadership, and teamwork.
How Much Church Volunteer Work to Include
As a rule of thumb, church volunteer work should take up no more than 10-15% of your LinkedIn profile. You generally want to highlight 3-4 relevant accomplishments or contributions.
Make sure volunteer work does not overshadow your paid work experience and skills unless you are specifically seeking church or nonprofit roles. Too much focus on unpaid church work may leave employers questioning your professional experience.
Good Example LinkedIn Profiles
- Church listed under Interests section
- 1-2 highlights of church volunteer work in Experience section
- Church leader recommendation emphasizing contributions
This balances professional credentials with evidence of community values.
Excessive Example
- Church affiliations listed in Summary section
- Church volunteer work taking up 25% of Experience section
- Detailed descriptions of religious activities
- Multiple recommendations from church leaders
This excessive focus raises questions about priorities and availability.
Should You Include Controversial Churches?
Use extra discretion when listing volunteer work with churches that uphold controversial social or political views. While volunteer work does display commendable qualities like community engagement, controversial churches may carry implicit biases that turn off some employers.
If including controversial churches, keep your descriptions high-level and focused exclusively on universal values. List accomplishments like events planned, funds raised, community serviced, etc. Avoid discussions of specific religious activities or beliefs.
Conclusion
Moderately highlighting church volunteer work on LinkedIn can positively showcase community engagement, leadership abilities, and prosocial values sought by many employers. However, avoid letting unpaid church involvement overshadow your professional capabilities or availability. Keep descriptions focused on universal skills rather than time-intensive religious duties irrelevant to secular jobs. Use your best judgment when it comes to controversial churches, keeping descriptions high-level.
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Key Takeaways
- Highlight 3-4 relevant church volunteer experiences max
- Focus on skills and accomplishments, not religious duties
- Keep it under 10-15% of your profile
- Get recommendations from church leaders
- Use extra discretion with controversial churches
Adding church volunteer work to your LinkedIn profile can show important skills and values. But use moderation and keep the focus on universal qualifications relevant to employers. This allows you to get credit for community contributions without raising unnecessary questions.