Clergy Career

Job Description: Conduct religious worship and perform other spiritual functions associated with beliefs and practices of religious faith or denomination. Provide spiritual and moral guidance and assistance to members.


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What Clergys do:

  • Counsel individuals or groups concerning their spiritual, emotional, or personal needs.
  • Instruct people who seek conversion to a particular faith.
  • Pray and promote spirituality.
  • Read from sacred texts, such as the Bible, Torah, or Koran.
  • Respond to requests for assistance during emergencies or crises.
  • Visit people in homes, hospitals, or prisons to provide them with comfort and support.
  • Prepare people for participation in religious ceremonies.
  • Train leaders of church, community, or youth groups.
  • Devise ways in which congregational membership can be expanded.
  • Prepare and deliver sermons or other talks.
  • Organize and lead regular religious services.
  • Share information about religious issues by writing articles, giving speeches, or teaching.
  • Organize or engage in interfaith, community, civic, educational, or recreational activities sponsored by or related to religious programs.
  • Refer people to community support services, psychologists, or doctors.
  • Study and interpret religious laws, doctrines, or traditions.
  • Collaborate with committees or individuals to address financial or administrative issues pertaining to congregations.
  • Participate in fundraising activities to support congregational activities or facilities.
  • Perform administrative duties, such as overseeing building management, ordering supplies, contracting for services or repairs, or supervising the work of staff members or volunteers.
  • Conduct special ceremonies, such as weddings, funerals, or confirmations.
  • Administer religious rites or ordinances.
  • Plan or lead religious education programs.

What work activities are most important?

Importance Activities

Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.

Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.

Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.

Developing and Building Teams - Encouraging and building mutual trust, respect, and cooperation among team members.

Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.

Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.

Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.

Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates - Providing guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.

Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.

Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.

Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.

Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.

Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.

Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.

Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.

Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.

Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.

Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.

Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.

Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.

Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.

Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.

Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.

Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.

Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.

Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.

Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.

Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.

Staffing Organizational Units - Recruiting, interviewing, selecting, hiring, and promoting employees in an organization.

Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information - Estimating sizes, distances, and quantities; or determining time, costs, resources, or materials needed to perform a work activity.

Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.

Holland Code Chart for a Clergy