You’ve done the work to earn your teaching certificate. Now it’s time to put it to use.
Like with any job opening, a resume is your first chance to make a favorable impression. If you’re applying for a teaching position, the principal likely is the person you will need to impress first - and most.
Here’s how to write a teacher resume that will earn you high marks and put you at the top of the pack.
It may seem like an obvious addition. After all, how will a principal get in touch with you to bring you in for an interview without contact information? However, there is a right and wrong way to display your contact information.
In addition to including an address and phone number at the top of a resume, contact information should also contain an email address. Here’s where you should be careful. Make sure you use a professional-sounding email, such as one that includes your name - not a nickname or favorite team, for example.
Below the contact information is one of the most important spots on your resume. Through an objective statement or resume summary statement, this is your first opportunity to make a powerful initial impression.
Which type of statement you choose to include in the introduction comes down to what best suits your resume, taking into account work experience and qualifications.
An objective statement focuses more on the type of teaching position you are seeking. The objective statement may:
Use keywords from the job advertisement
Focus on how your skills address the needs of the school or district
Explain what kind of job you are seeking
A resume summary statement, on the other hand, is best if:
You are an experienced teacher and want to tie together an overall theme of your work.
You have a wide range of experiences, but have a transferable key set of skills.
You are undergoing a career change even though you have many years of experience. This statement would highlight accomplishments from your previous career that would be relevant to your new teaching career.
For more information on what should be included in a resume summary statement, read our article, What Is A Resume Summary Statement?
Include any certifications relevant to your teaching career, listed by bullet point. These include:
Subject test(s) you have passed in Texas that make you eligible to teach. As of Sept. 1, 2017, all required content tests must be passed for a teaching applicant to be eligible for a certificate.
Alternative certification programs, such as ECAP. School districts look for ECAP graduates because of the program’s reputation for excellence.
Other certifications that may be requirements of the specific school district. These may include first aid training or CPR.
You’ve worked hard for your education. Here’s where you share it with potential future employers.
If you are a recent graduate without an extensive work history, include this section toward the top of your resume, such as under your certifications section. However, if you have an extensive work history that is relevant to your pursuit as an educator, the education section may go toward the bottom of the resume.
The name of the institution
Location of the institution (city, state)
Your degree and year of degree
Any relevant certifications or minors
One of the biggest mistakes job seekers make is simply listing your professional experience. This section is where you share what you have accomplished and how the tools you have learned can benefit any future teaching opportunities.
If you are looking for your first job as a teacher, include the extensive training you have been through. This can include any classroom experience through internships or interactive field experience through your certification program.
Other relevant classroom experience may include tutoring, assistant teaching and substitute teacher positions.
If you are in the process of a career change, include responsibilities and accomplishments from previous positions that are relevant to a teaching position. These may include:
Leadership responsibilities
Work history in a field similar to the area of teaching you are seeking, such as math or music
Multitasking examples
Coaching positions
It’s also important to follow these tips when filling out your work history:
Use action verbs. This will separate your resume from the rest.
Don’t only highlight responsibilities, but instead, what you did with those responsibilities. By using words such as “collaborated,” “created,” “developed” and “motivated,” you can change a routine part of the resume into an impactful assessment.
Add oomph. If you have specific numbers that can add more “oomph,” use them. For example, rather than say you implemented a book club, share how many students signed up for that book club and how that increased the average number of minutes they read each week.
This section is where you can expand upon what skills you bring to the job. List by bullet point skills such as:
Classroom software
General computer software
Research skills
Coaching
Training
Your resume is never set in stone. It continuously evolves, and you should feel free to tailor it for each teaching job you are seeking. Here are some other tips that will help you land that dream interview:
Pick a style. If your resume includes a variety of styles, including different fonts, it will look unorganized. And that’s the last thing you want to portray to a principal.
Keep it concise. Although you want to include as much relevant experience as possible to give you a professional edge, keeping your content concise is important. This allows a principal to easily scan through your highlights, rather than get lost in the wording.
Spelling counts. Just like in school, a misspelled word can cost you an A - or a job. Spell and grammar check your resume.
For more ideas on what to include in your resume, read our article, How to Create a Resume for a Texas Teaching Job.