If you want to land a top-notch teacher job, you’ll need an outstanding teacher resume to impress your future employer. Luckily, we can show you how to do just that.
Use our easy-to-follow guide packed with writing tips, resume examples, real-life samples, and templates that you can use to make your application stand out above the competition.
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Keep reading to discover our best tips:
- Use a neat format for your teacher resume
- Craft an appealing teacher professional profile
- Put the best soft and hard skills on your teacher CV
- Include quantifiable achievements in your teacher work history
- Include your academic accomplishments and make your education section stand out
- Enhance your resume with extra sections
- Leverage top resources for job-seeking teachers
1. Use a neat format for your teacher resume
Designing teaching materials is your superpower. Thanks to your plans, students can learn to their maximum potential. Reason? You made them clear and easy to navigate. Exactly as your resume format should be.
Make a hiring manager interested in your CV at the first sight. Your resume is certainly not the only one on their desk. But it can be the only appealing piece of writing just by the look of it.
- Opt for a two-column layout. Not only will you make your resume look slick, but you’ll also keep its page count low.
- Space out individual sections.
- Use bigger headings for each CV segment.
- List your work history and education reverse-chronologically.
- Use bulleted lists when providing details. Large text blocks will clutter your CV and make it hard to read.
- Choose a traditional typeface, such as Cambria or Calibri, and ensure that your font size is set at 12 points.
Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.
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2. Craft an appealing teacher professional profile
Being a teacher, you know how important it is to catch your students’ attention from the very beginning. You need to set an interesting learning objective and add a fair amount of excitement to hook them.
Could you do the same with your resume? You certainly could. The only thing you need is an attention-grabbing professional profile that pretty much encompasses your key experience, brilliant teaching skills and quantifiable accomplishments.
In order for it to be successful, remember to use keywords from the job posting in question, and make your professional profile brief — ideally 2-5 lines.
Teacher professional profile example
Resourceful, energetic elementary teacher offering 9 years of teaching experience. Attentive to and skilled at meeting individual student requirements with a focus on providing high quality culturally responsive instruction. Passionate about working in collaborative environments with an emphasis on reflective practice. Expertise in using technology in the classroom.
3. Put the best soft and hard skills on your teacher CV
Your skills section should reflect the most important soft and hard abilities that you, as a teacher, apply on a daily basis.
There are certain transferable skills that any employer would like to see on a CV. Some are more significant than the others. And so make sure that you refer back to the job posting in question. You should first list the skills that you possess and are mentioned in the ad.
Remember that oral and written communication, for instance, is as important as active listening, so keep in mind to list both of them in your soft skills list.
The best soft skills to put on your teacher resume
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Active listening
- Engaging style
- Creative approach
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Cultural competence
- Patience
- Social and emotional intelligence
- Adaptability
- Time management
- Attention to detail
- Curiosity
Your hard skills should encompass your abilities you’ve learned through courses or your professional training. They differ from ad to ad. There are, however certain competencies a teacher can’t go wrong with:
Effective hard skills for your teacher CV
- MS Office
- Scheduling
- Curriculum design
- Teaching
- Coaching
- Student engagement
- Student assessment
- Mentoring
Find out your resume score!
4. Include quantifiable achievements in your teacher work history
You have one of the most challenging occupations. There is no doubt about it. Your responsibility for students’ education and their future success is immense. And it is not an easy task to live up to.
Each day in a teacher’s life is filled with multiple duties and feels like a win once it ends. You engage your students with interesting information, assess them, guide them and praise them.
You prepare your plans for the next day. And, in the meantime, you manage to decorate the classroom, as if you were an interior designer.
It’s hard to pick accomplishments for your work experience section when every task of yours feels like (and is) one. Your prospective employer will, however, want to see the big picture through the most significant, large-scale achievements of yours. And the more of them will be quantified, the better.
That's why you should focus on what you have accomplished in the long run. How did you manage to improve overall student engagement? How is your teaching style innovative and effective? How many workshops or activities have you organized?
Answers to similar questions can help you construct an appealing work experience section for a successful teacher resume.
Teacher work experience section example
Phalen Lake Hmong Studies Magnet, Saint Paul, MN
Fifth Grade Teacher
2013 - present
- Created a classroom environment that utilizes Restorative Practice and the Racial Equity Compass to highlight and honor multiple perspectives and student truth.
- Improved student engagement by implementing student-centered classroom management techniques to foster academic curiosity.
- Worked on a highly collaborative team to devise lesson plans in alignment with state curriculum standards and created culturally responsive instructional programs, demonstrations and work time to meet educational and instructional goals.
- Helped 150+ students learn to persevere with challenging tasks and build resilience for later educational efforts by explicitly teaching brain science and growth mindset skills.
- Organized 5 technology workshops providing in-building professional development focusing on technology use.
5. Include your academic accomplishments and make your education section stand out
As someone whose primary role is to educate others, you should present an impeccable education section.
Burning the midnight oil should bear fruit and it deserves to be put on display proudly.
If you want to shine, don’t just mention your institution, degree and years in school. Including your relevant coursework, areas of interest and academic accomplishments relevant to the job will get your resume a foothold.
Teacher education section example
St. Mary's University of Winona, Winona, MN
Master of Education
2002-2004
- The 2003 Dean's Award winner for achieving exceptional academic results
- Area of interest: Inclusive and Special Education
- GPA: 3.98 (Top 2% of the Program)
- Clubs and Societies: Literary Analysis Club, Debate Club, Tennis Club
6. Enhance your teacher resume with relevant extra sections
In the realm of education, where every student and classroom is unique, adding extra sections to your teacher resume can be a game-changer.
While your qualifications and teaching experience are crucial, extra sections provide a golden opportunity to showcase your diverse skills, accomplishments, and dedication to shaping young minds.
Here's an example of an impactful extra section from a teacher resume
Professional Development
- Completed "Differentiated Instruction Certification" (Anytown University, 2020)
- Acquired advanced strategies for tailoring instruction to meet diverse student needs.
- Implemented differentiated teaching methods, resulting in improved student engagement and academic growth.
- Collaborated with colleagues to develop and deliver professional development workshops on differentiated instruction.
- Received recognition for innovative teaching practices and their positive impact on student outcomes.
Still looking for a job? These 100+ resources will tell you everything you need to get hired fast.
7. Top resources for job-seeking teachers
Being a good teacher is what ultimately leads to a great job. But knowing where to look for the right opportunities is just as important.
Here are some top resources tailored to educators looking to advance their careers:
- Education-specific job boards: Sites like Education Week’s TopSchoolJobs and Teachers-Teachers.com are dedicated to education jobs, offering listings from public and private schools nationwide. These platforms allow teachers to filter positions by location, grade level, and subject area.
- Teacher networking sites: Networking is another effective way to look for a job. And in that context, LinkedIn is your best bet. It’s a versatile platform for connecting with fellow educators, principals, and district administrators. Joining groups such as "Teachers Networking Together" and following educational companies can lead you to job opportunities and valuable industry insights.
- State and local education job boards: Many states and districts have their own job portals, such as California’s EdJoin. These resources post openings at various levels, from classroom roles to administrative positions, allowing teachers to target specific areas.
- Professional associations: Organizations like the National Education Association (NEA) and American Federation of Teachers (AFT) offer job boards, networking opportunities, and professional development resources. Membership often includes access to job fairs, mentorship programs, and specialized job listings for educators.
- Continuing education and certifications: As a teacher you understand the power of knowledge. Continuous learning is a great way to stay on the radar and increase your chances of getting a good job. Institutions such as Coursera and edX offer courses tailored for educators, while organizations like National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) provide respected certification programs that can boost career prospects.
Sometimes, even teachers need a bit of help. So, feel free to use these resources to connect, network, or learn new skills.
Teacher Resume FAQ
How should I handle gaps in my teaching resume ?
If you have gaps in your work history, focus on showing your skills, rather than just your job experience. For example, if you took time off for family or worked in a different field, highlight skills like communication, organization, or leadership.
How should I approach listing certifications, especially if I have several?
The best way to flesh out your certificates is to create a dedicated “Certifications” section. Include the certification name, issuing organization, and date. If you have multiple similar certifications, you can organize them further under subheadings like “Teaching Licenses” and “Specialized Training.” We recommend highlighting any certifications that match the job’s focus, like ESL or Special Education, to quickly demonstrate your qualifications for the specific classroom needs.
What’s the best way to format my teaching experience if I've worked in multiple schools or districts?
If you've worked at multiple schools, list each one separately with the school name, location, and dates. Emphasize unique achievements and responsibilities for each role and avoid repetitive language. Show how each position added new skills, like “Created individualized learning plans for diverse students” at one school and “Introduced STEM curriculum to boost engagement” at another. This highlights your adaptability and broad teaching experience.
How can I highlight my experience with technology and digital tools in the classroom?
In today’s tech-focused education field, showing your tech skills can make you stand out. Instead of just saying “technology integration,” be specific about the tools and results. For example, write “Used Google Classroom to streamline assignments, boosting student submissions by 20%,” or “Integrated interactive whiteboards in science lessons, raising test scores by 15%.” If you’ve used software like Kahoot, Canvas, or Smartboards, mention them by name to clearly demonstrate your tech expertise.
How can I best showcase my teaching skills on my resume?
To showcase your teaching skills, add a “Skills” section that highlights both hard and soft skills relevant to education. For hard skills, list abilities like curriculum development, technology use in the classroom, and assessment design. For soft skills, include communication, adaptability, and classroom management. You can also include specific examples in your experience section. For instance, mention using interactive whiteboards to boost engagement or applying differentiated instruction to support diverse learners.
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![How to Put Your Education on a Resume? [+Examples]](https://d2xe0iugdha6pz.cloudfront.net/article-small-images/i-Collage-Universities.svg)
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