Teacher Resume Example, Writing Tips & Questions

Teacher resume FAQ

1. 1. What soft skills should you include on a teacher resume?

   Including soft skills on your resume shows principals and school administrators who you are and why your personality makes you a good fit for the job. In addition to being an excellent communicator, a good teacher must be diligent, attentive, empathetic, patient and organized. Be specific when describing these attributes. Do not write generic phrases such as “team player” or “hard worker”.

   The job seeker in our example teacher resume presents their soft skills in their summary statement. Follow this example. This gives the administrators of your next school a well-rounded picture of your talents from the moment they begin reading your document. You can also include a couple of soft skills at the end of your skills or highlights section.

2. 2. What information do school administrators want to see on a teacher resume?

   Exceptional teachers use innovative teaching methods and materials to help students learn. They tailor classroom lessons to meet the needs of different students’ learning capabilities. Teachers should also be able to maintain order and be fair and objective when resolving conflict. They should know how to evaluate students’ progress and find ways to help struggling students succeed.

   School administrators want to know if you can perform such duties while adhering to your state’s teaching standards. Include similar descriptions in your work experience section. Administrators also review the credentials you list in your skills and education sections. Include the formal title of your master’s degree and your state certification. Describe notable technical skills such as Gradekeeper and a strong understanding of standardized testing.

3. 3. What does a teacher resume look like?

   A teacher resume needs to have a minimum of four parts. The first is the summary statement. This component uses about three sentences or bullet points to give hiring managers a snapshot of their best teaching qualities. The next section is the skills section. You present at least six proficiencies applicable to the role you want.

   You must also include a work experience section. This portion takes up most of the space on your resume. It communicates your official titles, duties and achievements in prior positions. Finally, you need an education section that distinguishes your academic training.

   For more ideas on how to write a teacher resume, review our resume example for a teacher on this page.

    

4. 4. What format and design should you use for your teacher resume?

   Our teacher resume sample provides a great example of an appealing resume for a teacher.

   The correct resume format for a teacher will depend heavily on your years of experience. While all resumes have the same sections, the resume format you choose will decide where those sections are placed.

   If you recently finished your student-teacher training, you might consider using a functional resume format to properly highlight your skills and the abilities you learned through this experience.

   A teacher with a couple years of experience could benefit from using the combination format, as it perfectly balances work experience and skills. In contrast, the chronological resume format works best to create an experienced teacher resume, as its main goal is to highlight your extensive years of experience.

   Look to our example teacher resume for design ideas as well. Remember that the focus of your resume should be your abilities as a teacher, not your resume’s style. Opt for a clean design that excludes pictures and many colors. Use bullet points, white space and professional fonts.

5. 5. How do you quantify accomplishments on a teacher resume?

   In your other teaching jobs, did you implement innovative teaching methods to help students succeed? Did you increase the percentage of students earning top grades? Employers want to see such accomplishments in a professional teacher resume. They will especially take note of these successes if you use metrics to quantify the results of your actions.

   How many students did you manage? What was the percentage of students who earned high marks? How many students improved their average grades from the beginning to the end of the school term? Use numbers, percentages and figures to quantify your achievements. Doing so paints a clear picture in hiring managers’ minds of what you can do.

   Review resume examples for teachers for ideas on how to highlight your achievements most effectively.

6. 6. How to create a teacher resume? 

   To create a resume for a teaching job:

   • Choose a resume template for a teacher. 
   • Choose the correct resume format for your goals and experience. 
   • Add your contact information.
   • Write a professional summary or objective.
   • List your work experience in reverse chronological order, highlighting achievements in 3-5 bullet points per job. 
   • Display your education, listing all schools, degress, and training taken.
   • Create a section for certifications and licenses.
   • Add awards and publications if you have them.