Resume Tips that Teachers May Find Useful

Whether you are new to teaching, are returning to teaching after time off, or are leaving your corporate job for a teaching position, you will need to make sure that your resume and cover letter address the most important elements of your decision to enter the teaching field, including questions your potential employers might have like those provided in the following paragraphs.

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Compelling reasons for teaching

Why do you want to be a teacher? This question is very important and you must address it in both your resume and your cover letter. Keeping in mind that the career objective listed in your résumé should have a well-developed statement about your passion for teaching, and your cover letter should elaborate on your goals and teaching style; also your career objective should be more extensive than that of an objective found on corporate-driven resumes.

Your career objective as a teacher should really provide more of a summary of your passion for teaching, as well as the qualifications you bring to the position; and your commitment to students and their education should be among your top priorities, no matter their level of academic accomplishment. These goals must be clearly communicated as are among the most critical aspects of being a teacher, and doing so can set you apart from other applicants.

Qualifications for the position you seek

Do you have the qualifications necessary to be a teacher? The education and certifications you’ve acquired should immediately follow your career summary statement, which of course, is the section that should be titled “Academic Credentials” and should list the various degrees and certifications which make you a qualified candidate for a teacher’s position. Having proper credentials for the job you are applying for is critical in the teaching field.

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In addition, you should point out any cluster of courses you have taken in school that makes you qualified to teach a specific subject; and if you have been published in academic journals, or have written and published textbooks, it may be a good idea to create a separate section on your resume for publications. Also make it a priority to include a comprehensive list of all of your credentials on the resume. Just don’t sell your self short.

Comparative professional experience

What part of your professional experience qualifies you to be a teacher? Unlike corporate-focused resumes, where jobs are outlined in chronological order, teachers have to focus on not only their experience teaching (if applicable) but on any professional achievements which make them a great candidates for a given teaching job. In other words, if you are applying for a teacher’s job, and have prior experience in teaching, you should use a functional resume resume formatted with a list that will showcase your work history.

However, if you are new to teaching, you will need to list any experience you have that helps make you a great teacher; but don’t get discouraged– if you consider your inexperience, because you’ll find that you have the qualifications to be a teacher, as long as you just focus on those qualifications that meet your career objective. In other vwords, you should use a functional resume because that format will be more suitable for your purposes.

Do a little research and find examples of teaching resumes that you can model your own resume after; and if you are entering the teaching field with corporate experience, list any training you have developed and taught at your company as credible and comparably suitable experience for the position you are seeking. If you have recently graduated, list any mentorship or teacher’s assistant positions you may have had, or any practical coursework you took part in.

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You can reference any volunteer work, or community involvement that supports your goal of becoming a teacher. For example, if you volunteered your time to an organization like Big Brother/Big Sister, and you mentored a child, note that on your resume. Utilize any experience you may have that demonstrates your leadership, passion for educating others and your ability to motivate and pass on knowledge to others.

Sharing your professional goals

What are your long term professional goals? Similar to requirements, concerns and information gathering in a corporation, the school in which you are interested in teaching will want to know, not only why you want to be a teacher, but what your long term professional goals are. You should make a brief mention of your long-term goals in your career summary, and your cover letter or teaching philosophy should elaborate on your long term goals.

Will you be returning to school for a Master’s degree or a Ph.D.? Are you interested in becoming a high school dean in the next ten years, or will you want to teach more than one subject? Are you interested in teaching grade school first, and possibly teaching high school at the later time? Do you have interest in becoming a department chair at a university? If you are driven toward a long term goal, make your potential employer aware of it; but make sure you have an action plan on how to get there, one which –shows your employer that you understand what it takes to reach that goal.

The importance of getting it right

As important as anything else that was already said, make sure that your resume is error-free, and that you have incorporated key words specific to the teaching field; key words such as teaching jargon and acronyms. Do your research and model your well-written resume after samples of other teachers, with the consideration of their experience and teaching level. Demonstrate your passion, your commitment to education and your patience. Doing so will help schools realize how passionate and qualified you are for the position you seek.