Teacher Resume Example [w/ Free Template]

How to Format a Teacher Resume

Before you can educate the recruiter on your skills and experiences, you need to choose the most suitable resume format for teaching.

You see, even the best applicant needs a resume format that is easy to read and follow. 

With “reverse-chronological” being the most common resume format, we recommend this format for teachers. It highlights your most recent work experience first, and then works back through your history and skills.

You could also try the two following formats:

• Functional Resume - This format focuses on your skills, which makes it the best format for teachers that are highly-skilled, but have little in the way of classroom experience. 
• Combination Resume - This format mixes both “Functional” and “Reverse-Chronological” formats, which means it focuses on both your teaching skills AND teaching experience. 

Use a Teacher Resume Template

As a teacher, you will likely work with Microsoft Word on a daily basis. 

However, this is not one of those times.

The program is best avoided if you want to avoid formatting issues. 

Use a teacher resume template for a resume that stays structurally strong. Any of the following templates can be easily tailored for a teacher application.

What to Include in a Teacher Resume

The main sections in a teacher resume are:

• Contact Information
• Work Experience/Teaching Experience
• Education
• Skills

For a teacher resume that stands out from other applications, add these optional sections:

• Awards & Certification
• Volunteer Experience
• Languages
• Interests & Hobbies

Keep reading to find out how to ace each of the above sections.

For an in-depth rundown on which sections to use, check out our guide on What to Put on a Resume.

How to Write Your Contact Information Section

When grading papers, you know that every word or digit matters. This is also true with your contact information section. Any mistakes made in your phone number or email can render your whole application useless. 

For your contact information section, include:

• Full Name
• Title – Align this to the job title, which is “Teacher”
• Phone Number – Ensure there are zero errors
• Email Address – Make sure to use a professional email address (firstname.lastname@gmail.com), and not your 6th grade email address (roselovesnetball@gmail.com)
• Location – Applying for a job abroad? Mention your location
• Optional - relevant social media profiles.

How to Write a Teacher Resume Summary or Objective

Here’s a question for the class:

How long do you think recruiters spend reading through the average resume?

If you said less than a minute, you would be correct.

This means your resume needs to really impress within this short timeframe. 

The nest question is, what can you do to make the most important easy to see and consume?

Simple: use a resume summary or objective.

These are punchy paragraphs that go on top of your resume, just under the contact section. 

The main difference between the two sections is that:

A resume summary is a short summary of your teaching experiences and achievements. It is the best option for teachers who have taught for multiple years.

On the other hand, the resume objective focuses on your professional goals and aspirations. It is ideal for entry-level teaching candidates or individuals who are seeking a change in their professional career. 

So, which one is best for you? 

Well, a summary is suited for teachers who have a lot of classroom experience, whereas an objective is suited for those who are new to the world of teaching (student, graduate, or switching careers).

How to Make Your Teaching Work Experience Stand Out

The best way to prove your worth as a teacher is with your previous work experience.

Sure, the recruiter will want to see that you have lots of subject knowledge, but nothing builds confidence more than your professional experience.

Follow this layout in your experience section:

• Position name
• Company Name
• Dates
• Responsibilities & Achievements

As you may notice, the above example focuses on the candidate’s best achievements.

So, instead of saying:

“Taught children for three years”

Go for:

“Kept pass rates above 80% from 2017-2020”

The second statement goes into specific details that show you’re a great teacher.

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Maybe you’re a graduate who hasn’t worked before?

Or maybe you want a career change?

Whatever your situation, there are options. 

The main option is to use a portfolio. 

Here are several ways to build a teaching portfolio (and get paid for it):

• Use a freelance platform (e.g.: UpWork) to pick up some private tutoring gigs
• Use social media to offer your teaching services to friends & acquaintances 

For the students reading this, you’ll enjoy our guide on how to make a student resume!

Use Action Words to Make Your Teaching Resume POP!

Look through a pile of teacher resumes, and you will see these words repeated again and again. 

Do you want your resume to look like all the rest?

Of course not! 

This is why we recommend using some of these power words instead:

• Conceptualized
• Designed
• Devised
• Determined
• Drafted
• Formulated
• Introduced
• Initiated
• Launched
• Originated
• Spearheaded

How to List Your Education Correctly

The next section in any good teacher resume is the education section.

Now, there’s a few different paths you can follow to become a professional teacher. 

All you need to do in this section is describe your educational path to date. 

• Degree Type & Major
• University Name
• Years Studied
• GPA, Honours, Courses, and other relevant achievements 

Right, let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions:

What if I’m still studying?

• Whether or not you’ve passed all of your teaching exams, you should always mention every year that you have studied to date.

Should I include my high school qualifications?

• Only include your highest form of qualification. If that’s a qualification from high school, then go for it.

What comes first, education or experience?

• If you’re an experienced teacher, your work experience should come before your education.

If you still have questions, you can check out our guide on how to list education on a resume.

Top 10 Skills for a Teacher Resume

Every great teacher has a certain set of skills.

It’s these skills that the recruiter wants to see when short-listing applicants.

You may be the best teacher in the world, but it’s vital to make your skills clear to see on your resume. 

It will depend on the specialist subject, but a teacher should have some of the following skills:

Hard Skills for Teachers:

• Curriculum
• Computer Skills
• Grading
• Literacy skills
• Disciplinary action

Soft Skills for Teachers:

• Classroom management
• Time management
• Empathy
• Confidence
• Organization

Want the most comprehensive list? Here’s a mega-list of 100+ must-have skills.

Other Resume Sections You Can Include

If graded, your resume should now be able to pass the test…

But what if the other applicants have scored top marks?

Add additional sections for an A+ resume that can’t be beaten.

When competing against an experienced field, the following sections may be the deciding factor… 

Awards & Certifications

Do you hold Coursera certifications?

Were you awarded during your studies?

Whatever the recognition, awards and certifications make the difference.

Awards & Certificates Examples

• Learning How to Learn – Coursera Certificate
• Motivating Gen Z Learners – Coursera Certificate
• Educating Deaf Children – Teaching Lab

Languages

Now, you may not be teaching Spanish, but it can be good to know another language.

Whether or not the teaching job requires you to speak a second language or not, it is still an impressive skill that you may want to include on your resume. 

Order the languages by proficiency:

• Native
• Fluent
• Proficient
• Intermediate
• Basic

Interests & Hobbies

Now, you may be wondering, “why is my weekly book club worth mentioning when applying for teaching jobs?”

Well, because it says more about who you as a person.

It shows that you have a life outside of teaching. 

You’re someone who the other teachers could relate to.

If you want some ideas of hobbies & interests to put on your resume, we have a guide for that!

Match Your Cover Letter with Your Resume

Oh no, more writing!?

We feel your pain, but it’s for great reason.

Cover letters still play a vital role in the application process.

This guide has taught you how to build the best teacher resume possible, but even that may not be enough to secure your dream position.

By not writing a cover letter, you are simply missing out on an opportunity to communicate with more depth and personality. 

Even better, the recruiter will know that you want this position at this school.

Just like with the resume, the cover letter needs to be structured correctly. Here’s how to do that:

And here’s what goes in each section:

Contact Details

Your personal contact information, including full name, profession, email, phone number, and location

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email

Opening Paragraph

It’s important to hook the recruiter with a powerful introduction. With this in mind, mention:

• The specific teaching position you’re applying for
• Your experience summary and top achievements

The Body

With the recruiter wanting to know more, you can go through the rest of your work history and personal background. You may want to delve into:

• Why you want to work at this specific school
• Anything you know about the school’s culture
• What are your top skills and how are they relevant for the job
• If you’ve worked in similar industries or positions before

Closing Paragraph

This is where you:

• Wrap up any points you missed in the body paragraph
• Thank the recruiter for their time
• End with a call to action. Something like, “I’d love to further discuss how my experience as an X can help the school with Y”

Formal Salutations

To keep everything professional, use formal closing, such as “Best regards” or “Sincerely.”

Creating a cover letter is a craft. But don’t worry, you can call on our how to write a cover letter for guidance.

Key Takeaways

*Rinnnnnggggg!!!*

There goes the bell to end today’s lesson.

We hope that the advice in this guide was taken onboard. If so, you’re now in the perfect position to create a job-winning teacher resume. 

Before you go, let’s quickly summarize what we have learnt:

• Select the correct format for your teacher resume. Use a reverse-chronological format, and follow the best layout practices to keep everything clear and concise.
• Use a summary or objective to capture attention to your resume
• Focus on your achievements, rather than your responsibilities.
• Match your teacher resume with a cover letter that follows the best practises 

Suggested Reading:

• How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Strength” [4 Samples]
• CV vs Resume - What is the Difference? [+Examples]
• How to Write a Cover Letter - Full Guide