Crafting a CV that stands out in a crowded field of educators can be a daunting challenge, as you must capture the essence of your teaching philosophy and experience succinctly. Our comprehensive guide will provide you with tailored strategies to articulate your unique skills and achievements, ensuring your CV commands the attention it deserves.
- Applying best practices from real-world examples to ensure your profile always meets recruiters' expectations;
- What to include in your work experience section, apart from your past roles and responsibilities?
- Why are both hard and soft skills important for your application?
- How do you need to format your CV to pass the Applicant Tracker Software (ATS) assessment?
If you're writing your CV for a niche teacher role, make sure to get some inspiration from professionals:
How to ensure your profile stands out with your teacher CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your teacher CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your teacher CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your teacher CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
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Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a teacher CV
- Personal statement offers insight into teaching philosophy.
- Teaching experience showcases relevant classroom roles.
- Education and qualifications highlight teaching credentials.
- Skills section reflects abilities pertinent to education.
- Professional development underlines commitment to learning.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise your teaching philosophy, including how you engage students and adapt to differing learning styles, ensuring a personalised educational experience for each student.
- Highlight your curriculum development skills by providing examples of lesson plans or projects that showcase your ability to align teaching methods with learning objectives and academic standards.
- Include any pastoral experiences or roles, demonstrating your commitment to student welfare, guidance, and support beyond the classroom.
- Detail your experience with educational technologies and digital learning platforms, showing your adeptness at delivering engaging and effective virtual education when necessary.
- Outline your participation in continuing professional development, teacher training, and collaborative learning communities to illustrate your dedication to maintaining up-to-date teaching methodologies and educational best practices.
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Our checklist for the must-have information in your teacher CV header
Right at the very top of your teacher CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for teacher:
- "Head of Mathematics Department | Curriculum Development | MA in Education | 10+ Years of Teaching Experience"
- "Primary School Teacher | Literacy & Inclusion Specialist | PGCE Qualified | 5 Years in Progressive Education"
- "Secondary Science Teacher | Chemistry Focus | MSc Graduate | EdTech Enthusiast | 8-Year Track Record"
- "Senior English Literature Teacher | A-Level Exam Preparation | PhD Candidate | 15+ Years’ Experience in Academia"
- "Early Years Educator | SEN Expertise | CACHE Level 3 | Bilingual Curriculum Designer | 6 Years Dedicated Service"
- "Physical Education Instructor | Sports Science BSc | Health & Fitness Promotion | 12 Years Inspiring Students"
Your teacher CV introduction: selecting between a summary and an objective
teacher candidates often wonder how to start writing their resumes. More specifically, how exactly can they use their opening statements to build a connection with recruiters, showcase their relevant skills, and spotlight job alignment. A tricky situation, we know. When crafting you teacher CV select between:
- A summary - to show an overview of your career so far, including your most significant achievements.
- An objective - to show a conscise overview of your career dreams and aspirations.
Find out more examples and ultimately, decide which type of opening statement will fit your profile in the next section of our guide:
CV summaries for a teacher job:
- With over 10 years of dedicated experience in secondary education, a seasoned Mathematics teacher possesses an outstanding track record of fostering student achievement and engagement through innovative lesson planning and technology integration. Notably increased GCSE pass rates by 30% through targeted tutoring programs.
- Dynamic Primary School Teacher with 8 years' experience in creating an inclusive classroom environment. Proficient in utilising the latest educational software to enhance literacy and numeracy. Spearheaded the 'Read to Succeed' initiative, raising reading proficiency in early years by 25%.
- Former Health Sector professional with 5 years of experience in patient education and advocacy ready to transfer skills to the primary education space. Brings a unique perspective in collaborative learning and a strong background in science to deliver transformative health and wellness curriculum.
- Accomplished IT consultant with a decade of experience in developing user-centric solutions, seeking to leverage extensive problem-solving skills and a passion for technology education to pivot into teaching Computer Science. Committed to preparing students for a digital future by nurturing critical thinking and digital literacy.
- Aspiring to bring creativity and enthusiasm to a new career in education, with a strong foundation in volunteer tutoring and a Bachelor's degree in English Literature. Eager to develop engaging curriculum that fosters students’ love for language and helps them express their ideas effectively.
- Seeking an entry-level opportunity to enter the field of education, bringing fresh ideas from a recent Master’s in Educational Psychology. Determined to utilize cutting-edge learning theories and research to create an environment where all students can thrive and discover their passions.
The best formula for your teacher CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Demonstrate a robust understanding of the national curriculum and detail how you've tailored lesson plans to comply with its standards, ensuring optimal student learning outcomes.
- Highlight your expertise in utilising a variety of teaching methodologies and technological tools to engage students with different learning styles and needs.
- Describe your role in coordinating with other teachers and staff to plan and execute interdisciplinary projects that enhance students' comprehensive educational experience.
- Include specific examples of how you've assessed and recorded student progress, providing feedback and adapting your teaching strategies to meet individual student needs.
- Mention any experience you have in organising and leading extra-curricular activities, clubs, or sports, which demonstrates leadership and a commitment to student development beyond the classroom.
- Emphasise your ability to communicate effectively with parents through regular updates and meetings, fostering strong partnerships in supporting student progress.
- Showcase your commitment to personal development by listing relevant continued professional development (CPD) courses or workshops you've attended.
- Detail your experience with special needs education, if applicable, showing your competence in adapting lessons for inclusivity and accessibility.
- Exhibit any achievements in improving student performance or contributing to school-wide initiatives that have enhanced the educational institution's reputation or success.
- Developed and implemented a differentiated curriculum for a diverse classroom of 30 students, achieving a 15% increase in average test scores
- Led a collaborative project integrating technology and science, resulting in students creating a mini solar-powered car model showcased at the school science fair
- Mentored and coached five student teachers, enhancing their instructional strategies and classroom management skills
- Integrated digital platforms such as Google Classroom to enhance student engagement and streamline communication with parents, with 90% positive feedback
- Pioneered a cross-curricular literacy and history program that increased student reading comprehension scores by 20%
- Organized a school-wide professional development workshop on inclusive education that was attended by 75 educators
- Successfully managed four inclusion classes with a total of 120 students, adapting lesson plans for diverse learning needs
- Collaborated with the IT department to integrate educational software into the curriculum, boosting student's IT literacy
- Spearheaded a peer tutoring program that saw a 25% improvement in underperforming students' grades within one academic year
- Facilitated a school partnership with a local science museum, enriching the science curriculum and increasing student interest in STEM fields
- Initiated a hands-on learning approach with laboratory experiments causing a 30% increase in student engagement during class
- Coordinated with the language arts department to reinforce scientific vocabulary, which resulted in students' enhanced technical writing skills
- Delivered an immersive ESL curriculum to non-native speakers, raising average language proficiency test results by 15%
- Fostered a positive learning environment for over 200 ESL students through the integration of cultural exchange programs
- Collaborated with a team of language teachers to redesign the ESL curriculum, aligning it more closely with common core standards
- Designed and conducted after-school tutoring sessions for at-risk students, which contributed to a 10% decrease in the dropout rate
- Implemented formative assessments that tailored instruction to individual student needs, leading to a measurable improvement in academic performance
- Championed a classroom behavioral management system that reduced disciplinary incidents by 40% over the course of the school year
Writing your CV without professional experience for your first job or when switching industries
There comes a day, when applying for a job, you happen to have no relevant experience, whatsoever. Yet, you're keen on putting your name in the hat. What should you do? Candidates who part-time experience , internships, and volunteer work.
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If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your teacher CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your teacher CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your teacher CV:
Curriculum Development
Classroom Management
Educational Technology Integration
Subject Matter Expertise
Lesson Planning
Assessment Creation and Evaluation
Behavioural Management Techniques
Special Education
Literacy Strategies
Bilingual or Multilingual Communication
Patience
Communication
Creativity
Organisational Skills
Leadership
Empathy
Adaptability
Teamwork
Continuous Learning
Time Management
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If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
Further professional qualifications for your teacher CV: education and certificates
As you're nearing the end of your teacher CV, you may wonder what else will be relevant to the role. Recruiters are keen on understanding your academic background, as it teaches you an array of hard and soft skills. Create a dedicated education section that lists your:
- applicable higher education diplomas or ones that are at a postgraduate level;
- diploma, followed up with your higher education institution and start-graduation dates;
- extracurricular activities and honours, only if you deem that recruiters will find them impressive.
Follow a similar logic when presenting your certificates. Always select ones that will support your niche expertise and hint at what it's like to work with you. Balance both technical certification with soft skills courses to answer job requirements and company values. Wondering what the most sought out certificates are for the industry? Look no further:
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If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
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Key takeaways
Your successful job application depends on how you well you have aligned your teacher CV to the job description and portrayed your best skills and traits. Make sure to:
- Select your CV format, so that it ensures your experience is easy to read and understand;
- Include your professional contact details and a link to your portfolio, so that recruiters can easily get in touch with you and preview your work;
- Write a CV summary if you happen to have more relevant professional experience. Meanwhile, use the objective to showcase your career dreams and ambitions;
- In your CV experience section bullets, back up your individual skills and responsibilities with tangible achievements;
- Have a healthy balance between hard and soft skills to answer the job requirements and hint at your unique professional value.
