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It’s no secret that teachers are used to working hard and juggling complex responsibilities. From managing a classroom environment to building an innovative curriculum to connecting with students from diverse backgrounds, being a teacher takes serious dedication. To get the most out of your teaching career, you need a resume that’s as hardworking as you are.
Putting all of your teaching skills onto a resume might seem impossible, but it’s actually easier than you think! By being a passionate teacher, you’ve already got the hard part taken care of. Now all you need is to learn how to write a resume that showcases all you have to offer.
Follow our step-by-step guide to create a teacher resume that gives you the best chance of landing the right job.
This guide will show you:
- Teacher resume examples for different levels of experience.
- What makes a great teacher resume example.
- Proven strategies for writing a job-winning resume.
- What to include in each section of your teacher resume.
- How to select the ideal resume format and design for the position.
To make a teacher resume in just minutes, check out our Resume Builder. This tool provides stylish and professional resume designs, resume-writing tips and auto-generated text suggestions that you can use or edit for your needs.
In the next section, we’ll review a couple of teacher resume samples for different stages in your teaching career.
Teacher resume examples
What makes this a great teacher resume sample
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This entry-level teacher resume sample uses a functional format.
This allows the applicant to focus on skills, since he is a relatively recent graduate with less classroom experience.
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This resume uses numbers.
Numerical data is a great way to drive home the impact of the applicant’s training. Describing the quantity of students he’s supervised makes his skills feel more concrete.
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The resume template that this applicant uses is simple and easy to follow.
Everything is organized with bullet points and written plainly so that nothing distracts from his skills.
What makes this a great teacher resume sample
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This sample teacher resume uses the chronological format
to focus on the applicant’s experience. Because she has been teaching for 11 years, this is the best way to showcase her strengths.
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This resume uses active verbs
to give the applicant’s experience a sense of impact. Her work history section is full of words like “mentored,” “organized” and “supported.”
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This teacher resume example features soft skills
like “patience” and “effective listening,” which show the applicant’s aptitude for the interpersonal side of teaching as well as her more technical knowledge-based qualifications.
More teacher resume examples
Looking for more education resume examples? Check out the job titles below:
Choose the right resume format for your teacher resume
Resume formats are the layouts that you use to organize your resume. There are three basic resume formats which emphasize different sections. The resume format that you choose should reflect your strengths.
These are the three resume formats successful job seekers use:
- Chronological: Places work history front and center to highlight the applicant’s experience. This is ideal for senior-level roles.
- Functional: Focuses on skills while minimizing the importance of experience. If you have little to no experience, then a functional resume is the best way to play to your strengths.
- Combination: Gives equal treatment to experience and skills, providing a balanced compromise that’s perfect for midcareer applicants.
Once you’ve selected the best resume format for your career level, check out our resume-formatting guide for tips on font size, spacing, margins and more.
Now that you have a handle on formats, let’s look at styling your resume.
Select an appropriate teacher resume template
Resume templates are designs you can use to style your resume. A great teacher resume template should add visual appeal to your resume without distracting from the important information.
Resume templates come in a lot of different styles. For teachers, the options are endless as teaching careers can be very open-ended. If you want to convey individuality, a creative or modern template could be perfect. These are especially great choices for art teachers or elementary school teachers. On the other hand, a simple template sticks to the basics so that your qualifications shine.
Once you’ve chosen the best teacher resume template for you, you’re ready to start writing!
How to write a teacher resume in 5 simple steps
Writing a teacher resume is straightforward. You can write a winning resume in just five simple steps. Let’s take a look!
STEP 1
1. Study the teacher job description
Not sure what to include on your resume? The job description is the best place to look for inspiration. Keep an eye out for keywords that match your skills and experience and use them on your resume to show your prospective employer that you have what they need.
Many organizations use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to screen resumes for keywords. Including keywords on your resume gives it a better chance of standing up to ATS scrutiny.
STEP 2
2. Write a professional summary or resume objective
Next, your resume should open with an introduction in the form of a professional summary or a resume objective. Both of these openers introduce your skills and qualifications, but in different ways to suit applicants at different stages in their careers.
A professional summary offers a concise summary of your qualifications and accomplishments. This is the resume profile of choice for experienced job seekers.
A resume objective places more of an emphasis on describing your goals and skills. If you don’t have as much experience, a resume objective allows you to bridge that gap by discussing your desire to learn and grow professionally.
A teaching resume profile is an important opportunity to introduce yourself and your career. Let’s take a look at some examples!
Teacher professional summary example:
Highly dedicated and knowledgeable geography teacher with over 13 years of experience in high school education. Proven ability to develop engaging curricula that foster an understanding of global geography, environmental science and human societies. Adept at using diverse pedagogical techniques to accommodate different learning styles, consistently promoting interactive learning. Exceptional skills in lesson planning, classroom management and student assessment, coupled with a passion for teaching and mentoring young minds. Committed to fostering an environment that encourages collaborative learning and stimulates students’ enthusiasm for both geography and the art of learning.
Teacher resume objective example:
Motivated and dynamic third-grade teacher with a total of three years of experience in education, including one year as a full-time teacher and two years as a teaching assistant. Passionate about creating nurturing and inclusive classroom environments that inspire a love for learning. Interested in a teaching position that will allow me to grow my skills as an educator and form key relationships with students and staff to further professional development. Eager to bring creative lesson planning, innovative instructional techniques and strong classroom management skills to an innovative school committed to academic excellence.
STEP 3
3. Highlight your most relevant teacher skills
Now that your resume opening is complete, it’s time to work on your resume skills section.
The skills section of your resume is one of the most crucial parts. A teacher must have a well-rounded mix of soft skills, like emotional intelligence and adaptability, as well as hard skills, like lesson planning and child psychology.
Below is a list of hard and soft teacher skills for a resume skills section.
Hard and soft skills for a teacher resume
Here is an example of a strong teacher skills section:
- Resourceful and enthusiastic teacher.
- Experienced lesson planner.
- Strong behavioral management and emotional regulation skills.
STEP 4
4. Write a strong teacher work experience section
The work history section is, alongside the skills section, one of your resume’s most important parts. Use the work history section to convey your experience and competencies so that your prospective employer knows exactly what you can do.
Here’s a sample teacher resume experience section:
Social Studies Teacher, Plumtree Middle School
Helen, GA
November 2018 – 2022
- Developed and implemented an engaging social studies curriculum in line with state and district standards for sixth, seventh and eighth grades.
- Fostered an interactive learning environment, utilizing innovative teaching techniques to accommodate varying learning styles and abilities.
- Coordinated with other subject teachers to integrate cross-curricular elements into lesson plans, enhancing student understanding of interconnectedness of various disciplines.
- Evaluated student progress regularly through assignments, quizzes and projects; utilized data to modify instruction and boost individual student performance by 34%.
- Organized and led 12 field trips to local museums and historical sites, enhancing students’ real-world understanding of the curriculum for over 600 students.
- Participated in regular professional development trainings and workshops to stay updated on the latest educational trends and teaching methodologies.
- Maintained open lines of communication with parents and guardians regarding student progress, behavior and academic needs.
Use action words to give momentum and impact to your work experience.
STEP 5
5. Showcase your education and training on your teacher resume
Your education and training are essential qualifications for your teaching career. Use the education section of your resume to share your credentials with potential employers.
Most teachers will be required to have a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, a teaching license issued by the state is typically required. Teachers for specific subjects may also require certifications that prove their subject matter expertise. All of these qualifications belong in the experience section of your teacher resume.
How to list your teacher education:
Education:
Bachelor of Arts in History
University of Georgia
Athens, GA
May 2019
Relevant Coursework:
- World history
- Pedagogical techniques in history and historiography
- Critical thinking skills
Certifications:
- Professional Teaching Knowledge Exam (PTK)
For most jobs, certifications are a way to give your resume extra credibility. For teaching careers, certifications are often essential. List your relevant certifications under the education section of your resume or in their own special section.
Optional sections for your teacher resume
Awards and certifications
Your achievements show employers what you can do. An optional section for awards and certifications is an effective way of showing off these accomplishments.
How to list certifications on your teacher resume:
Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) Teaching Certification: Earned through the completion of the state-approved teaching certification program.
Projects
Teachers may not take on the same kinds of projects as more technical careers do, but a project section can still be a useful way of showcasing some career accomplishments. Things like writing curricula to raise test scores, overseeing training for new teachers, or planning field trips or extra curricular programs belong in this section.
How to list projects on your teacher resume:
- Organized and mentored a student-lead volunteer group dedicated to beach cleanup and environmental responsibility on a local scale.
- Implemented an innovative e-learning assisted curriculum resulting in higher grades for 45% of students.
- Participated in the training of six student teachers over the course of three years.
Languages
Being a teacher is all about empathy and effective communication. Connecting with students from a range of backgrounds is one of the most important skills a teacher can have. Being multilingual is a huge advantage to this end.
Use a languages section to showcase any languages that you speak and to emphasize your superb ability to learn and communicate.
How to list languages on your teacher resume:
- Fluent in English and Spanish
- Proficient in French and German
Interests and hobbies
Hobbies give your prospective employer insight into your character and your skills. For teacher resumes, hobbies can be used to show how passionate you are about learning, growing and mentoring young minds. You may not realize it, but many of your hobbies probably demonstrate some of the important soft skills that you want your resume to show off.
Make sure the hobbies that you include are relevant and appropriate for the position.
How to list interests and hobbies on your teacher resume:
- Avid reader and writer with several published short story collections.
- Regular volunteer coach and referee at local youth sports programs.
- Gardener with a passion for sustainability.
Add a cover letter
Now that your resume is finished, the next step is writing a cover letter. You may wonder why you need a cover letter at all. Well, cover letters give you the opportunity to communicate with your potential employer. Your teacher cover letter is your chance to explain why all of your qualifications come together to make you the perfect fit for the job.
To get started writing your cover letter, take a look at some cover letter examples and our handy formatting guide to learn the basics.
If you still don’t want to deal with the cover letter writing process, give our Cover Letter Builder a try. This tool simplifies the process with auto-generated text suggestions based on the information that you provide. Customize these suggestions as much as you want to and then your letter is ready to download. It’s never been easier to produce a persuasive cover letter in just a few minutes.
Key takeaways for your teacher resume
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Make your resume ATS-friendly
Whether the institution that you apply to uses applicant tracking software or not, using keywords from the job listing is always a smart strategy. Customizing your resume to the job listing can help make your resume stand up to ATS scrutiny.
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Organize your sections effectively
Organization isn’t just important for readability. Choose a resume format that gives extra weight to the resume sections that show your strengths.
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Select a suitable design
Choose a template that suits your desired position. A math teacher at high school may want something a bit more conservative than an elementary school art teacher, for example.
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Show off a range of skills
Your education and expertise are important hard skills, but don’t neglect those vital soft skills. Being compassionate and connecting with students is just as important as knowing your materials.
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Personalize your application
Try to avoid using repetitive resume filler. Employers often look at dozens or more resumes for a single position. Personalize your resume to the role and allow some of your individual character to shine.
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Highlight your impact
Action verbs and numerical data make your achievements feel more concrete. Add them to your work experience section to show the actual impact of your work in previous roles.
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Go above and beyond
A great resume might be an A, but you need a strong cover letter to achieve an A+! Don’t neglect the opportunity to take your resume to the next level.
Commonly asked questions about resume writing
Hailey Brophy is an experienced writer with a diverse career in digital publication. She is passionate about using her unique skills and experiences to help job seekers find the information that they need to succeed.
