An entry-level resume serves the same purpose as any other resume: to get you an interview. That said, there are some differences. For one thing, you may want to emphasize your education more than your work experience if this will be your first job in the field. On the other hand, don’t forget to include internships, related volunteer experience and practicum courses in your work history. Whichever approach you choose, follow the example of the kindergarten teacher resume sample and keep your document well-organized and professional.

Whether you’ve won awards during your schooling or through previous work experience, be sure to mention them under the appropriate heading. For example, graduating with honors goes in the education section and teacher of the year goes with the relevant work experience entry. If you choose to include a core qualifications section or a professional summary, like the kindergarten teacher resume sample does, you could mention your awards there.

Classroom teaching is not for everyone. The person making hiring decisions in this situation will be looking at more than your education to decide if you deserve an interview. Your qualifications section can go a long way toward setting you apart from other applicants if you use it wisely.

For starters, include your required credentials as the kindergarten teacher resume sample writer did. Then move beyond the obvious and mention things that reflect your philosophy of education, which the hiring staff member may not have read yet. If you’re an expert in emergent curriculum or inquiry-based learning, add those to your list of qualifications. If you’re a strong proponent of anti-bias education or if you have experience with differentiated instruction or individualized education programs (IEPs), mention that, too. Mention both hard skills and soft skills in this section, but keep your list brief and to the point.

Your education section may not be the thing that gets you the job, but it’s still an essential part of your application. At the very least, list your college or university experience starting from the most recent. Include your degree type along with your major and the name, city, and state of the institution, as shown in the kindergarten teacher resume sample. You can include your year of graduation if you are a recent graduate. Put continuing education in this section, too, especially if it’s specialized training.

Follow the lead of the kindergarten teacher resume sample and don’t include references on your resume. You should, however, have an extra copy of your list of references (and contact information for each) in your portfolio in case your interviewer requests a copy. Keep all of your letters of recommendation in your portfolio, and consider making copies of those, too, so you can preserve your originals, which should be on letterhead. If you need more help creating the perfect job application documents, try our step-by-step resume builder.