3 Resume Tips for Teachers To Stand Out When Applying for Non-Teaching Jobs
As you apply for jobs beyond the classroom, a well-crafted resume can be the key to standing out in the crowd. There are countless resume tips for teachers there, but today we’re sharing our best ideas for applying to flexible education positions.
Whether you’re just starting to explore alternative careers in education or you’re actively applying for freelance jobs, side hustles, or full-time work beyond the classroom, you’ll want to be as prepared as possible when you come across exciting opportunities — whether in curriculum development, instructional coaching, online teaching, education consulting, or beyond.
Your teacher resume is your chance to show off your skills and experience, and putting in some time on your resume for each job can truly make all the difference. Not only will you be more likely to grab the attention of potential employers, you’ll also get more clear on why you’re a good fit for the job.
While the application process can seem intimidating at times, remember that you’re an education expert any employer would be lucky to have. As a teacher, you have developed a wide range of transferable skills, strengths, and experience that can be applied to a new career path. You’ll be able to leverage your expertise and apply your skills and experience in new and exciting ways.
3 Teacher Resume Tips for Jobs Beyond the Classroom
Check out our top 3 resume tips for teachers to make your experience shine, so you’ll be ready to land an interview and successfully secure your dream job:
1. Tailor your teacher resume to the particular job you’re applying for.
By tailoring your resume to the job description, you’re more likely to catch the eye of potential employers.
Never send a generic resume (or cover letter) when applying for any opportunity. With each job you apply for, look at your resume through the lens of the employer, and customize your resume to that specific job.
To do this, look carefully at the job description for how to present your experience and to get keywords to incorporate in your resume. Using the keywords in your resume will help to clearly show that you’re a match for what the employer is looking for.
Perhaps you’re interested in both curriculum development jobs and education consulting jobs. Consider making different versions or drafts of your resume (and then tweaking them for the different jobs you apply for).
2. Make sure it’s clear that your resume shows you are the best person for the particular job!
As you read the job description qualifications and responsibilities, challenge yourself to really think about your relevant experience and skills and how to make your teaching resume stand out. Remember, if you don’t meet every requirement listed, that’s okay!
What are the relevant skills needed for the job? Communicate that you have them.
What relevant experience do you have? Make it super clear. The best teacher resumes and cover letters not only demonstrate your experience, but show how that experience will serve you in your new role.
Be sure to include:
Relevant credentials and certifications
Relevant teaching experience
Relevant substantial professional development experiences (i.e. Responsive Classroom training, not weekly onsite PD)
Any relevant skills: tech, languages, etc.
Consider annotating the job description and/or highlighting both the things that you know you’ve done before and the things you might’ve done but need to think more about.
For instance, if the job description says “Experience coaching teachers,” you at first glance might think you haven’t done this… But if you take a moment to jog your memory and jot down ideas, you might recall leading a PD session at your school or mentoring/coaching a student teacher or first-year teacher.
Remember that you have so many experiences and transferable skills as a teacher, and it’s a matter of framing these to show you have relevant experience and that you’re a match.
3. Make your educator resume user-friendly, and keep your audience in mind.
A compelling resume shows employers at a glance how you’re a match for the job. You’ll want to make sure that someone can clearly discern your main points from your resume just by skimming it. This is one of the most important resume tips for teachers.
To do this, make sure your resume is visually appealing and well-organized with clean formatting. Use headings, bullet points, and line breaks, and consider where it’s helpful to bold and use italics and/or underline formatting to make the resume easier to read.
Of course, if you spend any time looking at teacher resume examples you’ll see there are a variety of different formats and there is no one "right" way to do them. (Asking someone to look at your resume and give constructive feedback on the formatting can be helpful!)
Make sure to spell out or explain any education-related acronyms, jargon, and state-specific details. Keep in mind that people reading your resume may not have a background in education (even if they’re working at an Ed Tech company, for instance), so you’ll want to ensure your resume is clear and doesn’t leave the reader with questions.
As you look over your resume, it can be helpful to think of someone in your life who’s not in education and consider if they would clearly understand the details included in your resume.
Above all, remember that your resume is a chance to sell yourself and show that you’re intriguing enough to be interviewed. Keep it to 1-2 pages, and know that you can always make further connections and explain more within your cover letter.
Go Beyond Resume Tips for Teachers & Get the Support You Need
If you want more support on your job search, check out Educator Forever’s Beyond the Classroom course, where we’ve helped thousands of educators channel their passion for education into sustainable careers.
Through the Beyond the Classroom course, you’ll get personalized guidance on how to get clarity on your next steps in your career, get the support you need to help you land jobs, and make your dreams a reality. You’ll also receive ample exciting job leads!
If you’re considering becoming a curriculum developer, Educator Forever’s Curriculum Development Foundations Program will give you everything you need to develop engaging curriculum, stand out in the job market, and take your career to the next level.
You’ll walk away with new skills and real-world experience to boost your resume and have a top-notch portfolio to submit for job opportunities.
As always, feel free to reach out to Educator Forever with any questions! We’re here to support you on your career journey!