How to build an effective education resume
Whether you work in the private or public sector, the education industry plays a vital role in the economic development of any country.
Holding a position of responsibility, you often become irreplaceable for institutions. And although there is never enough you, employers will always look for the highest quality possible.
To get their attention, however, you will first need to craft an appealing educator resume that will impress any hiring manager. And our tips will help you tailor a CV just like that.
Keep reading and learn:
- How to best format your education resume
- How to write an appealing education professional profile
- How to select the best skills for your education resume
- How make your work experience section shine with accomplishments
- How to properly list your education
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1. How to best format your education resume?
Yes, your resume’s looks matter. If you want a hiring manager to spend their 7 seconds on reading your CV, you might as well make it appealing.
So what is the best format for your education resume?
- If you are a seasoned professional with a fair amount of experience, you will certainly want to opt for a two-column layout. This way, you will be able to wisely space out your resume sections without exceeding 2 pages. That’s right. Keep it short.
- Separate your sections using white space and bigger headings. You will make your document easy to navigate.
- Use bulleted lists whenever providing details. Large chunks of text will not make you more apt for the position. If anything, they will make your CV look cluttered.
- List your work history, education, certifications and courses reverse-chronologically. Starting with the most recent experience is the key.
- Use a traditional font, such as Calibri or Cambria. Stylish fonts may not look professional, and they will deflect a hiring manager’s attention from the content.
Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.
2. How to write an appealing education professional profile?
As an educator, you know how important it is to grab a learner’s attention from the very beginning. Just like your professional profile should instantly spur recruiters’ interest in the rest of your resume.
Remember to include keywords from a specific job posting. Make your professional summary a perfect blend of your key role, quantifiable achievements and the best skills an educator could offer.
Underperforming educator professional profile example
Kindergarten Teacher with experience teaching 4-6 years old pupils. Taught also kids with special needs. Organized activities that improved students' learning skills.
Corrected educator professional profile
Energetic and resourceful Kindergarten Teacher with experience teaching 4-6 years old pupils in a classroom setting of up to 25 students. Created an inclusive learning environment and taught also special-needs, learning-different, and general-population students. Noted for capacity for helping young learners develop healthy socialization and behavioral patterns, as well as confidence and sense of independence. Recognized for the ability to develop and implement activities that improve students' learning skills. Passionate about early childhood education.
3. How to select the best skills for your education resume
Never underestimate the power of a good skills section. It can get you ahead of other candidates like a charm. If you just know what abilities to put on your CV for a specific position.
To find that out, refer back to the job ad in question and list first those skills that your prospective employer expects you to have. (Of course, only in case you actually possess them.)
If you struggle to choose the best skills for your position, don’t go too far. We have a cheat sheet with some useful educator hard and soft skills for you.
Effective hard skills for your educator CV
- MS Office
- Scheduling
- Student engagement
- Student assessment
- Mentoring
- Curriculum design
- Coaching
- Teaching
The best soft skills to put on your educator resume
- Excellent oral and written communication
- Active listening
- Analytical thinking
- Problem solving
- Engaging style
- Creative approach
- Cultural competence
- Patience
- Social and emotional intelligence
- Attention to detail
- Curiosity
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Time management
Find out your resume score!
Our AI Resume checker can scan your resume for issues and give you tips on how you can improve it.
4. How to make your work experience section shine with accomplishments
Tailoring your work experience section to a specific job ad is the key to your success in the hiring process. Make your work history reflect your future employer’s success.
Mention the most important achievements and quantify them whenever possible. Remember to link your accomplishments with keywords from the job ad.
To make your experience section clear and easy to navigate, use a bulleted list with a maximum of 7 points.
What’s more, you can increase your chances to impress the recruiter by using impactful language.
Here are some examples of powerful action words that can make your educator work experience section shine:
- foster
- recognize
- design
- demonstrate
- supervise
- monitor
- increase
- enhance
- engage
Educator work experience section example
Primrose School of Geist, Michigan, USA
Preschool Teacher
2013-2019
- Fostered a warm, nurturing, and fun atmosphere conducive to learning.
- Recognized for teaching excellence and instructional best practices on annual reviews.
- Designed formative assessments used to plan for each child's developmental and instructional needs.
- Actively participated in school committee work and promotion of the school, through my active roles serving on the school's English department committee and the Nursery Continuity committee.
- Demonstrated interest and willingness to work with 12+ special-needs children.
- Supervised and managed daily functions for a class of 25 students.
5. How to properly list your education
To showcase that you are the right candidate for an educator position, you may want to make your education section somewhat special.
A common education segment would contain a school name, degree and years spent in school. Anyone can do it.
But you can make it extraordinary. How? Simply by adding your academic achievements, relevant coursework or areas of interest.
Teacher education section example
St. Mary's University of Winona, Winona, MN
B.A. in Education
2002-2004
- The 2003 Dean's Award winner for achieving exceptional academic results
- Area of interest: Early Stage Child Development
- GPA: 3.98 (Top 2% of the Program)
- Clubs and Societies: Debate Club, Psychology Club
