resume for teaching job

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

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Free Teacher Resume Template and Tips, Plus 21 Teacher Resume Examples

Make a great first impression!

Whether you’re searching for your first teaching job or you’re ready for a change, you’ll need a solid resume. There’s a lot of conflicting advice out there on how to write a resume that will land you an interview, so it’s worth taking some time to review teacher resume examples first. We’ve rounded up examples for pretty much any kind of educator and assembled tips for how to write a strong modern teacher resume.

Best of all, we’ve got a free, fully customizable teacher resume template to get you started quickly and easily. Fill out the form on this page to grab your template, then use our tips to start building your resume today.

Teacher Resume Tips

Teacher resume examples.

Resumes have changed a lot in recent years, so do your research to find out what the latest trends are. For instance, while an “objectives” section used to be a resume standard, people often drop this section today in favor of more space to highlight their accomplishments. Start with these general resume tips, then get more advice for completing our free teacher resume template, section by section.

General Tips

• Keep it to one or two pages. Hiring managers don’t have time to read overly long resumes. Put the most important information up front, and remove anything that doesn’t truly strengthen your application.
• Be honest. While you want to highlight your strengths and achievements, don’t go overboard. If you exaggerate your experience but are unable to perform certain tasks, you may put your future job at risk before you even get started.
• Skip the gimmicks. Some people will tell you the way to make your resume stand out is to use fun fonts or a “creative” design. The fact is, people who are hiring want an easy-to-read, clear presentation that highlights your achievements and credentials. That’s what will land you an interview.
• Tailor your resume. Keep a standard resume document that you can customize for the specific job you’re applying for. That might mean moving sections around, highlighting specific skills or experiences, or deciding which parts of your career deserve to be placed up front. Take a close look at the job description, and tailor your resume accordingly.
• Don’t try to circumvent the system. Years ago, people would tell you to ignore requests to send your resume and instead show up in person. Our advice: Don’t do it! Application systems are nearly all online these days, and for good reason. This helps hiring committees by organizing information efficiently and ensuring they meet all anti-discrimination laws. So just send your resume and application using the method requested.
• Don’t forget a cover letter. A great cover letter really can help your resume stand out. Learn how to make your teacher cover letter special here.

Contact Information

On today’s resumes, your mailing address is optional. In fact, if you’re looking for a job outside of your current geographical area, it can sometimes be helpful to leave it off. This way, employers won’t worry about whether you’re willing to relocate for the job.

Email addresses are not optional. This is the way most schools will contact you today, so be sure to provide yours. You might want to take a look at your address to make sure it sounds relatively professional too. Ideally, it simply contains a version of your name (e.g., “[email protected]”); don’t forget you can grab a free email address from sites like Gmail if you need to. But other addresses are fine too, as long as there’s nothing questionable. “[email protected]” is fine. “[email protected]” is not.

Professional Objective/Summary

As mentioned earlier, resume objectives are used less and less today. Recent college grads or those transitioning to teaching careers might still decide to include a professional objective statement. Those with more experience have replaced objectives with a summary statement that provides an overview of their career. It’s also OK to delete this section altogether if you’d like more space in the Relevant Work Experience section.

Education and Certifications

Include your undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as any certifications or licensures you hold. Note: It’s up to you whether you include your graduation date. Some people worry it can open them up to age discrimination. You’ll likely be asked for this information if you continue in the hiring process, so they can verify your degrees.

Related Experience

This is the real meat of your teacher resume. You can list jobs chronologically starting with the most recent, or choose to place your most relevant experience first. Either way, include your employer’s name, dates of employment, and the position/s you held. Then, highlight your experience and achievements. Strive to make your statements measurable and quantifiable rather than just a listing of your job duties.

Weak statements: ADVERTISEMENT

• Taught fifth grade science and math
• Prepared students for standardized math tests
• Oversaw annual school science fair

Strong statements:

• Instructed 100+ students each year in fifth grade science fundamentals, including human anatomy, electricity and magnetism, and earth and space science
• Improved standardized testing math scores by an average of 8% over a period of five years
• Organized seven annual school science fairs by coordinating 200+ participants, finding qualified judges, and arranging for prizes donated by the community

New college grad? You should definitely include your student teaching or internship experience in this section!

Additional Experience

You can use this section to include jobs you’ve held that aren’t quite as relevant to the one you’re applying for. If you’re new to the working world, it’s OK to include non-teaching jobs here. For those with longer careers, it’s probably not necessary to list every job you’ve ever had. Just highlight any experience that helps support your application or fills any employment gaps.

Professional Honors and Leadership

If you’ve received awards or honors related to teaching, share them here. The same goes for any leadership roles you’ve held in educational professional orgs.

Professional Affiliations

If space allows, you might want to include a short list of respected professional organizations you belong to. You should definitely include them if you play a very active role, have been invited to speak as an education expert at a conference, etc. Otherwise, this section is optional.

Other Teacher Resume Sections

Here are some sections you might consider adding if you have space, and a few to skip altogether.

• Professional skills: Don’t include this section if your skills are simply those expected of any teacher. But if you’ve built up any unusual and relevant teaching skills through experience or professional development, you could include them here. (Fluency in multiple languages, for example.)
• Community involvement or volunteer work: If you’ve been heavily involved in community organizations that work with children or education, consider highlighting those achievements on your resume.
• Publications: Have you published articles in an educational or professional journal, or had your work featured on a trusted, well-known website? Include any relevant articles and links.

Here’s what you don’t need on your resume:

• Hobbies or “unique” unrelated skills (like “juggling” or “Cordon Bleu chef”).
• Any information about religious or political affiliations, or your marital status, gender, race, or age. These could lead to potential bias or discrimination in the hiring process.
• References: Most people leave this section off their resume these days, as job applications or hiring committees will ask you for them separately. Line up your references and gather their contact information, but hang onto them until you’re asked to provide the info. You don’t even need to put “References available upon request,” since hiring managers already assume that.

As you complete your teacher resume template, use these examples for ideas about what to include and how to word it.

1. First-time teacher

This is a great resume for teachers with little to no experience.

2. Another first-time teacher example

Here’s one more example of a great teacher resume for those with limited experience.

3. Experienced elementary teacher

This one allows you to showcase your skills in a compact, visually appealing design.

4. Another experienced elementary teacher

This is one of those teacher resume examples that work best for those with some experience but who are still early in their career. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

5. Summer school teacher

Use this resume to highlight the unique skills of summer school teachers who work with students who are either repeating a course or trying to get ahead for the following school year.

6. Assistant teacher

Applying for an assistant teacher job will be much easier using one of the five fantastic teacher resume examples through this resource.

7. Special education teacher

As a special educator, your responsibilities may change from minute to minute and your skills need to adapt. This template helps you simplify your experience in a one-page resume.

8. School counselor

This resume will help you showcase your excellent mentoring, counseling, and leadership skills.

9. School guidance counselor

As a guidance counselor, your role is to guide students through academic development as well as personal growth. Use this template to show you how to highlight your unique talents.

10. Library media specialist

Showcase your ability to collect and maintain the valuable resources needed to foster a strong learning environment for students.

11. High school English teacher

Use this guide to create a great English teacher resume that will highlight your communication, interpersonal, and planning skills to edge out the competition.

12. Technology teacher

Emphasize your commitment to the ongoing professional development necessary to continue integrating the latest technology into the existing curriculum, and coming up with new lesson plans for today’s classrooms.

13. Music teacher

Share and showcase your love of introducing music to students with this straightforward teacher resume.

14. Drama teacher

This resume example is simple but perfect for drama teachers who want to emphasize their experience as well as their knowledge of acting techniques and production.

15. World language teacher

Establish yourself as the ideal candidate by demonstrating teaching skills, language proficiency, communication, and organizational skills.

16. Sports coach

As a coach, this template will help you demonstrate your ability to manage teams and sports programs as well as encourage academic performance.

17. ESL teacher

This teacher resume example allows you to highlight your classroom management skills, as well as your commitment to empathy, patience, and cultural awareness. (Note: Click the link above and scroll down to find it.)

18. Math teacher

This clean resume template showcases a math teacher’s ability to break down complex math concepts through patient, meaningful engagement with students.

19. Pre-K teacher

It takes a special person to be a great pre-K teacher. Working with young children while creating lesson and activity plans, monitoring progress, and providing quality supervision takes patience and kindness.

20. Business teacher

Put your best foot forward with this business teacher resume that emphasizes teaching methods and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

21. International school teacher

Use this resume to let hiring managers know that you’re not only motivated to help students learn but uniquely qualified. Be sure to highlight any experience living or traveling abroad as well as foreign language skills.

Get Your Free Teacher Resume Template

Just fill out the form on this landing page for instant access to a free Google Doc featuring a fully customizable teacher resume template.

Plus, check out tips for teacher job fairs and the most common teacher interview questions.

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Teacher Resumes

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A  teacher resume  is a document that teachers use to highlight their skills and experience when applying for teaching jobs. It includes a teacher’s relevant education, certification, and work experience, as well as awards, accolades, or notable accomplishments. Some resumes may include a teaching philosophy, which can communicate a teachers’ attitude about education to potential employers. Despite slight variations between resumes, all templates highlight the teacher’s accomplishments and demonstrate their fitness for a job opening.

How to Write a Teacher Resume

Writing a teacher resume is much like creating a resume for any other job, such as an accountant, marketer, or engineer. The most crucial sections are the opening statement and experience, emphasizing the teacher’s work ethic and overall educator goals. Employers look for ambitious teachers who have a strong desire to impact the world through education.

Follow the steps below to create a resume highlighting your best achievements and teaching qualities.

Step One – Compile Information

Step two – choose a format, step three – draft and revise.

Include the most recent teaching positions, earned degree(s), and certifications. Consider how you can use this information to impress the person reading the resume. For example, if you had a 4.0 GPA, you might want to include those details, so the employer knows that you worked hard in college. Be sure to include each piece of information, even if it is a minor detail. Often, these points make your resume stand out from other candidates.

If an applicant has little-to-no teaching experience, consider including related work, such as tutoring, training, or coaching. Use precise wording that conveys what you did, learned, or achieved during that time. It may even be helpful to include anecdotes from students that you helped to show the employer that you make a difference in the lives of others through your work.

There are different ways to organize a teacher resume. A reverse-chronological format lists the most recent teaching jobs and completed degrees first, followed by the next most recent. This format is the standard and works well for teachers with several years of experience or if they’ve worked for a few different schools. A functional design spotlighting a teacher’s related skills and qualities may work best when beginning their career.

Using a template or an original design, draft the resume. While keeping a resume to one or two pages is recommended, do not fixate too much on the word count. However, if your resume becomes three or four pages, consider ways to format it to make it as short as possible. For example, changing the margins, using single spacing, and smaller text can adjust the length of the resume.

Once it’s finished, go over it again to ensure it is free of errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Use spell check or software that gives you the best suggestions to make your resume sound professional and concise. Furthermore, making sure that the information is clear and organized shows that you care about the application and have a deep interest in taking on the role.

Teacher Resume Samples

Types of Teacher Resumes

Because teaching jobs range from substitute teachers to university instructors, there are several types of teacher resumes. Each type frames information specifically for its corresponding teaching job.

• Pre-K and Kindergarten
• Elementary and Middle School
• High School

Post-Secondary

Teaching assistant.

Teaching assistants (sometimes called paraprofessionals) work alongside a teacher in a classroom, often in elementary school or special education settings. This type of resume highlights the teaching assistant’s role by providing information about their impact on classroom management and learning outcomes. For instance, a teaching assistant’s resume may include specific interventions they used. It also allows teachers to highlight their proudest accomplishments, such as leading a reading group where the children jumped two reading levels in one year.

Because a substitute teacher’s job is versatile and flexible by nature, the substitute teacher resume is no different. This resume highlights the variety in work and communicates effective strategies the substitute uses on the job. A substitute might write on their resume that they “increased student participation to 100%” during a long-term contract.” 

Pre-K and Kindergarten 

This resume emphasizes a teacher’s knowledge and skills in early child development and classroom management. Providing snapshots of a teacher’s skills and accomplishments, such as “adept at positive reinforcement strategies”  or  “prepared in-depth progress notes for 25 students each quarter,”  appeals to principals or other hiring personnel.

Elementary and Middle School 

On this type of resume, elementary and middle school teachers spotlight their achievements in teaching and classroom management strategies and work outside of the classroom. For instance, this type of resume might include the number of field trips the teacher planned and directed, the growth percentage in math scores, or technology implementation into lessons and projects.

High School 

Due to the increased rigor of the high school curriculum, this resume shines best when it presents teacher impact, student outcomes, and specialized experience. A high school teacher’s resume may include “designed and developed original curriculum map for Honors Chemistry” or  “Increased participation and retention in a zero-hour academic lab.” More than a listing of daily tasks, this resume catches an employer’s eye when demonstrating a teacher’s effect.

In higher education, teacher resumes may take the form of a CV (curriculum vitae). This document is typically longer than the standard one-page resume. It details courses taught, publications, presentations, research studies, and other work in academia.

Teacher Resume Templates

How to Make a Teacher Resume Stand Out

There are various skills, responsibilities, and outcomes in a teacher’s day-to-day and throughout their career. Organizing this information clearly and effectively can help it stand out and win interview opportunities.

Create a Strong Opening Statement

Add unique skills, include specialties.

Typically, resumes start with an opening statement explaining an applicant’s career objectives. This section can include teaching philosophy, specializations, and other career highlights. An effective statement captures the teacher’s strengths and demonstrates their fitness for the job.

For example, a strong opening statement can read: “Passionate STEM teacher with 5+ years experience in project-based learning, flipped classrooms, and 1:1 technology integration. Responsible for 30% growth in math test scores and rated Highly Accomplished in evaluations.” 

Most people – especially principals or other hiring personnel – know what a teacher does daily. Instead of putting tasks, such as “graded weekly math tests” or “planned and delivered lessons to 80 students per day,” articulate the teacher’s skills’ impact, outcome, or effect. Here are some examples:

• Averaged over 85% pass rate for the AP English Literature exam in all four years.
• Implemented a school-wide social-emotional learning curriculum that reduced the number of in-school suspensions by 40%.
• Coached the Speech and Debate team to win their first State Championship.
• Won Teacher of the Year in 2014.

Some teachers may have specialties, such as national board certification, membership in professional teaching associations, unique work experience (such as Teach for America or teaching abroad). Some teachers find additional responsibilities, such as mentoring student teachers, coordinating after-school programs, or delivering professional development.

All of these specializations can make an applicant stand out. They tell a principal that the teacher is well-rounded, has developed expertise, and can offer more than the typical daily teaching duties.

Here are some examples of how to write specialties on a teacher resume:

• Scored Highly Effective in student-teacher evaluation by a teacher mentor
• Taught English to students in Taiwan and raised language proficiency by 30%
• Presented about digital literacy at state and national conferences
• National Board Certified in Music Education

Teacher Resume Examples

Key Takeaways

When writing a teacher resume, present the outcome and impact of a teacher’s work, rather than merely listing tasks. Principals want to see how well a teacher will fit into their school’s culture, meet the needs of their student body, and influence potential colleagues. A principal can discern all of these from a strong resume that includes a teaching philosophy or career objective, describes qualifications, and articulates results.