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College Professor Resume Example

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College Professor Resume Example & Template

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, College Professors make over $80,000 on average. This occupation is also growing quite fast, at 9%. But even more important than the money, College Professors are critical to educating the leaders and creators of tomorrow.

But before you can climb the ivory tower, you need to get your foot in the door first. And we can help you do that.  

In this article, we’ll discuss

• Which format is right for your resume
• How to write a resume summary 
• Describing your work experience
• Listing your skills
• Including your education 
• Mention your research, committees, and publications
• Choosing the right template

College Professor Sample Resume 

College Professor, Princeton University

• Created interesting and engaging curricula for upper-level European History and English Royalty courses, and promoted an open and interactive classroom environment for enhanced learning
• Worked with an intra-departmental team to develop new learning materials for History students, including interactive online assignments that improved student engagement by 35%
• Drafted and graded exam papers, assignments and classwork 
• Evaluated student performances fairly and offered constructive feedback
• Headed the Jobs in History Committee, presenting students with more opportunities for  industry networking and post-graduation employment 
• Served as a Student Advisor, helping 30 students a semester to more clearly define and follow their academic paths and post-graduation plans
• Researched the economic developments of Elizabethan history with a team of 4 graduate students, co-authoring a paper
• Prepared course materials such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts for 5 courses a semester
• Oversaw the work of 5 graduate teaching assistants as they assisted in course grading
• Reviewed 3 PhD students’ theses for potential publication

Associate College Professor, Boston College

• Delivered lectures to undergraduate and graduate students on topics such as Tudor Royalty, Inter-European trade, and Renaissance literature 
• Evaluated and graded students’ classwork, assignments, and papers
• Initiated, facilitated, and moderated classroom discussions to promote an open and engaging learning environment
• Planned, evaluated, and revised curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction for six courses on early, Renaissance, and Modern European history
• Maintained regularly scheduled office hours to advise and assist students
• Served on the Integrity in Academics Committee that dealt with institutional policies on plagiarism and other academic issues

1. Choose the Right Format for a College Professor Resume

The first step to drafting your resume is deciding which resume format to use. This depends on your career experience and skillset. 

You have 3 main options for your resume:

• Reverse-Chronological -- this is the most commonly used resume format. With this structure, place your most recent jobs first, followed by the next most recent job, and ending with your oldest position. 

Tip: only include jobs relevant to the position to which you’re applying, so leave out any former jobs that don’t fit. Do include all your teaching jobs. If you’re just starting out, include courses you taught as a grad student or even courses you assisted as an undergraduate. 

• Functional -- this format is best for people who have been out of the workforce for a while, perhaps because they had to care for children or an elderly parent. This format will have headers like “Student Development” and “Lesson Planning” or “Teaching” with their respective skills listed in bullet points below. At the very end of the resume, include a brief snapshot of your work experience.  

Tip: Read our advice on How to Explain Employment Gaps on a Resume . 

• Hybrid / Combination -- this format is a mix of both Functional and Reverse-Chronological. It provides more detailed work experience descriptions that would typically be seen in the latter, while still offering a bulleted list of skills.  

Tip: When in doubt, choose the Reverse-Chronological resume format. For more details, check out our guide on How to Write Your Resume in Reverse-Chronological Order . 

For a College Professor career, hiring managers want to glance at your resume and get a sense of the following:

• The subject you teach
• How long you’ve been teaching 
• Any research you’ve conducted in your field
• Your publications
• The universities and colleges at which you’ve worked

The best format for a College Professor is the Reverse-Chronological resume format. This is because it shows the trajectory of your career -- how you’ve grown professionally through publications, research, and promotions. Check out our advice on How to Show Your Job Promotions on a Resume for more details. 

  2. Write a Strong College Professor Resume Summary

A resume summary is one or two sentences at the top of your paper that summarizes your entire resume. It’s the punch line that gets the resume reviewer wanting to know more.

For a College Professor career, include the following points in your summary:

• The amount of time you’ve worked as a professor
• Mention one of your research projects or publications to help you stand apart from the crowd
• An adjective or two conveying your personality, such as “enthusiastic,” “expert” or “compassionate”

Here is an example of a bad resume summary: 

Experienced history professor with a passion for students. Led some research projects and published author of several papers.

This is a bad resume summary because it is very vague. There is nothing here that identifies you as a unique individual with special talents and experiences to offer. 

Here is an example of a good resume summary: 

Enthusiastic College Professor with ten years of experience teaching European history with an emphasis on British royalty. Published author of a McGill textbook with innovative teaching strategies that immerse students in the learning process. Committed faculty member with a passion for ensuring the academic integrity of the institution and achieving tenure through administrative service.

This is a good resume summary because it offers specifics about your academic prowess -- you teach European history and specialize in British royalty. You also have demonstrated success in your field by publishing a textbook that not only informs students about the subject but also excites them about learning. Lastly, the resume summary has an objective -- that you want tenure.

A Resume Objective tells the employer what kind of position you are seeking. 

While this is certainly optional, it can help employers understand what you want from them and what you can offer. Put another way, a resume objective clarifies your intentions to employers. Plus, it can help to show why you are a good fit for the job.

For more information, checkout our guide on How to Write a Killer Resume Summary . Or, browse our Resume Summary Examples . 

3. Describe Your Work Experience as a College Professor

The next step to drafting your resume is to list your work experience. This includes the names of your positions (See: The Right Way to List Job Titles on a Resume ), the names of the locations at which you worked, and the length of time in which you’ve worked. 

You should also quantify your resume whenever possible. This means adding a number -- such as a dollar amount or percentage -- to your accomplishments. Quantifying your resume gives the hiring manager a more concrete idea of your workplace performance. For example, say that you “taught 4 classes a semester,” “improved the class average grade between semesters by 20% due to innovative teaching techniques,” or “brought the institution $300,000 in research grants.”   

Tip : One way to quantify your resume is by listing your accomplishments and awards . For example, name any grants you’ve received, teaching awards, publications, etc. 

For more information on how to format your work experience, check out our guide on How to Describe Work Experience . 

Don’t have any work experience? We have a guide for that too!

4. List Your Skills

Skills show the hiring manager what you can do for the institution -- without taking up too much space in the “work experience” part of your resume.

There are two types of skills -- soft and hard. “Soft” skills are those that are not quantifiable and are more indicative of your personality. Examples include leadership, problem-solving, and communication. In contrast, “hard” skills are those that are learned through formal education. Examples include computer technology programs, languages, and certifications.  

College Professors need both hard and soft skills. Soft skills come in handy when dealing with students and other faculty members, while your hard skills represent your research and teaching abilities. It’s a good idea to include a mix of both on your resume, instead of relying overly on one type.  

Relevant Soft Skills

• Communication
• Organization

Relevant Hard Skills

• Student mentoring
• Conference participation
• Curriculum development
• Service on faculty committees
• Upper-division courses in Renaissance History 
• Learning strategies
• Foreign Languages

If you want a more complete list of skills, read our guide on 100+ Key Skills for a Resume in 2021 with Examples for any Job.

5. Include an Education Section 

Most institutions require that College Professors have a  Ph.D. or other doctoral degree in their field. However, a master's degree may be enough for some postsecondary teachers at community colleges. Additionally, some specialties or part-time positions may hire those with a master’s degree or those who are doctoral degree candidates. 

Still uncertain on what to include in this section? Review our guide on How to List Education on Your Resume in 2021 . 

6. Mention Your Research, Committees, and Publications

Institutions want you to bolster their reputations. This means that you need to demonstrate you can add to their wallet and public image -- by publishing your findings in journals and books. 

While most resumes are one page, a College Professor who has been teaching a while might have two pages . If so, list your “research and publications” on the second page. 

How to format publications on your resume:

• Create a new section titled “Publications” or “Research and Publications” or even “Publications and Appearances”
• Each publication should be a new bullet point
• Include the year it was printed and the title of the book or paper
• Add the name of the magazine, website, or journal
• List the publications in Reverse-Chronological order

Should I use APA or MLA format? 

While this is up to you, these academic styles take up more space. If you have a two-page resume then that’s not a problem. Otherwise, simply list each work’s title, publication name and date. 

For example: “Analyzing Elizabethan Attitudes Towards Continental Trade,” The English Historical Review, June 2018.

Tip: If you only have a few publications, not enough to warrant an entire section, or if you have too many things to add and you’re crunched for space, make a section that’s more general, such as “additional activities” or “accomplishments.” 

7. Pick the Right Template

Now it’s time for the fun part -- picking the aesthetics of your resume! 

Here at EasyResume, we offer several different templates. 

• Academic : these resumes are professionally structured with minimal aesthetics in order to provide a clear and concise glimpse of your experiences. This is best for current students or those looking to pursue a career in an academic field as a researcher or teacher. 
• Creative : these resumes are bold and colorful with eye-catching fonts to help you stand out from the crowd. This is best for those in creative fields like marketing and art. 
• Elegant : these resumes are contemporary and stylish in a way that highlights you and your experiences. This is best for those in fields that prefer austerity, such as the healthcare and finance industries. 
• Modern : these resumes have sleek designs that are fresh and bold with tasteful fonts and clean lines. This is best for individuals applying to startups or to companies with a young audience or product.
• Professional : these resumes have a clean, crisp look that incorporates only one or two accent colors. The focus is solely on the text, pulling the recruiter into your experiences and accomplishments. This is best for individuals applying to straight-laced companies that mandate a suit-and-tie dress code.  

Your resume template should reflect the job to which you’re applying. For a College Professor career, try an Academic or Professional format in order to match the gravity of the institution. However, if you’re applying to a more unorthodox college, try out our Modern or even Creative templates. 

If you want to create your own template, read how with our Step-by-Step Guide on How to Create a Resume Template in Microsoft Word . 

8. Takeaways

We’ve done it! Almost. 

Now it’s time to get down to business -- actually creating the resume. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

• Research the job description to locate keywords
• Use a Reverse-Chronological resume layout
• Write your resume summary, including your resume objective and outstanding achievements
• Include your education and accomplishments
• Quantify your work experiences, such as the number of classes you’ve taught, the committees you’ve served on, etc. 
• Pick a resume template that fits the position to which you’re applying, usually Academic or Professional.

Start from our resume example and be done in as little as ten minutes.

You’ll be well on your way to teaching your next course in no time!

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26 Teacher Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

• Teacher Resume
• Teacher Resumes by Grade Level
• Teacher Resumes by Subject
• Teacher Resumes by Type

Formatting Your Teacher Resume

Teachers are the backbone of society. You spend more time with the children you educate than their parents do! And effective teachers like you are compassionate, intelligent, and organized, among hundreds of other things.

It can be difficult to highlight all your experience and skills on your teacher resume, and you’ll want to save some for your  teacher cover letter .

These 26 teacher resume examples are helping teachers with varying levels and types of expertise land jobs in 2024 . They’re a great place for you to get started building or  updating your resume .

Please note that this guide is geared toward educators in the K-12 space. If you’re applying to teach at the college level, you’ll likely need to  write a CV . 

Teacher Resume Example

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• When listing your student teaching experience, focus on what you contributed instead of your responsibilities. 
• Since you want to make the resume reviewer’s job as pleasant as possible, clearly state the subject and grades you taught in a resume bullet.
• When you go to make a cover letter , this is your ticket to dive deeper into how you helped your students achieve greater success in the classroom.

Daycare Teacher Resume Example

• If you’re a pro at integrating play-based learning like building blocks or water play into your daycare environment, do more than list it in your skills section. Use your work experience to show your skills in action.

First Grade Teacher Resume Example

• Rather, fill your first grade teacher resume with software like ABCmouse, ClassDojo, and Kahoot! Show potential employers that you’re an expert at dealing with little ones and know exactly what technology to use to develop their test scores and talents.

Elementary Teacher Resume Example

• Include licenses or certifications in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your elementary teacher resume. Our  user-friendly resume templates  and  Google docs resume templates  let you add a section just for certificates and licenses.
• For example, “Improved students’ passing rates on the statewide annual exam by 13%” effectively shows competency through an estimate.

Middle School Teacher Resume Example

• Including a  career objective  can help explain why you’re a strong candidate if you have limited work experience or if you’re undergoing a career change.
• Certifications are typically required qualifications for teachers, so it’s best to list any relevant certificates you’ve acquired. 
• Projects can be a great place to highlight experiences not technically work-related but still highly relevant to your passion for teaching. 
• An activities section is the spot for interesting, quirky experiences or  hobbies on your resume ; just be sure you can explain  why  they’re relevant when you get an interview! 

First Year Teacher Resume Example

• Succinct, to-the-point, and intriguing are everything your career objective should be-it should be two to three sentences summarizing your teaching career goals and demonstrating your readiness to help the hiring institution attain its objectives. Weaving in mentions of past relevant experiences like a teaching internship can leave a solid impression that gets you hired.

High School Teacher Resume Example

• The “Education” section of your  high school teacher resume  should list the degree you’ve earned. No need to list high school since that’s a given.
• For example, instead of saying, “Prepared students for standardized exams,” say, “Helped improve standardized testing performance by 3%.”
• If you list “collaboration” as a skill, then somewhere in your resume’s work experience bullet points, it should be clear that collaboration is part of your repertoire.

Kindergarten Teacher Resume Example

• Just below your list of skills, drop in a succinct certifications section showing off credentials like Certified Child Life Specialist, Early Childhood Education Specialist, or Child Development Associate (CDA. Besides validating your seemingly vast industry knowledge, these elevate you from the crowd of folks who’ve got the experience but might be missing those credentials.

Transitioning Teacher Resume Example

• Let phrases like “Designed a new life skills curriculum supported by zSpace’s virtual simulations, increasing student competency in daily tasks by 38%” and “Utilized Kurzweil 3000 to provide reading support for 18 students, improving comprehension and retention of transition materials” take center stage in the work history of your transitioning teacher resume.

PE Teacher Resume Example

• Save a small section on your resume’s side column for role-relevant tertiary educational background, much like how Amanda flaunts her bachelor’s degree (Physical Education) from the University of Central Florida. It’s about showing you’ve put a great deal of work into amassing the necessary knowledge and skills.

Spanish Teacher Resume Example

• Having a degree like a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Portuguese or a certificate like “Single Subject Teaching Credential in Spanish” in your Spanish teacher resume are great ways to prove your professionalism in teaching foreign languages. ¡Feliz búsqueda de empleo!

Science Teacher Resume Example

• You see, few other things piss off hiring managers as much as a resume littered with grammatical mistakes, from typos, punctuation errors to awkward phrases. And that brings us to the essence of staking the time to meticulously proofreading yours before hitting the send button. Better yet, involve a second pair of eyes, be it a friend, family member or career coach.

Math Teacher Resume Example

• Such unique achievements make your math teacher resume shine and grab the attention of your dream employer. Identify such feats in your career and let them take center stage in your application.

Art Teacher Resume Example

• Your also have to prove that you go beyond the curriculum to offer students more opportunities such as through showcasing their work to the world.

Social Science Teacher Resume Example

• Ask a friend, colleague, or even a co-worker to proofread your resume. If you’re low on time, invest in a spell-check system like Grammarly or run your resume through our  resume checker  to catch any typos or comma errors. 
• All our example resumes include the essential sections, and you can add your own sections to customize your template to your specific needs.

English Teacher Resume Example

• Summaries are two to three-sentence paragraphs that can be thought of as a recap of your best self on your resume. 
• Purely optional, you can include one if you have years (10+) of experience in your field.
• Summaries work best to showcase your tried and tested years in the education field and any specializations you’ve honed, such as teaching AP-level courses.

Foreign Language Teacher Resume Example

• Why?  Hard skills are more specific to your profession and easier to demonstrate throughout your resume. Plus, they show school admin that you’ve already got some technical know-how for the job. 
• Aim to include six to eight specific skills, emphasizing hard skills (like “bilingual” and “lesson planning”) over soft skills (like “organization” and “caring”).
• If you’re hoping to switch from teaching German to teaching history, you don’t need to include many details on your strategies for teaching verb conjugation, for example.

Experienced Teacher Resume Example

• It’s perfect time to turn to your technology skills and how you’ve tapped them to solve everyday teaching challenges. Show how you’ve leveraged Zoom and Google Classroom for virtual teaching, Quizizz for tailored tests that improved average students score, and so on.

New Teacher Resume Example

• Also, show how it has been a lifelong process for you, and how you are ready to bring in your set of pedagogical skills in the learning environment.

Student Teacher Resume Example

• Schools know you have to start somewhere, so what they’re really looking for is that you show the promise and potential to step inside their classrooms and successfully manage and teach a class.
• If you’ve volunteered as a teacher after school, provided tutoring or homework help, or even assisted in a teacher’s grading load, you have valuable experience to add to your resume.

Teacher Assistant Resume Example

• Instead of vaguely stating, “Worked with assistants and teachers,” give concrete details, like “Worked with 2 assistants and teacher to provide instruction to 60+ 2nd graders with IEPs.”
• An objective is valuable if you’re light on experience and need to fill some white space, but it loses its value if it’s not customized.
• Tailor your objective by mentioning the target school by name and sprinkling in some keywords from the  teacher job description , so long as they honestly describe you!

Substitute Teacher Resume Example

• If you’re a certified substitute teacher (or teacher) in your state, include that in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your substitute teacher resume. This will help you stand out from other applicants, as this is not required in every state.
• Any prior subbing experience should highlight maintaining a disciplined classroom. One of the toughest aspects of being a sub is commanding a classroom, so demonstrating your strength will increase your chances of getting an interview.
• Another way to impress is by  formatting your resume’s  work history in reverse-chronological order; it lists your most current and relevant experience first, so the admin can glimpse your best stuff first.

Collaborative Teacher Resume Example

• Choose one or two key areas, such as section titles or your header, to include a pop of conservative color.
• Use two contrasting fonts on your resume template . Just don’t pick anything hard to read—remember, recruiters scan resumes within seconds, so it has to be understood at a glance.
• Even if your projects aren’t teaching-related, highlight skills you used or developed, like working with kids, collaborating with co-workers, or taking a leadership position.

Special Education Teacher Resume Example

• Does your resume take up the entire page?
• Does it have half to one-inch margins? (Either half an inch or one inch is fine.)
• Does your resume include separate sections for contact information, education, skills, and work experience?
• Start each bullet point with action words, like “spearheaded” or “brainstormed.” 
• Either end all bullet points with a period or none at all. Be consistent with punctuation.
• Write your work experience in the past tense.
• Avoid using personal pronouns like “me” or “I” on your resume. We’re pretty sure the employer already knows you’re writing about yourself!

Assistant Teacher Resume Example

• Consider a certifications section in which you proudly spotlight credential like Child Development Associate (CDA), just as Matthew does. Of course, a proven understanding of early childhood education best practices is sure to get a nod from the hiring manager reading your piece.

Teacher Aide Resume Example

• Begin by spotlighting your most recent, senior position (paired with key quantified achievements and relevant tool applications) and backtrack through your junior roles. This technique is golden for illustrating your career progression in a resume and should show an increment of responsibilities and wins as you go up.

Related resume guides

• Teacher Assistant
• Preschool Teacher
• Elementary Teacher
• Substitute Teacher

Formatting ensures your teacher resume is readable, logical, and complete. Imagine understanding a book without chapter headings or margins and no discernable organization. It would be a nightmare to parse out any information when nothing follows a clear structure and doesn’t lend itself to being read correctly. It’s an extreme example, but it proves the necessity of formatting. 

Just as you create lesson plans to help your class learn best, format your resume so your qualifications are conveyed and understood. We’ll cover three important formatting elements in the following sections: resume formats, your contact header, and resume readability for ATS.

Three resume formats

The most popular  resume formats  for 2024 are reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid. Here are some of the pros and cons of each:

• Reverse-chronological : This format highlights your career progression in an easy-to-scan list, making it ideal for recruiters and ATS. However, this format exposes time gaps and can be repetitive if you’ve held the same position at multiple schools.
• Functional : This format focuses on your skills, ideal for limited teaching experience or gaps. However, it’s commonly known to confuse potential employers and ATS.
• Combination/hybrid : This leverages an in-depth skills section and a small experience section to accurately summarize why you’re the best candidate for the job. However, it’s easy to structure this poorly, and it can look like you’re hiding a lack of work experience.

We advise the reverse-chronological format for your teacher resume because it proves you have practical knowledge and a steady career. This format tells the story of your teaching career in under  six seconds , which is how long recruiters will take to read your resume.

Include the right details in your contact header

Your contact header should be easy to locate and read. Some suggest not adding contact information in the header, but that’s why formatting your contact header properly is so important. With good formatting, none of your information gets buried, and it can distinguish you from other applicants. You should include:

• Job title you’re seeking
• Phone number
• City, State (optional)
• Professional links (optional)

Per industry standards, place the header in either the top left-hand corner or centered beneath your name. Not enough space? Remove the optional elements or go down a font size. Choose a sans-serif font that’s no smaller than your resume’s body text. 

Like the example below, you can put your header in a color block to grab attention quickly and add personality. It’s best not to use obnoxious colors (neon green would be a hard no), and always double-check that the color works well with black body text or white font. 

Sometimes, the ATS won’t read your resume properly despite having a beautiful header. That’s why we recommend submitting it as a .docx (friendly for ATS) and as a PDF (friendly for employers). 

We have plenty of  excellent resume samples  you can check out for inspiration on your header, and if you’re rushed, choose one of our  free resume templates  to start and finish your teacher resume in record time. 

Ensure the ATS and employers can read your resume

To ensure your resume reaches principals and department heads, you’ll need to pass muster with the ATS. The good news is formatting for the ATS also results in a resume easy to read by employers. 

Resume tips to steer you on the right path:

• Not only is a one-page resume faster for recruiters and ATS to scan, but it forces you to be concise and include only what’s relevant. 
• Most ATS don’t recognize documents in Open Office, Adobe Pages, HTML, or PDF (on occasion). The wisest option is to submit your resume as a .docx and  as a PDF to give employers options if one doesn’t work.
• The standard 10–12-point font is the best readability range for employers and ATS.
• Even at a reasonable size, some fonts are hard to read, unprofessional-appearing, and ATS-unfriendly. Stick to standard sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial.
• One-inch margins are standard, but you can be flexible. Avoid going smaller than a half-inch or larger than one inch to keep your teacher resume professional and tidy.
• You may confuse the ATS and the school if you have odd header titles. Use standardized headers, as you see in our resume samples , to make each section easy to find (and comprehend). 
• ATS uses keywords to determine your eligibility, including skills (Google Classroom, modifying lessons, parent communication, etc.) matching what’s in the job ad. 
• If your resume sections aren’t in the recommended order, they may confuse ATS. Yet again, it’s best to stick to the standard by using an AI resume generator .

Writing Your Teacher Resume

Writing an effective resume  may feel daunting, but it’s far more manageable if you take it section by section. You may even want to use one of our  fresh Word resume templates  designed just for teachers. Let’s dive into each resume section you’ll want to consider:

Does an objective/summary on your teacher resume matter?

Teaching history, top skills for educators.

• Listing education, certification, and optional sections

Customize your teacher resume for the job

Revise and edit your teacher resume.

Principals and their hiring teams may see hundreds of resumes across a wide array of teaching roles, so it’s crucial to showcase your talents and personality quickly. Objectives and summaries can work as excellent introductory tools, but many end up being generic, boring, or vague. 

First, consider whether you’ll use an  objective or summary statement (or neither). An objective highlights your interest and qualifications for the role, while a  resume career summary  distills your specialized skills and experience in a few lines. Use an objective if you’re seeking your first teaching position or switching from teaching one subject to another. On the other hand, veteran teachers may opt for a summary (or no statement at all).

Regardless of your circumstances, if you use either of these introductory statements, you should always tailor your message to the position. Let’s look at specific examples to contrast a D+ resume objective with one worthy of an A. 

A generic, vague objective tells recruiters nothing about you beyond the bare minimum:

New high school teacher seeking employment at a local high school closer to family. Talented at communicating with teenagers and teaching. Received many compliments and letters at last place of employment.

The above objective lacks personality and neglects to mention anything specific. This next objective, however, is focused and tells the principal about the applicant’s skills:

Compassionate algebra tutor with 4+ years of experience. Excellent at coaching students in formulas and helping them develop analytical thinking skills and mathematical competency at all levels of ability. Seeking to use my communication and interpersonal skills to build meaningful student relationships and improve their mathematical abilities at Joaquin High School.

Like the visual example below, the above objective works because it details the applicant’s experience and how it’s relevant to their new goals within the classroom. 

With summaries, it’s difficult to narrow down years of experience into one paragraph, so they often end up looking like this:

Skilled and experienced teacher who loves working with littles. Adept at communication and care. Excited to use my skills for Sunnyside Elementary. 

For starters, repeating “skilled” and “experienced” won’t tell employers anything. A good summary should sell your experience and qualifications, making principals wish they’d had the chance to hire you years ago:

Elementary education teacher with 12+ years of experience managing 25-30 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders’ classrooms. I am a patient, personable, and compassionate professional eager to bring my expertise to Sunnyside Elementary. Awarded Teacher of the Year in 2020 and 2021 for creating online individualized lesson plans for over 65 students during the height of the pandemic.

This summary works because it tells the recruiter their specific qualifications, namely personalized lesson plans and classroom management, and their skills (in this case, two awards). 

It’s tempting to list every job you’ve ever had to prove you’re qualified, but this becomes either overwhelming or redundant. It also means you can’t include much about each position, which won’t inspire principals to hire you. 

Instead, pick two to four of your most relevant teaching positions. Quantify your responsibilities and incorporate skill keywords to improve your ATS score with each. 

No teaching experience yet? Add internships, student teaching, volunteering, or other special projects like the example below that can highlight your soft skills like leadership. Certifications and awards are helpful additions, too. 

How to write your job description bullet points

Whether you’re describing a past job, an internship, or a college project, you’ll need to craft your bullet points with care. Every word counts, so use active verbs, definitive language, third-person pronouns, and consistent verb tenses. Pay careful attention to consistency with punctuation—using periods at the end of some bullets while none for others is sloppy.

Based on these resume writing tips , here are some examples of well-crafted bullet points suited for a teacher resume:

• Taught mathematics, English, general science, art, geography, and history to 60+ 3rd grade students
• Collaborated with parents to discuss student performance and options for an improved learning experience, such as individualized instruction for students with learning disabilities
• Hosted annual fundraiser to raise $6,500 for 10+ teachers to attend the RAISE conference and led yearly trips to RAISE meetings, resulting in overall more effective teaching strategies and a renewed passion for academia

These bullet points work because they’re descriptive and results-oriented. Strive for conciseness and specificity with your job description bullet points.

Maximize your classroom impact with numbers

From an employer’s mindset, metrics cement your abilities by proving that your actions resulted in a desirable outcome. If possible, include metrics on 50 percent of your job description bullet points to showcase the results of your effective teaching. 

When talking about past teaching roles, it’s a good idea to discuss the following metrics:

• Increase in test scores, passing rates, or grade point averages
• Number of students/classes taught
• Increase in student participation/improved behavior

The following examples use the metric types listed above to describe a teacher’s impact further: 

• Co-founded a S.T.E.M. club with the aid of 4 fellow teachers, increasing student passing rates in science and mathematics by 13%
• Established weekly one-on-one student conversation sessions to intentionally build student-teacher relationships, resulting in a 15% overall increase in classroom participation and attendance
• Hosted monthly Write-Til-You-Drop sessions for high school students struggling in English and offered expertise for outlining thesis development and argument structure, which resulted in 31% higher essay scores for participating students

The  skills section of your resume  is a quick guide to what you bring to the table as a teacher. That means choosing the right skills for each job is crucial. You might be organized and great at time management, but if employers want to see that you’re compassionate and great at lesson planning instead, your resume may be set aside. 

Since teachers fulfill many roles, employers will want to see a host of varied skills, including soft, hard, and technical capabilities, such as these:

Common teacher skills

• Collaboration
• Problem-solving
• 1:1 communication
• Organization
• Class management
• Active listening
• Lesson planning
• Google Classroom
• Parent communication
• Gradebook software

These skills demonstrate aptitude and support the responsibilities a teacher must complete on the job. Remember that while the above list outlines common and popular teacher skills for your resume, defer to what the job description is explicitly seeking. 

Education, certifications, and optional sections

You’ll need to include different elements on your resume depending on your education level, years in the workforce, and any specializations or concentrations you possess. All teaching positions require a bachelor’s degree, and an increasing number of teachers hold a master’s. Also, ensure you’re up-to-date on your state certifications, like the California candidate below.

If you hold many certifications, you don’t necessarily need to include them all if you’re applying for one specific role. For example, suppose you’re an ESL-certified teacher with a graduate ESL certificate seeking an ESL role. In that case, you’ll need to include  that  certification either in a summary/objective, in your work experience, or in your education. 

This candidate’s education speaks volumes with a classic bold font and color.

While including education and certifications is required, a projects section is optional. If you’re a drama teacher, for example, new to directing but experienced with leading drama camps, including a projects section to describe the drama camps you’ve led or assisted with can add a relevant impact. List and discuss projects on your resume, just like a paid position.

Additionally, consider adding  interests and hobbies to your resume . Most teacher resumes should save room for other information, but it’s a good idea to add these sections when the job you’re applying for stresses the importance of school spirit and culture.

Choose your interests that reflect the school’s values. However, be picky about what you include. Finding every Easter Egg in the entire timeline of Zelda games might be your favorite pastime, but that doesn’t mean you should list it on a resume (unless you’re applying for Nintendo, in which case this might be appropriate, and you’re reading the wrong resume guide). 

It’s up to you whether you include any optional sections on your resume, but always be sure to be as specific as possible. Your interests should also be specific. “Reading” doesn’t say much about you, but “leading classic book clubs” is far more likely to get you a job as an English instructor.

Generic resumes are easy to spot and will likely get tossed. To avoid the trash, tailor your resume to every position you apply for. This tells principals you’ve researched the school and the role, and you genuinely care about the position.

To customize your resume, scan the  job ad  to know what responsibilities, accomplishments, and keywords to include in your skills section and your bullet points. You should also tailor your objective/summary (if used) to have the school’s name and speak to anything unique about the school that particularly interests you. Check your resume against the job description to ensure you’re addressing their concerns. 

As a teacher, you already know the pitfalls of submitting drafts before they’re revised, so don’t let minor mistakes slip through the cracks. Instead, take a break and hand your resume off for peer review. You can also use our free resume checker  to get tips from our AI software. 

After a day, return to your resume and consider the constructive criticism you received. Edit and check for errors, inconsistencies, or gaps. Read through your resume at least twice more, one for content and one for proofreading. Once you’re sure it’s error-free, you can submit it proudly. 

Start Setting up Your Classroom (Almost)

Go ahead and celebrate because if you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to that A+ resume! By spending more time throughout each phase of the writing process, you’re vaulting yourself closer to your next teaching job. It’ll be time to turn in a simple resignation letter at your current job and start setting up your new classroom before you know it!

If you’re not quite satisfied with your current resume, upload it to our  resume checker  for our AI-powered tips. If it’s time to start from scratch, use our  free resume maker  to work with our AI from the ground up. We can’t wait to see you land your next teaching role!

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Functional Résumé Sample

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Media File: Functional Résumé Sample

This style is one of the most commonly used résumé styles, and it works well for people who have had internships or cooperative experiences. This type of résumé highlights previous work experience that has given you background experience for the job you are seeking.

If you chose this résumé style, you might want to try listing the company name first if you have worked for a particularly prestigious company. Otherwise, listing the title first gives the employer a good sense of your work progress and duties. However, you should be consistent in using either title first or company first. You can also skip any jobs that do not apply, and you do not have to put the jobs in chronological order. It usually looks best to list the most important or impressive job first and work downward in importance regardless of the dates of employment.

Click on the "Media File" link above to see the functional résumé sample.

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A resume is a concise, informative summary of your abilities, education, and experience.