Teacher Education Résumé

One of the most important aspects of your job search is creating your résumé. On average, administrators spend less than 30 seconds screening it, so it is essential for your résumé to project a clear and concise picture. The purpose of a résumé is to market your education-related skills, experiences and achievements so that you obtain an interview; therefore, you should tailor your résumé to the position you want.

Formatting Tips

• Length: One-page résumés are recommended for current students and recent grads. However, education majors typically use a two-page résumé.
• Prioritize: Place your most important information toward the top of the résumé.
• Proofread: Check and recheck for spelling and grammatical errors. Have several individuals review your résumé and provide feedback.
• Format: Start with a blank Word document. Avoid using templates because they may not allow you to easily move information or change bullets, fonts or text sizes.
• Printing: Print your résumé on quality white or light-colored paper.
• Save: If emailing your résumé, use your name when saving the document. Be sure to save your résumé in multiple locations.
• Personal information: Do not include a photograph or other personal data information such as age, weight, height or marital status.
• Font: Use easy-to-read fonts (Ex: Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri, Cambria). Keep type sizes between 10 point and 12 point.

Heading

• Name: Make sure your name stands out by using a larger type size (16-22 pts.) and bolding it.
• Address and phone number: Include only one phone number and use a professional outgoing message on your phone. For example: “You have reached the voicemail of Julie Fox, I am sorry I missed your call. Please leave your name, number and brief message, and I will return your call as soon as possible. Thanks!.” Include a campus address and a permanent address if you will be in different locations during your search.
• Email address: A combination of your first and last name keeps your email address professional (your SNC email is good forever); remove the hyperlink.
• Personal website/LinkedIn public profile: Include personal websites only if they are directly related to your objective and will enhance your candidacy. 
• View an example of a heading in the Teacher Education Résumé, Cover Letter and Reference Guide (PDF).

Objective
An objective conveys key information to the administrator as to why you have applied. If you will be submitting a cover letter or application with your résumé, it is unlikely that you will need to include an objective statement.

The objective can include the specific position you are seeking, skills you can apply on the job, organization type or field to which you are applying, or a combination of all of the above.

Education
Begin with your most recent educational experience and list backward. Avoid high school information unless you are applying for a position at the high school or district from which you graduated.

Required content:

• St. Norbert College, De Pere, WI
• Degree name
• Graduation date (month and year)
• Major(s), minor(s) and concentration(s)
• Certification or licensure (if applicable)
• View formulas for writing your degree and certification in the Teacher Education Résumé, Cover Letter and Reference Guide (PDF).

Optional content: 

• Cumulative GPA and/or major GPA, if greater than a 3.0 (Example: Major GPA: 3.7/4.0)
• Relevant coursework (include courses that directly relate to the career objective)
• Honors and awards (could be in its own section)
• Study abroad experience (For examples, see the Marketing Your International Experience handout)

View an example of the education section of a résumé in the Teacher Education Résumé, Cover Letter and Reference Guide (PDF).

Experience
Experience can include paid or unpaid opportunities, part-time or full-time work, internships, volunteer work, significant leadership experience, class projects, etc. Being creative with your headings allows you to group experiences together based on similarities and is a stronger way to market your related experiences. Within each heading, your experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order.

Required content:

• Position title
• Organization name
• Location (city, state)
• Start date – end date (month and year – month and year)

Bullet point formatting:

• Bullet points describe your skills, experiences and accomplishments that relate to the objective of your résumé.
• Bullets are quick points, not complete sentences.
• A quality bullet point contains the following: action verb, duties, skills and accomplishments.
• When possible, quantify (For example, Increased membership by 20%).
• Use present tense if the experience is current; past tense if the experience has been completed.
• Use a variety of action verbs to start each bullet point.
• Do not use personal pronouns.
• Relevant experiences should have more bullets than non-relevant experiences.
• The largest section of your résumé should be your teaching experience, as it is the most relevant.
• Choose simple but formal bullets such as circles, squares or diamonds. Checkmarks, pointing hands, and pencils are too informal and distract from the text on your résumé.
• View examples of bullet points and a list of action verbs in the Résumé, Cover Letter and Reference Guide (PDF).

Heading examples:

• Career-Related Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Early Childhood Experience
• Elementary Education Experience
• Secondary Education Experience
• Childcare Experience
• International Teaching Experience
• Career-Related Experience
• Additional Work Experience
• Volunteer Experience
• Technology Skills
• Leadership Experience
• Professional Development
• Activities
• Language(s)
• Coaching Experience

Bullet point content:

• Classroom management experience
• Curriculum development/lesson plans
• Cross-Curriculum experience
• Cooperative learning
• Working with diverse age groups, at-risk youth, ELL students
• Teaching strategies/styles/methods
• Standardized testing
• Use of assessment tools
• Use of theories, educational books, education exercises to encourage comprehension
• Participation in meetings
• Collaboration with other staff
• Parental involvement
• Organizing field trips/special projects
• Participation in the community
• Participation in after-school activities
• Assessing learning
• Use of technology
• Interesting/innovative techniques to engage and excite students in a lesson plan/activity
• Use of contemporary stories, authors, news, etc.
• Accommodations
• Grading
• IEP planning

View an example of the experience section of a résumé in the Teacher Education Résumé, Cover Letter and Reference Guide (PDF). Visit the teacher education sample résumé web page for sample résumés.