How to Write an English Teacher's Resume (Step-by-Step Guide)
Job seekers should know when searching for a job, they need to have an updated resume and it should be employer-ready. This means if they interview a job seeker, or you, for instance, at a job fair, they'll need a current resume. It should be ready for them to read. With that said, having a quality-driven resume according to the job seeker's objective and career, it must be precise and consistent with the overall search. It should be tailored around a specific job position. In fact, there are several types of resume formats.
For instance, an English Teacher who's been a language arts teacher for middle school students can write in this specific criteria on their resume. Not all English teachers will have the same resume. They may have similar duties and responsibilities, but their education and work history would be different. This is a specific area or job title this individual has. If an English teacher writes what they eventually want to do as their career goal, it will vary from one teacher to another. If they want to be a Principal, a High School Teacher, a Professor of English, a Writing Instructor...to name a few, then there is a specific type of career and position which will play a critical part in the content of their resume.
Teachers of English will have literary works which were taught under they're direction and instruction. The grade level, reading or writing expertise, or some type of credit-ability and achievements can be added as well. In other words, the generalized job description of an English teacher may include instructing or teaching students the required courses needed to go to the next grade level.
One key element of a teacher, especially for those that teach English is communicating and interacting with parents and school staff. Keeping them informed on students' progress, growth and development in reading, writing, and comprehension of literature are important lessons for all grade levels of English.
Various Resume Types
Since there are various types of resumes, choosing the right one can help you stand out from the rest. Since there's several resume styles and types, there has to be one which would fit your needs. If you choose, the main four are the following: the chronological, functional, combination, and targeted resume. They're self-explanatory. Chronological resumes are based on years.
In fact, it's recommended to do one that has the dates only because if you've never taught before, you can always put your work history along with your duties and responsibilities. The standard resume for a teacher of English should be error-free with straight to the point information.
The Heading
This portion is at the top left, center, or right, and consists of the teacher's name and contact information. Normally, it'll have a email or cell phone number plus the address or P.O. Box information. One important criteria is the phone number and email, these two are the main contact information which should always be updated whenever the English Teacher has a change of information. It's critical to stand out, so enlarging your name with a higher font size is wise. If your text or body is 12 pts., then put your name 14 or 16 pts.
Objective
The objective is as important part of the resume. The employer or company which will be looking at your resume will look at this before continuing to read it. It's the mission statement. In fact, a job seeker can use any objective example to get an idea of what he/she is planning on focusing the job search on. Even more, they can use it to alter the resume. You can separate the heading and the objective with a bold line straight across it; in-between both segments helps the reader be more at ease.
Every section should be separated with one. It's an easier way to go from one topic to another on a resume. While the objective will take care of the resume's overall theme, the overall goal to the entire resume. It'll also help define your purpose such as looking for work. Therefore, this is why's important to clarify the mission of your job search at the beginning of this important document.
Ask yourself, "Where do [I] want to end up as far as [my] career goes?"
Summary/Profile
With the summary as the next paragraph for the English teacher's resume, it should be separated with a bold line just as well between the objective and the summary. This particular paragraph summarizes in one paragraph all the duties and responsibilities you have managed to handle while being an English teacher. In fact, with the years that you have "under your belt" is has gained so far as a teacher. It sums the English Teacher's career highlights and skilled knowledge. One can say that it's a synopsis of the teacher's life as a teacher insofar.
On the other hand, if the English teacher doesn't have any experience, this part would be a good summary of what the new prospective teacher did as a college English student. For instance, if they worked on the newspaper, highlighting the duties and tasks that were given to you can be a great way to begin your resume "getting beefed up."
Skills and Qualifications
This is where your job profile will look different from anyone else's. The necessary educational and professional qualifications, however will stand apart because not everyone will have the same skills and qualifications including credential and achievements in one area. With this section of the resume, the skills and qualification of an English teacher can be literary works published, printed documents which have been used in academic journals or articles written for publication from journals an educational works, ...only to name a few. In other words, what one English teacher knows is what the other may not. So, writing it down the specific skill or qualification you may have will greatly help this portion of the resume.
Other Curriculum Activities
When an English teacher does his/her resume, and they want to stand out from the rest in order to land that job interview, the best thing to document on the resume is the "core specific" curriculum activities. For example, a small paragraph below the qualifications can be bullet listed with the description of the activity as well as how long it took place. With this criteria, you'll stand out from the rest.
Here are some examples of having this co-curriculum activity's list.
- - District and State Level Competition.
- - Wrote College Alumni Newsletter monthly
- - Escorted Junior High students to various district levels competitions.
OTHERS
Worked as Guest English Teacher speaker for the collaborative school districts in the Western Region of the country. Workshops, class training, and competitions amongst English teachers and instructors in a collaborative teaching environment which was a week long.
Conducted Students Assessment programs for the Advanced English Honors students. Plus, the high schools which helped them in their debate and communication courses, helped merit the teachers effectiveness program.
Experience Summary
The experience summary of a resume is the collective work duties and responsibilities are noted in this paragraph. It should only be 5-10 sentences long. They should be briefly state one duty or responsibility as a teacher of English on one given line. For instance, a sentence in this section for English teachers can read: Instructed 10th grade English Honors in various literary works with writing exercises in a 9 month period.
The experience summary should be formatted to present the teaching experience the job seeker has gained in the past or at least from previous schoolwork. If the teacher has no in-class experience, then the experience summary would be based off the college English and teaching courses the job seeker had to take to obtain their degree.
In fact, with this paragraph, the experience summary will be a combination of creativity framed and formatted to present the English Teacher the best way possible. This portion of the resume will process all the job duties and tasks for the teacher's objective in one paragraph with the sole purpose of highlighting the experience duties of an English teacher. Normally, it should be clear and concise, a bullet list will work with each bullet being at least two or three sentences each.
Education
Education for an English Teacher obviously must be one of the important sections of his/her resume. The School and the Degree type the teacher received, including any special certificates, exclusive seals, minors, or even workshops which the teacher has attended should be in this section of the resume. Therefore, don't exaggerate educational credentials as most school districts must obtain transcripts before hiring.
References
References are important for character purposes. Employers want to verify employment status and teaching time length. This section also can have friends and relatives as contacts for references. It's normally go to be on a separate sheet and either centered or flush left in a numbered list. Although, if the teacher wants to put it at the last portion of the resume, that's also written yet, it's short and brief with the reference name and contact phone number only, including how they are related (coworker, friend, relative, supervisor...etc.).
There will be a point where someone has a "spotty resume" and is going into the teaching field. Most English Teachers who do not have a past work experience can use alternative ways to make their resume attractive. For one, job seekers who have the qualifications and education in teaching but, had odd jobs while putting themselves through school can notate this with various terminology.
Label the period of unemployment by using these examples they may fit:
- - Full-time student
- - Full-time parent
- - Studied independently
- - Family or Home Management
- - Adventure or Personal Traveler
The Interview
Remember, when you want that interview, memorizing your resume would help. If the interviewer asks you about the duty from one employer or from one position you had in a certain school, you should be able to answer in less than a few seconds.
Stumbling on words when asked a question regarding your resume may hinder the job hiring process. It can illustrate to the employer that you may be exaggerating a little on your resume. Therefore, memorize your resume that you hand in or delivered to the prospective employer beforehand.
An English teacher can expand on certain examples when being interview simply take those examples and expand on them during the interview. For example, using these examples when an interviewer asks you what your greatest strength as an English teacher is...
"I'm ...Hard-working, Detail oriented, Organized, Quick learner, Team player, Creative..."
There's many more words you can use to describe your character as an English Teacher. Memorize your strengths before landing that interview. Finally, when one resume objective is changed on top then it's okay to change other objectives so as to specify a direct target teaching position. Going over the entire resume before emailing it or printing it out for a prospective employer may be a wise thing to do. After all there shouldn't be any typos or mistakes when it comes to a teacher's resume, especially for an English teacher.