7 Steps to Creating a Successful Teaching CV

Whether you want to change your job or you start your career search, creating a successful CV is a must. Teaching can be one of the most rewarding jobs available. For any good teacher, a good CV is a must to obtain a satisfying position with a school. A few simple tips for creating a successful curriculum vitae will help teachers get the job they really want.

1. Contact Heading

Every CV needs the typical name, address and contact info. A day time and evening phone number should be available on the CV as well as an email and even MSN or other messaging system ID. Please be sure all email addresses and messaging IDs are professional and appropriate.

2. Education Heading

Forego anything but university qualifications. Include the name of the university and its location. If the school is in another country, include the city, province or state and country. The year of graduation should be included and any honorary titles.

3. Employment Heading

By far the most important part of the CV. All relevant employment should be listed here. Each position should include the date range of employment including the month and year the position began and finished. Show the name of the school or institution worked for and the city. Show the most recent positions first.

4. Professional Improvements and Development Heading

List any courses or programs that show a desire to improve teaching skills or enhance knowledge of teaching. Examples would be courses in child development or programs that instruct on new methods of teaching.
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5. Awards and Certificates Heading

Here is where to list any teaching awards or commendations and certificates that were gained from teaching or courses completed. This section is instrumental in what a head teacher or hiring manager will think of an applicant. This section demonstrates how serious a teacher is about their position and what they have done to improve themselves as a teacher. Any awards are a bonus and serve to show others have recognized a teacher’s hard work. If there are no certifications or awards to show, try a volunteer section that demonstrates community involvement. If none of this applies then try a section dedicated to what positions were taken up at previous schools such as coaching or acting as a chaperone for outings.

6. Referees Heading

Have at least two referees from previous employment positions. Include the name, position, place of employment, dates employed, school address, contact number, fax and school email. Give as much contact info as possible so that it is easy for employers to reach the referees.

7. Other information to include

Open reference letters are a great supplement to a CV. If possible, have a previous employer write and sign a reference letter that is honest and hopefully quite complimentary. An Interests heading is a possibility if the CV seems a little short. Make sure to add interests that could be beneficial to a school and show what activities a teacher would be interested in becoming involved in. Examples are sports, arts, theater and other activities that take place in school.

Tips to consider:

Think outside the box: To get a CV noticed try something different. Don’t staple pages, but try a report style. Use a larger size paper such as 11 X 17 and print the contact info on the cover, fold the paper and print the other headings on the inside. It’s a new style that will be noticed and there is no chance of the other pages getting misplaced. The format will stand out from the rest.
Make it professional: Use normal white paper and a professional font such as Times Roman or Arial. Keep the font between 10 and 12 point. To make a CV stand out consider using slightly off white paper so that in a stack this CV will stand out.
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The Cover Letter: The cover letter will tell a potential employer what kind of position a teacher is looking for. The cover letter should let an employer know why they should hire this teacher. Be brief, refer to the information and qualifications in the resume and suggest when and how it is possible to contact for an interview. Specifically ask for an interview in the cover letter and write a one sentence statement as to why it would be beneficial to hire you.
A good teacher deserves a good position and the best way to get one is by having a great resume. Use your strengths and knowledge to your advantage in a CV and display why a school should hire you over some other teacher. Experience counts for a lot, but effort and desire to be involved in school activities show the kind of dedication all great teachers should exude. Use these tips to design a great CV and get a great job.