Today, on an average, the hiring committee of any school goes through hundreds of resumes before shortlisting candidates. So, a resume needs to be made to grab attention and leave a good impression in front of the hiring team. A quality resume can make all the difference in helping you get an interview call. This all-inclusive guide will offer the following information, ranging from the hiring landscape to the complete process of crafting a resume.

In today's job market, staying informed and adaptable is crucial. Technology has transformed recruitment methods, thus requiring familiarity with current hiring trends, networking platforms, and applicant tracking systems is crucial. Besides job-specific skills, employers seek new-age skills and expertise.

Here are a few key points you must consider before drafting your resume:

1. Highlight your Relevant Skills

Recruiters seek candidates with skills that match the needs of 21st-century learning. Make sure you include skills such as using technology in teaching and learning, using data to assess and evaluate students, applying differentiation in a diverse classroom, providing clear and objective feedback to students, and being reflective in your teaching.

‍2. Use Appropriate Keywords

‍Technology-driven applicant tracking systems are used nowadays, and they search for specific terms and keywords in your resume. So, make sure you include appropriate keywords to maximise your chances of getting a shortlist.‍

3. Include a Portfolio Link

‍More recruiters now want to see a portfolio link on your resume. This helps save time for both recruiters and applicants. Recruiters can easily review your work by clicking on the link instead of asking you for it personally.‍

4. Keep your LinkedIn Profile Updated

‍Recruiters at many international schools have started using LinkedIn to search for candidates and conduct background checks on them. Ensure that you always have an updated LinkedIn profile which is in sync with your resume.‍

5. Highlight your Remote Teaching Experience

‍After the pandemic, recruiters are actively searching for teachers with remote teaching experience and strong online student management skills. Therefore, make sure you don't forget to include any relevant remote teaching experience in your resume.

Great! Now let's explore the process of drafting your resume.

How your resume looks is important because recruiters often notice that first. It's your chance to make a good impression! You can't just throw all your information together randomly. Instead, you need to choose a format that makes your resume look organised and professional. 

A typical resume has these sections, which can be ordered and listed based on your experience and the role you're applying for:

1. Personal Details
2. Resume Summary
3. Work Experience and Achievements
4. Education and Certifications
5. Relevant Skills
6. Additional Information
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Additional Tips

• Use a simple font like Arial or Times New Roman, between size 10-12, with regular margins, and avoid colourful paper/background.
• Use ‘bold’ to highlight the most important aspects of your resume. (Don’t overdo it)
• Maintain consistent formatting, including bullet points and style.
• Focus on relevant information and omit unnecessary details, keeping the overall resume length to one or two pages.
• Update your CV regularly to include your latest accomplishments and experiences

Once you have decided on the format and layout of your resume, the next step is to include the necessary sections. Let's take a look at how you go about writing these sections.

Personal details help the recruiters identify you and access common details they may need to communicate with you or make certain decisions.

Usually, the following details are covered in this section:

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Professional title
• LinkedIn profile link
• Current location 
• Portfolio (Bonus)
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Why is a portfolio important for your resume?

Adding a skill portfolio link to your resume is beneficial because it showcases your work samples and demonstrates your teaching abilities, making them stand out. It also provides tangible evidence of your skills and accomplishments, strengthening your credibility as a candidate.

Recruiters spend very few seconds on each resume due to the high number of applications. A Resume Summary is located at the top to give an overview of the candidate.

It is a brief summary of your career in 3-4 sentences. If you are a recent graduate or career switcher, you should go for a resume objective.

What is the difference between a resume summary and a resume objective, and which one you should choose?

A resume objective is good for new teachers because it lets them share their career goals, enthusiasm for teaching, and eagerness to learn. On the other hand, a resume summary is better for experienced teachers because it highlights their many years of teaching, accomplishments, and specific skills. It shows employers how knowledgeable and valuable you are.

A resume summary should include:

1. Your current job title
2. Years of experience
3. One or two key accomplishments or responsibilities
4. Your desired goal, such as your passion for working at a specific school or organisation
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Additional Tips

• Use clear and concise language that makes your summary easy to read
• Tailor your summary/objective according to the specific job you are applying for
• Add a professional headline that summarises your teaching experience and qualifications.
• Include a brief statement of your teaching techniques, highlighting your passion as a teacher. Example: “Through a combination of new-age teaching aids, positive reinforcement, and hands-on activities, I aim to create a classroom culture that is inclusive, engaging, and fascinating for all learners”.
• Use keywords from the job description throughout your summary. This increases your chances of getting noticed by applicant tracking systems (ATS).
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Your work experience shows what you've achieved and what you've done in the past. This helps you promote yourself well. Make sure you invest enough time in refining this section.

It's usually best to add your experiences in reverse-chronological order. This is how different levels of experience can be added in this section. 

• Senior-level applicants can list up to 15 years of relevant experience with powerful action verbs.
• Mid-level job seekers should provide detailed work descriptions for relevant positions and mention any other positions briefly.
• Entry-level candidates should include all paid or unpaid work experience, highlighting relevant responsibilities and achievements.
• First-time job seekers with no work experience can include other relevant experiences such as internships, volunteer work, or student organisation roles in their experience section.
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This section must include:

1. Job Title: Place your job title at the very top of the entry, in bold and/or a slightly larger font size than the rest of the entry. 
2. Company, City, State: On the second line, include the name of the company you worked for, along with the city and state where the job was located. 
3. Dates Employed: Next, include the timeframe of your employment, from starting ‘month, year’ to ending ‘month, year’. Exact dates are not necessary.
4. Responsibilities & Achievements: Include bullet points highlighting your key duties and accomplishments that are most relevant to the new position you're applying for.
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Additional Tips:

• Use strong action verbs that emphasise your active role in the classroom like "created", "implemented", "designed", "facilitated", and "motivated".
• Prefer to use quantitative figures for the impact of your work wherever possible. For example: “Implemented rubrics for assessment to increase student progress by 20%”.
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Including education and certification on a resume is essential, as it demonstrates your ability to fulfil the necessary qualifications and establishes your eligibility for professional teaching roles.

This section must include:

1. Program Name
2. University Name
3. Years Attended
4. (Optional) GPA
5. (Optional) Subject Major
6. (Optional) Academic achievements or certifications Any interesting papers you’ve written, courses you’ve excelled in, etc.
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Additional Tips: 

• Experienced teachers: Keep the education section brief. Focus on other sections.
• New teachers: Highlight academic background, including degree, relevant courses, awards, GPA (above 3.5), extracurriculars, international certifications, etc.

If you want to add international qualifications and in-demand skills that recruiters seek, the Suraasa PgCTL Diploma program is your perfect opportunity. In just 10 months, you can gain new skills and add an international qualification to your resume. Don't miss out! Book a session to gain more insights.

Adding a relevant skills section to your resume is important because it highlights the specific abilities and expertise that make you an effective teacher, helps you stand out to potential employers, and showcases your suitability for the teaching role.

Your skills section can consist of two types of skills:

1. Hard skills include your technical and pedagogical skills. For hard skills, indicate your proficiency level (Basic, intermediate or proficient)
2. Soft skills include your interpersonal skills.

Here are a few hard and soft skills that you may consider possessing and adding:

Hard Skills:

• Lesson planning and curriculum development
• Classroom and behaviour management
• Assessment and evaluation of student learning
• Technological proficiency
• Ability to differentiate instruction for diverse learners
• Ability to use data to inform instruction 
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Soft Skills:

• Empathy and emotional understanding
• Active listening and problem-solving skills
• Creativity and adaptability
• Time management and organisation
• Flexibility and open-mindedness
• Patience and a positive attitude
• Leadership and collaboration skills
• Communication
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‍Related Resource: Top skills you need to Become a Teacher at an International School

The sections we've covered so far are important parts of a resume. They are the basic elements of any job application. If you present them well, you have a better chance of getting hired.

Adding an additional section can make your resume even better and help you stand out from other applicants. Just make sure to customise this section to match the job you're applying for and focus on your relevant skills and experiences.

This section can include:

1. Certifications: Validate specialised skills and knowledge in education
2. Community Engagement: Demonstrate active engagement in professional communities
3. Languages: Showcase proficiency in multiple languages
4. Publications: Showcase expertise and contributions to education
5. Awards and Recognitions: Highlight outstanding achievements in teaching
6. Blogging and Influencing: Illustrate digital platform utilisation for sharing insights and resources
7. Volunteer Experience: Showcase community engagement and positive impact
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Proofread Your Resume

Finally, use a resume checklist to ensure you have included all the necessary information and that everything is correct in your resume. You can also use grammar-checking software or websites to check for spelling and grammar errors. Then, review it carefully so it demonstrates that it is an expertly crafted resume.

Now that we have discussed all the necessary details and how to present them on your resume, you might need a reference to get a clear understanding and picture. To help you get started, we have prepared a list of teacher resume templates for different types of teachers: 

‍Quick Heads up - These templates are a starting point. Put your own spin on things to make your resume shine. Don't download without adding your unique touch. Let's make your resume stand out.

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Now, let's summarise all the important details in a simple and clear way so that you can have a good understanding of the extensive information.

• Understanding the hiring landscape and standing out from the competition is essential. 
• Start by identifying your teaching strengths and accomplishments, then craft a clear and compelling resume summary highlighting your skills and experience. 
• Remember to include relevant education and certification, and polish your resume with professional details that showcase your commitment to the profession. 
• To help you get started, we've provided free teacher resume templates. You can use them as a starting point and reference.
• Last but not the least, enhance your skills with Suraasa and acquire the in-demand skills that recruiters are actively searching for. Schedule a session with your Suraasa Mentor. Click here to book a session.