Teaching Academic Resume Writing Tips

Resume Writing Tips for Teaching Positions

Almost anyone who has read a current resume writing book, knows that it is important to use numbers, yet many instructors don’t see how they can use numbers in their resumes. As a result, many teaching resumes are rather flat and provide general statements that often don’t grab the employer’s attention. Another problem faced by instructors is that their past job titles often do not match the new jobs that they want.

Scott faced both problems and his before resume reflected them. Scott had completed his Masters Degree in Education but couldn’t break out of substitute teaching. He came to me because he was ready to give up his dream and go to work for a bank. He said he had landed 9 interviews followed by many second and third interviews but no job offers for an elementary teaching position. Take a moment and look at an abbreviated section from his before resume:

1st Grade Teacher - Long Term Substitute
Winston Elementary 8/96 - 12/97

Student Teacher - 1st Grade
Peter Frank Elementary 9/95 - 4/96

Church School Teacher - 6th Grade Boys
Hermitage Christian School 12/91 - 6/92

Substitute School Custodian
Lake Washington School District 10/93 - Present

Lab Technician
Photographics 6/92 - 8/93

Office Assistant and Courier
Radix Group International 6/91 - 5/92

As you can see, Scott had felt he must create a chronological resume. Teachers with job titles that match their teaching objective, and who have a stable work history, are good candidates for a chronological resume. But, like Scott, many teachers are much better off marketing the teaching skills they’ve gained rather than trying to stick with a chronological format.

Take a moment and compare an abbreviated section of Scott’s after resume that he created by using the strategies presented in my series of booklets, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Have Increased Salaries and Changed Lives!

Does Scott’s new resume present him as much more qualified for an elementary teaching position?

1st, 2nd and 4th Grade Teacher
Taught students of varied academic, socioeconomic, cultural and age levels for classes of up to 32 students as a long-term substitute.

1st Grade - Primary Teacher
Taught math using manipulatives, focusing on problem solving, computation and math awareness.

1st and 2nd Grade Student Teacher
Used multi-age and cooperative learning techniques to integrate two grade levels of 28 students.

3rd Grade Instructional Practicum
Tutored students one-on-one in math and observed a Spalding demonstration classroom.

6th Grade - Church School Teacher
Taught small groups of up to 12, on a weekly basis.

$9,000 Salary Increase
The first resume workshop in this site shows how Fran's after resume resulted in a $9,000 salary increase. Fran wanted a $33,000 Corporate Customer Representative job but her resume created an image of her being at a $20,000 to 24,000 salary level -- that's $9,000 to $13,000 beneath her goal.

What Level Does Your Resume Market You At?
If you are curious to see what level your resume is marketing you at … then be sure to read and use the graphing techniques in my first workshop. By graphing the job titles used in Fran's resume it's easy to see why her resume failed … and once you understand this … you will understand why the majority of resumes fail. You'll then understand how to analyze your job titles and see if you are better off using them or replacing them with skill headings that market you more effectively.

Most People Have Job Titles that Weaken Their Image
I estimate that at least 85% of all job seekers have job titles unrelated to their current career goals … and that they are much better off using skill headings rather than job titles to land higher salaries and double and triple their interview rates.

For example, Fran had been a Directory Operator but in most people's minds that doesn't sound like she's at the level of a Corporate Customer Representative making $33,000 … that's because most people don't view directory operators as providing true customer service. Most people say that Directory Operator sounds like someone making only $20,000. However, by using the 12 Questions in my Proven Resumes Series, Fran wrote a new description of her duties as a Directory Operator that described her being selected out of 100 Directory Operators to provide specialized Customer Service to the Governor's Office and Political Dignitaries in the Washington State Capitol … now that information begins to change our image of Fran doesn't it? That makes her sound much more like someone being able to command $33,000.

Which sounds like a better match for the $33,000 Corporate Customer Service Representative goal… her old job title of Directory Operator … or a skill heading like Customer Service Representative to State of Washington Account. In Fran's actual resume we used the heading of Customer Service Representative but you can see how you can play with skill headings to control and elevate your image … this is one strategy I explain in detail with examples throughout my book, Proven Resumes: Strategies That Have Increased Salaries, and one of the strongest things I can offer you as a resume writer … just in case you don't have the time or patience to write your own.

Going from 0% to 100% Interview Rate
By using skill headings that matched her goal, Fran went from a 0% interview rate to a 100% interview rate -- meaning none of her prior resumes had landed an interview but her new resume landed an interview for each position she applied for.

Click here to learn other ways we improved Fran's resume and landed her a job paying $9,000 more click here to read my first set of resume workshops! If you've entered my site via this page, be sure to go to my home page for an overview of more than 60 Free Resume & Job Search Workshops that include tons of Resume Tips for 45 Career Fields, Job Search, Electronic Resume, Cover Letter, Interviewing, Networking and Confidence Building strategies.

The testimonials at the top of this page and throughout my site describe salary increases ranging from $10,000 to $30,000 and more. Here's one of my most recent ones:

Regina, the resume you wrote caught the attention of the world's leading software manufacturer. Thanks for helping inspire me through your thoughtful questions and objective interpretation of my work history.

I'm sure it made a big difference in my ability to be recognized in a competitive environment and cross the $100,000 threshold. By the way, the offer I accepted was an increase of $25K annually (21% increase).
Rachel Pizarro, Senior Sales Account Executive / Operations Manager

In Summary
Whether you are an elementary, high school, college or university instructor be sure to categorize important skills and areas of curriculum you have taught. Then use numbers to quantify and provide more detail to your resume.

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