subject: Why a Teacher Resume Needs to be Accomplishment Based [print this page] Why a Teacher Resume Needs to be Accomplishment Based
In today's ever-changing and aggressive workforce it is imperative that your teaching resume stands out amongst hundreds of potential teachers competing for the same teaching position. It is critical to understand that your resume is not just a listing of your fundamental information. A concrete resume should represent a brief summary of your work history, accomplishments, triumphs, and talents. Your chief goal is to make the hiring manager want to read your teacher focused resume in full and achieving this objective is realized by designing a job search document that is accomplishment driven.
By now you are probably asking yourself, what makes an accomplishment driven resume so successful? It is apparent that most people seeking employment or career advancement are highly inclined to provide a listing of their responsibilities for their past and current employment. This in itself is essential; however, it should not be the initial heart of your text. The accomplishment facet of your document becomes more critical when seeking a higher-level position within the education job market.
Your accomplishment section will provide verification of the results you have achieved and present the potential school district hiring committee with the evidence that you have achieved results in the past; therefore, you will be able to meet or exceed the results they desire in the future. Since previous work performance is a significant indicator for potential contributions, a list of preceding achievements and successes could peak a reader's curiosity and ultimately secure a teaching job interview in which to further elaborate on your classroom skills, expertise, and successes.
Keywords remain a crucial part in describing your accomplishments and it is most important to use these words wisely, commanding keywords should be used to indicate the importance and degree of those achievements. This is the point of your resume in which to sell yourself, and even "brag" a little. You may want to incorporate a little educational industry lingo and terminology related to your position this could dazzle your potential employer, leaving the impression that you are knowledgeable and experienced.
While you may decide that you want to incorporate every accomplishment that you have achieved over the years, it remains most important that you choose only a few key successes; usually a list of three to six directly related to the position. Ensuring that the formatting of your achievements is easy to read and flows correctly is also of utmost importance. You certainly do not want to cluster your teaching achievements and responsibilities all together as this is unattractive and difficult to read. It is most beneficial to either write an overview of your responsibilities in paragraph style, highlighting your accomplishments with bullets, allowing them to stand out, making it easier for the reader to scan and comprehend. As well, you do not want everything listed in bullet format or everything in a paragraph; your main goal is to draw the reader's attention to the most important parts of your resume. If everything is "ho hum" and looks the same, your resume will not stand out amongst the other job contenders.
When preparing a successful and effective teacher or principal resume remember that this document serves three purposes:
To secure a teacher or principal job interview
To serve as historical text of your career
To remind a recruitment officer of your interview
Keeping in mind the suggestions and techniques of an accomplishment driven resume will allow you to develop an effective document, and provide your potential school district with summary of what you are able to bring to their school community. Remember, it is not what the school district can do for you, but what you can do for the community and the students.
