The curriculum vitae (CV) is perhaps the most important document for a candidate and an employer. References and employment forms aside, it is the CV that makes the first impression.
There has long been CV templates available, and many universals work well when applying for a teaching job, however, what can you do to stand out from the crowd? A quick Google search will bring up a list that starts with the importance of someone’s name, address, and contact details.
Do so but avoid over-emphasising this information. After all, you are likely not going to secure a job because of your name or the street you live on. You will only end up detracting the reader’s eye from more engaging or essential information. Avoid oversized fonts and graphics. If your name and address take up ¼ or ½ a page, you are making a mistake.
The Executive Summary
We recommend, early in the first page to include a snapshot of your key skills and experience. This snapshot can be bulleted and include:
• Your subject areas and the age group/s you have taught or are trained to teach
• The curriculum(s) you are versed in
• Extra-curricular activities
• School type
• Years of experience
• Licensing Number
The best teaching CVs are those that make it quite easy to immediately determine whether there is a subject and age group match. Make it easy for schools to also identify your extracurricular, curriculum and school type. This information may not have been on the job advertisement, but we all know the importance of curriculum, sports, the arts, and other extracurricular activities to schools.
Cultural alignment usually comes at the interview stage but if you are applying for a certain school type and have worked in a similar school it is wise to list this too. Though not always listed in advertisements, schools may be on the look-out for a certain level of experience. Having this in your executive summary will help you stand out.
Finally, add to the list your teacher registration(s) type and number. Be crafty and hyperlink the number to the licensing provider’s online portal. This is especially important if you are applying for jobs from interstate and internationally and made the wise choice to get your teachers licensing registration in order. If they see you are not local it is easy for an employer to assume it will take time to get registered. Don’t make it easy for an employer to count you out.
To read more, and complete your winning CV, download our free guide below.
