Developing one’s resume can prove to be a challenging feat. While the goal of creating an impressive resume is to differentiate yourself from the competition, standing out from the crowd can be a difficult task for teachers, as the role and responsibilities of an Educator are similar across the board.
LinkedIn published the article, 5 Huge Mistakes To Avoid in Your Teacher Resume, which maps out the common mistakes teachers make in their resumes. The five key mistakes are summed up as, use of a mediocre resume template; specialty or desired position is not made clear; emphasis in the wrong areas; resume is too long or too short; and the last offense, a disorganized or poor layout. These key blunders minimize the chances a teacher has in being called in for an interview. What does this tell us about the things we should include in a teacher resume?
✓ Creativity and outside-the-box thinking
✓ Bring attention to your current and long term professional aspirations
✓ Highlight personal achievements outside of the classroom
✓ Lastly find ways to cultivate interest in you as a person
Before you finalize your resume, you should consider expanding it. Some schools provide the opportunity for an applicant to simulate teaching a lesson during the actual interview which is an effective way to showcase your skills and set yourself apart from other candidates. But, these opportunities are few and far between especially for those applying during the summer months. That is why it is essential for teachers to find experiences that will enhance their resume throughout the year.
Taking on leadership roles in your content area and grade level, as well as joining clubs and organizations, allows Educators to showcase their expansive skillset on paper. Schools are often looking for internal faculty members to staff student activities outside of normal school hours. Featuring interests and hobbies on your resume not only tells the story about your commitment to your students, it helps to provide context about you as a person beyond your professional career.
Finding the right opportunity to expand your professional experiences can be challenging when having to juggle personal responsibilities. As a parent, it is often important to be able to manage the drop-off and pick-up of your child, as well as the core day-to-day elements of home life. For school coaches, many hours are dedicated to team practices and games which leaves little room left to be able to devote time to other activities, even if it is within your area of interest.
Through the creation of virtual professional development, Educators have a convenient and effective way to complete their Continuing Education Credits (CEU) online to help boost professional income, while also benefiting from leadership opportunities at school.
Clerisy is an online professional development platform that offers on-demand PD workshops that Educators can complete on their own time, providing a true balance of work and home life.
Not only does Clerisy offer certified teachers the means to earn CEUs through engaging PD workshops designed for Educators, by Educators, but its mission is to provide a continuum of opportunities for Educators. With Clerisy, you are positioned to actualize your full potential through innovative online PD workshops on perennial best practices, as well as contribute to the education ecosystem by becoming a Clerisy Architect—while earning an income.
Clersy’s PD Architects are innovative Professional Development creators who write, create, and record teacher development workshops to be published on Clerisy’s online PD platform. Think Netflix for Educators. By earning yourself the title of a Clerisy PD Architect, you become a published PD contributor —the perfect way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Employers will recognize your dedication to education through the PD titles that demonstrate your understanding of current and longitudinal educational trends, and use of relevant research-based pedagogy.
Developing course work outside of your role as a classroom teacher establishes your commitment to student success for students both on and off of your classroom roster. Through the mastery of 21st Century Learning Standards, the development of interactive PD workshops shows your level of technology competency—meeting the expectations for both students and teachers alike,
If you aspire to become an Instructional Coach, Content Area Specialist or School Administrator during your career in education, showcasing your ability to cultivate and present professional development is a key component to supporting positive student outcomes. Maximize your teacher resume by contributing your teaching best practices for the continuing learning goals of your peers and schools leaders, and you’ll become an integral part of the education ecosystem.
Learn how to become a Clerisy PD Architect.