chronological resume sample for teacher

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17 Teacher Resume Examples That Worked in 2024

Stephen Greet

  • Teacher Resume
  • Teacher Resumes by Grade Level
  • Teacher Resumes by Subject
  • Teacher Resumes by Type

Writing Your Teacher Resume

Teachers are the backbone of society. You spend more time with the children you educate than their parents do! And effective teachers like you are compassionate, intelligent, and organized, among hundreds of other things.

It can be difficult to highlight all your experience and skills on your teacher resume, and you’ll want to save some for your  teacher cover letter .

These 17 teacher resume examples are helping teachers with varying levels and types of expertise land jobs in 2024 . They’re a great place for you to get started building or  updating your resume .

Please note that this guide is geared toward educators in the K-12 space. If you’re applying to teach at the college level, you’ll likely need to  write a CV . 

Teacher Resume Example

or download as PDF

Teacher resume example with 7 years of experience

Why this resume works

  • When listing your student teaching experience, focus on what you contributed instead of your responsibilities. 
  • Since you want to make the resume reviewer’s job as pleasant as possible, clearly state the subject and grades you taught in a resume bullet.
  • When you go to make a cover letter , this is your ticket to dive deeper into how you helped your students achieve greater success in the classroom.

Daycare Teacher Resume Example

Daycare teacher resume example with 4 years of experience

  • If you’re a pro at integrating play-based learning like building blocks or water play into your daycare environment, do more than list it in your skills section. Use your work experience to show your skills in action.

Elementary Teacher Resume Example

Elementary teacher resume example with 13 years of experience

  • Include licenses or certifications in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your elementary teacher resume. Our  user-friendly resume templates  and  Google docs resume templates  let you add a section just for certificates and licenses.
  • For example, “Improved students’ passing rates on the statewide annual exam by 13%” effectively shows competency through an estimate.

Middle School Teacher Resume Example

Middle school history teacher with 1+ years of experience

  • Including a  career objective  can help explain why you’re a strong candidate if you have limited work experience or if you’re undergoing a career change.
  • Certifications are typically required qualifications for teachers, so it’s best to list any relevant certificates you’ve acquired. 
  • Projects can be a great place to highlight experiences not technically work-related but still highly relevant to your passion for teaching. 
  • An activities section is the spot for interesting, quirky experiences or  hobbies on your resume ; just be sure you can explain  why  they’re relevant when you get an interview! 

High School Teacher Resume Example

High school teacher resume example with 10+ years of experience

  • The “Education” section of your  high school teacher resume  should list the degree you’ve earned. No need to list high school since that’s a given.
  • For example, instead of saying, “Prepared students for standardized exams,” say, “Helped improve standardized testing performance by 3%.”
  • If you list “collaboration” as a skill, then somewhere in your resume’s work experience bullet points, it should be clear that collaboration is part of your repertoire.

Math Teacher Resume Example

Math teacher resume example with nearly 8 years of experience

  • Such unique achievements make your math teacher resume shine and grab the attention of your dream employer. Identify such feats in your career and let them take center stage in your application.

Art Teacher Resume Example

Art teacher resume example with nearly 3 years of experience

  • Your also have to prove that you go beyond the curriculum to offer students more opportunities such as through showcasing their work to the world.

Social Science Teacher Resume Example

Social science teacher resume with 8+ years of experience

  • Ask a friend, colleague, or even a co-worker to proofread your resume. If you’re low on time, invest in a spell-check system like Grammarly or run your resume through our  resume checker  to catch any typos or comma errors. 
  • All our example resumes include the essential sections, and you can add your own sections to customize your template to your specific needs.

English Teacher Resume Example

English teacher resume example with 10+ years of experience

  • Summaries are two to three-sentence paragraphs that can be thought of as a recap of your best self on your resume. 
  • Purely optional, you can include one if you have years (10+) of experience in your field.
  • Summaries work best to showcase your tried and tested years in the education field and any specializations you’ve honed, such as teaching AP-level courses.

Foreign Language Teacher Resume Example

Foreign language teacher resume example with nearly 20 years of experience

  • Why?  Hard skills are more specific to your profession and easier to demonstrate throughout your resume. Plus, they show school admin that you’ve already got some technical know-how for the job. 
  • Aim to include six to eight specific skills, emphasizing hard skills (like “bilingual” and “lesson planning”) over soft skills (like “organization” and “caring”).
  • If you’re hoping to switch from teaching German to teaching history, you don’t need to include many details on your strategies for teaching verb conjugation, for example.

Experienced Teacher Resume Example

Experienced teacher resume example with 8 years of experience

  • It’s perfect time to turn to your technology skills and how you’ve tapped them to solve everyday teaching challenges. Show how you’ve leveraged Zoom and Google Classroom for virtual teaching, Quizizz for tailored tests that improved average students score, and so on.

New Teacher Resume Example

New teacher resume example with 4 years of tutoring experience

  • Also, show how it has been a lifelong process for you, and how you are ready to bring in your set of pedagogical skills in the learning environment.

Student Teacher Resume Example

Student teacher resume example with 3 years of sales associate experience

  • Schools know you have to start somewhere, so what they’re really looking for is that you show the promise and potential to step inside their classrooms and successfully manage and teach a class.
  • If you’ve volunteered as a teacher after school, provided tutoring or homework help, or even assisted in a teacher’s grading load, you have valuable experience to add to your resume.

Teacher Assistant Resume Example

Teacher assistant resume example with 3+ years of experience

  • Instead of vaguely stating, “Worked with assistants and teachers,” give concrete details, like “Worked with 2 assistants and teacher to provide instruction to 60+ 2nd graders with IEPs.”
  • An objective is valuable if you’re light on experience and need to fill some white space, but it loses its value if it’s not customized.
  • Tailor your objective by mentioning the target school by name and sprinkling in some keywords from the  teacher job description , so long as they honestly describe you!

Substitute Teacher Resume Example

Substitute teacher resume example with  3+ years of experience

  • If you’re a certified substitute teacher (or teacher) in your state, include that in a dedicated “Certifications” section on your substitute teacher resume. This will help you stand out from other applicants, as this is not required in every state.
  • Any prior subbing experience should highlight maintaining a disciplined classroom. One of the toughest aspects of being a sub is commanding a classroom, so demonstrating your strength will increase your chances of getting an interview.
  • Another way to impress is by  formatting your resume’s  work history in reverse-chronological order; it lists your most current and relevant experience first, so the admin can glimpse your best stuff first.

Collaborative Teacher Resume Example

Collaborative teacher resume example with 3 years of experience

  • Choose one or two key areas, such as section titles or your header, to include a pop of conservative color.
  • Use two contrasting fonts on your resume template . Just don’t pick anything hard to read—remember, recruiters scan resumes within seconds, so it has to be understood at a glance.
  • Even if your projects aren’t teaching-related, highlight skills you used or developed, like working with kids, collaborating with co-workers, or taking a leadership position.

Special Education Teacher Resume Example

Special education teacher resume example with 15+ years of experience

  • Does your resume take up the entire page?
  • Does it have half to one-inch margins? (Either half an inch or one inch is fine.)
  • Does your resume include separate sections for contact information, education, skills, and work experience?
  • Start each bullet point with action words, like “spearheaded” or “brainstormed.” 
  • Either end all bullet points with a period or none at all. Be consistent with punctuation.
  • Write your work experience in the past tense.
  • Avoid using personal pronouns like “me” or “I” on your resume. We’re pretty sure the employer already knows you’re writing about yourself!

Related resume guides

  • Teacher Assistant
  • Preschool Teacher
  • Elementary Teacher
  • Substitute Teacher

Formatting Your Teacher Resume

Recruiter points with yellow chalk to job skills and qualifications list on blackboard

Formatting ensures your teacher resume is readable, logical, and complete. Imagine understanding a book without chapter headings or margins and no discernable organization. It would be a nightmare to parse out any information when nothing follows a clear structure and doesn’t lend itself to being read correctly. It’s an extreme example, but it proves the necessity of formatting. 

Just as you create lesson plans to help your class learn best, format your resume so your qualifications are conveyed and understood. We’ll cover three important formatting elements in the following sections: resume formats, your contact header, and resume readability for ATS.

chronological resume sample for teacher

Three resume formats

The most popular  resume formats  for 2024 are reverse-chronological, functional, and combination/hybrid. Here are some of the pros and cons of each:

  • Reverse-chronological : This format highlights your career progression in an easy-to-scan list, making it ideal for recruiters and ATS. However, this format exposes time gaps and can be repetitive if you’ve held the same position at multiple schools.
  • Functional : This format focuses on your skills, ideal for limited teaching experience or gaps. However, it’s commonly known to confuse potential employers and ATS.
  • Combination/hybrid : This leverages an in-depth skills section and a small experience section to accurately summarize why you’re the best candidate for the job. However, it’s easy to structure this poorly, and it can look like you’re hiding a lack of work experience.

We advise the reverse-chronological format for your teacher resume because it proves you have practical knowledge and a steady career. This format tells the story of your teaching career in under  six seconds , which is how long recruiters will take to read your resume.

chronological resume sample for teacher

Include the right details in your contact header

Your contact header should be easy to locate and read. Some suggest not adding contact information in the header, but that’s why formatting your contact header properly is so important. With good formatting, none of your information gets buried, and it can distinguish you from other applicants. You should include:

  • Job title you’re seeking
  • Phone number
  • City, State (optional)
  • Professional links (optional)

Per industry standards, place the header in either the top left-hand corner or centered beneath your name. Not enough space? Remove the optional elements or go down a font size. Choose a sans-serif font that’s no smaller than your resume’s body text. 

Like the example below, you can put your header in a color block to grab attention quickly and add personality. It’s best not to use obnoxious colors (neon green would be a hard no), and always double-check that the color works well with black body text or white font. 

High school mathematics teacher blue contact header on resume example

Sometimes, the ATS won’t read your resume properly despite having a beautiful header. That’s why we recommend submitting it as a .docx (friendly for ATS) and as a PDF (friendly for employers). 

We have plenty of  excellent resume samples  you can check out for inspiration on your header, and if you’re rushed, choose one of our  free resume templates  to start and finish your teacher resume in record time. 

Ensure the ATS and employers can read your resume

To ensure your resume reaches principals and department heads, you’ll need to pass muster with the ATS. The good news is formatting for the ATS also results in a resume easy to read by employers. 

Resume tips to steer you on the right path:

  • Not only is a one-page resume faster for recruiters and ATS to scan, but it forces you to be concise and include only what’s relevant. 
  • Most ATS don’t recognize documents in Open Office, Adobe Pages, HTML, or PDF (on occasion). The wisest option is to submit your resume as a .docx and  as a PDF to give employers options if one doesn’t work.
  • The standard 10–12-point font is the best readability range for employers and ATS.
  • Even at a reasonable size, some fonts are hard to read, unprofessional-appearing, and ATS-unfriendly. Stick to standard sans-serif fonts like Helvetica or Arial.
  • One-inch margins are standard, but you can be flexible. Avoid going smaller than a half-inch or larger than one inch to keep your teacher resume professional and tidy.
  • You may confuse the ATS and the school if you have odd header titles. Use standardized headers, as you see in our resume samples , to make each section easy to find (and comprehend). 
  • ATS uses keywords to determine your eligibility, including skills (Google Classroom, modifying lessons, parent communication, etc.) matching what’s in the job ad. 
  • If your resume sections aren’t in the recommended order, they may confuse ATS. Yet again, it’s best to stick to the standard. Try using our  resume builder  to ensure your structure is logical and readable. 

Coworkers discuss career documents on BeamJobs' platform behind them

Writing an effective resume  may feel daunting, but it’s far more manageable if you take it section by section. You may even want to use one of our  fresh Word resume templates  designed just for teachers. Let’s dive into each resume section you’ll want to consider:

Does an objective/summary on your teacher resume matter?

Teaching history, top skills for educators.

  • Listing education, certification, and optional sections

Customize your teacher resume for the job

Revise and edit your teacher resume.

chronological resume sample for teacher

Principals and their hiring teams may see hundreds of resumes across a wide array of teaching roles, so it’s crucial to showcase your talents and personality quickly. Objectives and summaries can work as excellent introductory tools, but many end up being generic, boring, or vague. 

First, consider whether you’ll use an  objective or summary statement (or neither). An objective highlights your interest and qualifications for the role, while a  resume career summary  distills your specialized skills and experience in a few lines. Use an objective if you’re seeking your first teaching position or switching from teaching one subject to another. On the other hand, veteran teachers may opt for a summary (or no statement at all).

Regardless of your circumstances, if you use either of these introductory statements, you should always tailor your message to the position. Let’s look at specific examples to contrast a D+ resume objective with one worthy of an A. 

A generic, vague objective tells recruiters nothing about you beyond the bare minimum:

New high school teacher seeking employment at a local high school closer to family. Talented at communicating with teenagers and teaching. Received many compliments and letters at last place of employment.

The above objective lacks personality and neglects to mention anything specific. This next objective, however, is focused and tells the principal about the applicant’s skills:

Compassionate algebra tutor with 4+ years of experience. Excellent at coaching students in formulas and helping them develop analytical thinking skills and mathematical competency at all levels of ability. Seeking to use my communication and interpersonal skills to build meaningful student relationships and improve their mathematical abilities at Joaquin High School.

Like the visual example below, the above objective works because it details the applicant’s experience and how it’s relevant to their new goals within the classroom. 

Elementary teacher career objective on resume example

With summaries, it’s difficult to narrow down years of experience into one paragraph, so they often end up looking like this:

Skilled and experienced teacher who loves working with littles. Adept at communication and care. Excited to use my skills for Sunnyside Elementary. 

For starters, repeating “skilled” and “experienced” won’t tell employers anything. A good summary should sell your experience and qualifications, making principals wish they’d had the chance to hire you years ago:

Elementary education teacher with 12+ years of experience managing 25-30 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders’ classrooms. I am a patient, personable, and compassionate professional eager to bring my expertise to Sunnyside Elementary. Awarded Teacher of the Year in 2020 and 2021 for creating online individualized lesson plans for over 65 students during the height of the pandemic.

This summary works because it tells the recruiter their specific qualifications, namely personalized lesson plans and classroom management, and their skills (in this case, two awards). 

chronological resume sample for teacher

It’s tempting to list every job you’ve ever had to prove you’re qualified, but this becomes either overwhelming or redundant. It also means you can’t include much about each position, which won’t inspire principals to hire you. 

Instead, pick two to four of your most relevant teaching positions. Quantify your responsibilities and incorporate skill keywords to improve your ATS score with each. 

No teaching experience yet? Add internships, student teaching, volunteering, or other special projects like the example below that can highlight your soft skills like leadership. Certifications and awards are helpful additions, too. 

Teacher resume example projects section for JV baseball coach

How to write your job description bullet points

Whether you’re describing a past job, an internship, or a college project, you’ll need to craft your bullet points with care. Every word counts, so use active verbs, definitive language, third-person pronouns, and consistent verb tenses. Pay careful attention to consistency with punctuation—using periods at the end of some bullets while none for others is sloppy.

Based on these resume writing tips , here are some examples of well-crafted bullet points suited for a teacher resume:

  • Taught mathematics, English, general science, art, geography, and history to 60+ 3rd grade students
  • Collaborated with parents to discuss student performance and options for an improved learning experience, such as individualized instruction for students with learning disabilities
  • Hosted annual fundraiser to raise $6,500 for 10+ teachers to attend the RAISE conference and led yearly trips to RAISE meetings, resulting in overall more effective teaching strategies and a renewed passion for academia

These bullet points work because they’re descriptive and results-oriented. Strive for conciseness and specificity with your job description bullet points.

Maximize your classroom impact with numbers

From an employer’s mindset, metrics cement your abilities by proving that your actions resulted in a desirable outcome. If possible, include metrics on 50 percent of your job description bullet points to showcase the results of your effective teaching. 

When talking about past teaching roles, it’s a good idea to discuss the following metrics:

  • Increase in test scores, passing rates, or grade point averages
  • Number of students/classes taught
  • Increase in student participation/improved behavior

The following examples use the metric types listed above to describe a teacher’s impact further: 

  • Co-founded a S.T.E.M. club with the aid of 4 fellow teachers, increasing student passing rates in science and mathematics by 13%
  • Established weekly one-on-one student conversation sessions to intentionally build student-teacher relationships, resulting in a 15% overall increase in classroom participation and attendance
  • Hosted monthly Write-Til-You-Drop sessions for high school students struggling in English and offered expertise for outlining thesis development and argument structure, which resulted in 31% higher essay scores for participating students

chronological resume sample for teacher

The  skills section of your resume  is a quick guide to what you bring to the table as a teacher. That means choosing the right skills for each job is crucial. You might be organized and great at time management, but if employers want to see that you’re compassionate and great at lesson planning instead, your resume may be set aside. 

Since teachers fulfill many roles, employers will want to see a host of varied skills, including soft, hard, and technical capabilities, such as these:

Common teacher skills

  • Collaboration
  • Problem-solving
  • 1:1 communication
  • Organization
  • Class management
  • Active listening
  • Lesson planning
  • Google Classroom
  • Parent communication
  • Gradebook software

These skills demonstrate aptitude and support the responsibilities a teacher must complete on the job. Remember that while the above list outlines common and popular teacher skills for your resume, defer to what the job description is explicitly seeking. 

chronological resume sample for teacher

Education, certifications, and optional sections

You’ll need to include different elements on your resume depending on your education level, years in the workforce, and any specializations or concentrations you possess. All teaching positions require a bachelor’s degree, and an increasing number of teachers hold a master’s. Also, ensure you’re up-to-date on your state certifications, like the California candidate below.

Certification section on California teacher resume example

If you hold many certifications, you don’t necessarily need to include them all if you’re applying for one specific role. For example, suppose you’re an ESL-certified teacher with a graduate ESL certificate seeking an ESL role. In that case, you’ll need to include  that  certification either in a summary/objective, in your work experience, or in your education. 

This candidate’s education speaks volumes with a classic bold font and color.

Education section on teacher resume example

While including education and certifications is required, a projects section is optional. If you’re a drama teacher, for example, new to directing but experienced with leading drama camps, including a projects section to describe the drama camps you’ve led or assisted with can add a relevant impact. List and discuss projects on your resume, just like a paid position.

Additionally, consider adding  interests and hobbies to your resume . Most teacher resumes should save room for other information, but it’s a good idea to add these sections when the job you’re applying for stresses the importance of school spirit and culture.

Choose your interests that reflect the school’s values. However, be picky about what you include. Finding every Easter Egg in the entire timeline of Zelda games might be your favorite pastime, but that doesn’t mean you should list it on a resume (unless you’re applying for Nintendo, in which case this might be appropriate, and you’re reading the wrong resume guide). 

It’s up to you whether you include any optional sections on your resume, but always be sure to be as specific as possible. Your interests should also be specific. “Reading” doesn’t say much about you, but “leading classic book clubs” is far more likely to get you a job as an English instructor.

chronological resume sample for teacher

Generic resumes are easy to spot and will likely get tossed. To avoid the trash, tailor your resume to every position you apply for. This tells principals you’ve researched the school and the role, and you genuinely care about the position.

To customize your resume, scan the  job ad  to know what responsibilities, accomplishments, and keywords to include in your skills section and your bullet points. You should also tailor your objective/summary (if used) to have the school’s name and speak to anything unique about the school that particularly interests you. Check your resume against the job description to ensure you’re addressing their concerns. 

chronological resume sample for teacher

As a teacher, you already know the pitfalls of submitting drafts before they’re revised, so don’t let minor mistakes slip through the cracks. Instead, take a break and hand your resume off for peer review. You can also use our free resume checker  to get tips from our AI software. 

After a day, return to your resume and consider the constructive criticism you received. Edit and check for errors, inconsistencies, or gaps. Read through your resume at least twice more, one for content and one for proofreading. Once you’re sure it’s error-free, you can submit it proudly. 

Start Setting up Your Classroom (Almost)

Job seeker and dog celebrate job hunt success with smiles and move boxes into new office

Go ahead and celebrate because if you’ve made it this far, you’re well on your way to that A+ resume! By spending more time throughout each phase of the writing process, you’re vaulting yourself closer to your next teaching job. It’ll be time to turn in a simple resignation letter at your current job and start setting up your new classroom before you know it!

If you’re not quite satisfied with your current resume, upload it to our  resume checker  for our AI-powered tips. If it’s time to start from scratch, use our  resume builder tool  to work with our AI from the ground up. We can’t wait to see you land your next teaching role!

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They say teachers are the bedrock of any civilization.

But what they don't say is that you get paid peanuts or that you can't get a decent job without a decent teacher's resume.

While we are not mighty enough to make promises for the civilization, we can assure you that by using a few pointers listed below, you can make a stellar resume for teachers, one that will land you a job where you are not paid peanuts and one which manages to tap into your true potential.

If you're tired of rejection mails and just want to swiftly transition to your preferred job role, check out our online resume builder for state-of-the-art resume designs and professional resume templates for the profession of your choice!

This 2023 Guide to crafting the Perfect Teacher's Resume will broadly be covering the following:

  • Why Do You need a Teacher's Resume?
  • Format for a Teacher's Resume
  • Resume Objective / Summary
  • Teacher Resume Skills
  • How to Frame your Work Experience for a Teacher's Resume
  • How to Mention your Awards & Achievements
  • Aesthetics & Design for a Teacher's Resume
  • Additional Sections: Hobbies, Interests & Extracurricular Activities

In this article, we will provide a list of sections that are necessary for all kinds of teaching profiles- be it new teacher resume, substitute teacher resume, elementary education resume, experienced teacher Resume, educator resume, English teacher Resume, preschool teacher resume, elementary teacher resume, high school teacher resume, etc.

Subsequently, we'll break down these sections to further elucidate how to make the perfect resume for teachers.

A teacher's role in constructing modern society cannot be understated.

Their role majorly demands the following:

  • Being sensitive, as they influence the children in the formative years of their lives
  • Good communication, as education is imparted and shared through that medium
  • Being knowledgeable, to remain updated and impart the most relevant information possible

If we lived in an ideal world, these three critical traits would be highlighted and would figure on top in the teacher's resume.

Importance of a Resume for Teachers

With a rise in the commodification of education and numerous factors coming into play, there's a marked increase in participation of private interests, leading to a massive surge in competition for teachers in this sector.

According to a poll of The Guardian , young (read economical) teachers offer an added advantage over experienced (costly) teachers in the crowded job market.

The poll of 529 education professionals revealed that a sizable number of teachers (43%) plan to look for a new position within the next 12 months.

With fierce competition and a significant scarcity in terms of vacancies, the resume for a teacher has become exceedingly important, and it is increasingly critical to showcase the best of your abilities in your resume for teaching.

This article is a step in your path to land a dream teaching profile. We shall discuss how to showcase skills, professional experience, and qualifications in the best possible way in the teacher's resume to get more shortlists. Here's a teacher resume sample by Hiration for your reference:

Teacher-Standard

Also read : How do you mention teaching experience in a cover letter?

1: Choosing your Teacher Resume Format

Teacher resume format.

Any recruiter scanning your resume won't have more than 5-6 seconds to take a call on whether your resume demands more of their time.

The basic premise that you must keep in mind when it comes to a teacher's resume is that your primary task is to make the recruiter's job easier .

That's your Number 1 objective. Everything that we'll talk about in the sections below is just a way to achieve that singular objective.

Are you explicitly targeting a job as an elementary teacher, middle school teacher, university professor, or substitute teacher?

If yes, a targeted resume format for teachers would be the best way to go.

This format allows you to represent all sections of your resume in accordance with the job description of your target profile.

When to Use : If a candidate is explicitly targeting, let's say, a middle school teacher role at XYZ School, then the targeted resume shall be along the lines of the following:

Reverse Chronological Format for Teacher's Resume

This means following a reverse-chronological order while describing your professional experience. Your most recent (or last held) work experience will appear first while going back till you reach your first work profile, followed by the Education section and additional sections (Certifications, Training, Interests/Hobbies, etc.)

When to Use : When you have a transparent trajectory without any break or career change and are looking for a job along the lines of your current work profile.

Here's an example of a reverse chronological resume to put things in perspective:

Functional Format for Teacher's Resume

As the name suggests, a functional resume for teachers would focus more on the teacher's skills and relevant experience instead of the actual professional trajectory.

The whole idea is that this type of teacher resume emphasizes the key skills to showcase how you can deploy the same for any other assignment or role. The focus is on presenting all your skills to demonstrate your value to the next institution.

If you do not have a rock-solid career graph and have lapses in between, this kind of teacher's resume format will take care of that.

Combination Format for Resume for Teachers

The combination format is a teacher's resume that combines the functional and chronological resume format. Candidates can put across their key skills with relevant experience and also detail the work experience in reverse chronological order.

When to use : If a job role requires a particular skillset and the candidate wishes to showcase that over his/her professional trajectory.

Since the format for a teacher's resume is taken care of, let's proceed and discuss ways of optimizing the first section of your teacher's resume.

Also read : What are the 30+ essential resume formating tips to keep in mind?

2: Summary Section in a Resume for Teachers

Candidates often mention an objective section in their teaching resumes. An objective section only makes sense if the candidate is an entry-level professional who's just entering the job market.

If you are an experienced teacher, you don't need an Objective section. A crisp Professional Summary section exceeding not more than 3-4 lines, which details your key skills and the impact you can deliver to the next institution using the same, will do the job.

The idea behind the same is that the recruiter is not interested in a shopping list of things you are looking for, which is what an Objective section essentially is. We like to misappropriate a JFK quote along the lines of 'Ask not what the company can do for you, but what you can do for the company.'

The Professional Experience is there below to list your achievements and key contributions. But it's the Summary section where you can elaborate on the value you can deliver as a teacher.

A summary is often the easiest way to gauge your professional trajectory & what you can offer. The recruiters should not have to scan your professional experience section to assess whether you can deliver any value to them.

That's the job of the Summary section.

It is a quick snapshot of who you are and why you are a suitable candidate.

Optimizing your Teacher's Resume Summary Section as per the JD

When a recruiter is piled up with hundreds (if not thousands) of resumes, how do they decide which ones to process further?

The Job Description. The Holy Grail of all recruitments there ever was, there ever will be.

When you mention an Objective section, you run the risk of not adding significant value in the most prominent section of your resume.

When most candidates refer to the JD for optimizing their resume, they forget that a Job Description is responsibility-based whereas a resume is achievement-based . Hence, when optimizing your teacher's resume summary section , rephrase your points so that they are aligned more towards achievements than responsibilities.

Let us understand that from a typical teacher CV sample. Let us examine a specific career objective section in a conventional primary school teacher resume:

"Dynamic individual who wants to grow in a workplace which offers a conducive environment for child development and the right environment to showcase teacher skills and capabilities for future growth."

Let us compare it with what we are suggesting as a summary in your primary teacher resume:-

"Highly skilled primary teacher with a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and highly proficient in championing classroom management and student development. Adept at designing lesson plans and preparing learning enablement modules to foster appropriate skills and facilitate healthy development. Possess a track record of devising innovative ways to bolster conceptual knowledge and understanding of students and give them a conducive environment to question and interact."

Now place yourself in the recruiter's shoes. When you have a total of 10-12 seconds to go through both the resumes and the summary/objective section is the top section, which one do you think will deliver greater impact?

Very clearly, the teacher's resume containing a crisp summary section will overshadow the teacher's resume containing the objective section. Anyone can identify the skills needed from the JD, but it takes a certain level of finesse to rephrase those skills along the lines of your achievements.

At this preliminary stage of the recruitment, when a recruiter only has to shortlist the candidates, a shopping list of things you are looking for (objective section in a teacher's resume) hardly matters.

Recruiters only need to know whether you can deliver any value to them. Having a clearly defined career goal is alright. Still, the same has to be aligned with institutional/organizational interests as well - it's only the latter half that is of interest to the recruiter.

The rest of the details can be ironed out during the interview. But at this stage of the recruitment, you don't have much time and space to showcase your value.

Consequently, if you are not an entry-level professional, it's always better to write a crisp resume summary section instead of an objective section for a teacher's resume.

But we suggest you take up your desired role as the designation targeted just above the Summary.

So if you are targeting "High School Teacher" and your resume shows the skills and experience suitable for it, then go ahead and put the designation there.

Do it safely, though. There should not be a big mismatch between what designation you target and what experience you have!

Now, your job description matches the Summary of teacher resumes along with the targeted designation mentioned.

Check out : Hiration’s ChatGPT-powered resume summary generator

3: Key Skills in a Teacher's Resume

The Key Skills section holds pivotal importance in your resume, serving as a spotlight for your most significant abilities.

  • Placement : Directly below the summary ensures its visibility. Recruiters often seek to match your skills with the job requirements right after being impressed by your summary.
  • Significance : If your summary omits a specific skill, the recruiter will check the Key Skills section for a match. Consider a scenario where the recruiter needs a teacher who can mentor a team. Even if you haven’t mentioned team handling in your summary, listing it in the Key Skills can make all the difference.
  • Goal : Your main aim is to secure the interview. Make it effortless for the recruiter to see your fit.
  • ATS Clearance : Many institutions use Automated Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan resumes. This software hunts for keywords matching the job description. Ensuring your Key Skills contain relevant keywords enhances your chances of passing through these filters.

4: Professional Experience in a Teacher's Resume

Immediately after the Key Skills, the work experience section comes in. This is the most time-consuming section of your resume.

Let us try to take it up step by step:

Writing work experience in a Teacher's Resume: Follow reverse chronological resume format

Following a reverse chronological order is the best way to write this section, but there are exceptions to this rule.

If your desired profile matches up with the profile you handled, say five years ago, then chronological arrangement suits you well.

Surely some candidates who want to get back to their previous profiles shall go with chronological work experience.

Job Titles for work experience in a resume for teachers

Tailoring Job Titles

Tailoring your job titles can reflect the nuances of your experience better, especially if they align more closely with the position you're seeking.

Example : Instead of "Painting Teacher", consider "Recreational Activity Manager" to showcase a broader range of skills, particularly if you've managed group activities like painting and crafts for children.

Quantify Achievements

Illustrate your experience with numbers; they're straightforward, eye-catching, and convey efficiency.

Before : "Managed a class of students to achieve almost full pass percentage." After : "Managed a class of ~30 students, achieving a 95% pass rate."

Clarify Reporting Hierarchy

Clearly mention whom you reported to and the number of subordinates, if any, to give recruiters an insight into your role’s magnitude.

Are you a Vice-Principal reporting to the Principal? How many teachers report to you?

If you're an individual contributor, mention how you've added value to academic activities.

Use Power Verbs & Adjectives

Power verbs can enhance the impact of your resume.

Before : "Managed a class of 30 students to achieve 95% pass percentage." After : "Spearheaded a class of 30 students, using stellar classroom management skills to successfully attain a 95% pass rate."

Embrace Bullet Points

For concise, clear communication, use bullet points instead of paragraphs. Example Transformations:

From : "Managed innovative teaching methods..." To : "Championed innovative teaching strategies, boosting attendance rates."

From : "Worked with teachers and staff..." To : "Collaborated with educational teams to optimize academic processes."

From : "Handled workshops for parents weekly..." To : "Conducted weekly parental workshops, resolving concerns and fostering engagement."

Also read : How many bullet points per job on a resume?

Include Company Name & Description

Give a concise overview of your past institutions, especially if they're not widely recognized. This provides context, especially for international recruiters.

Highlight Relevant Accomplishments

Research your desired school's values and achievements, and tailor your accomplishments accordingly.

Example : If a school prioritizes parental satisfaction, highlight your experience in parental counseling, detailing the number of parents counseled and issues resolved.

5: Emphasize on Awards and Achievements

If you have notable awards or achievements, they can significantly differentiate you from other candidates. Such recognitions demonstrate your dedication and success in the teaching field.

Benefits of Including Awards

Stand Out : Awards showcase you as an achiever, suggesting that you'll continue to excel in future roles.

Relevance : Achievements directly related to teaching provide an added advantage, emphasizing your specific expertise.

Tips for Listing Awards

  • Date : Always specify the month and year of the achievement, especially if recent.
  • Nominations : Indicate the number of nominations to provide context about the competition level.
  • Selection Criteria : Highlight the qualities or skills that led to your recognition.
  • Awarding Institution : Mentioning the name, especially if it's a renowned institution, adds weight to the recognition.

Here's a before and after example for you:

Before : "Awarded for the Best High School teacher in Best School in the city among five nominees."

After : "Received the Best High School Teacher award among 30 nominees for exceptional student pass rates and subject expertise – XYZ School, Dec '17."

Also read : How to list achievements in your resume if you have no prior work experience?

6: Aesthetics & Design

Choosing the right font ensures your resume is both legible and professional. Depending on the nature of the teaching position, different fonts might be more suitable:

Traditional Roles :

  • Garamond (11.5pt): Classic and readable.
  • Tahoma (10pt): Clean and neutral.
  • Calibri (11pt): Modern, yet professional.

Creative or Contemporary Fields :

  • Gill Sans MT (11pt): Offers a sophisticated touch, often used in the UK.
  • Constantia (11pt): Balanced for both digital and print formats.

Always maintain font consistency throughout the resume.

A well-spaced resume enhances readability. Ensure there's ample spacing between headlines and main points. A resume with more white space often appears cleaner and more professional.

Symmetry is key. Maintain equal margins on the left and right for all content, and keep uniform margins for headings. This ensures a neat appearance.

While creativity is appreciated, a more restrained color palette often works best for resumes. Stick to a maximum of two colors. The classic black text on a white page remains a top choice, but incorporating a subtle shade like blue for headings can add a touch of distinction.

Also read : What are the different resume font combinations you can go with in 2023?

7: Extracurricular Activities

Last but not least, a teach resume demands a showcase of some extracurricular activities, specifically if the work experience is not very clear and straight.

Extracurricular activities are usually started in the child's formative years, and your experience in the same can be transferred to the children you teach.

Extracurriculars show many aspects of your personality that are otherwise hidden and are not reflected in your work experience.

For example, if you have been into theater and dramatics, you tend to be a good team player, which might not be reflected in your work experience.

But recruiter might need this critical skill, and thus this section might catch the recruiter's eye.

Heck, say the recruiter wants to conduct teaching sessions through plays and dramatics in the class, you would be a great choice!

So please go ahead and demonstrate your unique talents in this section.

Also read : What are the different types of extracurricular activities that you can list in a resume?

By following these seven tips for your teacher resume, you would hugely benefit from landing many crucial job interviews.

Moreover, Hiration’s ChatGPT-powered career service platform can not only help you in crafting a resume that's shortlisted and designing a compelling cover letter, but also refining your LinkedIn presence and preparing for the final interviews!

All the best!

chronological resume sample for teacher

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chronological resume sample for teacher

  • • Teaching classes of 25+ on biology and chemistry topics
  • • Participated in student recruitment, registration and placement activities
  • • Coordinated School Information Night each year
  • • Contributed to raising retention rate from 75% - 89% through running extracurricular sessions
  • • Received two outstanding reports from classroom inspections from the city central education board
  • • Ran 100+ school information sessions
  • • Developed and executed daily lesson plans to engage and challenge student understanding and involvement, including 30+ international students (ESL) and students with specialized educational needs.
  • • Increased the number of A+ to C grades from 60% to 90% over 2 years
  • • Taught and mentored 100+ students over the two years, and led 5 extra learning classes outside of school hours
  • • Engaged in peer collaboration and instruction during staff development opportunities as well as peer observation of classroom strategies and assessment.
  • • Designed original student learning plans centered on the curriculum with corresponding lectures and lab activities which aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards.
  • • Implemented lesson plans independently for classrooms of 25+ students
  • • Provide educational materials, including daily lesson plans and weekly homework packets that averaged a 95% completion rate
  • • Lectured weekly in tutorials, and regularly in courses over 8 semesters
  • • Assist professor and a class of 25 students with the course related needs
  • • Excellence Award (2013)

Teacher Resume Examples & Guide for 2024 [Layout, Skills, Keywords & Job Description]

Customize this resume with ease using our seamless online resume builder.

All resume examples in this guide

chronological resume sample for teacher

Art Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Bilingual Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Biology Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Computer Science Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Creative Art Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Dance Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

History Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Language Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Lead Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Math Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Music Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Piano Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Retired Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Science Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Social Studies Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Spanish Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Teacher For Career Change

chronological resume sample for teacher

Technology Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Theatre Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

Transitioning Teacher

chronological resume sample for teacher

High School Teacher | Sciences resume example

Resume Guide

Teacher resume sample.

Resume Format & Sections

Key Resume Sections

Work Experience Section

Teacher Skills

Education & Certifications

Resume Objective/Summary

Other Resume Sections

Matching Teacher Cover Letter

21 Teacher Resume Examples

Key Takeaways

Teacher resume example

The ongoing teacher shortage is prime time to grow your career. But to land the perfect job, you need the perfect resume.

That means a flawless layout with impeccable details about your past successes. Of course, you’re a pro at teaching, but writing your teacher’s resume might not be your top strength.

That’s ok, we’ve put together everything you need to write an impeccable resume that will land you your dream job. In this guide, we’ll cover:

  • A teacher resume sample that ticks all the checkboxes
  • The best formatting considerations for your resume
  • Essential and optional sections to include with examples
  • How to include a cover letter with your application
  • Most frequently asked questions about teacher resumes

High School Teacher | Sciences resume example

This is a top-notch example of a teacher’s resume. It presents the candidate as an experienced, effective, and dedicated educator.

Some of the reasons why are:

Extensive Teaching Experience: The candidate has taught for several years at multiple schools, demonstrating their ability to handle diverse students and subjects.

Track Record of Achievements: These specific and quantifiable achievements lend credibility to the teacher's effectiveness and commitment to improving student outcomes.

Education and Certification: The candidate holds a PhD in Educational Administration and other certifications, demonstrating their commitment to ongoing professional development.

Publications and Volunteering: The candidate's publications and volunteering demonstrate their dedication to academic research, community service, and making a positive impact outside the classroom.

Resume Format And Sections

Formatting and good design are essential for a resume's readability and visual appeal - crucial characteristics to grab and hold a hiring committee’s attention. A well-structured resume also clearly conveys professionalism, increasing your chances of an interview.

Since teachers are trusted with so much responsibility, in most cases, it’s best that you align your resume to a conventional format. Choose a traditional format, with either one or two columns, instead of going for a flashy or creative resume.

The exceptions would be if you’re applying to an art school or other creative-oriented private school or if you’re applying to an art, music, drama, or other creative teacher position. In those cases, you might consider using a creative resume template.

Every teacher’s resume will be different, and each one you write should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying to. For example, you’ll want to highlight different skills as an art or a maths teacher, and likewise, if you’re teaching at the kindergarten, elementary, or high school level.

But, there are some fundamental aspects you should always bear in mind.

Use reverse chronological order

Typically, resumes are formatted in reverse chronological order. This means organizing your work and education history with the most recent experiences listed first and moving backward to the oldest.

This format makes it easy for employers to identify your most current and relevant work and skills. It demonstrates your career progression and helps potential employers understand your professional journey.

Properly format the header and contact info

A resume header is the first, and ome might say one of the most important parts of a teacher resume. It’ the section at the top of a resume that includes your name and contact information and is the first thing the recruiter will lay their eyes upon. It’s like your introduction, letting a potential employer know who you are and how to get get a hold of you.

A good header should include your:

  • Phone number
  • Email address

Additional and somewhat optional information is including your home address (which is traditional and not used so much anymore) and a link to your LinkedIn profile.

Key sections

Beyond the header, your resume should highlight your relevant qualifications, experience, and the skills you bring to the job. The standard sections to include in your teacher resume are:

  • Professional Summary or Objective: A brief statement that highlights your experience, teaching philosophy, or key strengths tailored to the specific teaching position you’re applying for.
  • Work experience & Achievements: This section outlines your successful work history. Include the school's name, the grade level or subject you taught, the dates of your employment in reverse chronological order, and include quantifiable results from your time there.
  • Skills: Showcase any relevant teaching and technical skills you have that might not be expected or that you can provide specific evidence of.
  • Education: The details of your academic qualifications, including degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework.
  • Certifications and licenses: List any relevant teaching licenses or certifications, along with their expiration dates, if applicable.

Number of pages

There’s an old rule of thumb that you should keep your resume to 1 page. While that may be true in some industries, it’s not always true for teachers.

Aim for a length that includes all the info you need to show you’re the best fit for the job, but avoid including unnecessary bloat. Keeping everything concise will ensure it’s readable and avoid looking cluttered.

A bit vague? Okay. As a rough guide, if you’ve been teaching for less than 4 years and don’t have much other experience or professional development, one page should do. If you’ve been teaching for a while and want to include some optional sections we cover later, you can stretch it to two pages.

If you’re a veteran teacher with many years of experience and you’ve been keeping up with professional development, you might consider going to three pages. And if you’re a post-secondary teacher with a long list of publications and conference presentations or other important accolades, you might even consider 4 or 5 pages.

File format: doc or pdf?

Once you’re ready to save your resume, you have two choices: a .PDF or a .Doc. I suggest saving it as a .PDF unless the employer has specified otherwise.

PDFs save all the formatting you just put so much time into. Unlike with a .Doc., there’s no chance your resume will print up wonky and undermine the professional image you’re trying to send.

Another consideration is that many employers now use applicant tracking systems(ATS) as the first step in the selection process. Luckily, all of our resume templates are preformatted and designed to play well with ATS, and they come as .PDFs, so you don’t have to worry about a thing.

The top sections on a teacher resume:

What recruiters want to see on your resume:, work experience.

This is the fundamental section of your resume. It’s your opportunity to show the hiring committee your teaching history, leadership skills, and commitment to education.

Ideally, this section will consist of teaching-relevant work experience. Your potential new school will prefer candidates with strong backgrounds in the field they’re applying in.

But if you transitioned into teaching after another career or it’s your first teaching job but you had other jobs beforehand, there’s plenty you can include. No matter what your past work experience was, if you give it careful consideration, you can identify transferable skills to demonstrate you’re a good fit.

Follow these guidelines to write a work experience section to capture the school board’s attention:

  • List work experience in reverse chronological order.
  • Include school name, dates, and job title.
  • Mention the subject you taught, which grade level, and your average class size.
  • Use keywords relevant to the teaching position, where your past experiences align with the job description.
  • Focus on your accomplishments at each job rather than your basic duties.

Quantify accomplishments whenever possible, try toailor the accomplishments you include for each job you apply to.

  • Include 4-6 accomplishments or duties for each job.
  • Use action verbs to describe your work, like……..

Quantify impact

Quantifying your impact on a resume means including specific numbers, percentages, or measurable outcomes from previous jobs. These details showcase tangible results and lend credibility to your qualifications.

Some of the aspects of a teacher’s job you can quantify on your resume include:

  • List improvements in specific student performance or academic achievements
  • Are there classroom assessments of your students' average improvement or growth?
  • What initiatives led to improved student attendance or engagement?
  • What percentage of students and parents took part in school-related activities you organized?
  • Mention any awards or other recognition you’ve received for contributions to the school, student achievements, or teaching methods.
  • Have you successfully improved classroom behavior, attendance, or reduced disruptions?

Experience examples

Look over these examples of right and wrong ways to list your work experience to better understand how to write yours.

  • • Designed and implemented engaging and student-centered lesson plans, resulting in a 15% increase in students' test scores.
  • • Integrated technology to enhance learning experiences and foster student engagement, leading to positive feedback from students and parents.
  • • Collaborated with colleagues to develop cross-curricular projects, promoting critical thinking and teamwork skills among students.
  • • Demonstrated strong classroom management skills, creating a positive and disciplined learning environment conducive to effective learning.
  • • Actively participated in faculty meetings, professional development workshops, and parent-teacher conferences, contributing to the school community and student success.
  • • Taught math lessons to high school students.
  • • Handled classroom management.
  • • Used technology in the classroom.
  • • Conducted parent-teacher conferences.

The right example showcases the teacher's accomplishments with active wording and quantifies their impact on student performance, which is attractive to potential employers. The wrong example is vague and lacks details. It doesn't highlight the teacher's skills or contributions.

  • • Developed an innovative art curriculum resulting in a 25% increase in student engagement and creative expression.
  • • Organized and facilitated three successful school-wide art exhibitions, showcasing over 300 student artworks and receiving positive feedback from parents and the community.
  • • Collaborated with classroom teachers to integrate art into core subjects, enhancing students' overall academic performance and creativity.
  • • Implemented classroom management strategies that reduced disruptions by 40%, creating a focused and respectful learning environment.
  • • Conducted art workshops for parents and staff, receiving a 95% satisfaction rate and strengthening community involvement in the art program.
  • • Taught art to elementary students.
  • • Managed the art classroom.
  • • Collaborated with other teachers.

The ‘right’ example includes quantifiable results that showcase the teacher's effectiveness and contributions, making the resume stand out to potential employers. The ‘wrong’ example is ineffective as it lacks specific details and outcomes, which makes it less impactful for potential employers.

  • • Designed and implemented inquiry-based science labs resulting in a 20% improvement in students' understanding of scientific concepts.
  • • Coached the school's Science Olympiad team to win three regional championships and qualify for the state competition for the past two years.
  • • Utilized technology to create interactive virtual labs, leading to a 30% increase in student engagement and participation.
  • • Collaborated with the school's science department to align curriculum with state standards, resulting in a 10% improvement in standardized test scores.
  • • Conducted weekly after-school tutoring sessions, resulting in a 95% passing rate for struggling students.
  • • Taught science to high school students.
  • • Coached Science Olympiad team.
  • • Used technology in teaching.
  • • Conducted after-school tutoring.

The right example measurably demonstrates their effectiveness and includes extracurriculars that shows them as a well-rounded and involved teacher. The wrong example only lists basic responsibilities without evidence of the teacher's effectiveness or achievements.

Why include a skills section?

A skills section on a teacher's resume is important because it provides a concise and organized overview of the teacher's key strengths, competencies, and qualifications. Here's how:

Showcases relevance: The skills section highlights the teacher's relevant abilities, ensuring employers quickly identify their suitability for the position.

Easy to scan: A well-organized skills section lets hiring managers quickly grasp the teacher's essential strengths and decide whether to continue reading the resume.

Demonstrates expertise: The skills section demonstrates the teacher's diverse expertise, showcasing the various aspects of teaching they excel at.

Quantifies impact: Quantifiable results and achievements within the skills section offer concrete evidence of the teacher's effectiveness. This makes the resume more compelling and memorable.

Tailored: The skills section should be customized to match the requirements of different teaching positions, highlighting the most relevant skills for each application.

Strengthens first impression: The skills section is usually placed near the top of the resume, catching the reader's attention early on. It sets a positive impression that encourages a recruiter to continue reading the entire document.

Step by step how to list

A strong skills section takes a little organization and thought. Here's a step-by-step guide to showcase your skills:

  • Identify relevant skills: Tailor your skills section to the specific job description.
  • Group and prioritize: Organize your skills and prioritize the most relevant ones.
  • Be specific: Describe your skills clearly and provide quantifiable results.
  • Use concise bullet points: Present your skills in bullet points and avoid lengthy paragraphs.
  • Be honest: Include only skills you actually have, and be honest in your presentation of them.

Hard skills and soft skills

Hard and soft skills are essential for a successful teaching career. When applying for a teaching position, it is important to highlight both skill types in your resume and cover letter.

Hard skills are specific, teachable abilities that are directly applicable to a job or profession. They’re often quantifiable and measurable.

Soft skills are intangible, interpersonal qualities that improve communication and collaboration and may rely on emotional intelligence. They’re not as easily quantifiable as hard skills, but they’re essential for a teacher’s success.

Best hard skills for your teacher resume

Best soft skills for your teacher resume, example skills sections.

Nobody has all the skills we’ve listed, and no principal will expect you to. The best resume skills sections include a mix of hard and soft skills most relevant to the specific job opportunity.

Here are four examples of how to adapt a skills section for different teaching jobs and experience levels, and to highlight d

Experienced teacher

Professional Skills

New teacher

Elementary teacher, substitute math teacher, education / certifications.

It’s no mystery that you need a good education to be a teacher. Each school district can be different, but a teacher needs at least a bachelor's degree, in education or the subject they teach, along with a teaching certificate or license.

In most cases, though, the basics aren’t enough. Additional requirements, like teacher competency exams, specific training, background checks, or other expectations, may also apply.

Which education/certification is relevant?

As an example, to teach at the high school level, you typically need the following education and certifications:

  • Bachelor's Degree: A bachelor's degree in the subject you'll teach is usually required.
  • Teacher certification/license: A teaching certificate or license is required in most regions.
  • Subject matter competency: A high school teacher is certainly expected to understand the subjects they teach.
  • Background check: A background check is typically required before hiring.
  • Continuing education: Some regions require you to pursue professional development to maintain your teaching credentials.

The specific education and certifications you’ll need will vary depending on the location and education system in place. So look up the specific requirements in your area to confirm you meet the expectations there.

How to list degrees and awards

As a teacher, it’s essential that you list your degrees (in reverse chronological order) on your resume. Include the degree name, major, institution, and graduation date.

Listing majors and minors on a teacher's resume is optional but can be beneficial if they're relevant to the teaching position or add value to your qualifications. Include them in the same section just below your degree entries.

Awards can highlight your dedication, accomplishments, and recognition as a professional educator, making you a more attractive candidate. List them in a separate section or under Education if they’re academic or teaching-related honors.

Mention the name of the award, the granting organization, and the date received. Emphasize awards demonstrating your teaching excellence, subject expertise, leadership, or contributions to the educational community.

  • • What knowledge or experience did you acquire during your studies there? (e.g. Delivered a comprehensive marketing strategy)

This concise, organized education and awards section lists two degrees from top schools, including a master's from Harvard. It shows the candidate's commitment to teaching and learning, making them a compelling, competitive candidate.

The certification and awards sections identify their state teaching license and relevant certifications, underscoring their commitment to continuous learning. Their awards lend specific credibility to their success and effectiveness as a teacher.

Resume objective / summary

A resume objective is a short statement at the top of your resume that summarizes your career goals and why you’re applying for a particular job. Including an objective is important to catch the hiring committee's attention and highlight your skills and experience.

A teacher's resume objective should be short and to the point, highlighting the skills and experience relevant to the position you’re applying for. It should also be specific, mentioning the specific type of teaching position you’re interested in.

Here are some tips for crafting an attention-grabbing objective for your teacher resume:

  • Start with a strong action verb. This will help to grab the hiring manager's attention.
  • Include your skills and experience. Be specific about what you can do and your achievements.
  • State the type of teaching position you’re interested in.
  • Use keywords to help your resume pass through an applicant tracking system (ATS).
  • Proofread carefully. Typos and grammatical errors are unacceptable on a teacher’s resume.

It may be tricky to fit all that into one or two sentences. Check out these examples and explanations of strong and weak teacher objectives to better understand how to write yours.

Strong Teacher Objectives

These objectives are strong because they’re short, to the point, and specific. They also describe the candidate's value proposition, and the type of teaching position they’re interested in, and include relevant keywords.

Weak Teacher Objectives

These objectives are weak because they’re vague, general, and don’t provide any specific information about the candidate's skills or experience. They also don’t mention the type of teaching position the candidate is interested in.

Other sections to include

There are a few optional teacher resume sections that you should consider including. Whether or not to include these sections is up to you, but showcasing these qualifications is a great way to make your resume stand out.

Awards & certification

Use this section to highlight any awards or certifications you’ve received to demonstrate the full breadth of your skills and experience.

Showing that you’re bilingual or multilingual can be valuable, especially in a school with a diverse student population.

Interests & hobbies

Include this section to show you’re well-rounded and have interests outside of teaching, which can make you a more interesting and engaging teacher.

  • Interests & Hobbies:
  • Playing guitar
  • Learning new languages

Publications

Highlight any publications you’ve authored or co-authored to demonstrate your research skills and knowledge.

  • "Teaching Math to English Language Learners," published in the Journal of Mathematics Education for Language Minority Students
  • "Using Technology to Enhance Learning in the Mathematics Classroom," published in the Journal of Educational Technology
  • "The Impact of Different Teaching Strategies on Student Achievement in Mathematics," published in the Journal of Educational Research

Presentations

The presentations you’ve given demonstrate your communication and public speaking skills and expertise in the subject you teach.

  • "Teaching Math to English Language Learners," presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) annual conference.
  • "Using Technology to Enhance Learning in the Mathematics Classroom," presented at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) annual conference.
  • "The Impact of Different Teaching Strategies on Student Achievement in Mathematics," presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conference.

Custom section title based on a job

A custom section is an opportunity to give the school or board you’re applying to better understand why you’re a great fit for a job. Consider including one if you want to showcase your skills in a specific job requirement in the job description.

To create a custom section, start by identifying the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job you are applying for. The section should be concise and easy to read, and it should use keywords that are relevant to the job.

Here are some examples of custom sections that you might include on your resume:

Experience with STEM Education

  • Experience with Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)
  • Experience with Special Education
  • Experience with Technology Integration
  • Experience with Project-Based Learning

And here’s how you can lay one out:

  • Developed and implemented a STEM curriculum for elementary school students
  • Led a team of teachers in the implementation of the STEM curriculum
  • Trained teachers on how to use STEM resources and activities
  • Presented on STEM education at professional conferences

Cover letter matching your teacher's resume

It’s crucial that you include a cover letter as part of your application for a teaching job. It’s your opportunity to introduce yourself to the hiring manager, explain your interest in the position, and highlight your skills and experience.

A well-written cover letter can help you stand out from the competition and increase your chances of getting an interview. Follow these five steps to write a standout cover letter to complement your resume.

Teacher resume examples

Explore additional teacher resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Art Teacher Resume Example

The Dance Teacher position boasts a rich history with roots in performing arts and physical education. Thus, trends in these areas often shape the dance teaching field.

The following advice will help you apply more effectively for Dance Teacher jobs:

  • Practice and expertise in different dance styles are key. Ballet, Contemporary, Hip Hop, Jazz, and Latin. Successful dance teachers often have a versatile and extensive understanding of various genres.
  • Highlight any experience in choreographing and staging dance performances. Lack of this can lead to early dismissal.
  • Prioritize the dancing background that has impacted your teaching. Most accomplished dance teachers have a strong performance record, so emphasize your dancing experience and its influence on your teaching methodology.
  • Don't merely list dance styles or shows you've performed in. Highlight how your knowledge improved your students' skills, e.g., "improved students' flexibility through...", "increased students' stage presence after..." etc. Stick to the "skill-action-results" pattern.

History Teacher Resume Example

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How to Write a Teacher Resume [Plus Free Template]

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5 Resume Examples for Teachers

How to format a teacher resume, must-have sections to include on a teacher resume, top skills & keywords for teacher resumes, tips for writing a teacher resume, teacher resume faqs.

Consider the following hypothetical scenario: You’re an outstanding teacher who is planning an upcoming move, or perhaps exploring new teaching opportunities in your current locale. You’ve got a solid background of experience, credentials and skills, plus many intangibles (unique talents, leadership acumen and passion, to name just a few).

So how do you communicate all of this to potential employers? And how can you showcase these qualities in a sharp, well-organized, visually appealing way that conveys your story and opens doors to new opportunities in the classroom and beyond?

Welcome to our mini Educator Resume Building Guide. Class is now in session.

Helpful for new and seasoned educators alike, this teacher resume guide will cover key insights regarding how to format and fine-tune your resume. We’ll share several strong teacher resume examples that you can use for inspiration — plus, a downloadable template you can use to build your own stellar resume!

If you’ve been off the job market for a while, or you’re new to the profession, it helps to pick up tips and new suggestions from example resumes featuring styles and formatting that have proven successful. Here are five top-notch sample teacher resumes from which to draw inspiration:

Resume

“Format” refers to two different ways of delivering your professional experience: page layout and file type. Aside from aesthetics or processing purposes, resume format is important because it prevents your resume from slipping through the digital cracks. 

Many employers today use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to help them process resumes quickly, so they don’t have to sift through dozens of resumes one by one. According to Inc. , “These systems automatically weed out most of the candidates who aren’t a close match for the role … It’s safe to say if you aren’t getting called for job interviews, ATS has something to do with it.” It’s important to understand resume readability and formatting so you end up in the 3 percent of online applicants who get contacted by a recruiter for any given job.  

The most easy-to-process resumes — for both ATS and human eyes — follow one of these formats: 

Reverse-chronological : This format highlights your career progression in an easy-to-scan timeline, making it ideal for recruiters and ATS. However, this format exposes time gaps and can be repetitive if you’ve held the same position at multiple schools.

Functional : This format focuses on your skills, which is ideal if you have limited teaching experience or gaps in your career. However, it’s been known to confuse potential employers and ATS.

Combination/hybrid : With an in-depth skills section and a small experience section, this format summarizes why you’re the best candidate for the job. However, it’s easy to structure this poorly, and it can look like you’re hiding a lack of work experience.

You’ll notice that each of the formats above contains a flaw. The truth is, words on a page cannot always accurately convey your entire professional experience. Only you can speak to that — and that’s what (hopefully) your interview is for. 

That said, we recommend the reverse-chronological format for your educator resume because it proves you have practical knowledge and a steady career. This format should convey the story of your teaching experience in under six seconds , which is how long recruiters will take to scan your resume before knowing whether you’re the right fit.

Speaking of scanning, here are the most important elements you need to consider when creating your educator resume: 

  • Layout: A reverse-chronological conveys information with the most efficiency.
  • Sections: Make sure each section of your resume is distinct and has white space around it to breathe.
  • Font: Sans serif fonts like Verdana and Helvetica are recommended for body copy, as they are easy to scan. If you must choose a serif typeface, save it for the header (your name). Stay away from decorative fonts — flourishes, bubble letters and other ornamentation are simply distracting. 
  • Font size: Body text should be 11–12pts. Go 2–4pts. larger for section headings, and 6–10 pts. larger than that for your name. Again, you want the most important info to be easily scannable — name, job titles, dates. 
  • Subheadings: Identify each subsection with easy-to-read and straightforward titles: “Professional Experience,” “Education,” “Skills & Specializations,” and so on. You don’t want to confuse the ATS or resume screeners with witty headlines. 
  • Margins: Keep a 1-inch margin as a border to your resume. This leaves enough room for notes, plus it’s visually appealing. 
  • Line spacing: Single line spacing is recommended in resume body text; double spaces make it look like you’re trying to fill space.
  • File type: Save and send or upload resumes as PDFs, unless the teaching job post or employer asks for Word docs. This prevents all but the savviest of users (or those with Adobe subscriptions) from editing your resume for any reason. 

Now that we’ve covered the visuals, let’s dive into the important content — your experience and skills. 

These are the must-have sections to include on your teaching resume:

  • Header: This should be its own section, distinct from the rest of the resume content. Your name is the “title,” followed by contact information like your email address, phone number, address and website or other professional links (if applicable).
  • Introduction: This is a brief introductory statement that summarizes who you are as an educator, what your objectives are and what you might bring to this role. Keep it to 1–3 sentences or 3 lines total; you can always expand upon your experience and enthusiasm in your cover letter . Here’s an example: 

“Elementary school teacher with over 5 years of classroom experience instructing at the 4th–6th grade levels, focusing on Life Sciences and prioritizing a whole-child approach. Increased 5th grade MCAS Science scores by 15% from 2017–2019. Seeking to bring enthusiasm and expertise in STEM engagements to the open 5th grade Science teacher role at Horace Mann Elementary School.” 

  • Work history: This is a detailed account of your teaching experience, preferably presented in reverse-chronological order. Include the names of your previous schools, range of tenure in years, grade levels taught, subject matter focus and any additional roles you held at the school. You may include brief descriptions of your accomplishments — not simply your responsibilities — in each role. 
  • Education: List your undergraduate and postgraduate schools and degrees, plus any noteworthy academic achievements at the postsecondary level. Do not include high school information if you are past the undergraduate level.
  • Skills: This is a concise, objective list of teaching skills and abilities. Include both hard skills and soft skills, and make sure you demonstrate the application of these skills in your work history descriptions. (More on skills below.)
  • Extra sections: You may want to leave room for awards, additional languages, community involvement, etc., if applicable and relevant to the position you are applying for. See below for more guidance here. 

Additional Teacher Resume Sections to Consider

Of course, your teaching experience and skills are the primary qualifiers for any teaching position. However, don’t discount the importance of listing additional skills and awards, as long as they are relevant to the position. You never know — your intermediate German or recreational sports coaching may make you a candidate for additional open positions at a school, even if you don’t land the job you’re applying for. 

  • Certifications: For teachers, this section isn’t exactly optional. Potential employers want to know that you hold the appropriate licenses and certifications to teach children in their state. List any state teacher’s licenses first, followed by any supplementary private teaching certificates you may hold.
  • Teaching association memberships: Are you affiliated with any teaching organizations or academic associations ? This demonstrates a dedication to the profession and may help you build connections with potential employers or coworkers. 
  • Volunteer positions: Are you on any volunteer committees in your town? Do you offer free tutoring or mentor services? Do you regularly serve meals or stock shelves at the local food pantry? List anything you think might help round out your full professional picture. 
  • Language proficiency: Four years of French in high school doesn’t count; do mention if you possess proficiency or fluency in a language besides the school’s primary language. 
  • Hobbies & interests: This is typically covered in an interview, or perhaps even after you’ve been hired. However, list any hobbies that may be relevant to the position you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for an English teacher position, you can mention that you run a book club that focuses on 19th-century British literature.  

WRITE A GREAT TEACHING RESUME

CONTENT AND FORMATTING TIPS FROM USD’S MASTER OF EDUCATION PROGRAM

DOWNLOADABLE TEMPLATE

APPLYING FOR TEACHING JOBS?

chronological resume sample for teacher

No matter the job, every potential employer likes to see a balance of “hard” and “soft” skills on a resume — hard skills being practical, job related abilities, and soft skills being your personal attributes that enable you to manage your work and relationships effectively. 

In-demand hard skills for teachers include, but are not limited to: 

  • Excellent written and verbal communication
  • Subject area expertise
  • Age group/grade level expertise 
  • Classroom management
  • Curriculum development
  • Lesson planning
  • Performance evaluations
  • Specific teaching methods
  • Computer skills 
  • Educational technology
  • Online/virtual/hybrid teaching
  • STEM/STEAM instruction speciality
  • Differentiated instruction
  • Digital literacy
  • Adaptive teaching methods , such as project-based learning and scaffolding 

Firsthand experience with the following classroom tools is also helpful:

  • Google Classroom and Google Meet
  • Microsoft Teams for Education  

While soft skills are sometimes harder to define, important soft skills for teachers include: 

  • Conflict resolution and diplomacy
  • Critical thinking
  • Time management
  • Project management
  • Leadership 
  • Creative problem solving 
  • Objectivity 
  • Empathy and compassion 
  • Ability to stay calm under pressure 

If you’re new to teaching and haven’t held many previous teaching positions, be honest! Everyone has to start somewhere, and embellishing your resume to make yourself seem more experienced will hold as much water as a pencil pouch. If you feel your lack of experience is holding you back from the right jobs, be sure to identify and include professional and academic references on your resume who can speak to your skill set (with their permission, of course). 

There is no shortage of “top tips” out there for writing resumes. When it comes to teacher resumes, however, there are some things to keep in mind as you try to get in front of the right educators or administrators. 

Make it instantly memorable.

As explained by Inc. , your resume must be scannable in six seconds or less in order to capture a recruiter’s attention. Don’t spend hours crafting the perfect description of your previous jobs while forgetting to label them clearly. In order of importance, prioritize your resume header, section headings and font readability. Section headings especially are not the place to get “cute” — leave the clever quips for your second interview. 

White space makes it easier to read.  

Leaving lots of white space might sound boring, or like there’s not enough content to fill a page. However, white space makes text easier to read and scan. Maintain a 12- or 11-pt. font for body text, and don’t be afraid to stretch your resume to two pages if need be. 

Tailor your resume to each job. 

This is a standard rule for every type of profession, especially those in which people talk. Educators are well connected within the teaching community, and you don’t want one school to discover you’ve applied to multiple teaching jobs with a copied-and-pasted resume. Your introduction below your header should be customized to each job post, and so should your list of skills. Likewise, review each of your own job descriptions to see if you can highlight aspects that may speak to the specific position you’re applying for. 

Show, don’t state. 

Simply listing your job responsibilities doesn’t tell much of a story. You can still use bullet points to explain your prior positions, but instead of saying, “Taught a 5th grade class of 25 students,” try to frame your duties through a lens of your accomplishments in that position. For example, you could say instead, “Designed Life Science lesson plans around authentic STEM engagements, resulting in an average 25% increase in 5th grade test scores by the end of the school year.” 

Support your experience with numbers . 

You may have noticed that several examples in this article feature hard data. This is the best way to convey that your classroom impact had real results. Keep track of your students’ progress, and note where it improved as a direct result of your instruction. If you no longer have access to data from a previous job, you can reach out to the school to ask if they can share those records from your tenure.  

Proofread and edit. Proofread and edit. Proofread and edit.

Any questions? 

Teacher Resume Template

Now it’s time to polish up your teaching resume and start sending it out! Use our free teacher resume template to organize your experience according to best practices, or feel free to customize the layout in your own version. Above all, remember to be authentic — you love teaching for a reason, so use your resume to demonstrate! 

If you’re looking ahead to your next teaching career move, or would like to learn more about expanding your educator skill set, a University of San Diego advisor can answer any questions you have. Our online Master of Education program is ideal for K–12 educators who want to make an even bigger impact in their classrooms and schools. Make an appointment with a USD advisor today to activate your teaching future. 

What do I put on my resume if I don’t have any teaching experience yet?

As we said above, everyone has to start somewhere. If you are a recent undergraduate, you can list any relevant academic accomplishments, internships, student teaching experience, extracurricular activities and volunteer work. Include academic references and letters of recommendation in your application materials, with their permission. If your bachelor’s degree is not in education, there are solutions — read our article on that topic here .

Should I send my resume in a Word doc or PDF?

The job posting or application will usually specify what file format to send your resume in. Microsoft Word docs are editable by the recipient, while PDFs provide the creator the option to prevent editing. However, some ATS software cannot process PDF content, so it’s best to send both file types or check with the job recruiter if you’re not sure.

How long should my teaching resume be?

One page is the standard recommendation for most types of resumes, but don’t be afraid to extend it to two, especially if your experience warrants the extra space. Font size should be no smaller than 11 pts., so if you can’t condense your content without crowding the page or leaving key information out, add an extra page to give your text room to breathe.

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Chronological Resume - Writing Guide With 5 Free Templates

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The chronological resume - also known as the “reverse chronological resume” - is the most popular resume format out there.

Particularly advisable for those with rich work history, the chronological resume prioritizes and lists your work experience and achievements from most to least recent.

This article is here to teach you all there is to know about creating a chronological resume.

  • What is a Chronological Resume? 

Chronological Resume Structure 

  • When to Use a Chronological Resume Format? 
  • 4 Free Chronological Resume Templates
  • How to Create a Chronological Resume - Step by Step
  • 9+ Chronological Resume Examples for All Industries

What is a Chronological Resume?

A chronological resume lists your work experiences and achievements starting from the current or most recent one, and following up with previous jobs below.

For this exact reason, the chronological resume is the perfect choice for job-seekers who have plenty of experience and achievements to list on their resume .  

What’s most important, studies point to the chronological resume being a favorite among recruiters, too.

Why? Well, because you are applying for a job, so work experience in your resume will be the first thing a recruiter looks out for.

But worry not, you can structure your resume in a chronological format even as a recent graduate too. Or, you can opt for other popular formats fitter to your profile.

But first, let’s go through the basics. 

The chronological resume follows a straightforward structure. The only thing to keep in mind is that your current or most recent experience - be it professional or educational - comes first.

The second most recent will follow, and so on.

Here are the main and most popular sections for the chronological resume structure:

  • Contact information
  • Professional title and resume summary/objective
  • Work experience and achievements
  • Education section
  • Your top soft/hard skills
  • Include optional sections (languages, certificates, volunteer experience, etc)

If you’re a recent college graduate and want to build your resume in the chronological structure format, you still can.

All you have to do is rearrange the order of your resume sections so that the education resume section comes first.

Here, too, make sure that your education entries are listed from the most to least recent, and you’re good to go!

If reading this is already looking too complicated and time-consuming, try out the Novorésumé online resume builder . Novorésumé provides 8+ free resume templates that follow the chronological resume structure. 

When to Use a Chronological Resume Format

The three main types of resume formats are the chronological, functional/skills-based one, and a combination resume format of the two. What you choose to use will depend on the type of job you are applying for and your experience level.

In the majority of cases, the obvious choice is the chronological resume. It is common, it highlights just the right sections, and job recruiters prefer it over the other formats.

Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean you should just cross the other options off your list, especially if your work experience doesn’t amount to much.

Consider these other two formats, taking into account their advantages and disadvantages as well: 

Functional Resume

  • Perfect for students or recent graduates, as it highlights your skills. 
  • Offers creative space for a varied portfolio 
  • Difficult to pass through the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) that most companies use to scan through countless resumes they receive daily. 
  • It conceals your experiences, however minor they might be. 

Combination Resume

  • A great choice for job-seekers with a diverse skill-set, because it highlights both skills and experiences. 
  • It can mask gaps in your employment history since you can also list your skills, so it’s the second-best option for those who lack work experience. 
  • It is a really good fit only for highly specialized professionals who have a very diverse skill-set. Say, for example, that you’re applying for a role that requires expertise in 3-4 different fields, and you want to show all that in your resume - then, the combination resume really is the one for you.
  • It is hard to organize. As a professional with a diverse skill-set, it might be a challenge to decide which part of your expertise to prioritize in the combination resume format.

4 Chronological Resume Templates 

Below, you will find 5 chronological resume templates out of many free resume templates. Dig right in to find the best match for you. 

#1. Creative Chronological Resume Template 

Creative Chronological Resume Template

#2: Modern Chronological Resume Template 

Modern Chronological Resume Template

#3: Professional Chronological Resume Template

Professional Chronological Resume Template

#4: Functional Chronological Resume Template

Functional Chronological Resume Template

How to Create a Chronological Resume

Now that we mentioned the traditional structure, let’s go through each section one by one to create the perfect chronological resume. 

#1: Start With a Contact Information Section 

Depending on the template you have chosen for your chronological resume, there is a possibility that your name will be directly followed by your professional title right at the top.

How do you fill up your professional title in chronological resume format? Easy. If you’re not looking to change career paths your professional title should be your current title. However, if you’re changing career paths, then choosing the combination resume mentioned above might be a better option for you.

Regarding the rest of the contact information section on your chronological resume, it should be current and lacking any typos. The mandatory elements of the information section include: 

  • First and last name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • LinkedIn URL (optional)

#2: Add a Resume Summary or Resume Objective

  Second in the chronological resume comes your ‘profile’ as a candidate, which is expressed through a resume summary or a resume objective .

Wondering what the difference is?

Well, the summary is a short (2-3 sentences) overview of your career so far and it is used in 90% of resumes - especially by those with two or more years of work experience. A summary is a perfect fit for the chronological resume.

On the contrary, a resume objective represents your aspirational career goal and highlights your skills, making it perfect for entry-level professionals with little work experience, or job-seekers looking to completely switch career paths. 

#3: Fill in Your Work Experience 

This is, without a doubt, the section that weighs the most when it comes to the chronological resume, so it’s vital that you get it right.

Your work experience section is there to show the recruiter what you can bring to the table through your past accomplishments and responsibilities and what the company would be gaining were they to hire you.   

Feeling pressured? Don’t. There are many practices to help your work experience section stand out in the eyes of the recruiter.

If you are looking for more tips and tricks to help you take your resume to the next level, head over to our beginner’s guide on how to write a resume . 

Here are the key points you should keep in mind when it comes to the work section:

  • This is the most important so we’ll be repeating it as many times as it takes: your current or latest job position should be placed on top. Then come the previous ones, all the way to your earliest job position. 
  • For each entry, list your job title and position, the company and its location, as well as the dates when you were employed. 
  • List your achievements and responsibilities, with a higher focus on quantifiable achievements, whenever you can. 
  • Use bullet points instead of just text to express what you have achieved and what you were responsible for in every job entry. 
  • Tailor the resume to the position you are applying for. For example, if you’ve had too many jobs in the past and some of them don’t relate to the field you are now applying for, then they are just taking space. Feel free to omit them.

Here’s a close-up of a work experience section in the chronological resume:   

reverse chronological work experience

#4: Add an Education Section

Generally, the education section comes right after work experience. 

If, however, you have just graduated college and want to create a chronological resume to start applying for jobs, the education section can replace the experience section that you’d be lacking. 

Either way, the education section should be brief but jam-packed with information that can communicate your values and skills to the recruiter.

Here’s what the education section consists of: 

  • Program Name: E.g. “MA in Conflict Resolution and Peace Studies” 
  • University Name: E.g. “University of Greenwich”
  • Period Attended: E.g. “08/1214 - 05/2018”
  • (Optional) GPA: E.g. “3.9 GPA”
  • (Optional) Honors: E.g. “ Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, Summa Cum Laude”
  • (Optional) Academic Achievements: E.g. Papers you might have published, or awards received.  
  • (Optional) Minor: E.g. “Minor in Political Science”  

#5: Spice Up Your Chronological Resume With Your Skills

Needless to say, the reverse-chronological order doesn’t really apply in the skills section. 

What you can do, however, is begin by listing your hard skills and then your soft skills. 

Unsure of what this means? 

  • Hard skills are measurable abilities. These can range from programming in Python language to knowing how to use Photoshop and InDesign.
  • Soft skills are personal skills. They vary from attitude to flexibility, motivation and teamwork. 

Listing your skills has its own peculiarities, so don’t pay this section less attention than the ones above it, especially if you’re a recent college student. Pay attention to skills specifically required at the job ad and if you have them, make sure to include them. 

Here’s an example of how your skills section can look like:  

skills on chronological resume

#6: Include Any of These Optional Sections

Last but not least, come these optional sections.  

Having them in your resume can earn you extra points and even separate you from the competitors, but only if they don’t make your resume longer than it should be (1-2 pages maximum) and if they are relevant to the job position.

Some of those sections include (but are not limited to):

  • Languages : If you speak two or more languages, don’t fail to put that in your resume. To list them, simply categorize your proficiency level into native, fluent, proficient, intermediate, or basic . 
  • Hobbies & Interests : They can help humanize you and show a part of your personality that work and education can’t. If
  • Volunteering Experience : Studies show that volunteering experience actually raises your chances of getting hired . 
  • Certification & Awards : If you have awards that make you stand out in your field or certifications from experts that are relevant to the position you are applying for, don’t hesitate to show them off!

Not sure how adding volunteering experience works? Check our article on how to list volunteer experience on your resume .  

10 Chronological Resume Examples for All Industries

Now let us walk you through a few practical examples of what the chronological resume looks like depending on the industry. 

#1. Business Chronological Resume

Business Chronological Resume

In the world of business, accomplishments matter. This is why in this business chronological resume , the work experience section is jam-packed with measurable information on what the employee achieved in his previous professional experiences. 

#2. Computer Science Chronological Resume

Computer Science Chronological Resume

Computer science jobs are heavily based on hard skills - in addition to your previous work experiences, that is. So, make sure to include your hard skills on your computer science resume to impress recruiters. 

#3. Architect Chronological Resume 

Architect Chronological Resume

As you can see from the example above, the sections that follow your work experience and education can be placed according to your profile. If, for example, you’ve worked on some side projects that you feel do your resume more justice than your skills, feel free to prioritize those projects.

In this article, you can find what’s expected from an architect’s resume in more detail.

#4. Nurse Chronological Resume  

Nurse Chronological Resume

Action verbs can really make an active professional like that of a nurse shine. So when you list your achievements under your experience, use strong verbs that can paint a picture of who you are and what you can do.

#5. Pharmacist Chronological Resume 

Pharmacist Chronological Resume

With plenty of attributes up their sleeve, the chronological format is the perfect choice for a pharmacist’s resume . 

#6. Project Manager Chronological Resume 

Project Manager Chronological Resume

Project manager resumes have good chances to show industry expertise - given they hold the manager title - and highlight successful projects. Feel free to do both in your chronological resume, as shown above. 

#7. Web Developer Chronological Resume

Web Developer Chronological Resume

As you can see in the example, the candidate has chosen to place his courses and training above his education. When you have followed courses or have been trained in the exact field of work where you’re applying, it makes sense to rank the field-specific courses and training higher than your university education. 

This article has more information on how to perfect your Web Developer Resume .

#8. Teacher Chronological Resume 

Teacher Chronological Resume

This is another “special” example of a chronological resume. Right after the experience section, the candidate has listed their volunteering experience. Not normally the case, it makes sense here because the volunteering experience has been as a tutor - which is pretty much the same thing as a teacher in the teacher resume . 

In cases when your volunteering experience is directly connected to the job you are applying for, feel free to list it under professional experience as well. 

#9. Bar Manager Chronological Resume 

Bar Manager Chronological Resume

For more info on how to update your own bar manager chronological resume for 2024, this is the article for you. 

#10. Human Resources Chronological Resume

Human Resources Chronological Resume

The example says it all: the chronological resume does wonders showing the peak of your work experience first, and then going back to your professional history and skills. This article on the HR chronological resume has more tips on how to perfect it.

Discover More Resume Templates

  • Combination Resume Templates
  • Creative Resume Templates
  • Functional Resume Templates
  • Minimalistic Resume Templates
  • High School Resume Templates
  • One Page Resume Templates
  • 2 Page Resume Templates
  • Google Docs Resume Templates
  • Word Resume Templates

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

Let’s do a quick recap of the main points covered in this article: 

  • The chronological resume - or reverse chronological - is a top choice among candidates with years of professional experience and a favorite among recruiters.
  • The chronological resume focuses on your work experience, starting your current or most recent one, and following up with the rest - from most to least recent.
  • Recent college graduates that want to use this format can - simply replace the work section with the education section, following the same reverse-chronological order.
  • Save time and energy building the reverse chronological resume from scratch by using online resume builders , such as the one Novorésumé offers.   

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Chronological Resume Example (With Writing Tips)

chronological resume sample for teacher

When to Use a Chronological Resume

When to use a different resume format, what to include in a chronological resume, tips for writing a chronological resume, how to format a chronological resume, chronological resume example, frequently asked questions (faqs).

What is a chronological resume, and when should you use one? A chronological resume lists your work history in reverse chronological order. That is, the top of your resume lists your most recent job first. Your previous role is directly below that, and so on. 

This type of resume affords you the opportunity to give pride of place to your most recent and outstanding talents, skills, and expertise, ensuring that a hiring manager will be interested enough to read through your entire resume.

Review information on when to use a chronological resume, when to choose a different format, what to include, writing and formatting tips, and examples.

Key Takeaways

  • Chronological resumes are a good fit for most job seekers. If you have a limited job history, employment gaps, or did some job hopping, consider using a different format. 
  • Include the standard sections—contact information, education, and experience—in your resume and consider adding optional sections like a profile.  
  • Pay attention to your word choices and formatting. Your resume should be easy to scan through, as well as be full of details that match the job description and play up your most relevant qualifications. 

Chronological resumes  are the most commonly used format, and for good reason. Most employers prefer candidates who have current or very recent experience in their career fields. Plus, it's the easiest option to create.  

The more experienced a potential new employee is, the less likely it will be that the employer will have to spend time and money to train them after they’re hired.

If you have a straightforward work history—one where you have work experience in the job area you are targeting, with few significant unemployment gaps—then a chronological resume is the way to go.

While it’s fine to include several job descriptions in your “Professional Experience” section, you don't need to present more than 10 years of employment in the work history section of a resume. Doing so may result in your application being screened out by employers guilty of ageism.

While most candidates will opt for the chronological resume format, it's not always the best choice. Consider a non-chronological  functional resume  or a  combination resume  format if you: 

  • Have done a lot of job-hopping
  • Have employment gaps
  • Do not have a work history
  • You're working in a different field than the one you're currently targeting 

These alternate resume formats allow you to place your most relevant experience at the top of the document, even if the role isn't the most recent one. 

Take a look at the sections you'll include in a chronological resume: 

  • Contact information:  This is where you'll inform potential employers how to reach you. This should go on the very top of the page—along with your phone number, email, and address. This section also includes your name in a bigger font size. 
  • Experience:  This is generally the heart of your resume, where you share your previous work experience. In a chronological resume, this is listed in order from most to least recent. 
  • Education:  In this section, you'll list your education background, along with any certifications, professional development, and academic accomplishments. 
  • Skills:  Here, you'll highlight your hard skills, such as computer skills and language skills.  

You can also choose to include an objective statement, resume profile, or career summary on your resume. These optional sections generally summarize your skills and experience. In the case of an objective statement, you also call out your employment goals.

As you're writing your resume, keep these tips in mind: 

  • Create top-notch job descriptions:  As you describe your previous jobs, look for ways to  make them sound impressive . Try adding numbers and incorporating  action verbs . Don't limit yourself by simply listing out day-to-day responsibilities. Instead, look for ways to highlight your achievements. 
  • Avoid "I" and "me":  It's customary to write resumes in the third person. So, in a job description, instead of saying "I managed a team of five people," you'd simply say, "Managed a team of five people." 
  • Match your qualifications to the job :  Employers are most interested in your relevant qualifications. That is, it's lovely if you're skilled at accounting best practices, but if you're being hired for marketing, that may not be very meaningful to your hiring manager. Look for ways to showcase skills that are mentioned in the job ad and are needed in the role at hand. 
  • Carefully eliminate all typos and errors:  Having a typo makes your resume appear unprofessional. It also reflects poorly on you, as well as potentially makes you appear sloppy and poor at handling details. Read through your resume carefully to catch—and remove—errors and typos. 
  • Include relevant keywords:  Both hiring managers and automated tracking systems (ATS) look for  keywords in resumes . Including them in the document can help you increase your chances of landing a job interview. 

A resume is a formal document, with fairly set guidelines for how it should look. If your resume looks different from the usual format, you should have a very good reason. For instance, a design-focused role might offer more freedom to deviate from the norm. Here are some formatting strategies to keep in mind: 

  • Consider using a template:   Resume templates , which are available through word processing software such as Google Docs and Microsoft Word, can help you cut down on the labor to create the document. A template can be a very helpful starting point as you create or update your resume. 
  • Choose a readable font:  Make sure to choose a standard font (think: Times New Roman or Arial) that's easy to read. Don't make the size too small because you're looking to include lots of information on a single page. 
  • Make sure it's easy to read on the screen and when printed out:  Few people want to read a document with cramped margins and a tiny font. Try to make your resume easy to scan by using bullet points, strategically bolded text, and incorporating plenty of white space. 

This is an example of a chronological resume.  Download the chronological resume template  (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) or see below for a text version of the resume.

The Balance

Chronological Resume Example (Text Version)

James Applicant Edmond, OR 555-555-1212 james.applicant@email.com

Energetic and motivating leader with a proven ability to effectively manage both staff and long and short-term projects. A self-starter and strong independent worker who excels at analyzing products and procedures in order to generate new ideas that improve efficiency and production quality.

  PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

COMFORT, INC., Edmond, OR MANAGER (2018-Present) Manage daily operations of a $1 million foam insulation company.

  • Train and supervise work crews in more efficient product installation techniques resulting in reduced material waste by 20% and labor hours by 43%.
  • Instrumental in developing sales team’s knowledge in the areas of building science and energy conservation in order to provide customers with the information to successfully plan for, and utilize, spray foam insulation.

MILITARY BASE. Edmond, OR DATA NETWORK MANAGER (2016-2018) Managed command and control data network used to generate video representation of geographic area surrounding the ship. The team consisted of 38 individuals from four departments.

  • Production Control Officer - Coordinated the efforts of 135 personnel utilizing 37,000 man hours. Completed 520 jobs totaling over $4 million during a 13-month refurbishment period.
  • Assistant Command Duty Officer - Directed daily routine utilizing a duty section of 600 personnel from 12 different departments.

MILITARY BASE. Edmond, OR INSTRUCTOR PILOT (2012–2016)               Administered, coordinated, and supervised flight and academic training for the United States flight training program that encompassed over 200 instructors and 600 students in five units.

  • Coordinated and supervised four Flight Commanders to ensure that pilot completion rates met quarterly and annual goals.
  • Managed and scheduled 11 instructor pilots and 38 flight students to complete primary and intermediate level flight training.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

  • AUBURN UNIVERSITY, MBA in Finance, 2021
  • UNIVERSITY OF COSTA RICA , Bachelor of Arts in Business Economics, 2012
  • Aviator - Advanced Flight Training, United States Flight Patrol

In what order should work history be listed on a resume?

In a chronological resume, which is the most common format, work history is listed in reverse chronological order. Your current or most recent job is listed first, followed by your other jobs in descending order. Your oldest job is listed last.

What is the difference between a chronological and a functional resume?

A chronological resume focuses on your employment history, while a functional resume highlights your skills and qualifications for a job. A combination resume includes your top qualifications plus your chronological work history.

CareerOneStop. “ Resume Styles ."

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Chronological Résumé Sample

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Media File: Chronological Résumé Sample

This style of organization is very conservative, and it is most useful for people who have work experience in positions which are closely related to their desired employment. This style is also most suited to people who have not had long periods of unemployment time between jobs. This format starts with the present, or most recent, job and progresses back in time.

Click on the "Media File" link above to see the chronological résumé sample.

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    This sample teacher resume uses the chronological format to focus on the applicant's experience.

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  11. How to Write a Chronological Resume (Tips and Examples)

    Image description Chronological resume format Chronological resumes typically follow a standard structure to help employers review your information quickly. You can include the following sections on a chronological resume:

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    If you must choose a serif typeface, save it for the header (your name). Stay away from decorative fonts — flourishes, bubble letters and other ornamentation are simply distracting. Font size: Body text should be 11-12pts. Go 2-4pts. larger for section headings, and 6-10 pts. larger than that for your name.

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    Your top soft/hard skills Include optional sections (languages, certificates, volunteer experience, etc) If you're a recent college graduate and want to build your resume in the chronological structure format, you still can. All you have to do is rearrange the order of your resume sections so that the education resume section comes first.

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    Key Takeaways Chronological resumes are a good fit for most job seekers. If you have a limited job history, employment gaps, or did some job hopping, consider using a different format. Include the standard sections—contact information, education, and experience—in your resume and consider adding optional sections like a profile.

  20. Chronological Resume Guide: Template and Tips

    Chronological resume format. If you have less than 10 years of work experience, you'll likely aim to create a one-page resume, while your resume will likely be longer if you have more experience.Therefore, it's important to be strategic with the information you include and keep it relevant to the type of job you're hoping to get.

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    Keep font size as 11-12 for the contents and 13-14 for headings. Set the resume margins to 1 inch on all sides. Organize the information in neat paragraphs. Limit your teacher's resume to one page. Save it in a PDF file format (unless the job ad specifies otherwise.)

  23. Chronological Résumé Sample

    Media File: Chronological Résumé Sample. This style of organization is very conservative, and it is most useful for people who have work experience in positions which are closely related to their desired employment. This style is also most suited to people who have not had long periods of unemployment time between jobs.