Each school district is looking for their teachers to possess specific qualities, regardless of the subject that is being taught. If you are looking for and want to land a new teaching position, make certain that these qualities are conveyed in your resume and/or cover letter:

Passionate about the subject. Ability to reach out to, support, and motivate all students. Talent for differentiating instruction. Demonstrated capability to develop creative lesson plans that promote hands-on learning. Help students develop problem solving, socialization, and other key skills. Ability to increase literacy rates and instil a love for reading and writing.

Why these traits are important to hiring districts:

Your enthusiasm and excitement for a subject, regardless of what it is, is infectious. If students see that Mathematics can be fun, they are far more likely to remain interested and focused. Each classroom is different and encompasses multiple intelligences and learning styles. A good teacher is able to reach out to each student, spark his or her interest, and provide the appropriate support and motivation. Supporting a student may involve providing after-school tutoring, collaborating with staff and parents to develop an Individualized Education Plan or Program, adapting instructional techniques, or simply offering more positive encouragement. Children deserve the chance to learn and succeed, and it is up to you to help each and every one of them. Differentiating instruction relates directly to the point above. Since students learn via different methods, it is key that you are able to be adaptable and remain flexible in your teaching styles. By facilitating auditory, visual, tactile, and kinesthetic learners, you are able to ensure that the children are able to understand and retain the information through whichever manner suits them best. Creativity sparks interest and curiosity and decreases boredom. By keeping lesson plans fun and hands-on, students remain focused, on-track, and eager to learn more. These skills are crucial for progressing to the next academic level, as well as succeeding in the real world. Since teachers are one of the primary points of contact for children, it is crucial that problem solving and socialization skills are modeled in the classroom and fostered by the instructor. Even if you are not an English or Language Arts teacher, you can still utilize literature to instruct students. Convey what types of literary activities you incorporate into everyday lessons and demonstrate what kind of impact it has left on students.

There are several different methods for showcasing these traits in your resume and cover letter. You can put them under your job description or achievements listed under the different job positions; create an areas of expertise section, which focuses on the aforementioned qualities; or highlight them in the introductory paragraph of your resume. Within the cover letter, you may choose to develop a separate paragraph detailing your greatest strengths (i.e. the qualities listed above). Regardless of where you include them, make sure they are somewhere in your documents. If a potential employer sees that you lack these desired qualities, he or she will move on to the next candidate. However, if you make these traits really stand out in your documents, you as a teacher will stand out as well.

Candace Davies, Owner of A+ Resumes for Teachers is certified as a Professional Resume Writer, Certified Interview Coach, Certified Employment Interview Professional, Associate Certified Career Coach, and Electronic Career Coach.

Visit her website at http://www.resumes-for-teachers.com or email candoco@telus.net

For Administrators:

http://www.resumes-for-principals.com/PIE/Principals-Interview-Edge.php

For Teachers:

http://www.resumes-for-teachers.com/ebook/Teachers-Interview-Edge.php




By: Candace Davies