resume examples for former teachers

Feeling stuck in your career change out of the classroom? click here!

GET THE COURSE

MEMBERS LOGIN

Let's find out!

I'm the founder of teacher career coach. i'm a former teacher who's worked for fortune 500 companies and some of the fastest growing edtech companies. i've been featured in wsj, forbes, and npr for my work helping thousands of teachers transition from teaching., get a breakdown of your strengths plus career recommendations based on your answers..

former teacher

The teacher career coach course has helped thousands of teachers step out of the classroom & into a new career. tap the button below to learn more..

Teacher Career Change Resume: Tips to Help You Land that Job!

TeacherCareerCoach

If you want to land that new job, you’ll have to work hard on your teacher career change resume. Remember, your teacher transition resume is your first impression. It’s all about showcasing those transferrable skills and highlighting why you’re the best fit for getting the job done.

If you need help leaving the classroom, check out the  Teacher Career Coach Course .  This step-by-step guide has helped thousands with a transition from teaching. Save time and get support with every step of picking a new path, rewriting your resume, and answering tricky interview questions. You’ll also get access to our judgement-free community of over 5,000 current and former teachers who bounce ideas and seek advice from each other.

It can be intimidating applying to jobs outside of the classroom, no matter how badly you want out! You may be having a hard time identifying the experiences to highlight on your resume. Maybe you’re struggling with how to write them in a way that applies to a job outside of the classroom. Anyhow, you’re about to break through that barrier! Here are some of my top tips from the Teacher Career Coach Course . These will help you put your best foot forward and land that interview! But first, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You don’t have to start from scratch.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m just a teacher,” it’s time to look closely at all you do on a daily basis as part of that role. Honestly, teachers are some of the most skillful and multi talented professionals I know. The truth is, many teachers battle with Impostor Syndrome , often overlooking their achievements and the value they bring to the table in many careers. Whether you realize it or not, the skills and accomplishments you have already achieved will make a stellar resume. (Trust me.)

You are an asset to your school, and you’ll be an asset wherever your career transition takes you next. First, identify your career accomplishments as a teacher. Then you can effectively apply them to the next chapter of your working life. Without knowing the specifics of your teaching experience, as a former teacher, I know you have desirable skills and valuable experience. Don’t be afraid to brag about yourself. Your new career change resume should reflect your many achievements and in-demand teacher skills! 

Teacher Career Change Resume Resources

In this post, I gathered expert advice to help you master rewriting those resume skills. I want to help you avoid the most common mistakes teachers make when writing their teacher career change resume. Read on to learn how you can tweak your teaching-focused resume to highlight your skills and experience that apply jobs outside of the classroom.

You can also listen to my interview with HR and resume writing expert Alli Arney to learn how to effectively translate your teaching experience on your transition resume . 

Let’s get to rebranding your expertise, shall we? 

*But first a note!* Much of what you include in your resume and cover letter will be dependent on the job for which you’re applying. If you’re not sure what jobs you’re qualified for or even what’s out there, take a look at Best Jobs For Former Teachers . This post will give you an idea of what’s out there, who’s hiring, and what you need to qualify for a position.

Writing a Cover Letter for Your Resume

Every teacher career change resume needs a cover letter! Your cover letter introduces who you are and what you can offer in position X at company Y. A common mistake I see teachers make is creating a generic cover letter to send with all of their applications. 

Some hiring managers may approach your application with the assumption you’re willing to take any job outside of the classroom. Even if that’s the truth, you don’t want the hiring manager to know that. Use the cover letter and an opportunity to showcase why their job is a great fit for you and what you can bring to the table for their company. Hiring managers want someone qualified, excited about the position, and a good fit for the company culture. 

Make sure every cover letter is unique to the job and company you are sending it to. Add in specifics regarding what excites you about the role and how your experience will translate into the new responsibilities. Do research about the company and address how you are equally passionate about their core values and company culture. You will learn so much from a company’s website, including its mission statement and core values.

Get Started on Your Cover Letter

First, start with an introduction paragraph. This will likely stay the same on every cover letter as you introduce yourself. Next, add five to six bullet points about why you are qualified for this specific position and reflect on your qualifying achievements. For example, I am constantly focused on collaborative relationships and strategic partnerships that advance the mission, vision, and goals of the organization. Last, add a closing statement about the position to which you’re applying, why it excites you, and how you will be able to effectively fulfill the role and responsibilities.

Add an Elevator Pitch to Your Teacher Career Change Resume

An elevator pitch is basically highlights who you are, your area of expertise, and your career intentions. It’s clear, concise, and is key to a teacher transition resume. Think about it like this: Imagine being on an elevator and only having about 30 seconds to sell yourself to the hiring manager. You should utilize your elevator pitch on your resume and when you get in front of a hiring manager at an interview. Just like your cover letter, this pitch should always be catered to a specific audience rather than being overly generic. 

Practice your elevator pitch so that it is second nature. It may sound silly but practicing your pitch in front of a friend or even a mirror helps. You can gain confidence in front of a hiring manager or an interview committee after practicing.

Again, an elevator pitch goes beyond your resume. Have your pitch handy at networking events, in job interviews, on any social bios, and in your resume header. Let’s say you are an experienced teacher looking for a transition into a Training and Development Manager position. Here’s an example of an elevator pitch you could use at a networking event or in your LinkedIn bio:

Elevator Pitch Examples

“ I have more than 10 years of experience in training and development as a high school teacher where I have planned, directed, and coordinated various vocational programs. I am skilled in the ADDIE Model and various training methodologies, and I am currently looking to transition from the classroom to the corporate world. If you know anyone who is adding to their Training and Development Team, I hope you’ll send them my way. “

To adjust it to be more resume friendly, you could make the following tweaks:

“I have more than 10 years of experience in training and development as a high school teacher where I have planned, directed, and coordinated various vocational programs. I am skilled in the ADDIE Model and a variety of training methodologies, and I am currently looking to make a transition from the classroom to the corporate world as a Corporate Trainer at Company X.”

While your elevator pitch is short and sweet, you should always be prepared for follow-up questions. Make sure you are comfortable with the different occupational terms and acronyms associated with any career path you seek. This shows your audience that you are knowledgeable and ready to move into that field of work.

Developing Your Teacher Career Change Resume: Formatting Essentials

When it comes to your teacher transition resume, we need to talk about the big F-word: Formatting. 

A whopping 75% of resumes NEVER GET OPENED or seen by a hiring manager. One of the biggest culprits? Formatting. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to sift through applications before they even make their way to a hiring manager’s hands. Luckily there are a few formatting tips that can help you pass the test. 

Length, File Format, and Other Tips for Your Teacher Career Change Resume

When it comes to the length of your resume, it really depends on your experience. While one-page resumes were once a rule-of-thumb, most resumes are now one and a half to two pages. However, if you have 15 years of work experience, you shouldn’t shy away from your accomplishments. In that case, it’s totally acceptable to have a 2-page resume. 

Next, you want to focus on another F-word: file format. There are different platforms and software, but I recommend you send your resume as a Word document, unless otherwise specified. So, when you go to save your resume file, be sure it’s saved in the .doc or .docx format. ATS will reject files saved in Pages, Excel, or JPEG format. 

The last big resume formatting tip is about style . If your go-to is a creative and colorful template that landed you your job in the classroom, it’s time for a change. Simple, chronological resume templates are your best bet in the corporate world, listing your experience starting with your most recent job. This is the most popular resume style, and it’s best for ATSs. It also happens to be preferred by recruiters and HR professionals, so you really can’t go wrong here. 

A chronological resume should be written to include the following elements in the listed order: 

• Header (including your personal information and your keyword-rich elevator pitch) 
• Technology experience and expertise 
• Current volunteer experience (if applicable)

Developing Your Teacher Career Change Resume: Spill About Your Skills (the Right Way). 

As a teacher, you already have skills that can be utilized in the corporate world. It’s time to brag about them. Before you can do that, you have to move past any Impostor Syndrome you may be experiencing and acknowledge the value, experience, and expertise you have to offer. Trust me. You have a lot more to offer in roles outside of the classroom than you may think.

For example, your organization and multitasking skills can easily transfer to administrative tasks. Parent-teacher conferences give you the experience to handle customer service situations, conflict resolution, and stakeholder engagement. You’re no stranger to goat setting or data tracking and analysis. Think about any committees or after-school activities you’ve contributed to or helped organize as project management experience. 

Related Resources: Creating your Instructional Designer Resume

WALKING THE WALK AND TALKING THE TALK

It’s not just about identifying your transferable skills but how you translate them on your resume.

Here are three of my biggest tips to help you effectively translate your transferable skills and experience on your teacher transition resume. 

First, be specific by quantifying your accomplishments . 

Second, unless you transition into an education-based role, leave out the teacher-specific terminology, acronyms, or pedagogy. One of the biggest mistakes teachers make on their transition resumes is not rewriting or translating their resume experience so that it is applied to the world outside of the classroom setting. 

Make sure you are showcasing your skills and experience in a way that translates into the new roles you are looking for. Hiring managers don’t want to see you as a teacher. They want to see you as someone qualified for and ready to take on the role you are applying for.  Depending on the role, managers don’t want to know about record keeping for 25 students, but that you managed a portfolio of 25 clients. They don’t want to hear about teaching pedagogy and lesson planning but about training strategy and training materials. The corporate world isn’t about grading and cumulative assessments but about data tracking and analysis. 

Go back to your career buckets. Figure out which teaching duties fall under each and then focus on translating the teacher-specific language into corporate-appropriate terminology.  Then you’ll have an already translated list you can easily pull from any time you need to tailor a resume for a new job. 

Do Your Research For Your Teacher Career Change Resume

Last but not least, do your research and include job and industry-specific language and keywords in your resume. These terms should be peppered throughout your elevator pitch summary and throughout your highlighted experiences throughout your resume. Not only will using the language make your experience and skills more relatable to the position you are applying for, but it will show the hiring manager that you have done the work and are fully committed to stepping into the role, rather than a teacher looking for any new job they can get. 

Insider tip? You can utilize job descriptions as a tool, looking for the keywords and experiences highlighted throughout. Find a way to incorporate the industry-specific language as you translate your skills and experiences. Just make sure you know enough to expand upon the ideas if asked in an interview.

If you don’t feel like you have experience in any of the major keywords that pop up, look them up before you write them off. You likely have more experience than you are giving yourself credit for. More often than not, teachers have the skills. They’re just used to calling it something else.

Acquiring New Skills for Your Teacher Change Resume

Even after translating all of your relevant experience, you might find that there are some areas where you are lacking and that’s okay. Depending on the experiences you had while teaching and the role you are looking to transition into, you might find that there are certain skills that would be beneficial to have to make you a more desirable candidate. 

The good news is you can work on new skills while you are still teaching in the classroom. There are a variety of online classes and tutorials you can take at home and add to your teacher transition resume. The added keywords will make it easier for you to find a new career and you’ll likely go into it feeling more confident and prepared. 

Developing your Teacher Career Change Resume: Final Thoughts.

I know that was a lot of information. Maybe you were already stressed about writing your career transition resume, and now you’re feeling even more overwhelmed. If that’s the case, start by taking a deep breath. (Right here, right now). You don’t have to write and send out a hundred resumes in one day, or even one week. 

In fact, you don’t have to write hundreds of resumes at all. 

A lot of teachers ask, “Do I have to create a million different resume templates for all of these jobs?”   Absolutely not. While you should tweak your resume to fit each specific position you are applying for, you can save time by creating a template for each general category of positions you apply to. For example, you might have one template for training-type positions and another for jobs that fall under curriculum writing and instructional design categories. 

One final word of advice? When it comes to taking resume writing advice, please, please, please vet your source to ensure the information applies to the position and industry you are applying to.

Teacher Career Change, Beyond the Resume

Developing a professional teacher transition resume is just the first step on your journey to a new career. If you have more questions like: How do I get employers to notice my resume? What kind of jobs am I qualified for? What do I do after I get the interview?!?

I want you to know that if being in the classroom is no longer an option for you, there are many career options for teachers. As a former teacher who transitioned out of the classroom, I have been at that crossroads. I successfully moved from teaching into a new career that has left me happier, healthier, and more relaxed than I ever could have been in the classroom.

Next steps to a new career

One of the biggest mistakes that we see teachers make is that they try to  navigate this process alone . Often, they put off “researching” until the very last minute. Which sets them up for a very stressful application season. I want to help you get some clarity in the options available to you. To know EXACTLY what you need to do (and not do) in order to get your foot in the door. You don’t have to do this on your own. With the help of an HR expert with over 10 years of experience and a team of former teachers, I’ve created a guide to support you in the early stages of your transition out of the classroom.  Tap the button below to learn more .

free quiz: what career outside of the classroom is right for you? →

TERMS OF USE

©2024 DAPHNE WILLIAMS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

SIGN ME UP ➤

Join our community of over 100,000 current and former educators to receive the advice, encouragement, and judgment-free support you need to start moving forward in your career.

Receive free tips straight to your inbox

Build my resume

• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• Free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

5 Teacher Career Change Resume Examples For 2024

Teacher Career Change

Best for professionals eager to make a mark.

Looking for one of the best resume templates? Your accomplishments are sure to stand out with these bold lines and distinct resume sections.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

Teacher Career Change Resume

• Teacher Career Change Resumes
• Teacher Career Change Resume Writing 101

Hardly a day passed without Demetri thinking of his favorite programming projects, and his ability to work with a diverse group boosted his confidence: After teaching math for several years, he was ready to switch gears—but was his teacher career change resume equally prepared?

Demetri knew he’d need a standout resume layout to reflect his organized and analytical mindset to get a position at the Academy of Art University. He also planned to take advantage of a free cover letter builder to enhance a career-switch resume, too. So, after researching the academy, he began outlining his most relevant accomplishments.

Are you in a similar position, looking to shift your career path in a fresh direction? If so you might want to look through our selection of resume examples and tips like the ones that helped Demetri switch careers successfully!

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• For example, look at Demetri’s resume and how they add Python and SQL to show the employer they know the nitty-gritty of software engineering. Add more finesse by treading the fine line and add a skill that’s important in both teaching and your desired role: problem-solving is a befitting example here.

Teacher Career Change 2 Resume

Teacher Career Change 3 Resume

Teacher Career Change 4 Resume

Teacher Career Change 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• Rn Career Change
• Operations Manager
• Business Analyst
• Career Change

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Professional Experience

Your skills section might seem a bit confusing at first if you’re switching careers—do you list skills related to your old job, or the new one? Well, it’s a bit of both! You want to prove that you’ve mastered the general essentials of teaching as they apply to the career you’re switching to.

Recruiters want to see skills that relate directly to the role you’re applying for, so avoid including subject-specific points from your previous role unless they overlap with the new job’s description. If you’re aiming to work in software development, don’t emphasize English teaching skills!

And ensure that you’re as specific as possible, especially with your soft skills and software tools. Name your favorite programs, and spell out exactly how you’re good at interacting with others.

Check out these examples:

9 most popular teacher career change skills

• Problem-solving
• Project Planning
• Data Presentation
• MS Excel/PowerPoint

Sample teacher career change work experience bullet points

Now that you’ve told recruiters how you’ve taught and helped students, it’s time to cite examples of the times you’ve fostered a successful group environment in the past! Think of ways your past teaching accomplishments can suggest future achievements in different settings.

If you use to teach history and are pursuing a career change to become a real estate agent, think of experience examples that feature things like lesson adjustments (which are parallel to customizing lease agreements). Or think of things more technically and share stories about how you helped others overcome obstacles.

No matter what you’ve taught or helped your students achieve, you’ll need to give recruiters some solid metrics for your success! You can make any AI resume unique by using quantifiable data to back your claims—especially if you have satisfaction or engagement rates that would transfer well to other jobs.

Here are some good examples:

• Created and taught a refresher course for standardized testing to 28 students, 92% of which passed
• Established an after-school club with honors students to develop apps using Python to enhance students’ learning experience and provide tutoring that resulted in an 11% increase in engagement
• Worked with physics instructor to develop lesson plans, curriculum, and assignments for a first-year program for 31 students, resulting in a grade average of B+
• Created tests, quizzes, homework packets, and in-class activities to teach objectives, re-teaching lessons to ensure that a student passing rate of 94% or more

Top 5 Tips for Your Teacher Career Change Resume

• Remember: Just because your focus should be on the career you’re aiming for doesn’t mean you can’t include great points from previous class experiences! Things that carry over well across fields include test score increases, student engagement percentages, and feedback ratings. These show your ability to foster individual and group success.
• Any of our templates will help you make your qualifying teaching experiences look good, but pick whichever one makes the big picture look downright great! Make sure each section is clear, with a good hierarchy in your resume layout so that recruiters have an easy time skimming over what qualifies you for your new role.
• A career switch is a great time to utilize a handy resume objective! Just make sure your objective statement is concise and packed with new, valuable information about your personal selling points. Focus on stepping into your new job, and avoid listing teaching-related points that you’re planning to address later.
• Even if many of your experience points naturally relate to your previous area of expertise in the classroom, your skills section can include software and interpersonal abilities that speak more to your qualification for the new role. Showcase any instances when you utilized objective, technical skills behind-the-scenes in your previous job, too!
• Switch up your metrics to keep things interesting and show how well-rounded your abilities are. Whenever possible, tie them in with the new job role you’re applying for through context or relevant backstory, like tutoring classes you led or group projects that involved specific programs.

Letters of recommendation would absolutely be helpful in your situation! A few professional reference letters can help bridge the gap between your history as a teacher and where you hope to work next by testifying to your transferable abilities.

Stick with one page and one page only! Anything on page two is unlikely to get through anyway—recruiters really prefer short resumes that are quick to read through. And concision shows your ability to adapt smoothly during your transition to a totally new career.

You want your resume to look modern, clean, and professional. If you want to use a little bit of color as a highlight here and there, go for it, but avoid anything that distracts from what makes you perfect for the new job. Use sleek fonts for readability, too!

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

75 Frightfully Fun Halloween Activities 👻

Leaving Teaching? How To Make Your Resume Stand Out in the Corporate World

Make the most out of your job search!

If you’re a teacher leaving the profession in search of a career that can give you more flexibility, creativity, and autonomy, you’ll need some teacher resume tips to help you stand out from the crowd.

Don’t think of yourself as “just a teacher.” Your experiences and skill set align with many jobs outside of teaching. It’s just a matter of how you present it in your resume. For example, teachers have a level of work ethic and determination that can translate to many different roles.

Here are three resume tips to make teachers more desirable to potential employers:

Resume Tip for Teachers #1: Relate the job description to your experience.

When you apply to teaching positions, you typically think about your experience and outline it on your resume. Usually, it looks something like this:

• Taught third and fifth grade while serving as a member of the Leadership Team
• Served as an Instructional Coach
• Guided district teachers in effective instructional practices
• Mentored student teachers through the credential process

Unfortunately, this experience might not be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Honestly, recruiting and hiring managers may have no idea what these experiences mean. Instead, identify elements in the job description that relate to your experience and list them out to explain the connection.

Let’s look at this job description for an ed-tech job:

• Develop new material including courses, lesson plans, challenging problems, and other educational resources for in-person courses
• Work with Curriculum Team Leads, Senior Curriculum Developers, and other Curriculum Developers to plan new material
• Review and provide feedback on material created by other team members and incorporate feedback from others into your materials

How can your experience and skills fit the job description? Think about it in terms of your professional planning and lesson plan experience.

Change your wording:

• Developed lesson plans and other educational resources for in-person and hybrid courses
• Worked with team members, as part of a Professional Learning Community , to plan and develop new course material, lesson plans, and assessments
• Reviewed and provided feedback on lessons and assessments created by other team members and received feedback on my materials in order to improve learning for students

This description embeds the key words that are listed in the job description. It also relates to the work you did as a teacher. Change your experiences in your resume for every job you apply for in your job search . It’s important to relate your experiences to the specific requirements listed in the job description. This will help the hiring manager see the connection between your skills and the job they’re hiring for.

Resume Tip for Teachers #2: Be specific with numbers.

Your resume is an opportunity to showcase your skills through data and numbers. Be specific about the work you’ve done, and write it in a way that will show hiring managers you can increase productivity.

Your resume might look like this right now:

• Led and supported school staff through the process of PBIS implementation
• Supported teachers in integrating 21st-century skills into their lessons
• Created and organized an intervention program in grades 3 through 5

Although these experiences are noteworthy, they don’t really paint a picture for hiring managers. So use data and numbers to make your experience more compelling.

Try something like this:

• Led and supported school staff through the first-ever implementation of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and decreased student referrals from 37% to 12%
• Through leadership with PBIS, student attendance across grades 1 and 2 increased from 67% to 89% within three months of structured interventions
• Supported teachers in integrating 21st-century skills into their lessons and helped 42% of teachers increase their evaluation scores from 3 to 4
• Created and organized an intervention program in grades 3 through 5 and increased student academic achievement in math from 43% proficiency to 78% proficiency

Including this type of data will show hiring managers that your hard work and skills increased productivity within your organization. ADVERTISEMENT

Resume Tip for Teachers #3: Be specific in your cover letter.

Make your application stand out with a cover letter. It’s your chance to be specific about your experience. You can drive home the relevance of your skills and how they relate to the job you’re applying for.

Instead of starting off with the typical …

Please accept this letter as an application for the position of _ for _. I am passionate about instructional design and have a strong foundation in instructional coaching and assessment design and trends. I have a deep understanding of K-12 education, as well as connecting assessment to instruction through data interpretation.

… be honest with the hiring manager. Start off with something that lets them know you’re changing roles. Your experiences can translate to the new role even though your only experience is teaching.

It can sound something like this:

I am writing to express interest in the position of _ for _. As an experienced educator, I have the skills and disposition to excel in this role.

I am making the change from classroom teacher to a role in _ and feel my abilities and experiences would be an asset to your team.

These are some of the skills I can bring to your company:

• List out skills that relate to the job description and your skills.
• Make connections, add data, and be specific.
• Limit it to three points and use the keywords from the job description.

The most important thing to keep in mind is don’t give up.

Transitioning out of teaching is hard and there is a lot of competition out there, but companies are hiring ( labor shortage , anyone?). Create a LinkedIn profile and use these same tips to showcase your experience. Start connecting with recruiters, hiring managers, and employees at the companies you want to work for.

When it’s interview time, check out some ways AI can help you nail your next interview .

Plus, if you need help with your resignation letter, check out these resignation letter examples .

For more articles like this, be sure to subscribe to our newsletters .

You Might Also Like

36 Jobs for Teachers Who Want To Leave the Classroom but Not Leave Education Entirely

Take stock of your skills and make your move. Continue Reading

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. 5335 Gate Parkway, Jacksonville, FL 32256

• • Taught 5 classes of 20 students each
• • Increased student performance by 34%
• • Мaintaining the school website, updating news and essential information
• • Created and graded bi-weekly assignments
• • Participating in the design of teaching materials
• • Holding classes on MS Office and coding basics
• • Created teaching materials for students aged 15-19
• • Developed lessons that helped students understand complex mathematical concepts in an interactive way
• • Adopted a 'blended learning' approach that boosted students' creativity and problem-solving skills
• • Came up with assignments that tested students' abilities
• • Delivered math lessons in English
• • Increased pass rate by 30% on standardized tests
• • Provided moral support to students
• • Held out-of-class groups for students who wanted to improve their math skills
• • Supervised children aged 15-18 and encouraged social interaction

10 Teacher Career Change Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Teacher for career change focuses on guiding individuals transitioning into education by providing resources and support. Highlight your relevant experience, educational background, and any certifications that pertain to teaching. Consider adding communication, adaptability, and classroom management to your credentials. Emphasizing your ability to connect with diverse learners and your commitment to fostering a positive learning environment will demonstrate your worth to potential employers.

All resume examples in this guide

Single Column

Resume Guide

Teacher Career Change Resume

Resume Format

Resume Experience

Hard & Soft Skills

Certification & Education

Resume Summary & Objective

Additional Resume Sections

Key Takeaways

Teacher burnout is no joke.

You’ve probably considered changing your career for a while now.

Yet, how do you overcome the stereotypes that go with being “just” a teacher? How do you prove that you can thrive in a different industry?

Continue reading to find out how to:

• Adapt your teacher career change resume for various other roles;
• Use our teacher career change resume example to craft your own;
• Draw inspiration from side projects and hobbies to build your experience section.

Once you figure out the writing process, come back to check out our job-specific guides:

• Career change resume summary
• Career change resume guide
• Transitioning teacher resume

Teacher career change  resume example

• Effectively Showcasing Relevant Skills: By bringing the “Attention to Detail” and “Basic coding” skills to the forefront, the applicant bridges the gap between teaching and QA roles.
• Emphasizing a Drive for Continuous Learning: Including recent role-related training you’ve completed (be it from Udemy or IT Sligo) demonstrates your commitment to transitioning to the QA field.
• Highlighting Quantifiable Achievements in Teaching: The candidate successfully proves they know how to measure the impact of their work. Numbers and data speak louder than any buzzwords.
• Affirm Your Experience with Technology in Education: Having a solid foundational knowledge of coding basics makes the applicant the perfect candidate for a QA Analyst.

How to format a teacher career change  resume

Even if your academic specialization isn’t Literature, you have an appreciation for good organization.

Such as a neat and concise mathematical solution. Or a well-structured code.

Resume writing is no different. You have to make the most of each section by emphasizing your key achievements and skills.

To do that, consider the following writing tips:

• Stick  to the reverse-chronological resume format , it’s a recruiters’ favorite.  Make sure to draw role-relevant experiences from each of your past teaching positions.
• Take advantage of the extra space in your resume header.  Link to other professional profiles you have or a portfolio pertinent to the position. For instance, share your GitHub, if you’re aiming for an IT-related job.
• Build a strong resume objective.  If you have no practical experience in your target industry, appeal to companies by strategically pointing to relevant transferable skills.
• Don’t underestimate the education and talent sections.  While some positions require a specific degree, other jobs, such as a QA Analyst, have a low-entry threshold. Describe any relevant training you’ve undergone.
• Limit your resume to a maximum of 2 pages.  Grab recruiters' attention from the get-go. Regardless of your new career path, hiring managers spend no more than 7 seconds on any given resume.
• Save your information as a PDF document , unless otherwise instructed .  This file type is best at preserving the formatting of your resume. And it’s Applicant Tracking System-friendly (ATS).
• Ensure you use a readable font, such as Lato or Raleway.  But any other serif and sans-serif font works just as well.

Keep in mind these are general formatting recommendations. Always check for any extra requirements present within the business niche and the job ad.

Some industry leaders have additional company-specific rules of their own.

For example, Google recruiters request applicants to bolden the names of tools  and programming languages within the resume .

So, be vigilant.

It’s best to prepare a different resume for each of the roles you’ve targeted.

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

The top sections on a teacher career change resume:

• Summary:  Showcasing how your accomplishments and transferable skills align with your potential employer’s goals is crucial. It highlights your aspirations for a career change. And the work you’ve put into doing so.
• Skills : Separate yourself from the stereotype of the “all theory, no practice” teacher. As a professional transitioning to another industry, you must emphasize your role-relevant transferable talents.
• Experience:  Demonstrate how your teaching experience can be beneficial in your new career path by mentioning pertinent achievements.
• Education:  List relevant degrees and certifications to prove you’re no stranger to the business niche and you’re aware of current industry trends.
• Training/Courses:  Direct recruiters’ attention to your strive for learning by displaying all the new abilities you acquired in preparation for your career change.

What recruiters want to see on your resume:

• Transferable Skills:  Hiring managers want to know how much of your skill set applies to the new role.
• Adaptability:  Convince recruiters that your transition from the education sector to your industry of choice is going to be smooth.
• Continuous Learning:  Showcase your determination to do well on your new career path by providing evidence of ongoing training.
• Relevant Experience:  Include any pertinent non-teaching side projects, volunteer work, or practical experiences to show the full scope of your abilities.
• Achievement Metrics:  Explain how your teaching work made an impact on your students by quantifying your achievements.

How to write your teacher career change resume experience

As its name suggests, the resume experience section  is where you detail your professional expertise.

It’s tempting not to describe your work history in full if you fear teaching will lower your chances of getting the job.

But you’re robbing yourself of the great opportunity to align your accomplishments and talents with the available position.

That’s why, when building your experience entries, refrain from listing teaching duties and responsibilities.

Instead, shift the focus toward how your career has progressed so far. Share pertinent and measurable achievements that demonstrate the impact of your work.

Describe how your actions have affected your students, their parents, and even other teachers.

But more importantly, relate your work experience to the role you desire.

The best way to do this is to think of professional challenges you’ve overcome and explain how you did it.

For example, imagine you’re a physical education (PE) teacher who’s set their sights on becoming a fitness instructor.

You can emphasize how your combined theoretical knowledge and practical experience have helped you raise the fitness level of your students.

Let’s make it a little more difficult with another example.

You’re still a physical education teacher looking for a career change. But now you’re aiming to become an emergency medical technician (EMT). How do you translate your teaching experience?

Well, in this case, you’ll have to highlight your physical endurance. Couple that with relevant volunteer work and all the essential certificates qualifying you for the role, and you’re good to go!

Having these tips in mind, take a look at the experience entry example below. Do you think Ava managed to make the most out of the section?

• • Experimented with various tools and managed to preserve the class participation rate.
• • Adjusted the use of unfamiliar tools during class.
• • Looked after students with various learning disabilities.

Not really because her entry reads very matter-of-factly.

Yes, it’s a resume, after all.

But even though this is essentially a corporate document, you must appeal to hiring managers to secure an interview.

What Ava failed to do is:

• Detail key information about the institution and its focus
• Mention her academic specialization to let recruiters know her area of expertise
• Add enough context or quantifiable data to make her achievements stand out

Hence, the candidate doesn’t showcase any of the transferable skills she could apply in her new role, such as:

• Adaptability
• Ability to work in various learning environments
• Ability to learn new skills
• Bettering the lives of students
• Having a proactive attitude

Another unfortunate result of the bland experience entry is there’s no hint of what position Ava is aiming for.

Granted, building a targeted resume  will take you more time. But your efforts will pay off once you receive a call-back interview.

To illustrate, let’s assume Ava’s desired role is QA Analyst. Here is how she can translate her teaching experience to fit the position:

• • Experimented with blended and e-learning environments during the pandemic, managing to preserve a 93% class participation rate and increasing performance by 85%.
• • Adjusted the use of unfamiliar tools during class and provided troubleshooting advice to students, which resulted in a better classroom environment and a rise of 30% in lesson comprehension.
• • Increased accessibility to lesson resources for students with various learning disabilities through research and the introduction of 10 new learning tools.

How to quantify the impact on your resume

The example above proves just how much numbers make a difference when describing your work experience .

Employers use the data to gauge your workplace awareness. It separates those who go to work just to collect a salary and employees who seek professional growth.

And when you’re changing your career, recruiters will pry into why you’re leaving teaching.

So, to make your resume relate to other industries, try to reframe your accomplishments in a way that will hint at other abilities you have.

Depending on your new career of choice, some achievements you can add include:

• Student performance improvements: Demonstrate your ability to deliver measurable results.
• Size of classes or programs managed:  Emphasize your ability to handle complex large-scale projects.
• School events participation increases: Detail situations where your skills have helped students engage better with school life.
• The number of educational projects led: Highlight your classroom management skills, leadership talent, and ability to foster teamwork spirit.
• Types of technology tools used, as well as your proficiency level: Indicate you’re tech-savvy and know your way around most project management platforms.
• Number in efficiency improvements (e.g. time saved): Showcase your talent for process optimization and achieving results.
• Amount of extracurricular activities coordinated: Prove you have the organizational and time management skills for your new role.
• The number of public appearances and conferences held: Illustrate your networking and presentation skills.
• Business niche involvement: Share how you stay up-to-date with industry trends close to your academic area of expertise.
• Additional training acquired:  Draw attention to your knack for learning new abilities.

How do I write a teacher career change resume with no experience

We understand the frustration of getting disappointed with your degree halfway through doing it.

Crafting a resume with no work history  means you must rely on additional coaching you’ve undergone and other side projects you’ve done.

So, if you:

• Are certain of what you want to pursue professionally
• Hold an Education degree, but have no practical experience

…start brainstorming!

All you need to do is:

• Familiarize yourself with the business niche you want to work in. Including industry traditions and jargon.
• Review current job ads for various positions within the industry, even if you don’t plan on applying for the roles.
• Take note of what qualities and skills are considered perfect for the job.
• Make a list of experiences you can share, such as temporary work and internships .
• Relate your professional achievements to the requirements listed in the job description.
• Support your application with details about relevant hobbies, side projects, and portfolios you’ve built.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

Regardless of your chosen profession, having a balanced mix of hard and soft skills on your resume will always impress recruiters.

Hard skills  display your proficiency in a variety of technical tools and platforms.

For example, most IT-related jobs demand experts who have a deep understanding of coding basics and Object Oriented Programming (OOP).

When listing your technical skills, make sure you follow the exact phrasing used in the job description.

This will ensure your resume is optimized to pass ATS checks.

By contrast, soft skills  demonstrate how:

• How high your Emotional intelligence (EQ) is
• How well you can work with other members of your team
• If you’ll be a good leader and mentor in the long run

You know your professional impact goes beyond the classroom.

Parents rely on you to inform them of their children’s well-being and educational progress. Principals, on the other hand, expect you to build a bridge between students and potential employers.

So, as a teacher looking for a career change, the best way to create a perfectly varied skills resume section  is to:

• Jot down your top professional talents and transferable abilities.
• Divide them into hard and soft skills.
• Check which of the two groups has fewer entries.
• Don’t worry if you can’t boast as many tech skills as the job ad demands.
• Review the tables below for ideas on what other talents you can add to your skills section.
• Describe your abilities by sharing how each of your talents helped you overcome a professional challenge. Make sure to provide enough context!
• Remember to relate your achievements and skills to the available position.

Best hard skills for your teacher career change resume

• Project Management
• Data Analysis
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Public Speaking
• Conflict Resolution
• Budget Management
• Time Management
• Organizational Skills
• Adobe Creative Suite
• Social Media Management
• Event Planning
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Software
• Basic Coding (e.g., Python, HTML)
• Learning Management Systems (LMS)
• Educational Technology Tools
• Research and Reporting
• Team Leadership
• Curriculum Development
• E-Learning Platforms
• Bilingual Communication Skills

Best soft skills for your teacher career change resume

• Effective Communication
• Active Listening
• Problem-Solving
• Cultural Sensitivity
• Motivational Skills
• Critical Thinking
• Emotional Intelligence
• Continuous Learning
• Student Advocacy

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

Another conundrum you may have come across while building your resume is how to tackle the education section .

As a teacher, you understand the significance of having the right academic background. Especially for roles in the medical, financial, or legal industry.

Yet, you also know that some roles have a low entry threshold. For instance, Digital Marketing Specialist, QA Analyst, or Event Planner.

This is why a bit of research in advance can help you with sifting through which degrees and certificates to add . And which ones to leave out of your resume.

If you’re a tenured professional, do add your Bachelor's and/or Master’s degree:

• Include the name of your degree and your alma mater
• List the date you graduated
• Cite the names of relevant associations or clubs you’ve been involved with
• Detail role-related side projects or internships you’ve done

But if you’re a recent graduate, you can also mention:

• Your GPA, if it’s above 3.25
• Pertinent majors and minors
• A few of your significant accomplishments, such as an award, a recognition, or a presentation

Have a look at how Ava tailored her education section to fit the role of a QA Analyst:

• • Developed and completed a project for the audit and security strengthening of the university's library network. The project was primarily focused on securing students' files and private information.
• • Minored in Applied Science, Math and Computer Science.

Although her focus is on Early Childhood Education, Ava emphasizes the relevant parts of her training.

If you’re yet to complete your degree, you can disclose your high school diploma. But do so only if you don’t have enough certifications to fill the education section.

Best certifications for your teacher career change resume

• ISTQB Certified Tester  | International Software Testing Qualifications Board
• Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE)  | American Society for Quality
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)  | Scrum Alliance
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Fundamentals  | Microsoft
• AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner  | Amazon Web Services
• Project Management Professional (PMP)  | Project Management Institute
• Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT)  | National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians

How to write your teacher career change resume summary or objective

One of the few spaces on your resume where you can express yourself in a more freeform manner is the personal statement .

This is a short paragraph of no more than 5-6 sentences, where you provide a brief description of your:

• Key career achievements
• Technical and social strengths
• Relevant certificates and professional connections

But before you start writing, you need to know which type of personal statement is best for your case.

If you’ve been teaching for some time now and you have plenty of work experience, craft a resume summary .

Its purpose is to grab recruiters’ attention by creating a highlight reel of your top achievements. Despite your Education background.

As long as you emphasize the relevant parts of your experience. Just like Ava did with her education section.

In contrast, if your work history isn’t that long, build an appealing resume objective . It’s similar to the summary, but the focus lies on how your transferable skills can benefit your future employer.

Check out the following resume objective:

The applicant is hoping to secure a position with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

Given that the person is currently a teacher and has experience working with children, this shouldn’t be a problem.

Yet, the candidate’s reliance on listing a ton of resume buzzwords  is a sure way for hiring managers to lose interest.

Adding more:

• Pertinent career success stories
• Information about professional connections
• Details about what motivates the applicant

…is what this objective needs.

Here is the difference a few edits can make:

In our second example, the candidate is a math teacher aiming to transition to the IT sector.

Since the individual is a more experienced teacher, the resume summary is bound to be full of achievements, right?

Take a look:

Again, there are too many self-descriptive adjectives and resume buzzwords.

And while some of the cited skills are what hiring managers are looking for, they are not tied to any specific measurable accomplishments.

Also, the applicant has failed to relate how either the languages or the degree minor is relevant to the available position.

This resume summary doesn’t bode well for the candidate. So, let’s make a few edits to make it even more impressive:

Now the applicant is bound to get noticed for all the right reasons!

Additional sections for a teacher career change resume

There are countless other opportunities to impress recruiters.

You can always add an extra segment on your resume to showcase other aspects of your life. Ones you may not necessarily have had the chance to exhibit while at work.

Some of these include, but are not limited to:

• Side gigs and personal projects, related to your desired industry
• Portfolios, scrapbooks, testimonial pages, or anything that displays your work. As well as customer feedback (if applicable).
• Awards, recognitions, prizes, and competition rankings  (if applicable)
• Human and/or programming languages
• White papers, presentations, research materials, resources , etc.
• Knowledge of professional tools, platforms, and project management styles

What you list on your career change resume will depend on:

• What else do you have to offer, but haven’t mentioned yet
• What other talents from your skill set do you want to flaunt and are in demand for the job

How to put side projects section on a resume

Projects are all-encompassing and can take many forms. That’s why, even if you’ve worked on something very small and personal if it’s relevant - add it!

• State the name of your project.
• Describe its purpose and why it’s important.
• Share the results of your project and if there were any developments following its completion.
• Elaborate on specific skills you’ve acquired throughout the process.
• Remember to quantify your achievements.

The side project section doesn’t have to look fancy to make you stand out. Have a look at the example below for reference:

• • The project was implemented as part of the auditing processes at 13+ other educational institutions as a way to protect students from personal information leakages.

Key takeaways

In short, writing a teacher career change resume isn’t difficult. But it requires some soul-searching. Just keep in mind to:

• Brainstorm possible career paths you want to pursue before you begin building your resume.
• Select the reverse-chronological resume format to showcase your current professional development.
• Don’t forget to link to industry-related business profiles and portfolios in your resume header.
• Opt for a resume objective if you’re a fresh graduate or don’t have much work experience in the education sector.
• Concentrate on tailoring your resume to your desired role by including job ad keywords.
• Use data and numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible.  
• Emphasize the variety of transferable abilities in your skill set. Don’t forget to balance out your social talents with a few tech skills.

Looking to build your own Teacher For Career Change resume?

• Resume Examples

What Other Companies Are You Interviewing With? - Interview Questions and Answers

How to get a job after being fired: 10 sure-fire steps to get you back in the game, the top 15 questions to ask at the end of an interview, cv d'une page : 3 exemples pour en illustrer l'impact, 15 surefire signs that your job interview was a success [plus 7 signs of a bad interview], interview question: why do you want this job (+ answers).

• Create Resume
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• Resume Templates
• Resume Builder
• Resume Summary Generator
• Resume Formats
• Resume Checker
• AI Resume Review
• Resume Skills
• How to Write a Resume
• Modern Resume Templates
• Simple Resume Templates
• Cover Letter Builder
• Cover Letter Examples
• Cover Letter Templates
• Cover Letter Formats
• How to Write a Cover Letter
• Resume Guides
• Cover Letter Guides
• Job Interview Guides
• Job Interview Questions
• Career Resources
• Meet our customers
• Career resources
• [email protected]
• English (UK)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

Made with love by people who care.

© 2024 . All rights reserved.