I'm in the process of redoing my resume. This is my third year looking for a teaching position, and I've only gotten 4 interviews. I think it's time to change things up. Thing is, I don't have much education experience. I have my current para job, and one as a nursery worker at my church, which is part time. Those are the only education-related fields I have to list. The rest of my work experience is in restaurants, where I trained new employees, and there's some shift manager experience. I feel like the only thing I have going for me for listing my other experience is my solid work history. What you see listed is every one of my jobs, except for a part time one that lasted only a couple of months before Restaurant 1. My certification is for EC-6, and I don't know if many people credit working at a high school as relevant to elementary. What I really want to teach is 5th-6th grade math/science. I scored really high on those portions of my exams, and I don't know how, or even if, I should address that. Any suggestions as to what should be changed will be most welcome. Here's what I have so far: EDUCATION ABC University, 2005-2009 Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Summa Cum Laude Graduate EXPERIENCE Paraprofessional, A High School, A School District 8/06-Present Assist special needs students, following IEPs, concentrating in math and science classes Led a small group of students in ELA tutorials in February of 2012 Co-leader in chemistry tutorials for two weeks in January of 2010 Leader in special education math class from January 2008 through May 2008 Led small groups in resource math Spring and Fall of 2007 Long term substitute in 2006 for a Spanish 2 class, where I was responsible for all the duties of the teacher, including lesson plans, administering exams, and submitting report card grades Substitute regularly in other classrooms when necessary Part-Time Nursery Worker, My Church 2/10-Present Assist children with lesson activities Supervise children while at centers and playground Eighteen months of volunteer experience prior to being hired OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE Cashier Restaurant 5 1/04-8/06 Server-Hostess Restaurant 4 2/00-6/03 Server Restaurant 3 7/99-2/00 Lead Server Trainer Restaurant 2 10/97-7/99 Shift Manager Restaurant 1 4/97-10/97
I would get rid of the restaurant experience. It isn't really relevant to teaching. Also, those jobs are from 5+ years ago.
I had the option of either student teaching or internship. I couldn't quit my job for 3 months to ST, so I chose internship. I think they came up with the internship option because so many people in my area now (not just locally where I live, but throughout the whole state) are going through ACPs. My program wasn't ACP, but they treat it like one. I will have a mentor teacher and a university supervisor. I have a letter from the university explaining about the internship. It's basically like a year-long student teaching placement...only you get paid.
Also, what are your certifications? You list your college information, but what area(s) are you certified to teach? Your teaching experience goes from high school to pre-school, but what grades can you officially teach?
LMichele - I was thinking about just totally taking that off, too. I just feel like my resume is naked...lol.
Added this: SKILLS Intermediate Spanish speaker Computer Skills: Microsoft Word Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Excel Word Processing REFERENCES Available upon request
The letter from the university explains that, and I send it with all my apps. It basically says that I graduated from the university, took and passed the exams, and I'm qualified to teach EC-6.
From your para job, do you have any experience with educational technology, like Smart Boards, iPads, etc. If you do, you can add that as well.
Definitely add the EC-6 somewhere on your resume near the top. Have you completed your internship yet?
Not yet...I have to go through the whole hiring process, because I'd be the teacher of record for the classroom. To me, it's like I skipped ST, and I'll have a ton of observations my first year. A lot of schools around here are familiar with internships. The school I work for doesn't have much technology, aside from ELMOs and regular computers.
I understand. I also feel I don't have much experience. I have student teaching, subbing in the public schools which was a year ago, being a camp counselor years ago, and my current job which is a preschool teacher at a church.
I agree with others, remove the restaurant experience as it's not really relevant for this job. If you'd like, you can probably tie it in once you get an interview and are asked questions that you can use that experience for. Sounds to me like you need a really solid cover letter. Do you have one you'd be willing to post or PM?
