English Teacher Resume: Sample & Writing Guide【20+ Tips】

Sample Resume for English Teachers

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Sample English Teacher Resume—See more templates and create your resume here.

Targeting other jobs in the education sector? See our dedicated guides:

• Teacher resume
• High school teacher resume
• Librarian resume
• Scholarship resume
• Teaching assistant resume
• Tutor resume
• Research assistant resume
• Elementary teacher resume
• Substitute teacher resume
• Preschool teacher resume
• Teaching assistant resume
• ESL teacher resume
• Art teacher resume
• Child care resume
• Camp counselor resume
• Special education teacher resume
• Translator resume

1. Choose the Best Format for Your English Teacher Resume

There’s nothing more eye-pleasing for an English teacher than a well-structured essay.

Correct grammar, flawless syntax and coherent paragraphs—

You grade it A+!

For hiring managers and school principals, the template of your resume is equally important.

Follow these tips on resume formatting:

• Create a resume header with your address info and job title.

• Break the body of your resume into separate sections. Use simple resume fonts and leave enough white spacing.
• Use a reverse-chronological resume format which puts your most recent work experience first.
• Wondering which one is better: a Word doc or PDF? Save your resume as PDF.

2. Write an English Teacher Resume Summary or Objective

As an expert in English literature, you surely know the importance of a good introduction. The book draws you in and you read on. Your resume has to do the same.

Think of a school principal snowed with paperwork. She won’t spend much time looking at your English teacher resume.

Actually you have only 6 seconds to get her attention.

There are two ways to achieve this: a resume summary and a resume objective.

A resume summary is the best choice for English teachers with plenty of professional experience. It serves as an abstract of their proudest teaching accomplishments.

For those English teachers who apply for entry-level positions, a resume objective works better. Use these few lines to state why you’re the perfect fit for the position. Promote your skills and offer your enthusiasm for teaching.

Pro Tip: If you want to make your resume profile more appealing, consider enriching it with your English teacher portfolio. This may be a link to your blog or a well-crafted PDF file with some of your best authorial teaching aids or lesson plans.

3. Create the Perfect English Teacher Job Description

Teaching English in school is not only about grammar and literature. It’s also about responsibility and shaping your students’ attitude towards life—

All things humanistic.

Make sure your English teacher resume job description reflects all these: practical English teacher duties and mentoring.

Here’s how to master writing your job description section:

• Put your most recent job up front.
• List your job title, the company name, and dates of work in each entry.
• For each position add up to 6 bullet points that will show all your English teacher responsibilities. Use action words to paint a vivid picture of what you’ve done.
• Limit the number of the job description bullet points as you describe older teaching positions. Choose only the most relevant ones.
• Tailor your resume experience section to the job offer. Applying for a high school vacancy? Don’t elaborate on your kindergarten teaching gigs.

Pro Tip: If you’re a fresh grad with no experience to put on your resume, think of any volunteer jobs you’ve done during the studies. These are also valuable points on your English teacher resume.

4. Make Your English Teacher’s Resume Education Section Shine

The education section on your English teacher resume is crucial.

All schools in the US: elementary, middle, and high—have a number of requirements you need to meet. That’s why it’s important to make this section clear:

• If you have years of English teaching experience, list the most important education points: school name and location, years in school, degree, specialization. You can put your education section under the experience section.
• New to the world of English teaching? Add a few bullet points under each of the schools you attended: elaborate on your key achievements and field of expertise.

Pro Tip: Want to improve your English teaching expertise? Join one of the programs devoted to teaching English and the language arts, such as an NCTE. Being a member of literacy educator groups brings real value to your English teacher resume.

5. How to Put Your English Teacher Skills on a Resume

If you want to find a job as an English teacher you need to represent a number of skills. School principals will look for both: specialized skills related to the subject you’re going to teach and soft skills.

Creativity also matters. You’re going to plan lessons, activities, and invent topics for essays, right?

Use these as an inspiration:

English Teacher Skills for a Resume

• Leadership
• Strong work ethic
• Compassion
• Organization
• Self motivated
• Psychology
• Ethical
• Communication
• Interpersonal skills

• Time management

• Flawless pronunciation
• Knowledge of literature
• Classroom management
• Planning
• MS Office
• SMART board interactive displays
• Learner assessment
• Software (e.g., Haiku Learning, Edmodo)
• Child first aid & CPR

6. Add Other Sections to Your English Teacher Resume

If you want to get some extra points on the test, add something extra to your English teacher resume.

Ideas to follow:

• English only or maybe you’re passionate about other languages too? All types of language skills are beneficial for your resume. List the languages you speak and state your proficiency levels.
• If you've done additional courses and you hold any linguistic or teaching certificates, create a separate section to present them.
• John Keating kind of teacher? Prove your passion for culture. Poetry, music, visual arts—if you love any of these, tell the recruiter about it in the hobbies and interests section.

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your English Teacher Resume

Are cover letters required when you’re applying for English teaching jobs?

Yes! It turns out that over 50% of employers still read them.

Also, it’s your space for being more personal and present an array of language skills.

Follow these tips and craft a great cover letter for an English teacher:

• Hook the school principal with a compelling opening line.
• Pay attention to the cover letter format. Good structure equals good readability.
• Tell a story: prove you understand the mission of the hiring institution and show them how you can contribute to their success.
• End your cover letter like a pro. Don’t use a dull “Thank you for your time” line. Instead, make an offer.

And make sure the length of your cover letter is just right!

Pro tip: At the end of your cover letter put a “PS” and add one more achievement that will prove your passion for the profession.

Have any questions on how to write the best English teacher’s resume? Get at us in the comments below and we’ll answer all your questions. Thank you for reading!