
Best Resume Templates in 2023 (10+ Picks to Use Now)
The best resume templates aren't just about fancy looks. They have to be sleek and professional. Their layout needs to show off your value. Here's what'll help.
Getting a job outside of academia is difficult, but this guide will show you how to translate your experience as a professor and get a fantastic job in any industry.
You never expected it to happen. But finally, after years of educating the best minds of any generation, you've decided it's enough.
A career change can be both exciting and frightening. But you can ease this process with the right mindset. The right job opportunity. And the best resume.
Worried you don't know how to turn your academic achievements into more relatable accomplishments? Afraid that your professor resume can make recruiters think you live in an ivory tower?
It's OK, professor. We're here to help.
This guide will show you:
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.
Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume samples here.
This guide is for professors who want to get industry jobs and leave academia behind. Want a better position within academia? You’ll need a curriculum vitae. Switch over to our guide on writing a professor CV.
Need academic resume examples or other resume advice? Check out our other guides:
Mary Butler
mary.butler@gmail.com
218-310-8761
Lecturer and researcher with 10+ years of experience at several prestigious research institutions. Eager to provide cutting-edge research for the Brookings Institute with sound quantitative methods while ensuring high ethical standards and commitment.
Assistant Professor
The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
2014–
Key achievements:
Research Project Lead
Robert Bosch Fellow, Iowa City/Berlin, Germany
2014–
Key achievements:
KW Deutsch Visiting Professor
Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
2012–2014
Key achievements:
Ph.D. in Political Science
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2010
M.A. in Political Science
University of Chicago, Chicago, IL
2005
B.A. in Political Science
Northwestern University, Chicago, IL
2003
Here’s how to write a professor resume so organized it’ll make Marie Kondo blush.
You held college professor jobs for years but want to transition out of academia.
You’ve looked at a ton of different academic resume examples—they’re great. But none will work for you.
Why?
The business world is cut-throat. Every minute means lost resources. It’s why recruiters only spend a few seconds per resume.
Your resume is policy brief, not a thesis. Less is more.
You need to modify your college professor resume to fit private-sector research jobs.
Start by following some simple formatting rules:
Start your professor resume with a bang—a short introduction paragraph of your professional profile.
Choose between a resume objective or a resume summary.
What’s the difference?
For those with more than 2 years of professional experience, a resume summary works best. It focuses on your professional experience and key achievements.
As a professor with (scare quotes!) “no real working experience”, a resume objective might be more suitable.It highlights the skills you’ve learned, ignores irrelevant accolades, and shows how you will achieve the goals of your next position.
Add numbers to show your true impact in your resume profile.
Pro Tip: Finish your professor resume before you write the resume profile. It’s easier to summarize once you have something to summarize!
Look:
It’s important you know how to write about work experience in a resume. The hiring manager’s main concern?
Professors are all theory, no practice.
But you will prove them wrong—
How?
Highlight your relevant skills and experience by tailoring your resume to the job offer:
Pro Tip: Recruiters have a weak spot for academic titles like Ph.D. Don’t forget to put those magic three letters after your name.
As an academic, you know how important it is to list where you received your education from.
So, be sure your resume education section stands out:
Increase the visibility of your professional certifications and licenses by listing them in a separate section.
Most academic resume examples underplay skills. It’s easy to forget what you’re capable of.
And it’s not easy to translate academic skills to skills that contribute to the bottom line.
But you are in luck. We have a cheat sheet:
Don’t list every skill you have. Only list your key skills.
Here’s the best way to do it:
Pro Tip: Match the skills you put on the list with the type of position you’re after. A professor resume may also highlight your leadership skills.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
As an academic looking for other jobs, you want to show your recruiter more than just your professional side.
Let’s add the following sections to your professor resume.
Should you include a cover letter?
Absolutely.
More than half of recruiters expect you to include a cover letter in your application. Even if they don’t read it (kind of like reviewer #3.)
The good news? Only half of the candidates abide, so you have a leg up on your competition.
Make sure you join them by using the tips below to write a flawless cover letter:
How long should you make your cover letter? Don’t let it go past one page. Check out this academic cover letter guide for more help.
Pro Tip: Follow up on your job application to boost your chances. The recruiter will know you’re a serious candidate.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
And that’s it!
You know how to make a job-winning professor resume to transition out of academia. Good luck!
If you need further help, drop me a line and I’ll offer some expert advice. I’d love to hear from you, leave your comment below!
The best resume templates aren't just about fancy looks. They have to be sleek and professional. Their layout needs to show off your value. Here's what'll help.
How to write a general cover letter? Copy our sample generic cover letter template, adjust and use it to land an interview. Read more!
In this guide you’ll learn *when* and *how* to use a general, universal resume. Plus, you’ll see an easy-to-use template you can copy and tweak in no time.