Teaching Assistant (TA) CV Example & Writing Guide

Teacher workloads are soaring, and as pressure on the education system grows, teaching assistants face more demands than ever.

With so much on your plate, putting together a strong teaching assistant CV can feel overwhelming. But the good news? Once you know what to include and how to present it, writing a great TA CV is far easier than managing a busy classroom.

Read on and you’ll see a professional teaching assistant CV example you can adjust and make your own. Plus, you’ll learn an easy formula for writing a CV for teaching assistant jobs that will land you 10x more interviews than any other CV you’ve written in the past.

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Sample teaching assistant CV template

Now, here’s the job-winning teaching assistant CV formula:

1. Use the best format for your teaching assistant CV

A teaching assistant supports classroom learning by helping supervise students and assisting with a range of educational activities. Your teaching assistant CV needs to highlight your ability to work effectively with pupils in one-on-one, small group, and whole-class settings. It should also demonstrate your capacity to support children with special educational needs, if relevant.

That’s just part of what a TA does. Ultimately, the goal of your teacher assistant CV is to present your skills and experience in a way that grabs an employer’s attention. Here's how to do it:

• Choose the right CV format. The best option for a TA CV is the chronological format. It’s the format employers are most familiar with and it puts your experience front and centre.
• Use a neat and tidy CV layout. Set the page margins to one inch on each side, left-align the text (don’t justify) and insert a double space between each section. This creates lots of white space, and that makes your CV easier to read.
• Go for a clear, readable CV font set to 11–12 point. Calibri, Garamond and Arial are three of the best.
• Your list of duties is long, but your CV shouldn’t be. The maximum CV length is two pages.
• And when you’re all done, save your CV as a PDF. That makes sure your layout stays intact.

Read more about CV Layout: How to Layout a Professional CV

2. Write a teaching assistant personal statement for your CV

Your TA personal statement is the opening of your CV and your chance to grab the employer’s attention. In just 3–4 sentences, you need to convince them to keep reading. To get it right, simply answer these three questions:

• Who are you?
• What can you bring to the role?
• What are your career goals?

If you’re an experienced teaching assistant, start by listing the skills, strengths, and experience you’ve built. Then, compare them with the job advert and choose 3–4 key matches to create a tailored, focused personal profile.

Are you writing a teaching assistant CV with no experience? Do this.

• Write a list of the skills and experience you already have. Think of your education and any other work experience you have under your belt. Then underline anything that’s transferable to a TA role.
• Now combine those points with knowledge about the school you’ve applied to and passion for becoming a teaching assistant to demonstrate you’re a good fit.

Quick tip: this section is easier to write if you leave it until last. It’s better to have your experience, skills and education sections already written so you can refer to them.

See this guide for even more tips on how to write your personal profile: How to Write a CV Personal Statement [20+ Examples]

3. Create an impressive TA CV work experience section

Your work experience section is vital—it’s the part of your teaching assistant CV that shows you can truly deliver in the classroom. Schools are looking for TAs who can support both students and teachers effectively, stepping in wherever needed. Think of this section as your CV’s own performance review. To make it count, show clear examples of how you’ve helped create a positive learning environment and supported pupils’ individual needs.

• Put your most recent job first, then go back in time listing any preceding roles in order. 
• Include each job title, the name of the employer, your dates of employment (use “present” as the end date if you currently work there) and then write up to six bullet points describing the job.
• Start each bullet point with a snappy CV action word, such as accomplished, supported or facilitated.
• Show off measurable achievements, not just a list of duties. Don’t make it all about what you’ve done, you also have to show how well you did it.
• Use the PAR (Problem Action Result) formula and accomplishment statements to structure your bullet points.
• Write your work experience section so it’s targeted to the job description. Note the skills and experience listed and match your own professional experience to what’s required.

Need some more hacks to create the perfect CV? Check out our guide: 20+ CV Tips and Advice for Job Application Success

4. Include an education section 

You work in the education sector so you already know how important this is. But you do have to follow a standard set of rules for presenting your education section. Here they are.

• If you went to university, name the institution you studied at, the years you attended, and the name of your degree. If you’re still studying, include your expected graduation date. Only include honours if they’re a 2:1 or a first.
• For school leavers, include the name of the school, its location, and the dates you attended. Mention individual subjects for your A-levels. But for GCSEs, you only need to mention Maths and English, many employers look for passes in these subjects as a minimum requirement.
• Include any specialist college qualifications you have here too.
• If you’ve only just left school or graduated from university, then you can change the order of your CV sections and put your education before your work experience.

5. Show off your teaching assistant CV skills

Being an effective teaching assistant requires a wide range of skills, but you don’t need to list them all on your CV—just the most relevant ones. Here’s how to choose:

• Carefully read the job advert to list what skills are required. The job description is your cheat sheet for what the hiring manager wants. 
• Next, list your own skills. Refer to your work experience and education sections if you need any reminders.
• Then put your two lists side by side, see what matches, and choose 5–10 of them to put on your CV.
• Aim for a mix of soft skills, hard skills and technical skills. 
• For each skill listed, add a short sentence showing how you demonstrate it. Don’t just show, tell. E.g. Communication. Translated and created a new layout for school publications in Punjabi.

These skills would make a great addition to a teaching assistant's CV.

Teaching assistant skills for a CV

• Compassion
• Time management
• Classroom management
• Conflict resolution
• Patience
• Empathy
• Leadership skills
• Good literacy and numeracy skills
• Creativity
• Interpersonal skills
• Communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Problem solving
• Microsoft Office skills

Read More: Best List of Skills to Put on a CV [Top Skills & Examples]

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add additional sections to your teaching assistant CV

The sections we’ve just covered form the core of a strong teaching assistant CV. But if you want to truly stand out, adding extra sections can make all the difference. Here are a few valuable additions to consider:

• Add a languages section. 21% of primary school students have English as an additional language, so speaking a foreign language is a highly sought-after skill for teaching assistants.
• Volunteering also makes a great addition. And volunteering in schools is the ideal way to demonstrate valuable experience if you’ve never had a paid TA job.
• You can also include projects, achievements, awards or hobbies. Just keep it relevant and make sure it helps you stand out as a candidate.

7. Attach a teaching assistant cover letter

Cover letters are still important. In fact, almost half of employers will reject job applications that don’t include one. Think of it this way. Teachers need the support of a good teaching assistant and CVs need to be supported by a good cover letter.

Here’s how to write a cover letter.

• Get your cover letter format right.
• Put a ‘hook’ in your cover letter opening. Show energy and passion, and include a compelling professional achievement.
• Demonstrate that your experience and skills will enable you to excel as a teaching assistant.
• Include a call to action in your cover letter ending by asking to discuss the role further.
• Ensure you have the right cover letter length.

One final tip—always follow up. If you haven’t heard back a week after submitting your application, get in touch with the employer to ask about its status. It’s a simple step that can boost your chances. In fact, 22% of hiring managers say they’re less likely to consider candidates who don’t follow up after applying. 

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV 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:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

And that’s it. What did you think of our CV for a teaching assistant? Are you looking for something more specific, like an SEN teaching assistant CV example? If you’ve got any questions at all about how to write a CV for a teaching assistant, please use the comments section below. I’d love to see what you can teach me.

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Sources

• https://www.sessions.edu/notes-on-design/less-is-more-utilizing-white-space/
• https://www.nova.edu/prehealthadvising/forms/par_statements_-_updated_2016.pdf
• https://www.ubalt.edu/campus-life/career-center/career-services-online/career-cycle/documents/Writing%20Accomplishment%20Statements.pdf