Teacher CV Example & Writing Guide

Teachers play an essential role in shaping society. Your professionalism and expertise are highly valued, and rightly so: without teachers, no other career pathway would be possible! 

At cvapp.nz, finding a teaching job that aligns with your expertise and skills requires a powerful CV. 

With our professional online CV builder and teacher CV examples, we’re here to help you create an impressive teacher CV that gets you noticed and hired faster.

How to write a teacher CV

Before you begin crafting your CV, it’s important to include the following sections: 

• The CV header
• The CV personal statement
• The employment history section
• The skills section
• The education section

Creating a successful CV can help showcase your professional achievements and allow you to stand out in a competitive job market. 

It can also outline your teaching style, allowing institutions to see how you fit into their team.

Here are our top tips to help enhance your teacher CV: 

1. Choose a CV format that aligns with the style and culture of the school or institution you are applying to.
2. Include relevant terms and keywords to ensure your CV passes through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) used by schools and institutions.
3. Tailor your CV to reflect your qualifications in relation to the specific needs and values of the school and teaching role you're applying for.
4. To emphasise your commitment to continuous professional development, mention any relevant training, certifications, workshops, or courses you've completed.

Select the right CV format for teachers

To help present a clear and professional image, we suggest using the reverse chronological format. This CV format presents your employment history and education entries from most to least recent.

A reverse chronological CV format lets employers quickly identify your most recent work experience and track your career growth over time. 

Include important contact details

Your CV header should contain your contact information so employers know how to reach out to you. 

Be sure to format your header with the following information: 

• Name & Title: List your first and last name, and include the job role you’re applying for.
• Professional Email Address: Provide a professional email that contains your full name, like ‘[email protected].’
• Phone Number: Include a phone number with an appropriate voicemail message.
• Location: List your city and whether you are willing to relocate for the job. For example: ‘Mikaere Wihongi, Wellington (Willing to Relocate).’
• LinkedIn: Provide links to your LinkedIn, and any links to relevant professional websites or platforms.

Avoid listing sensitive information, such as your passport or IRD number, ethnicity or relationship status. 

Create an engaging personal statement

Personal statements summarise your professional background, showcasing your teaching qualifications, key achievements, and career aspirations. 

In 2-4 sentences, highlight your unique teaching skills and experiences. For example: “Skilled in employing modern learning techniques and interactive teaching strategies.”

The key thing to remember is that you want to highlight your professional value to employers and institutions, helping them understand why you’re the perfect teacher for the role. 

Looking for more inspiration to help draft your personal statement? Check out our related education and academic CV examples and writing guides for more expert tips, or check out the teacher CV examples below: 

Highlight your employment history: your academic legacy

When crafting the employment history section of your CV, use bullet points to highlight your previous employment positions and elaborate on the tasks and responsibilities performed in each role. 

When describing your previous positions, use action verbs and specific data, figures and keywords from the job description where appropriate. 

For example, consider the following tasks: 

• “Designed lesson plans.”
• “Managed and instructed students.”
• “Collaborated with staff and parents.”

These tasks can be rephrased with data to be more effective: 

• "Designed and implemented lesson plans that resulted in a 15% increase in average test scores.”
• "Managed and instructed a diverse student body, leading to a 25% improvement in classroom participation."
• "Collaborated with staff and parents to achieve a 30% improvement in student performance metrics.”

Remember, a well-crafted employment history section is invaluable in highlighting your professional skills and capturing the attention of potential employers.

Outline your teaching expertise and skills

Potential employers are looking for teachers who possess a unique blend of expertise, experience and skills. 

For example, you could discuss your lesson planning skills, fluency in Te Reo Māori, or emotional intelligence skills. 

More relevant teaching skills include:

We recommend including a mix of relevant hard skills and soft skills and outlining these skills with specific examples: 

1. Communication Skills: Discuss your ability to communicate with students and staff, including the number of languages you speak.
2. Cultural Competency: Mention your ability to work with diverse student populations and accommodate students’ needs.
3. Classroom Management: Describe your techniques and strategies for creating a positive and inclusive learning environment.

Be sure to tailor your skills section to the job description as much as possible. 

Detail your education & relevant academic certifications

As a teacher, you already understand the profound importance of making education engaging. In the education section of your teacher CV, your goal is to format your qualifications and academic achievements in an impactful manner to help highlight why you’re the ideal candidate for the teaching role. 

Be sure to include the following:

Qualifications: List your teaching qualifications, including your tertiary degree, the institution's name, and when your qualifications were completed. 

Certifications: Provide details about your teaching certifications, especially those relevant to the subjects you are teaching in the classroom. You can also list details about your registration with the New Zealand Teaching Council here. 

Training: Outline details about any relevant training you have. This can include language training in Te Reo Māori, specialised training for supporting students with learning disabilities, or completion of relevant health and safety courses. 

Select an appropriate CV layout and design for a teacher CV

When preparing your teacher CV, consider selecting a template that aligns with the school or institution’s style. Opt for a simple design with clear headings and sensible fonts or a professional style with a sleek colour scheme and organised structure.

Personalising your CV’s design can help highlight your attention to detail and show that you have taken the time to familiarise yourself with the school’s culture and visual identity, demonstrating your alignment with the school’s values and standards.

Teacher text-only CV example

Teachers enjoy an enriching career journey, sharing knowledge with students, sparking curiosity, and educating the next generation of leaders. Our online CV builder makes creating an impressive and engaging teacher CV easy. With our customisable CV examples, expert tips, and easy-to-use tools, creating a standout teacher CV has never been easier.