Crafting an impressive resume is an essential step toward securing rewarding opportunities in the education field. Your resume is a powerful instrument to showcase your skills in lesson planning and classroom management, experiences, and passion for teaching. Learn how to create a persuasive resume tailored to your career goals and the specific roles you’re applying for.
We’ll give you real substitute teacher resume examples and show you how to align your resume with the demands of the education industry. Follow our expert tips and strategies to stand out from the competition and land your desired teaching jobs.
Substitute Teacher Resume Templates and Examples (Download in App)
Entry-Level Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this substitute teacher resume example is strong:
This resume lists key skills ahead of professional experience because the candidate is new to their field.
Mid-Career Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this substitute teacher resume example is strong:
Even though this candidate is no longer an entry-level candidate, they placed their key skills first to ensure their resume has the best keywords near the top for both recruiters and applicant tracking systems.
Senior-Level Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this substitute teacher resume example is strong:
This resume is an example of a senior-level candidate who still chooses to list key skills above work experience because the nature of their field doesn't allow them to track accomplishments when they regularly work in different classrooms.
Long-Term Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this resume example is strong:
This resume showcases a candidate with a clear record of success in long-term substitute teaching roles. The candidate highlights measurable achievements, such as improving student test scores and organizing school-wide events. Emphasizing adaptability, curriculum development, and classroom management underscores their ability to meet the unique demands of long-term placements. The inclusion of IEP experience shows versatility in supporting diverse student needs.
Permanent Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this resume example is strong:
This resume highlights the candidate’s extensive experience as a permanent substitute teacher. The focus on long-term roles demonstrates reliability, while specific accomplishments like managing IEPs and building rapport show their ability to connect with students. The inclusion of both special education and general education experience showcases their versatility, making them a valuable asset to any school.
Preschool Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this resume example is strong:
This resume is effective because it focuses on the unique skills required for working with young children, such as early childhood development and hands-on learning activities. The candidate’s experience with both classroom instruction and supporting lead teachers shows flexibility. Additionally, parent communication and safety supervision are key aspects highlighted, reinforcing their role in creating a nurturing environment.
Special Education Substitute Teacher Resume Example
Why this resume example is strong:
This resume emphasizes the candidate’s expertise in special education, specifically their ability to adapt instruction and manage challenging behaviors. Highlighting experience with IEPs and collaboration with special education staff shows their commitment to individualized support. Their role in providing both academic and behavioral interventions makes this resume highly appealing for special education teaching roles.
Elementary Teacher Resume Example
Why this elementary teacher resume example is strong:
This resume uses statistics about class size and academic score improvements alongside the primary job duties.
First-year Teacher Resume Example
Why this first-year teacher resume example is strong:
This resume lists important statistics about student teaching and teacher assistants alongside the candidate's GPA and key skills, which are useful for a first-year teacher.
Teacher Assistant Resume Example
Why this teacher assistant resume example is strong:
This resume lists key skills near the top to ensure keywords are listed near the top and uses highlights to call out specific, relevant information for hiring managers.
Substitute Teacher Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
How To Write a Substitute Teacher Resume
1. Write a compelling profile summarizing your substitute teacher qualifications
Your goal is to captivate hiring managers with a two- to three-sentence summary highlighting your top qualifications and skills. Thoroughly review the job description and mirror relevant keywords that demonstrate your suitability for the role.
Customizing your profile to the position in question showcases a dedication to the role and a willingness to learn more about the school. As a substitute teacher, focus on your adaptability, classroom management skills, and genuine passion for supporting student learning. Your resume profile serves as a brief but powerful introduction, leaving a lasting impression and enticing employers to continue reading through your resume.
Senior-Level Profile Example
Substitute teacher with solid experience providing math instruction in San Francisco high schools. Skilled at tailoring lesson plans to the needs of students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and English as a second language. Draw on a broad knowledge of the math curriculum to quickly generate lesson plans when called in on short notice. Master of Science in Education.
Entry-Level Profile Example
Dedicated substitute teacher with one year of experience delivering high-quality cover lessons for all elementary grades. Firm grasp of the elementary curriculum, with excellent math and English subject knowledge. Quickly build rapport with unfamiliar classes and help students succeed, including those with SEN. Master’s Degree in Education from California State University.
2. Add an accomplishment-driven substitute teacher professional experience section
Use your professional experience section to emphasize your achievements and demonstrate your value to prospective employers. Think about your work and how you can quantify that experience. The goal is to give employers tangible evidence of your contributions in the classroom.
By incorporating specific metrics, such as the number of students taught or the frequency of successful lesson plans, you can instantly add depth and credibility to your achievements. Use action verbs that convey a dynamic and proactive approach to teaching. These verbs infuse energy into your bullet points, building engagement and keeping the attention of hiring managers.
Senior-Level Professional Experience Example
Substitute Teacher, San Francisco Unified School District, San Francisco, CA | September 2015 to present
- Deliver high-quality math lessons to grades 9 to 12 at various high schools
- Maintain a 94% average approval rate with permanent teachers
- Adapt teaching strategies to each student’s requirements, including those with barriers to learning
- Use existing schemes of work to plan last-minute sessions when cover plans aren’t available
- Apply effective classroom management methods to ensure students behave and engage with each lesson
- Set clear expectations for students and maintain and enforce all classroom rules
Entry-Level Professional Experience Example
Substitute Teacher, School Professionals, San Francisco, CA | September 2021 to present
- Deliver engaging lessons across the entire curriculum to grades K-5, with an average classroom count of 22
- Use positive classroom management techniques to ensure good student behavior at all points
- Plan and assign differentiated homework tasks to support learning outside of class
- Adapt provided lesson plans to students’ unique learning needs
- Grade classwork and perform on-the-spot assessments to provide helpful feedback to regular class teachers
- Maintain a tidy and organized class environment and update displays on longer-term placements to reflect current learning and highlight student achievements
3. Include relevant substitute teacher education and certifications
Prove your qualifications and commitment to professional development by highlighting the foundation of your teaching knowledge: your academic background. Starting with your highest level of education, list the degree name, institution, location, and completion date.
Certifications in substitute teaching or specialized training programs validate your skills and dedication to your profession. These educational achievements are potent indicators of your competence and ability to provide quality instruction. Similarly, format a separate certification section, providing the certificate title, issuing organization, and date received.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] [Dates Enrolled]
Example
- Master of Science (MS) — Education
- California State University, East Bay, CA
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Substitute License, Iowa Board of Educational Examiners, 2022
4. List relevant key substitute teacher skills and proficiencies
Emphasize your expertise and capabilities in managing diverse classrooms by including relevant professional skills. When incorporating your critical skills section, focus on qualities of particular importance to substitute teaching and those required for the job you’re interested in.
By featuring these qualities, you convey your readiness to handle different classroom environments and provide valuable support to students and educators. Check out this list of skills you could use on your substitute teacher resume:
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Adapt | Communicate |
| Create | Decrease |
| Develop | Enhance |
| Improve | Increase |
| Instruct | Learn |
| Listen | Manage |
| Mediate | Organize |
| Plan | Prepare |
| Record | Reduce |
| Solve | Teach |
How To Pick the Best Substitute Teacher Resume Template
As you embark on your resume writing journey, you must lay a solid foundation for your professional information with an appropriate template. The best resume template for a substitute teacher has a clean and organized layout, allowing your accomplishments and key skills to shine. Simplicity and readability will help you make a strong impression on potential employers.
Choose a template with clear sections to feature your professional experience, education, and relevant skills. Remember to customize the template to suit your style while ensuring it remains professional and easy to navigate.
Frequently Asked Questions: Substitute Teacher Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for substitute teacher resumes?-
Constructing the professional experience section of a resume can often be challenging, especially when finding the right words to describe your work as a substitute teacher. We can help you articulate your responsibilities with our comprehensive list of common action verbs. These verbs will add dimension to your resume and effectively convey your contributions in the classroom. Consider using some of these words in your substitute teacher resume:
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Adapt | Arrange |
| Communicate | Create |
| Decrease | Develop |
| Enhance | Improve |
| Increase | Instruct |
| Learn | Listen |
| Manage | Mediate |
| Organize | Plan |
| Prepare | Record |
| Reduce | Teach |
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
The job outlook for short-term substitute teachers is healthy, with a projected increase of 8% over the next decade. Educators expect over 32,000 new jobs to be added by 2031. If you have a specific substitute teacher job opening you plan to apply for, we recommend you tailor your resume accordingly.
Customizing your resume increases your chance of catching the hiring manager's attention and standing out as a strong candidate. Study the position description and extract keywords, language, and specific skills to incorporate them organically into your resume. This strategy shows your genuine interest and alignment with the role.
What is the best substitute teacher resume format?-
Generally speaking, the most appropriate resume format for substitute teachers is chronological. This format focuses on your work history in reverse chronological order, showcasing your most recent teaching experience and accomplishments. It's an ideal layout if you've had a consistent employment history and want to emphasize your teaching positions.
However, there may be instances where a functional or combination format could be more appropriate. The functional resume focuses on your skills and qualifications rather than specific job titles, making it beneficial if you need to feature transferable skills or you have limited teaching experience.
The combination format blends both chronological and functional elements, allowing you to highlight relevant skills while showcasing your work history. Ultimately, choose the layout that best presents your qualifications and aligns with your experience.
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Crafting a persuasive cover letter will increase your chances of securing an interview during your job search. Creating a compelling cover letter comes down to customizing your document for the school you're applying to. Learn how to build your own with our professional substitute teacher cover letter guide. For additional examples of cover letters in related occupations, check out our guides for teachers and tutors.
