10 Essential Teacher Resume Skills to Include for 2024

As the demand for quality education continues to rise, so does the competition among teachers on the job search. Finding the right position is one thing but landing your ideal job can be another task entirely. 

So having a well-crafted resume can set you apart from the competition and help you secure your dream teaching position.

As you put together your resume, you may be asking yourself 'What skills should I highlight to make sure my resume catches the eye of potential employers?' 

Never fear; we've got the answers for you! 

In this article, we will explore the top 10 essential teacher resume skills to include in your resume. And we have some great suggestions for high-quality resume templates to bolster your teacher job application in 2024. 

Whether you're an experienced teacher looking for a new opportunity or a fresh graduate ready to tackle your first classroom, you'll find tips and tricks for landing your dream job. Let's dive in! 

So, what exactly are 'teacher skills'? This is the first place to start when deciding what to list on your resume. 

Teacher skills are the specific competencies and abilities that enable educators to perform their duties effectively in the classroom.

These skills are often split into two types: hard skills and soft skills. 

Hard skills include specific technical abilities and knowledge required for teaching. These skills set teachers apart from all the rest. Some examples may be:

• Subject matter expertise
• Lesson planning
• Classroom management

Soft skills, on the other hand, are more general skills that are used in teaching as well as many other professions and areas of life. Soft skills include: 

• Communication
• Problem-solving
• Empathy
• The ability to build positive relationships with students and colleagues

Both types of skills are vital to a teacher's success in the classroom. And you will want to list a mixture of both on your resume. 

You worked hard earning your degree, learning inside of the classroom and outside of it. And maybe you even have years of experience under your belt. 

You have so many skills to choose from when putting together a resume. So how do you know which ones to pick? 

Here are ten of the best skills to include to impress your potential employer without your resume seeming wordy or too long. 

Being organized and paying close attention to detail is essential for every teacher. Without the right preparation, it can be incredibly difficult to manage a classroom and keep students on track. 

There are many tasks that need to be done in a classroom simultaneously like:

• Lesson planning
• Grading
• Managing communication with parents and colleagues 
• Keeping track of deadlines 
• Maintaining accurate records of your students' progress
• Accurately taking attendance
• Tracking behavior goals and management 
• Identifying areas of concern for specific students
• Providing additional support when needed
• Creating a positive learning environment that minimizes distractions

Without good systems and great organizational skills, this list may quickly feel overwhelming. But your attention to detail will allow you to tackle it all! Highlight in your resume how you have tackled this challenge in the past and how you will do it again in this new position. 

In today's digital age, technology has become an integral part of our lives, both inside of the classroom and out. 

Students are growing up in an increasingly tech-oriented world, and you'd be hard-pressed to find any classroom without some form of tech in it. 

Every learner absolutely needs digital literacy skills to succeed in the modern workforce. By having advanced computer skills, you will be able to help them get there. 

Integrating technology into your teaching strategies and lesson plans can increase student engagement, motivation and achievement, making it an essential skill for any modern teacher.

Mentioning what technological tools you are proficient with is a great talking point with a recruiter. Highlight how you've created engaging and interactive learning experiences for students using the latest technology.  

If you’re having trouble thinking of what all tools you may have used, some common ones to mention include interactive whiteboards, online learning platforms, and educational software.

Being imaginative is a valuable skill when it comes to making creative and engaging lesson plans that can capture your students' attention and help them retain information. 

Incorporating imaginative teaching methods can also promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills as students explore new ideas. 

The variety and fun you can add to your teaching with a bit of imagination will foster a love of learning in your students. And it may even encourage them on their path to becoming lifelong learners. 

Good time management skills enable you to stay organized and complete tasks efficiently. And you already know that there is always plenty to do in the classroom!  

On any given day, you will likely be balancing various responsibilities, such as planning lessons, grading assignments, and meeting with students and parents. 

Proper time management skills allow you to complete these tasks promptly and prioritize tasks based on their importance and deadlines.

Effective time management skills also allow you to create a healthy work-life balance, which is absolutely essential if you want to stay in the field for a long time. Teaching can be a stressful job at times, so you’ll need to make sure you prioritize time for self-care.

Critical thinking skills include the ability to analyze information, identify patterns and relationships and make sound decisions based on evidence and reasoning.

Practically speaking, critical thinking skills as a teacher look like:

• Creating effective lesson plans
• Assessing student performance
• Solving problems that arise in the classroom
• Ensuring your teaching methods are up-to-date and effective 
• Tweaking your teaching methods based on evidence and feedback 

It's also important to model critical thinking skills for your students so that they develop this essential skill as well. 

You want to teach your students to think more deeply and effectively about the information they encounter. You want them to ask questions and find answers that deepen their understanding of teaching materials.

Teaching is not a solo sport. 

To effectively navigate the struggles and triumphs of teaching, you need to work in tandem with your colleagues and administration. 

'Teamwork makes the dream work' as they say. 

Having strong teamwork skills means that you can communicate effectively with others, build positive relationships, and contribute to a collaborative environment. 

Teachers who work well with a team can share ideas, develop new approaches to teaching, improve student outcomes and create a positive school culture.

As a teacher, the main task you are doing is communicating information and lessons with your students. So effective communication skills are a must.

But that isn't the only way that you will use your communication skills.

You will also have both verbal and written communication with parents, colleagues and administrators. Great communication skills will foster positive relationships, build trust and improve student performance.

An important part of high-quality communication skills is active listening, or being able to provide clear and concise feedback to students and their parents. This skill can help to create a supportive learning environment and make sure students feel heard and understood.

Classroom challenges and problems are bound to arise. These problems may range from student behavior issues to curriculum design problems. But they won't be too much to tackle with the strong problem-solving skills that you possess! 

Problem-solving skills show your adaptability and creativity as an educator, which can make you more valuable to your school or district. So, make sure you highlight problem-solving skills on your teacher resume by using specific action verbs from the job description like brainstormed, analyzed, and evaluated. 

Have some examples of when you used problem-solving skills ready when you head into your interview and you'll be sure to impress! 

Conflict of some sort is inevitable in any profession. 

In a teaching job, the conflict is often between students or between students and yourself. Having the conflict resolution skills to solve these issues quickly is essential for creating a positive learning environment and fostering healthy relationships among students.

You may also run into some conflict issues with your colleagues or students' parents. In these cases, it is important to know how to maintain professionalism in the workplace. These situations need to be handled with tact and diplomacy in order to maintain positive working relationships.

Not every student is the same. They each learn and grow in their own unique way. You know this. 

So being able to be flexible, capable of adapting your teaching methods and approach, is a necessary teacher skill. 

You will need to understand and address individual learning styles, cultural backgrounds, and other factors that impact how students engage with and learn from the material.

Mentoring is one of the ways to support students in their individual learning journey. A mentor will guide students to reach their potential, provide constructive feedback and encourage them to develop critical thinking skills.

Technology isn't just changing the way teachers teach in the classroom, it's also changing how teachers are hired. 

For many schools, gone are the days when a person looks over each and every resume. To speed up the process, many districts use applicant tracking systems (ATS). This tool screens professional resumes and filters out candidates for review. 

Now, this isn't something you should allow to deter you. Understanding this tool can give you a leg up over your competitors. 

You should be strategic in your resume writing, choosing certain action verbs and words over others. Some of these include:

• Leadership Skills
• Classroom management
• Curriculum development
• Differentiated instruction
• Technology integration
• Assessment and evaluation
• Data analysis
• Parent-teacher communication
• Special needs education

It’s also best practice to look through the job description and use the same language and verbs in your resume. 

These simple steps will help you bypass the ATS and get noticed by hiring managers.

Now that you know what all pieces and skills that you want to include, how do you bring it all together?

You want to craft a resume that highlights your skills but is still clear and concise. You don’t want a hiring manager to have to wade through any unnecessary information to get to the good stuff.  

The best resume format typically reflects this by utilizing bullet points, action verbs, and a skills section to make it easy for employers to quickly identify your relevant qualifications. 

And don’t forget to proofread! The last thing you want on a teacher resume is the wrong punctuation or a misspelled word.  

Sometimes it’s easiest to learn by seeing exactly what you should do. So, the next section has some resume samples that show how and where to showcase your skills for a teaching resume that stands out from the rest.

Starting at the top, you should include a resume objective.

A resume objective or summary is a brief section that highlights a candidate's relevant skills and experience for the job they are applying for.

Here are some high-quality examples of resume objectives for teachers: 

• Innovative secondary educator with expertise in differentiated instruction and project-based learning. Experienced in teaching a wide range of subjects, including English language arts, social studies, and digital media. Skilled in incorporating real-world scenarios and experiences to create dynamic and relevant lesson plans.
• Dedicated high school English teacher with a passion for fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills in students. Proficient in project-based learning and assessment, as well as using technology to enhance classroom instruction. Looking for an opportunity to bring my expertise to a school that values innovation and collaboration.
• Dedicated and motivated middle school educator with a passion for inspiring students to reach their full potential. Skilled in developing engaging lesson plans that cater to diverse learning needs and promoting a positive classroom environment. Proficient in utilizing technology to enhance the learning experience.

These resume objectives are packed full of action words, focusing less on the tasks and more on the impact that those actions had.

Your resume objective should do the same. Make it as concise and powerful as possible to wow the hiring manager and make them want to read more. 

Now onto the resume skills section!

A resume skills section is the part of a teacher's resume where they list their relevant skills and qualifications.

This section is typically placed after the professional summary or objective statement and before the work experience section.

Some technical skills you may want to include are:

• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) like Blackboard or Canvas
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or Google Suite
• Familiarity with educational software or apps, such as Quizlet or Kahoot
• Classroom management strategies and discipline techniques
• Differentiated instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners
• Knowledge of curriculum development and lesson planning
• Multitasking and time management skills to handle multiple responsibilities and tasks

These are just a few of the skills you may possess. Spend some time brainstorming a complete list of your skills and then pick the ones that are the most relevant to the job listing to include in your resume. 

The work experience section is a detailed account of your past job titles, responsibilities and accomplishments as an educator.

Here is one example that you might shape your work experience section after:

Focus on the action in this section. Start each bullet point with a strong verb that highlights your skills. 

If you need more ideas on how to phase certain tasks that you’ve done in specific jobs, there are tools online to help you get the right wording.

Great work! You've made some great progress on building a stellar resume! 

Here are just a few more tips to help you craft a winning teacher resume that catches the attention of potential employers.

Here is the section of your resume where you put those hard skills that we talked about earlier. 

Some options to include may be any teaching and educational certifications sponsored by your state, city, or school district. Or you may hold special education or ESL endorsements that you want to list. 

If you’re applying for a public school position, it’s a good idea to check out the requirements on the job listing. These requirements may include relevant skills and experience and/or a bachelor’s degree in a field related to the target subject or teaching area. 

To highlight how you are a good fit for the position, be sure to include how your qualifications match their requirements in this section.

Your work history should focus on highlighting any relevant teaching experience including:

• Internships
• Volunteer work as a student teacher
• Substitute teacher work
• Time as a support teacher
• Tutoring in a school
• Teaching or working in children’s educational or recreational programs, such as after-school initiatives or summer camps

Numbers can be quite convincing. So if possible, try to include metrics or data that demonstrate the impact you have had on student learning and success.

You will likely also highlight your professional experience in your teacher cover letter. In this section, try to focus less on the technical details of your previous positions and instead showcase your personality, passion for teaching, and enthusiasm for the position.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of 2021, the median salary for high school teachers was $61,820 annually. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers earned a median salary of $61,350 per year. Teacher assistants, who often support full-time teachers in schools or universities, earned a median salary of $29,360 per year.

Now it’s important to note that the amount a teacher earns may differ based on various factors such as:

• Years of experience in the role
• The type of school or school district they work at
• The city, state or district where they teach
• Educational qualifications 
• Skill level
• Additional certifications

If you’re teaching in a bigger city, you may be able to look around and compare the salaries and benefits at various schools. Some schools may offer additional benefits like professional development or various incentives.

By doing a number of interviews, you may be able to get multiple offers and then compare them. 

There are lots of factors that will make a school and a teaching position the right fit for you. It’s important to get all the information that you can and make the best decision for you. 

There will always be a need for great teachers to shape the great, young minds of tomorrow. You can make an incredible difference in your students’ lives as their teacher. 

You can rest assured that there will always be teaching positions available and open if you decide to pursue a new direction.