No matter what your chosen career path is, you always need a strong CV to reflect who you are and what your core strengths are.
As an education professional, your CV is a fantastic opportunity to show the impact you have made and the opportunities you can bring to a new setting.
Take a look at our CV checklist, to help you communicate your skills and experience to potential new employers. We’ve even included an example CV to help you visualise your success!
Covering letter
Covering letters are a great way to show a potential employer why you are suitable for the role you’re applying for. It’s also an opportunity to demonstrate that you are truly interested and motivated to succeed in the role.
Your profile
Having your profile at the top of your CV is a great way to introduce yourself and your core skills and background. The challenge here is to keep it short but packed with key information.
- Keep it informative and professional.
- Share who you are and what your specialisms are.
- Your key successes and experiences in specific areas.
Your skills & qualifications
Highlighting your skills in a specific area is a great way to show what you offer in a clear and transparent way. Depending on the role & your experience, you may wish to give these separate areas on your CV. The importance here is always clarity.
- List in bullet points.
- Relevancy – always consider the role you are applying for.
- Include dates and professional bodies where appropriate.
Experience
Whether you’re an ECT or experienced Head of Department, the relevance of your experience should be front and centre. If you’re looking to become a Teaching Assistant, look to transferable skills and experience that could be relevant in a classroom setting eg Customer service experience = strong communications skills.
- Be concise with your information.
- Dates and position held are vital – if there are gaps in work experience, be sure to explain in a covering letter.
- Make sure the last 10 years of your work life is covered. (If you are younger, this will be clear from when your further education ended.)
Dos and don’ts
Do write a covering letter – it doesn’t need to be an essay but it’s a great way of introducing yourself and advocating why you are suitable for the position.
Do tailor your cv for each role – ensure you’re highlighting the most relevant skills/ experience.
Don’t include all the roles and titles you’ve ever held – relevance is key. So teaching and education roles are a must, but your time scooping ice cream doesn’t need to make an appearance (but may make a great anecdote in an interview for interpersonal skills!)
Don’t make a never ending document – never go over 2 pages. This will encourage you to consider using the most relevant information and provide your potential employer with clear and concise information.
Do use a simple cv format – make sure you have a clear and consistent layout and font.
