Looking for a CV Template?
If it has been a while since you last put together a CV, or looking for inspiration for a refresh, you can download a template below.
Top Tips for a winning CV
Whatever role you’re applying for, it’s likely that headteachers, governors and senior management teams will be casting their eyes over your CV, which is why it’s got to impress in all of the right ways.
The Step Teachers team has pulled together their top tips for creating a CV that will get you noticed and help you progress to the interview stage.
Personal information
When you work with Step Teachers, you only need to include your name here as the school will be contacting us directly.
Opening statement
Begin your CV with a brief personal statement of your strengths related to teaching. Step Teachers often emails the profiles of our candidates to schools, so this statement is crucial to your profile.
Teaching qualifications
Outline your teaching qualification, the awarding institution and the year you qualified. If this is your first position, provide a course outline of your teaching qualification.
Other relevant qualifications
Enter the details of your degree, higher degrees and any other qualifications that are relevant to education, starting with the most recent. You can briefly list A-Level subjects but dates and examination boards are not required, nor are GCSEs or GNVQs.
Teaching experience (or school placements for NQTs)
An essential part of your CV, schools want to know where, who and what you have taught. Begin by stating your most recent position and then work backwards. If you’re an NQT, enter The details of your school placement here. Describe the school’s size and setting, and list your responsibilities and contributions.
Related experience
If you’ve worked in another profession before teaching, then you can use this section to briefly state how the skills you applied relate to teaching. This section can also be used to enter information about any relevant voluntary or holiday work but don’t provide this unless it’s directly relevant to teaching.
Professional Development
Demonstrate your commitment to developing as a professional by outlining the courses you have attended relating to education.
Interests, skills, and personal achievements.
You're presenting yourself primarily as a teaching professional, so this section must be (you guessed it) relevant. Include activities such as sports coaching, tutoring, first aid, drama, music, language, and IT skills to make you stand out.
Final checklist
Your CV should be:
Up-to-date
Clearly divided using headings
No more than two pages long unless you have more than 15 years of relevant employment history
Without photos
Without harsh colours
Typed in a clear font such as Arial or Times New Roman
Checked for correct spelling and grammar
Get someone else to read through your CV to help identify any mistakes, and ask them if they would give you a job based on its contents. The Step Teachers team is on-hand to provide tailored advice on creating a winning CV, register your details or get in touch with us today.