CV Tips
When writing your CV, you should keep in mind that the Principal, will be reading through it, with these questions uppermost in their minds:
Is this candidate qualified to do the job?
Does the candidate have the training and experience identified in the job description?
Do we want to interview the candidate and find out more?
A Good CV:
Is no longer than three pages
Printed on white unlined paper
Has clear headings
Outlines education, skills and experience briefly in bullet point
Is adapted for each job in line with the position being applied for
Identifies referees
Lists courses attended that are relevant to the position
Has impeccable grammar
Is succinct.
Some suggested headings.
Personal Details
Start with your name.
Next type your address across the page, not down it. (Otherwise this information will dominate your CV). Include your contact telephone numbers and email address.
You may wish to add your date of birth, but this is not compulsory. Some people put in their marital status, however it should be of no concern to the selectors.
Having introduced yourself by name (and address), you may want to write a few lines about yourself, in an opening statement. This does not need a specific heading. eg:"A good honours graduate in physics with supporting qualifications in mathematics and chemistry. Recent teaching experience in a large urban high school. Keen to contribute to other aspects of school life, particularly sport and IT."
Qualifications
Include a summary of your degree (if you have one) and its main elements. Do not presume that the selectors will know what it involved. For example, what academic and educational topics did you study for your education degree? It is in your own interest to highlight your knowledge base.
Teaching Diploma - Give its start and completion date, the name of the institution and provide an outline of the course. Include its structure, key study areas and any special projects you have covered You need to emphasise in this section that you have undertaken effective professional training.
Follow the details of your degree and teaching qualification with a listing of Other Qualifications.
The next section is: Teaching Experience or School Placements.
Start with your most recent experience and work backwards. Selectors will want to know who you have taught, what you have taught and in what type of school (size, level, environment etc).
It is vital to identify all the schools you have taught in, including the age range and subjects covered along with projects you have taken part in and areas of responsibility.
For newly qualified teachers, include some of the specific contributions you have made in your placement schools, including extra curricular activities, projects, special needs and teaching materials.
Remember that what you include here will give the selectors a clear indication as to how you will contribute in your new teaching appointment.
Relevant interest and skills.
Again use this section to highlight ways in which your interests / skills can add to your effectiveness in the classroom and in the school in general. Areas to consider include playing musical instruments, participating, coaching or refereeing a sport, IT skills, participation in amateur dramatics or specific skills such as First Aid, or speaking other languages.
Other Employment.
If you have had any directly relevant full-time or vacation work (work with children, voluntary or community work, youth work) then give a few lines of details and dates. Do not clutter your CV with lists of all your other vacation jobs and temporary work. You can always summarise this by saying Other vacation work has included retail, telephone sales and office assignments
If you are entering teaching from another profession then again give dates and brief details. It is important to describe aspects of the job which relate directly to teaching such as; staff training, presentations, IT, design, science or laboratory skills.
Referees
Seek advice from your tutors if you are currently completing a teacher training course. References from your institution could well include reports from practice schools. Otherwise, referees should be drawn from either your teacher training institution, your practice schools, or the last school you taught in.
for those who already have teaching experience, include names (and positions) of people whose views will likely be respected by the selectors.
Include contact details.
Summary
Your CV should have the following clear headings, however these can be adapted according to your own personal, academic and experience.
Your name and contact details
Academic/Teaching Qualifications
Teaching Experience
Other Work Experience
Relevant Interest and Skill
Other Information (You may use this for facts which just do not fit in elsewhere)
Referees
Is this candidate qualified to do the job?
Does the candidate have the training and experience identified in the job description?
Do we want to interview the candidate and find out more?
A Good CV:
Is no longer than three pages
Printed on white unlined paper
Has clear headings
Outlines education, skills and experience briefly in bullet point
Is adapted for each job in line with the position being applied for
Identifies referees
Lists courses attended that are relevant to the position
Has impeccable grammar
Is succinct.
Some suggested headings.
Personal Details
Start with your name.
Next type your address across the page, not down it. (Otherwise this information will dominate your CV). Include your contact telephone numbers and email address.
You may wish to add your date of birth, but this is not compulsory. Some people put in their marital status, however it should be of no concern to the selectors.
Having introduced yourself by name (and address), you may want to write a few lines about yourself, in an opening statement. This does not need a specific heading. eg:"A good honours graduate in physics with supporting qualifications in mathematics and chemistry. Recent teaching experience in a large urban high school. Keen to contribute to other aspects of school life, particularly sport and IT."
Qualifications
Include a summary of your degree (if you have one) and its main elements. Do not presume that the selectors will know what it involved. For example, what academic and educational topics did you study for your education degree? It is in your own interest to highlight your knowledge base.
Teaching Diploma - Give its start and completion date, the name of the institution and provide an outline of the course. Include its structure, key study areas and any special projects you have covered You need to emphasise in this section that you have undertaken effective professional training.
Follow the details of your degree and teaching qualification with a listing of Other Qualifications.
The next section is: Teaching Experience or School Placements.
Start with your most recent experience and work backwards. Selectors will want to know who you have taught, what you have taught and in what type of school (size, level, environment etc).
It is vital to identify all the schools you have taught in, including the age range and subjects covered along with projects you have taken part in and areas of responsibility.
For newly qualified teachers, include some of the specific contributions you have made in your placement schools, including extra curricular activities, projects, special needs and teaching materials.
Remember that what you include here will give the selectors a clear indication as to how you will contribute in your new teaching appointment.
Relevant interest and skills.
Again use this section to highlight ways in which your interests / skills can add to your effectiveness in the classroom and in the school in general. Areas to consider include playing musical instruments, participating, coaching or refereeing a sport, IT skills, participation in amateur dramatics or specific skills such as First Aid, or speaking other languages.
Other Employment.
If you have had any directly relevant full-time or vacation work (work with children, voluntary or community work, youth work) then give a few lines of details and dates. Do not clutter your CV with lists of all your other vacation jobs and temporary work. You can always summarise this by saying Other vacation work has included retail, telephone sales and office assignments
If you are entering teaching from another profession then again give dates and brief details. It is important to describe aspects of the job which relate directly to teaching such as; staff training, presentations, IT, design, science or laboratory skills.
Referees
Seek advice from your tutors if you are currently completing a teacher training course. References from your institution could well include reports from practice schools. Otherwise, referees should be drawn from either your teacher training institution, your practice schools, or the last school you taught in.
for those who already have teaching experience, include names (and positions) of people whose views will likely be respected by the selectors.
Include contact details.
Summary
Your CV should have the following clear headings, however these can be adapted according to your own personal, academic and experience.
Your name and contact details
Academic/Teaching Qualifications
Teaching Experience
Other Work Experience
Relevant Interest and Skill
Other Information (You may use this for facts which just do not fit in elsewhere)
Referees