ESL Teachers Resume Writing Tips - Sample Accomplishments and Keywords

Do you need some ESL teachers resume writing tips to land an English as a Second Language teacher post? Great, you are at the right page.

Teaching ESL or ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) is a segment of the education market that is constantly growing in demand. Teachers wishing to acquire a job in education may be more likely to do so if they look for a job in ESL or ESOL.

The competition for ESL jobs is not as stiff as competition for teaching jobs in other disciplines. Also, teaching ESL can be a great way to transition into your ideal teaching position and school, provided you have the knowledge and credentials to do the job.

If you answer the school's call when they are seeking an ESL teacher, they will most likely repay the favour at a later date and transfer you to another position in the school, if desired.

ESL Teachers Resume Writing Tips - Sample Accomplishments and Keywords

ESL Teachers Resume or CV Curriculum Vitae Keywords

Using keywords in your resume specific to ESL teaching is vital to get past the applicant tracking systems. An electronic keyword search for ESL Teachers will be conducted on all resumes in the hiring manager's database.

Samples of keywords for the ESL teachers resume:

First, job titles will be searched:

Many ESL schools insist on one of the major ESL teaching qualifications, and will also search for it:

Experience with a certain student profile may be preferred:

Many ESL schools are happy to accept college graduates with ESL teaching certification. Some may prefer experience in the country, or region:

As you can see, it is worthwhile to tailor not only your cover letter but also your resume for each individual job. In Canada, for example, the British IELTS English certification is popular.

If applying for schools that prepare foreign students for IELTS exams, you will want to make sure you specifically list your IELTS qualification. Review the keywords in the job announcement and match them with the keywords in your resume.

Keep in mind that your resume will likely end up in a general teaching job bank, so do not limit yourself by using too narrow of a keyword selection.

Read up on how to use education keywords to get your resume noticed in electronic searches.  

Sample ESL Teachers Resume Accomplishments

Listing accomplishments as bullet statements will help you to sell yourself and build your credibility. This ESL Teacher Resume Sample provides an impressive dream list of core skills and competencies a school would like to see an ESL teacher possess.

List Accomplishments

Her accomplishments include working with many of the main learning programs.

Be Specific When Writing the Achievement

Ensure you are hitting all the right keywords while not limiting your descriptions to overly generic terms. By demonstrating use of current and advanced technology and programs, you can distinguish yourself from other applicants. This teacher not only mentions literacy circles but also the use of LLIFE for students with lower reading levels.

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Provide Quantifiable Evidence of Accomplishments to Build Credibility

Importantly, she provides evidence of performance improvements such as 'increased reading levels' and enhanced 'student improvement' in learning. Citing quantifiable results would make this resume perfect: 'increased reading levels by two grades on average,' 'increased reading scores by 10 percent'

List Relevant ESL Work Experience

Schools looking to hire ESL teachers will want to see some previous experience related to the education field. Make sure to highlight any experience that is even remotely related to the job for which you are applying.

While you obviously don't want to lie and invent experiences that you never had, there is no harm in pushing unrelated work experience to the background and bringing related work experience to the forefront. Here are eight questions that will help you draw out your unique skills and strengths in your resume and cover letter.

Make sure you include keywords, such as IEP development, formal assessments, classroom management, student motivation, differentiated instruction, teaching techniques, and parental relations. Review ESL resume writing tips and English teacher CV examples for ideas on skills to emphasize.

Mention Language Experience

Because it is so directly related to the job for which you are applying, be sure to mention any language skills you possess, regardless of how insignificant they may seem. You do not have to be fluent in a language for your experience with that language to be relevant. If you can understand some basic conversational phrases, your skills will likely be helpful in your ESL teaching job. If you are actively learning languages, list them on your resume.

Include International Travel

Many hiring committees are impressed by ESL teachers who have international travel experience. Regardless of whether you are applying for an ESL position in your home country or abroad, having previous international travel experience can give you a leg up.

If you are applying for a domestic ESL job, it allows administration to see that you are worldly and experienced. If you are applying for a job abroad, travel experience to other countries indicates that you are not scared to go out on a limb and take chances. Let them know that you are independent and love other cultures and are always open to change.

Present Skills Related to the Position

Another one of the most important ESL teachers resume writing tips would be to write concise and to the point. Don't mention every skill that you posses – there isn't room. Make sure that you only list skills which will be directly related to your position as an ESL teacher.

While knowing how to write web-content or being an avid fisherman are interesting skills to bring up at a dinner party, they do not belong on an ESL teacher resume.

Depending on the student population in the school district, some areas may have only one ESL teacher. While ESL jobs are traditionally easier to find than jobs in other areas, it is still important to present a well-organized, professional document. A professional written CV or resume will communicate you are the person the school district should hire to implement the ESL program.

Teaching ESL is a large responsibility, and schools are not going to be eager to place that responsibility on your shoulders if you do not look like someone who can handle the position or is passionate about teaching ESL.

Don't forget to scrutinize our teacher resume examples to examine how we format and incorporate teaching experience and achievements. Check out teaching English abroad resume samples for ideas.

Read in-depth blog posts about how to find an international education teaching job. While you are there you will find lots of job search and resume and application letter writing tips to gain some modern ideas to write your academic CV curriculum vitae to land a job abroad.

For more ESL Teachers Resume Writing guidance, read ESL teacher resume writing tips.

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Need some writing help making a stellar international teaching application letter, cover letter, resume, or CV curriculum vitae? Take the time to review and order one of our resume packages or individual services.

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