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Teacher Resume and Cover Letter Template: Free Download

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Looking for your next teaching job? ClassCover has partnered with Matt from Teacher Application Services Australia to bring you the resources and information you need to be successful in your job hunt in 2022. 

If you haven’t already, have a read of Matt’s blog on Landing the Teaching Job of Your Dreams: with resume, cover letter and application tips .

Teacher resume template

Whether you are a recent graduate looking for your first teaching job or an experienced professional looking for the next step in your career, a great resume is a must-have to get your foot in the door and secure an interview. Depending on how long it’s been since you last applied for a job, the content and style employers expect in a resume might have changed. Click the button below to download a teacher resume example guaranteed to get you off on the right track.

Teacher cover letter

Like a resume, your cover letter can make or break your application to a teaching job. While many a teacher has overlooked this crucial step and submitted their application for a job without a cover letter, that misses a great opportunity to highlight how your background and experience makes you the best candidate for the job, as well as giving you a chance to express yourself beyond the constraints of a standard resume. Click the button below to download a cover letter template for teachers. 

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CV and cover letter examples for teachers

If you’re struggling to write a CV or cover letter for teaching roles, here are some examples to help you stand out, whether you’re a headteacher or NQT

• More CV and cover letter templates
• Looking for teaching jobs ? View vacancies across all teaching levels at Guardian Jobs

You’ve heard about the school that’s just right for you. What next? What can you do with your application that will make you a certainty for the short list?

If you need some inspiration on what to include in your teaching CV and cover letter, here are our helpful guides – just remember not to copy them as exact templates.

Cover letter example:

Dear Ms Name,

As a [newly-qualified/experienced] teacher with [number] years experience in a [primary/secondary] school setting, I feel I would be well-suited for the role of [job title] at [name of school]. Please find my CV attached.

The nature of my work in education has prepared me for this position. My interest in [...] stimulated me to lead a project on [...] My role here was to […]. As part of this, I had to liaise with [...] meaning that I have developed skills in [...]. I faced some challenges along the way, such as [...] and overcame them by [...]. The impact of the project overall was [...]. This was measured by/ has been evidenced in [...].

In addition, I have successfully employed a [...] approach/ strategy when teaching and found that this led to many positive student outcomes, such as […]. A key part of my career is helping students reach their potential, which I work towards by focusing on [...] when teaching.

As shown by my experience in schools, I am enthusiastic about education and always strive to do the best for my students. I am able to take on responsibility for learning and have experience of successfully managing a class. I also have the enthusiasm and determination to ensure that I make a success of this role.

Thank you for taking the time to consider this application and I look forward to hearing from you in future.

Yours sincerely,

CV template:

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CV and cover letter tips:

Always make sure that your CV is up to date, and relevant to the needs of the employer. In teaching, it’s not that you’re going to be one of many recruits shuffled around until you find your niche – you’re a one-off, in your own classroom, responsible for your own pupils from day one. Any CV or cover letter you send, whether speculative or for an advertised position, needs to be sympathetic to each different context.

Your cover letter, the person specification, and the job description are pieces of a complex jigsaw. Sometimes, these pieces need more context and that’s where your research comes in. Look up Ofsted reports, local news reports, school performance information. All these pieces combined make the picture on the box, and you need to take the whole thing into account. Employers know there might be no ideal match, but to get yourself on a shortlist, and be invited for interview, you need to present yourself as close a fit as you can.

If you’re an NQT or RQT (newly or recently qualified teacher), you might think that you don’t have the skills and experience to make strong applications – but this certainly isn’t the case. Schools always need new recruits, and it’s part of their role to develop you. Show them your potential by relating what you have learned from your experiences so far, where the challenges were and how you overcame them, how you’ve made a difference and what you feel you can offer on a personal as well as professional level.

More established colleagues will have more experiences to draw on, but be careful not to fall into the trap of talking about one year’s experience repeated fifteen times – you still need to show a sense of development and further potential. Having a few years’ teaching experience to call on can help your confidence levels, but remember that you’re expected to show that you had an impact, that your own initiatives or methods made changes happen and that those changes became embedded in practice. Explain a problem that you were aware of, how you intervened and what the situation is now like as a result. Be prepared to link this to the ultimate aim of improved pupil outcomes – it’s essentially how all teachers are judged.

The higher up the professional ladder you intend to go, the more guidance and feedback you need on the application you’re about to submit. Friends and contacts in similar positions to the one you’re applying for can offer insights that official descriptions can’t. Don’t stop there, though – talk to people in more senior positions. What would they be looking for if they were recruiting for a similar role? Ask for feedback on your letter, and from people who won’t just give you an easy time. Once you’ve got that feedback, trust it. Be prepared to start again, if necessary, so allow time within the process for this to happen. Dig deep into your motives, your letter needs to reflect the factors in education that really drive you. Think about what makes you smile at work and make sure you put that in.

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Teaching (primary) cover letter

This free sample cover letter for a primary school teacher has an accompanying teaching primary sample resume to help you put together a winning job application.

Louisa Mason 15 Spring Street West Hills SA 6035 T: (06) 1234 0000 M: 0444 444 444 E: [email protected]

Ms Catherine Wilson Principal Chifley East Public Primary School 40 Georges Road Chifley East SA 6034

Dear Ms Wilson

Re: Year 5 Teacher, Ref no 1234

I wish to apply for the above Year 5 teaching position at your school as advertised on the Teaching Jobs website.

I have an Education degree (Primary) from Western City University and have been teaching for the past three years at St Lawrence Primary College in Smithsfield.

As a teacher, my main goal is to motivate students to do their best and extend their own personal limits. I devise programs, according to syllabus requirements, that expand on previous knowledge and encourage students to explore new and interesting possibilities. I encourage students to construct their own learning in an environment that stimulates and helps students to realise their full potential. I have had some excellent results with students who have a history of poor performance. I strive to instil a love of learning and to make learning exciting and interesting. One student who had difficulties with English is now reading aloud with confidence and is enjoying reading for pleasure.

I am confident that my experience and skills will be an asset to your students' learning and development and would love the opportunity to work at your school.

Thank you for taking the time to consider my application. I look forward to the opportunity of meeting with you and discussing how I can contribute to your school community and objectives.

Yours sincerely

[sign here]

Louisa Mason

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Writing your application

When preparing your application, there are some key things we need to know about you. Focus on how your knowledge, skills, and abilities match those needed for the job. Applicants who are able to do this are more likely to progress through the application process.

Think about what you did in other jobs and your achievements. You can draw on your experiences from other contexts to show how you have relevant skills. These might be from:

• volunteer activities
• casual work
• university, TAFE or school if you have limited work experience.

This will help you to write a cover letter, update your resume and respond to targeted questions.

If the job ad requests a cover letter, you must submit one with your application to be considered for the role.

Writing a cover letter

Good cover letters use the STAR method to structure your work examples by explaining the Situation, Task, Action and Result. Your cover letter should:

• include any specific information requested in the job ad
• address the focus capabilities listed in the job ad, look through the Capability Framework for details on what these mean
• showcase your achievements in past jobs or from other contexts, for example volunteer work
• show us that you have most of the skills we are looking for
• tell us about your passions and interests
• explain why you want the job
• show us how your current skills are transferable to new situations
• show why you are a good fit for the agency and NSW Public Service.

If the job involves managing a team, tell us about important things you did before such as how you supported your team to deliver for the business.

A good cover letter:

• is brief (usually 1 to 2 pages)
• uses plain English
• is well structured
• is specific to the job you are applying for
• uses specific examples of what you’ve done and what you’ve achieved.

Writing a resume

Your resume (also known as curriculum vitae or CV) is a summary of your:

• qualifications

A resume needs to be up-to-date, clear, concise and well organised. It is best if you can tailor the content to the job you are applying for.

As a guide, your resume could include the following sections:

• Personal details – your name and contact details.
• Summary – a brief introduction about you, your work experience, training and interests.
• Education – qualifications and relevant training.
• employer / organisation / agency
• dates of employment
• your responsibilities
• your achievements.
• Other information such as skills, achievements, and relevant memberships.
• Referees – name, title and contact details.

Do not include copies of qualifications with your resume or application unless asked.

Answering targeted questions

Targeted questions are open-ended questions. They may ask you to:

• explain how you’ve shown your knowledge, skills, and abilities in a certain situation
• describe why you’re interested in working for the agency or in the NSW Public Service.

They are often designed to find out about your capabilities and if these suit the role. Capabilities are:

• transferable knowledge (theoretical or practical understanding of a subject)
• skills (developed through training, experience, or practice)
• abilities relevant to a job.

They come from the NSW Public Sector Capability Framework.

Responding to targeted questions on capabilities

A targeted question on capabilities asks you to describe how you used your knowledge, skills, and abilities in a certain situation.

To answer this type of question you should:

• Read the question to identify the information you need to give us, looking for key words.
• capability description explains what the capability covers
• behavioural indicators describe the behaviours or actions at different levels for each capability
• key accountabilities give a high-level summary of the outcomes the role is expected to deliver.
• Use the behavioural indicators to help you think of a relevant example of what you did in other jobs or contexts.
• Be specific – don’t tell us what you think you might do in the situation – tell us what you did.
• Use full sentences, check your spelling and grammar, and stay within the word limit.
• Remember communication skills are important for all jobs.

Use the STAR method to structure your work examples by explaining the Situation, Task, Action and Result.

Example: Responding to a targeted question about your capabilities

The following question is about the 'Commit to Customer Service' intermediate capability.

Give an example of a situation where you provided services that were customer-focused.

How to respond:

• Use the behavioural indicators to prompt you on customer service actions and responsibilities
• Where were you working?
• What was your job?
• Describe a customer problem you identified.
• Explain why it was a problem.
• Tell us what you did to resolve it. If you did something as part of a team, be specific about your role
• Tell us what happened because of what you did – describe the impact on the customer experience.

Responding to targeted questions about your interests

Sometimes targeted questions ask you about:

• your reasons for applying for a job
• why you want the job
• why you want to work in the agency
• why you want to work in the NSW Public Service.

These types of questions give you the chance to tell us about what drives and motivates you.

• Read the question and look for key words that will help you respond. These questions are often framed to get a personal response.
• Review the role description to help you think about what’s involved in the job.
• Think about what we are looking for in asking this question. Our merit principles put importance on fit for the role and agency. Not only on capabilities, knowledge and experience.
• Write your response with honesty and passion.
• Use full sentences, check your spelling and grammar and stay within the word limit.

Example: Responding to a targeted question about your interests

Tell us why you want to work for the NSW Public Service.

• Explain what attracted you to want to work for the NSW Government.
• Describe why the job stood out for you.
• Tell us why you suit the job.
• How does the job fit with my values and standards?
• Have I always wanted to work in this occupation or sector?
• Is this the next step in my career journey?
• Will the job help me to serve my community?
• Relate your passions and interests to what the job offers you.

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