Article by:
Laurence Doherty
One of the most important aspects in obtaining a teaching
position is the ability to "sell yourself" to a Headteacher. Your
initial impression with a prospective Headteacher will be through
your CV. Consequently your CV could either get you an interview or
relegate you to the "not wanted" list.
How should I lay out
my CV?
There is no right or wrong way to present your CV to
an employer/school, what is important is that your CV should be
clear and concise, outlining achievements in your teaching career
and interests. Your CV should focus on the requirements and
attributes that the Headteacher wants as well as interests that are
relevant to his/her school. Your CV should be between 2 - 3 pages in
length.
What fields/categories should I include on my
CV?
Again, there are no right or wrong answers but the
following points will go a long way to help. Do remember that your
teaching experience should always be in reverse chronological order
(i.e., your most recent post first).
> Name:
Make sure
your name is clear and visible at the top of the front page. You can
include your name at the top or bottom of each further page should
you wish to.
> Health/drivers licence/identity
number/mothers maiden name/marital status etc:
Must not appear on
the CV.
> Date of birth:
Use "date of birth" as a
heading as it is more appropriate than age.
>
Address/phone/email:
> Education:
University
qualifications only. You must include the University name and the
city in which the University is located. Any other certificates
should be included in a separate section towards the end of your CV
in something like "Awards and Certificates." Once again the entries
must be in reverse chronological order.
E.g.,
2002
PGCE Art and Design (Secondary), University of Central England in
Birmingham
2001 MA Fine Art, University of Central England in
Birmingham
1999 BA (Hons) Fine Art, Coventry
University
> Employment:
This is obviously the most
crucial section of the CV; it is here where you highlight your
strengths and experiences. You should clearly label each position
with a date range. For example, to write 1999 - 2000 assumes you
worked 1 full year, however Jan 1999 - July 2000 is 18
months.
E.g.,
January 2000 - July 2001, Great Barr
School, Birmingham
Include the name of the school and the
city. Make sure you state the year level you were teaching,
subjects, any areas of responsibility, programmes you were involved
in developing, special needs in your class etc. If you have been
teaching for quite a few years, pay more attention to the most
recent posts and simply list the schools, dates and year groups as
the years go back. Ensure that you do not leave any gaps in your
employment history as this will be picked up during the
interview.
> Professional development:
Any courses
relating to teaching you have taken and the approximate dates of
these. Once again these must be relevant to your role as a
teacher.
E.g.,
July 2002 - Implementing Circle time in
the Primary school
What other areas are important to include
on my CV?
Here are some suggestions that you may want to include
in your CV that will help you in your quest for an interview. These
are extras and must be placed after your teaching
experience.
> Awards and certificates:
Can be
activities both in and out of school.
> Interests:
This
will tell the Headteacher a little more about your extra curricular
interests and could be exactly what the Head is looking
for.
> Voluntary experience:
This does not have to be
teaching related but if it is, I would direct it towards the top end
of your CV. Include the names of organisations (or even schools) and
dates that you were involved with them. You may want to include any
camps or summer programmes. However, if it is not entirely relevant
to a teaching post , do remember to keep it brief.
> SEN
experience:
If you are looking to get into special needs, you may
have had experience babysitting your autistic cousin or tutoring
children with learning difficulties. This is all highly relevant
experience to show why you have an appreciation and interest in the
special needs environment. You must remember to keep it
brief.
> References:
There is no reason why you need to
include this on your CV. You may end up sending the same CV to
numerous employers and you may not want to give each and every
potential employer these details as some could very well take the
liberty of contacting these referees prior to your authorisation.
Why not simply say "References are available on request" and if an
employer asks you for them directly you can always give the details
of the appropriate referees.
What can I do with my CV if I
haven't been teaching for a while or am newly qualified?
>
Teaching practice:If you are a newly qualified teacher , list the
schools you have been placed in, what year levels you worked with
and anything particular about the school that will enhance your
credentials.
You may want to include a teaching statement
that encompasses your ideals, reasons and approach to teaching. This
can also be done if you are looking for a slight change in direction
(i.e., special needs, EAL, support work, key stage level change,
etc). It is always nice to have some sort of statement that tells
your prospective employer about you and where your interests in
teaching lie.
About
the Author:
Laurence is the founder and Director of
Supply Network, a successful recruitment agency specialiing in the
education sector. Laurence, a former teacher, worked in recruitment
for many years before founding Supply Network, now one of the
largest and fastest growing education recruitment agencies in
Birmingham. http://www.supplynetwork.co.uk/
Article Source:
www.iSnare.com
