CV Length
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BobbyBamboo
- Posts: 26
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 6:13 pm
CV Length
Wondering how long or short should a CV be?
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IS-Educator
- Posts: 6
- Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2011 6:29 am
Advice
Generally one page if your inexperienced and two pages if your experienced. Schools focus on 1) What you have taught and 2) What you can teach. This breaks down to
Teaching Experience
Education
Certification
Skills
Teaching Experience
Education
Certification
Skills
After looking at endless cvs recently all I can say is if it has one of the following it gets binned
- spelling and grammar: so many native speakers these days can't construct a sentence. In da bin!
- poor structure: if it takes me more than 15 seconds to work out they are a qualified teacher and where they work now - in da bin!
- grotesque picture: many make me laugh, some are freak shows and some are downright horrible. In da bin! Get a good pic
- same job but looks like 5: make it clear! If not in da bin!
That is 90% of CVs sadly
- spelling and grammar: so many native speakers these days can't construct a sentence. In da bin!
- poor structure: if it takes me more than 15 seconds to work out they are a qualified teacher and where they work now - in da bin!
- grotesque picture: many make me laugh, some are freak shows and some are downright horrible. In da bin! Get a good pic
- same job but looks like 5: make it clear! If not in da bin!
That is 90% of CVs sadly
Comment
I think the issue is that many teachers still put together a resume based on what they got from a seminar or class back when when they were first in college. When the goal of the instructor/presenter was to show you how to stretch very little and make it into a lot. They never unlearned this approach.
I would like to see Search, ISS, or even the career center at UNI make a web seminar or offer a workshop on creating a resume for the IS teaching field.
There isnt a "best" resume template for international schools. Every principal/head likes different things. To give you a few pointers:
1) Set your paper format to A4 size paper (the standard used everywhere EXCEPT the USA). Avoid using too many tabs. They will look different on different computers, and may look less professional.
2) Use standard fonts (Times, Arial, Helvetica, etc) most computers are loaded with local language fonts, and they may have a very limited number of english fonts.
3) Preferably send PDF's documents (and avoid all the above).
4) Recruiters are primarily looking for two things: What you HAVE taught (experience) and what you CAN teach (degrees and certifications). Second to that are: skills (technology, etc), and extracurricular interest (sports and clubs).
5) Start your resume with whatever your strength is. If its your 5 degrees and 20 certifications start with that (under the title of "Education"). If its a decade of teaching experience start with that (under the title of "Experience"). Most of us at this stage in our career have more then a page, but recruiters really only have time for the first. So whatever is first on the resume should be your most impressive.
6) Dont use a skill summary or objective at the top of your resume, it waists valuable space and we know what your objective is (its the job your applying for). Also, dont bother with the "references available on request" line at the end of your resume, you better have references or you wouldnt be applying.
7) For each experience entry you should have no more then 1 bullet point per year of experience. Having a dozen accomplishments or descriptors for a one or two year job is just fluff. Either the accomplishments are trivial, or exaggerations. Each entry should have at a minimum, Dates, Name of Organization, and Location.
2010-2011, Acme International School, Nowhere/Fantasia
After that should be your job title, but "Teacher" looks boring and Repetitive, so Include your Grade and Subject
Teacher - IB Diploma, English A
Under that should be whatever achievements or descriptors you want, but keep it to a minimum, and unless you didnt do anything you can leave out the formula line such as below (Asterisks are preferable to bullet points, if your using word):
*Taught English Literature to 1st year Diploma Students. (BAD)
*Faculty Sponsor of the Writing Club. (OK)
*Completed Writers Workshop Training. (GOOD)
*98% IBO Exam Success Rate. (VERY GOOD)
8) You should have more emphasis on recent activities and less on distant activities, if you graduated 20 years a go, no one cares if you were on the honor roll.
9) So if the first 2 parts of your resume are Experience, and Education, the third part should be focused on skills such as foreign languages, technology, coaching skills, etc. and any other training qualifications or experiences you have that might be relevant to the position. Any other relevant information to teaching as well.
10) Include a photo with your resume but not ON your resume. Lastly make sure your contact information is at the top of the first page, specifically your email address, phone number (begin with 01, not just 1) and Skype name (most interviews are done by Skype if not in person, as opposed to a phone call. It will also help you discover whos really interested in you, if your suddenly asked to add a schools skype contact list.)
I would like to see Search, ISS, or even the career center at UNI make a web seminar or offer a workshop on creating a resume for the IS teaching field.
There isnt a "best" resume template for international schools. Every principal/head likes different things. To give you a few pointers:
1) Set your paper format to A4 size paper (the standard used everywhere EXCEPT the USA). Avoid using too many tabs. They will look different on different computers, and may look less professional.
2) Use standard fonts (Times, Arial, Helvetica, etc) most computers are loaded with local language fonts, and they may have a very limited number of english fonts.
3) Preferably send PDF's documents (and avoid all the above).
4) Recruiters are primarily looking for two things: What you HAVE taught (experience) and what you CAN teach (degrees and certifications). Second to that are: skills (technology, etc), and extracurricular interest (sports and clubs).
5) Start your resume with whatever your strength is. If its your 5 degrees and 20 certifications start with that (under the title of "Education"). If its a decade of teaching experience start with that (under the title of "Experience"). Most of us at this stage in our career have more then a page, but recruiters really only have time for the first. So whatever is first on the resume should be your most impressive.
6) Dont use a skill summary or objective at the top of your resume, it waists valuable space and we know what your objective is (its the job your applying for). Also, dont bother with the "references available on request" line at the end of your resume, you better have references or you wouldnt be applying.
7) For each experience entry you should have no more then 1 bullet point per year of experience. Having a dozen accomplishments or descriptors for a one or two year job is just fluff. Either the accomplishments are trivial, or exaggerations. Each entry should have at a minimum, Dates, Name of Organization, and Location.
2010-2011, Acme International School, Nowhere/Fantasia
After that should be your job title, but "Teacher" looks boring and Repetitive, so Include your Grade and Subject
Teacher - IB Diploma, English A
Under that should be whatever achievements or descriptors you want, but keep it to a minimum, and unless you didnt do anything you can leave out the formula line such as below (Asterisks are preferable to bullet points, if your using word):
*Taught English Literature to 1st year Diploma Students. (BAD)
*Faculty Sponsor of the Writing Club. (OK)
*Completed Writers Workshop Training. (GOOD)
*98% IBO Exam Success Rate. (VERY GOOD)
8) You should have more emphasis on recent activities and less on distant activities, if you graduated 20 years a go, no one cares if you were on the honor roll.
9) So if the first 2 parts of your resume are Experience, and Education, the third part should be focused on skills such as foreign languages, technology, coaching skills, etc. and any other training qualifications or experiences you have that might be relevant to the position. Any other relevant information to teaching as well.
10) Include a photo with your resume but not ON your resume. Lastly make sure your contact information is at the top of the first page, specifically your email address, phone number (begin with 01, not just 1) and Skype name (most interviews are done by Skype if not in person, as opposed to a phone call. It will also help you discover whos really interested in you, if your suddenly asked to add a schools skype contact list.)